Issue 47 – Lex Luthor

(DISCLAIMER: We inadvertently forgot this was episode 47, so we keep calling it 48 in the show. Don’t worry, you’re not missing anything, we just can’t count ;-P )

SHOW NOTES:

• Intro

  • IWB live show on July 12^th

  • Podcoin plug

• Background (5:10)

• • Created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster in Action Comics #23 (April 1940) or Superman #4 (Spring 1940)

  • Originally a mad scientist who lived in a flying city, he was a standard megalomaniac, and Superman was just the only one who could foil his plans

  • Origin story later revealed that he was a scientist in Smallville who liked Superboy until an accident at his laboratory turned him bald and killed an artificial life-form he had created – explains his hatred and jealousy of Superman

  • After Crisis on Infinite Earths, Luthor was reimagined as a corrupt corporate executive, who hates Superman because he cannot be corrupted

  • Family depends on the continuity – pre-Crisis, he has a sister named Lena, over whom he is very protective, and a wife Adora from another planet, and they have a son, Lex Jr. – both are killed when the planet explodes

  • Post-Crisis, he is revealed to have been married eight times – his eighth wife is Contessa Erica Alexandra Del Portenza, who is as greedy as he is – she gives birth to a daughter, Lena

  • In various continuities, his parents are either estranged and ashamed of him, or he killed them

  • In basically all continuities, he believes himself to be the smartest man on the planet, and he feels that makes him superior to Superman

• Issues (13:30)

  • Ariel: why does he hate aliens, and Superman in particular?

  • Is he capable of actual love, trust, or friendship? (21:24)

  • Feelings towards family – parents and sister (26:21)

• Treatment (37:26)

  • In-universe

  • Out of universe (44:25)

• Skit

• Ending

References:

• Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me: “Oh no, I’ve gone cross-eyed” – Anthony – 3:48
• The Simpsons – Hank Scorpio – Anthony – 8:45
• Clue – “Flames on the sides of my face” – Anthony – 16:20
• Scarface – “Say goodnight to the bad guy” (NSFW) – Anthony – 25:10
• Goldwater rule – Doc – 46:29
• Captain America: The First Avenger – “I’m just a kid from Brooklyn” – Anthony – 51:23

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