Lex Luthor
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Real Identity: Alexander "Lex" Joseph Luthor
Affiliation(s): LexCorp
Appearances (BTAC Comics): Hardware and Mentors Part 2
Power/Skills: Manipulation, Knowledge of Sciences and Technology, Photographic Memory and Enhanced Physical Attributes
Lex Luthor is CEO of the company Lexcorp and Metropolis's most powerful and influential figure. That is, until Superman debuted and slowly won the love and admiration of the people. Superman and Luthor quickly clashed over the latter's more corrupt operations but he managed to avoid prosecution.
Superman battled another Brainiac on the Far Side of the Moon. Lex Luthor observed the fight from a lunar satellite in orbit. Luthor targeted Superman and imprisoned him in a giant robot using a mind control device which he was then used to power like a solar battery. The night after a break in at WayneTech by a giant robot, Lex Luthor was announced as a surprise guest at a cocktail party at Cloud Nine. Alfred Pennyworth apprised Bruce Wayne of the news after he presented a merino wool and cashmere suit with a subtle blue strip and was turned down. Wayne understood the implied connection between him and the break in and made an appearance at the party. Veronica Vreeland cornered Wayne at the party and asked him why they ever split up. Lex Luthor interrupted and warned her against trying to elicit emotion from a lost cause like Wayne, citing he had experience himself. Wayne introduced them.
Vreeland was charmed and recalled he was the notorious mastermind of Metropolis. Luthor advised her not to believe everything she read in the Daily Planet. He then requested a few minutes alone with Wayne and perhaps talk some sense into him. Vreeland obliged the request and invited Luthor to stop by and see her at the bar after. Wayne admitted to Luthor he was surprised to hear he was in town and he usually told him when he was. Luthor revealed he was in and out this time then admitted he wasn't particularly fond of Gotham, not since the incident with the Joker. Luthor then mused Batman wasn't to effective the night before against the robot that broke into WayneTech. Wayne chimed it could have gone better. Luthor even admitted Superman probably would have flattened it in no time. Wayne teased and asked for Superman's phone number since the two were so close. Luthor replied it wouldn't help since Superman was missing in action since last week after a big battle on the Far Side of the Moon then asked Wayne what "they" got. Wayne was confused. Luthor was sure someone had to have programmed the robot. Wayne "wished" he could tell him more.
Batman found the giant robot in a hangar at Claremon Airfield. He attached a miniature scanner to a leg then noted a device was about the crack the combination on the vault. He was suddenly shot in the back by a green energy blast. Lex Luthor, in a Lexcorp warsuit, was not pleased to see Batman and held him off the ground by his head. Luthor assured him Superman wasn't coming to his rescue. Batman countered he was in over his head. Luthor stated he was about to lose his. The vault was opened and revealed an inactive head of Brainiac. Luthor proclaimed it was the future then revealed he watched Superman and Brainiac's latest fight from a lunar satellite and knew about the head. Batman told him he wouldn't find any secrets of the universe in it and there was no programming left because Brainiac uploaded himself somewhere into space before the battle ended. Luthor smacked him and claimed all he needed to find were fragments of Brainiac's programming then he could build on them. He slowly choked Batman. Estimating ten seconds of consciousness left, Batman threw a Batarang into the Brainiac head and triggered its eye laser function. Luthor was blasted out of the hangar.
Luthor attempted to return to Metropolis in a C-17 cargo plane piloted by Mercy Graves. She informed Luthor they were five minutes from Metropolis airspace. She suggested he change into something more business-like. Luthor ordered her to just get them back to Metropolis before Batman caught up. Batman punched the nose of the plane. Luthor flew outside and tackled Batman and blasted him. Batman realized the warsuit was at half-strength thanks to Brainiac's beam. Batman clocked Luthor. He retreated to the plane, shed the warsuit, and jumped into the robot's cockpit. Graves told him the plane was going down and exited with a parachute strapped on. The robot burst out of the plane and grabbed Batman. Luthor declared he wouldn't escape. Batman fired a taser into the robot and jolted it with a Kryptonite charge. Superman was roused from Luthor's mind control device and broke free from the robot using heat vision and his super strength. Superman grabbed Luthor and asked Batman if he minded if he took care of the rest. Batman obliged and advised him to take Graves, too, on the way.
Luthor didn't like being made a fool of. He hired Deathstroke to assassinate Batman. Some time after Deathstroke set up in the Gotham, Lex Luthor made contact and cut to the chase. Luthor was not satisfied with the "production" Deathstroke was putting on and simply wanted him to kill Batman. Deathstroke insisted nothing was simple about Batman and preparation was crucial. Luthor didn't care for any explanations and wanted the assassination completed. Deathstroke stressed patience and promised he would be dead in the next 24 hours. They were unaware Jason Todd was listening in on them. Lex Luthor told Deathstroke he was holding him to that promise and warned him not to disappoint then signed off.