Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Superman: Lex Luthor Special #1As a new version of Superman, I believe a recent DC Comics story has provided the perfect road map for what the DCU's Luthor should be. Having long been the Man of Steel's nemesis on the page, multiple versions of Lex Luthor have been seen both on television and in the movies, with varying degrees of success. However, Nicholas Hoult's take on the DC villain already looks very exciting, especially if he manages to tap into a core character motivation and dynamic that's been perfectly highlighted in DC's new Lex Luthor-focused book.

In the new Superman: Lex Luthor Special #1 by Joshua Williamson, Eddy Barrows, and Eber Ferreira, Mister Terrific claims Lex Luthor is the best chance the Justice League has to make with the dark new "Alpha World" created by Darkseid. Acknowledging that Luthor has always attained his genius from darker intellectual paths, Superman and Terrific both agree that Lex's assistance is needed to communicate with the Elseworld which has thus far proven quite difficult to access. However, Lex Luthor himself is currently in a unique set of circumstances, allowing this new DC issue to examine a dynamic part of his past and overall character.

Lex Luthor Recently Lost His Memory In The Comics

The New Lex Is Questioning Whether He Even Wants To

Prior to the events of this new special issue, Lex Luthor lost all of his memories during 2024's House of Brainiac event. Connecting his brain to Brainiac’s hive mind to save the world, Luthor paid the cost with his mind being wiped. Now, the new Luthor is shown in this issue questioning whether he even wants to regain the memories of the old Lex and the life he once had, especially considering everything the DC villain has done across the decades in his war against Superman and attempts to claim power over the rest of the planet.

As a result, Lex isn't very thrilled when Superman comes to check in, wanting to know if Lex has made any progress with his memories, and if he might be able to help Terrific continue the Elseworld project they were working on before Luthor's mind-wipe. Ultimately, the new Luthor believes that the world would be better off without the old Lex, and that the past should be forgotten. However, the truth is that some of Lex Luthor's earliest and most painful memories have already started to resurface, offering a glimpse into his past and the core drive of his character.

DC's New Flashbacks Tap Into Lex Luthor's Core Character

Defining His Drive and Motivation With A Tragic Past

As seen in the flashback to Luthor's childhood, Lex's abusive father hated him no matter what he did. Lionel Luthor eventually came to resent his son's genius, like when young Lex built a special radio transmitter that could play music only those with more sensitive ears could hear. Remarkably, it's revealed that the music played by Lex was unknowingly heard by the Kryptonian baby Clark Kent and his superpowered senses, providing him with the best night's sleep he'd had since he was adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent.

In the present, Mister Terrific tells Superman that someone sent him designs for a special transmitter capable of sending soundwaves over multiversal vibrations, effectively an upgraded version of the device Lex built as a boy that can be used to communicate with The Elseworld. Superman then hears a familiar song he initially can't place before discovering that it's Lex playing the piano, confirming that his old rival's memories are indeed starting to return. As a result, I feel as though this entire story is the perfect microcosm highlighting the kind of complex character Nicholas Hoult will hopefully embody as the DCU's Lex Luthor.

DC's New Lex Luthor Special Is Everything I Want For The DCU Villain

I Hope Nicholas Hoult's Lex Has The Same Dynamics

This issue absolutely s the core concept that Lex Luthor is ultimately a character who's trying to overcome his troubled past and feelings of inferiority from his father by seeking to improve humanity with his genius. He's constantly trying to definitively prove his superiority by any means necessary. As such, it's no wonder that Lex becomes threatened and very much opposed to someone like Superman who, in Luthor's eyes, makes humanity (and personally Lex himself) feel inferior with all his power.

That being said, this all stems from Luthor's unique mind and genius being a source of rejection from an early age, while Kal-El's abilities were conversely embraced. With any luck, I'm hoping that even the smallest degree of this dynamic comes through in Hoult's performance as Lex Luthor in 2025's Superman. The dichotomy between the classic DC heroes is incredibly valuable and compelling, and it would be a shame if Hoult's Lex Luthor ends up being more of a two-dimensional foe when issues like this new DC special prove how much epic potential there is for Superman's nemesis.

Superman: Lex Luthor Special #1 is on sale from DC Comics.