Last week the Superman:Lex Luthor Special #1 was released, an interesting spotlight on Lex who has been going through quite some changes over the last 2 years.
Since the inception of the latest volume of the Superman comic, writer Joshua Williamson has been focusing on the Lex/Superman dynamic. The whole book started with Lex saying he wanted to work with Superman, not against him. LexCorp became SuperCorp. Superman was a leader in the company. Work was done to help Superman. All the while I kept wondering if this was some trap set by Lex, a long con.
Then in House of Brainiac, Williamson changed even that dynamic, giving Lex amnesia and softening him considerably. Gone was the aggressive, Type A megalomaniac. Instead, there was a gentle soul. But even there, I was wondering if this was another long con ... a con within a con.
Perhaps with the Superman movie on the horizon, there was some impetus to put Luthor back in the super-villain ranks. This issue Superman nudges Lex more towards his purer form, ending the amnesia at least. Will Superman regret it?
It also layers in the dreaded 'sympathetic backstory' that every villain seems to need these days. Gone are the days of 'I'm just an evil SOB' villain. I like my Lex to just be a narcissist. Not someone emotionally abused as a child who must be dealing with his trauma.
The art is done by Eddy Barrows and Eber Ferreira. I have always like Barrows. This is a low key issue without a ton of action. But Barrows brings the emotion to the proceedings. I really like his ink style in the flashbacks, reminding me of legendary inker Alfredo Alcala. High praise.
On to the book.
Meanwhile, Mr. Terrific is trying to reach out to the newly discovered Absolute Universe but can't get through for some reason. But he knows who can help him ...
On to the book.
At SuperCorp, Lena has brought a piano into Lex's office. After all, lex's mother used to say how great he played. Perhaps sitting at the keyboard will stir some memories.
It doesn't work.
It doesn't work.
I love how the flashbacks in this book, a major part of this story as we explore Lex's past, are done in black and white. And that cross-hatching of the background, is brilliant. One, it reminds me of Alfredo Alcala. But it also shows how Lex remembers what he remembers, the rest is sort of a haze.
He asks Superman to see if Luthor can help him.
Of course, this has Superman remember the old Lex, the evil President, the leader of the Legion of Doom, the battle-suit wearing combatant. Great splash page by Barrows for sure, showcasing a lot of Lex history.
With all the insanity of DC continuity, it is certainly possible that all these things have indeed happened.
Lex and Mercy are walking through the park when Lex is accosted by regular citizens who still remember the criminal. One even throws ice cream in his face (hence the splatter).
Superman arrives and calms everyone down. But he starts sort of pushing this Lex, hoping that Luthor remembers more.
Seems like this is a bit risky and almost unnecessary. For one, as he says throughout the exchange, this Lex is actually pretty happy with who he is. Why does he have to remember things anyways?
Second, there is no rush on contacting that Earth. There are other mega-geniuses on the planet to help Mr. Terrific.
Maybe Superman should leave well enough alone.
As the conversation goes on, we see more of Lex's memories, mostly around how loving his mother was and how angry and abusive his father was. Lionel just doesn't like his son.
Even here, when Lex creates some doo-hickey to broadcast music into space, Lionel is unhappy.
I like ultra-precocious Lex as part of the history. It explains why he left Smallville and felt superior. But I just have to say this 'abusive Dad' angle does not seem necessary. In fact, it makes Lex almost too sympathetic.
Can't my villains just be villains?
Can't my villains just be villains?
But Superman keeps pushing, almost too much. The whole conversation felt a bit too forced. Like Superman isn't happy with this new Lex and wants the old one back.
Even when this Lex wonders if he is the better Luthor, Superman keeps pushing. And probably pushes too far.
Once again we flash back to Smallville where Lionel calls Lex a freak, forcing Lex to flee in fear.
I want to hate Lex, the villain. I wants to see him as this narcissist who thinks he knows better. I want to think of Superman, an alien, as being more human.
Now that last panel of a kid Lex, tears streaming down his face, running away from an irate father, will also pop in my head. Yes, it humanizes Lex. Yes, it makes him more complex. But something simple is enough.
There is one fun wrinkle.
In some of the flashbacks, we see a couple carrying a crying baby that they can't seem to calm.
Turns out it is the Kents with baby Clark.
Somehow Lex's music transmitter acts like a music box, calming Clark and getting him to sleep.
I thought this was a nice new aspect to the Smallville history. And in particular, this splash by Barrows is quite lovely. I appreciate the spit curl already being present on infant Kal.
But be careful what you wish for.
Mr. Terrific says he received data from Luthor to help communicate with the new Earth. (For sure, this has to be an early foreshadow to whatever 'Crisis on Absolute Nonsense' that is coming.)
Will this still be the 'smart but working with Superman' Lex? Or will we go back to the bad guy?
Outside of that one 'sympathetic backstory' piece (although for all I remember he had abusive parents in the past), I thought this was a good issue. For me, the most interesting part is that Superman seemingly bullied Lex into remembering things. Perhaps the Lex with his memories intact will be upset that the kind Lex was kicked to the curb. Perhaps Superman will regret bringing this threat back into the world. And this felt rushed given we were just seeing the amnestic Luthor.
Barrows' art is always solid and I think he works best on specials and mini-series without the pressure of a monthly book. His stuff here worked well, especially the flashbacks.
Overall grade: B/B+
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