Lex Luthor is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Superman, and his ultimate goal is to conquer the world and destroy Superman. Luthor is a power-mad, wealthy genius who possesses a brilliant scientific intellect and is a brilliant tactician. He is one of the most intelligent characters in the DC Universe and is considered to be one of the greatest villains in comic book history.