Lex Luthor is a fictional supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Superman, and is also a major adversary of Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Lex Luthor is a wealthy, power-mad American business magnate, ingenious engineer, and philanthropist to the city of Metropolis. He is described as 'a power-mad, evil scientist' of high intelligence and incredible technological prowess.