Luthor

Luthor is a surname of German origin. The name is relatively uncommon in everyday use but is widely recognized in popular culture, primarily due to the DC Comics character Lex Luthor. The spelling Luthor (without the g) is used for the fictional character and is distinct from Luther.

Lex Luthor in DC Comics is a principal antagonist in the Superman mythos. He was created by writer-artist team Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster and first appeared in Action Comics #23 in 1940. Traditionally depicted as a brilliant but unscrupulous scientist, industrialist, and sometimes politician, Luthor views Superman as an obstacle to humanity and often seeks power, control, or personal vindication. He is commonly associated with LexCorp, a multinational corporation that he uses to further his aims, though his methods and public personas vary across different comic eras and continuities. Some storylines cast him as a paranoiac tyrant or as a reformist figure who believes in guiding humanity without alien intervention.

Lex Luthor has been adapted across multiple media. Notable live-action portrayals include Gene Hackman in the early Superman films (1978–1987), Kevin Spacey in Superman Returns (2006), and Jesse Eisenberg in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016). On television, Michael Rosenbaum played Lex Luthor in the series Smallville, while John Cryer portrays him in recent Arrowverse projects. The character has also appeared in numerous animated series and video games, reflecting variations in his background, abilities, and motivations.

In broader use, Luthor as a surname may appear in real-world contexts, but the name is most strongly associated with the DC Comics villain and his adaptations across comics, film, and television.