Lex Luthor is a fictional supervillain appearing in American 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, inventor, and scientist. He is described as a 'GENIUS' in many respects, possessing a high IQ of 225, and is also a gifted strategist and manipulator.