5 Best Fights Between Superman and Lex Luthor (Including 1 Where the Villain Won)

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The rivalry between Superman and Lex Luthor is one of the most famous in storytelling. Superman represents ultimate strength and heroism, while Lex Luthor embodies unmatched intelligence and villainy. Despite being complete opposites, they’re linked by a complex history. Superman consistently fights for the greater good, but Lex believes only he can save the world – seeing Superman as an impediment to his vision. Their ongoing conflict has profoundly impacted DC Comics’ universe, with their battles often becoming legendary moments.

For over eighty years, Lex Luthor has relentlessly tried to defeat Superman, but the hero has always prevailed. Today, we’ll be highlighting five of their most incredible confrontations – fights that represent the best in comic book action. These are truly epic and exciting battles, including one surprising instance where the villain actually won! Let’s dive right into these amazing clashes between good and evil.

5) Superman (1939) #164 

In an epic showdown, Lex Luthor, frustrated by repeatedly losing to Superman’s abilities, challenged him to a fight on a planet orbiting a red sun. While Superman was the stronger boxer, this wasn’t just a quick battle. They fought across the entire planet, with Luthor testing Superman’s intelligence and resourcefulness by throwing both natural and artificial disasters his way. Lex even managed to win over the local population, convincing them he was a hero who could bring water back to their world.

Ultimately, Lex had Superman defeated, but he deliberately allowed Superman to be seen as the hero, letting him provide water to those in need. While it appeared Superman won, Lex actually achieved a personal victory – discovering a purpose beyond his rivalry with Superman. This marked a significant turning point for his character, revealing a potential for heroism. The story also powerfully demonstrates just how dangerous Superman is, even when he’s not using his full abilities.

4) Action Comics #840

The “Up, Up and Away!” story arc depicted both Superman and Lex Luthor at their weakest points. Clark Kent had lost his superpowers, and Lex was broke and widely disliked. While Clark experienced a taste of normal life, Lex spiraled out of control and attempted to destroy Metropolis using stolen alien technology. He took control of General Zod’s former spaceship as Clark began regaining his powers. Their fight caused massive destruction throughout the city, ultimately forcing Superman to dismantle a Kryptonite-powered robotic suit.

The final confrontation pitted a powerless Lex Luthor against a weakened Superman. Their hand-to-hand fight echoed their original battle from Superman #164, during which Lex angrily accused Superman of taking Metropolis away from him. This moment showcased the peak of Lex’s obsession and hatred – he believed Superman was the source of all his failures. In contrast, Superman viewed Lex as a pathetic and lost soul. It perfectly illustrated Lex’s endless fury, stemming from the fact that Superman possessed everything Lex desired and would ultimately always triumph over him. While Superman hadn’t actually taken anything from Lex, everything Lex wanted seemed to come easily to his rival.

3) All-Star Superman #12

In this famous story, Lex Luthor finally defeats Superman by exposing him to too much solar radiation – essentially poisoning him with sunlight. As Superman weakened and faced death, he created a formula that would allow Lois Lane to experience having superpowers. Lex stole the formula, duplicated it for himself, and gained all of Superman’s abilities while Superman fought for his life. Lex spent time mocking the dying hero, even as Superman desperately tried to fight back using a special Gravity Gun. Just when Lex had completely overpowered Superman and was about to announce his rule over the world, an unexpected event occurred.

Lex briefly understood how Superman perceived the world – a complex web where everything was interconnected and contributed to the beauty of life. However, his borrowed powers faded due to physical limitations. True to form, Lex immediately blamed Superman instead of considering his own circumstances. He had the potential to achieve great things and genuinely help others, but his consuming hatred for Superman ultimately led to his failure. Superman views Lex with pity, seeing him as someone in need of saving rather than a true threat. This confrontation highlights Lex’s core weakness and emphasizes Superman’s compassion; it was their most intense battle yet.

2) Superman: Birthright #12

This confrontation wasn’t the biggest battle between Superman and Lex Luthor. They didn’t really fight directly; instead, Lex unleashed robots to attack Superman and damage his reputation, but Superman overcame them all and saved the day. Throughout the comic, Lex was fixated on opening a time portal using Kryptonite, believing it would connect him to a superior civilization. However, the portal showed him the final moments of Krypton, and Superman was able to see his parents. Ultimately, Superman easily took Lex into custody.

This wasn’t a spectacular battle in terms of action, but it revealed a hidden side of Lex Luthor. Deep down, he’s a lonely and unhappy man who struggles to connect with others. He constantly tries to find acceptance, either by controlling everything around him or by seeking out equals. Driven by this deep-seated need for connection, Lex’s actions are finally understood by Superman, who consistently offers help despite Lex’s resistance. The fight highlighted the core motivations of both characters – what truly makes them who they are.

1) Action Comics #900

I remember being absolutely captivated by this story – it was the last time we really dove into Lex Luthor’s perspective before everything changed with the New 52, and it went out on such a high note! The whole “Black Ring” arc is seriously one of Superman’s best, though I don’t think it gets enough credit. Watching Lex get his hands on an Orange Lantern Ring was just the beginning; he became obsessed with gaining ultimate power to finally defeat Superman. He even fused with someone from the Phantom Zone, which gave him almost limitless abilities! It was incredible – he could literally reshape reality and actually fix the world according to his vision, the one he always claimed he had if Superman wasn’t around. What really struck me was that even Superman saw a glimmer of good in Lex’s plans at one point and encouraged him to use his power to help people.

So, this incredible power came with a pretty big condition: Lex couldn’t actually kill Superman. The catch was, he had to use these powers for good – genuinely selfless acts. It was almost heartbreaking because all Lex had to do to keep his newfound godhood was let Superman exist peacefully, be the hero he secretly wanted to be, and ditch the hatred. But, predictably, he couldn’t. He lost everything. And that really highlights the core difference between these two characters. Superman consistently chooses what’s right, while Lex always defaults to serving himself. He had the potential to be truly great, but his blinding rage just kept getting in the way.

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2026-06-12 19:16