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Summary
Warning ! spoiler before for Superman # 12!A young revelation from the yesteryear is changing what fans know aboutSuperman’sgreatest foeman and his greatest helplessness . Two of the most important scene of the Man of Steel ’s lore have been his taste relationship with Lex Luthor , as well as Clark ’s exposure to the glowing green material known as kryptonite .
Superman has find out a lot about kryptoniteand Lex since Clark decided to scratch up a working relationship with his oldest nemesis . During a dramatic conflict , Superman hears a fresh piece of entropy that give him anew perspective on Lex Luthorand his obsession with uncover the mystery behind kryptonite .
Lex Luthor’s Secret Past Surprised Even Superman
When Lex Luthor was arrested for the execution of Manchester Black , he traumatize the world by handing over the keys to his business empire direct to Superman . Lexcorp became Supercorp , and Lex vowed that he had change his way and want to work with the Man of Steel to improve Metropolis . Ever believing the best in others , Superman agreed and the two start a partnership . However , two villain begin working in the shadow against Superman and Lex ; scoundrel Lex had crossed years before .
Lex also revealed that he battled Pharm and Graft multiple time when he was Metropolis ’ first superhero .
As Doctor Pharm and Mister Graft began experiment on Superman villain and forming the Lex Luthor Revenge Squad , Superman apprehend into the mysterious duo ’s past . Lex give away that Pharm and Graft were scoundrel that Lex discovered were experimenting on Metropolis ’ unhoused population . Lex also let on that he battled Pharm and Graft multiple times when he was Metropolis ’ first superhero . While Superman doubt the news report , Pharm and Graft continued their workto make Lex Luthor pay for the law-breaking he place against them .
While attempting to forcefully induce Superman into the Lex Luthor Revenge Squad , Graft revealed that he ’d experiment on Bizarro and care to create several synthetic kryptonite variants , including Marxist , which Graft used to enrage Superman . Thankfully , Lex used green kryptonite to nullify the red kryptonite ’s effects , but the Revenge Squad unleash their ultimate weapon on Metropolis : Synthetic kryptonite natural gas that is deadly to humans as much as Kryptonians . Even worse , Lex reveals that this kryptonite weapon was establish on his researchback when he worked with Pharm and Graft .
Lex Luthor Gave Up Being a Hero Because of Kryptonite
InSuperman # 12by Joshua Williamson , Norm Rapmund and David Baldeón , the synthetic kryptonite accelerator pedal is spread tight throughout the city thanks to Leticia Lurthor wearing a reclaimed war lawsuit . Superman is still weak from his earlier toxic condition , so Lex heads out to manage the field study while Clark figures out a cure for the kryptonite gas . Clark and Lex stay on in middleman while they treat their assignments , butSuperman need to know the trueness about Lex ’s history with Pharm and Graft .
Lex Luthor strike a deal with Pharm and Graft …
Lex acquiesces and reveals that he ’d been obsessed with kryptonite since he first discovered it in Smallville . The young Luthor was catch with the rock-and-roll and desperately searched for more , even scotch paths with a young Clark ( resulting in Superman ’s first exposure to kryptonite ) . Knowing that Smallville had no answers for him , Lex eventually result for Metropolis to become a superhero ( a taradiddle Lex stands firm on ) . Lex unwrap that one of his battles with Pharm and Graft terminate early when he realizedthe succeeding Superman villains had also discovered kryptonite .
Lex Luthor struck a deal with Pharm and Graft , and the tercet bring together to crack the secret of kryptonite . Together , the three scientists discovered that kryptonite reacted strongest to solar radiation . Superman concludes that Lex betray them and stole their inquiry on kryptonite , which Lex include to . He reveals that Pharm and Graft did n’t agree with Lex on how to best utilize their discovery , cause Lex to take everything they ’d worked on and cast out Pharm and Graft , reigniting and intensifying their rivalry .
Lex Luthor’s Obsession Caused His Biggest Downfall
The estimate of Lex Luthor being a hero was suspect at best , especially since up until now , Lex has been nothing but adversarial to Clark . However , thanks to Lois Lane ’s footwork , she find old story inThe Daily Planet’sarchives thatconfirmed that Lex Luthor was indeed a hero when he first came to Metropolisand that all the stories were buried by her honest-to-god boss , Perry White . But despite Lex ’s protest that his heroic retiring liveliness was rightful , he was reticent to intromit what change his way of life .
Lois Lane ’s find of Perry White ’s surprising action took post inSuperman 2023 Annual # 1 .
Lex Luthor ’s obsession with kryptonite inspire him to get out of Smallville and push himself to greater understand the universe . And that hunting for agreement led him to embark on a noble pursuit . alas , Lex has never been one to rent thing go . The import he view Pharm and Graft were also concerned in reveal kryptonite ’s secret , he give up any pretense of heroism and began walking a dark and grave route . Instead of push himself to help others , in the closing , Lex only wanted to help himself .
It ’s a real tragedy that Lex could have been a hero had he not allow his kryptonite obsession to have him . But his desire to dominate the glowing green rock ’s secrets not only pushed Lex to pursue villainy , it wound up making enemy out of Pharm and Graft , who almost used their joint research to mass - murder Metropolis . The genuinely inauspicious thing about this story is how it impacts Lex ’s current relationship with Superman . If Lex was willing to cast away his partnership with Pharm and Graft over kryptonite , Lex might ultimately betray Superman as well .
Superman and Lex Luthor’s Partnership Isn’t Built to Last
While Lex has been doing his serious to prove that he ’s a changed man to Superman , this is n’t the first time he ’s tried to go on the straight and minute only to lapse . In add-on to Lex ’s early stretch as Metropolis ’ protector , Lex was given a guessing at being a Cuban sandwich when he was in the Justice League , an event that ended with Luthor snuff it back to his old criminal mode . It just seems tobe in Lex Luthor ’s nature to backslide into villainy .
There ’s no doubt that Lex is smart and there ’s likely a part of him that authentically want to help the mankind . But his private obsession are always give way to come first before Lex even think of others . certainly , Lex is working with Superman now . But what bechance when Lex falls into his obsessions again ? Everything he ’s build with Clark is based on them working together . If Lex ’s secret account with kryptonite is any meter reading , it wo n’t take much forLex Luthorto at long last betraySuperman .
back breaker # 12is available now from DC Comics .
Superman # 12(2024 )
