Alexander (Lex) Luthor Reading Order
This reading order is designed to give an outline of major storylines featuring Lex Luthor throughout DC Comics. It may not encompass every one of his appearances but is an outline of the major ones and the stories that affect them.
The continuity details relating to each specific storyline are explained in the “Review” of each storyline. Every “Review” link will provide a detailed continuity breakdown of that story and will explain any reference the story makes to other aspects of the DC Universe. All of this can be found under the “Continuity” section of each link.
New 52
With the start of the New 52, the DC Universe was reset. This effectively erased Lex Luthor’s pre-New 52 history. All that is retained is Luthor’s status as a wealthy businessman and his antagonism toward Superman.
Lex Luthor was reintroduced through the first few arcs in the Action Comics series, which all take place six years before the majority of the titles in the New 52. This time gap is then bridged in Action Comics #19-21, which detail events one year before the majority of the titles in the New 52. All stories after this point then take place in the “present”.
The stories in the present start with only a few appearances from Luthor. However, after the events of Forever Evil (Reading Order), his role becomes more pronounced. Eventually, he begins making appearances in the Justice League (Reading Order) series, which leads him into participating in the Darkseid War (Reading Order) event. The conclusion of the Darkseid War event and a change in Superman’s situation from The Final Days of Superman (Reading Order), help establish Lex Luthor’s status quo going into the Rebirth era.
Essential | Extra | ||
Issue | Collection | Issue | Collection |
Action Comics #1 | Action Comics Vol. 1: Superman and the Men of Steel 1 | ||
Action Comics #2 | |||
Action Comics #3 | |||
Action Comics #4 | |||
Action Comics #7 | |||
Action Comics #8 | |||
Action Comics Annual #1 | Action Comics Vol. 2: Bulletproof 1 | ||
Action Comics #16 | Action Comics Vol. 3: At the End of Days 1 | ||
Action Comics #17 | |||
Action Comics #18 | |||
Action Comics #19 | Action Comics Vol. 4: Hybrid (Review) 2 | ||
Action Comics #20 | |||
Action Comics #21 | |||
Superman #15 | Superman: H'el on Earth (Review) (Reading Order) | ||
Supergirl #18 | Supergirl Vol. 3: Sanctuary (Review) 3 | ||
Supergirl #19 | |||
Superman Unchained #1 | Superman Unchained (Review) 4 | ||
Superman Unchained #2 | |||
Superman Unchained #3 | |||
Superman Unchained #4 | |||
Superman Unchained #8 | |||
Superman Unchained #9 | |||
Justice League of America #7 | Trinity War (Review) (Reading Order) 5 | ||
Superman #23.1 | Uncollected | ||
Action Comics #23.3 | |||
Forever Evil #1 | Forever Evil (Review) (Reading Order) | ||
Forever Evil #2 | |||
Forever Evil #3 | |||
Forever Evil #4 | |||
Forever Evil #5 | |||
Forever Evil #6 | |||
Forever Evil #7 | |||
Superman: Doomed #1 | Superman: Doomed (Review) (Reading Order) 6 | ||
Action Comics #31 | |||
Superman #31 | |||
Action Comics #32 | |||
Action Comics Annual #3 | |||
Justice League #30 | Justice League Vol. 6: Injustice League (Review) | ||
Justice League #31 | |||
Justice League #32 | |||
Justice League #33 | |||
Justice League #34 | |||
Justice League #35 | |||
Justice League #36 | |||
Justice League #37 | |||
Justice League #38 | |||
Justice League #39 | |||
Robin Rises: Omega #1 | Batman and Robin Vol. 6: The Hunt for Robin (Review) 7 | ||
Batman and Robin #33 | |||
Batman and Robin #34 | |||
Grayson #10 | Grayson Vol. 3: Nemesis (Review) 8 | ||
Batman/Superman #17 | Batman/Superman Vol. 4: Siege (Review) 7 | ||
Justice League #41 | Justice League Vol. 7: Darkseid War Part 1 (Review) (Reading Order) | ||
Justice League #42 | |||
Justice League #43 | |||
Justice League #44 | |||
Justice League #45 | Justice League Vol. 8: Darkseid War Part 2 (Review) (Reading Order) | ||
Justice League #46 | |||
Justice League: The Darkseid War: Lex Luthor #1 | Justice League: Darkseid War: Power of the Gods (Review) (Reading Order) | ||
Justice League #47 | Justice League Vol. 8: Darkseid War Part 2 (Review) (Reading Order) | ||
Justice League #48 | |||
Justice League #49 | |||
Justice League #50 | |||
Catwoman #50 | Catwoman Vol. 8: Run Like Hell (Review) 8 | ||
Batman/Superman #21 | Batman/Superman Vol. 5: Truth Hurts (Review) 7 | ||
Justice League #52 | Action Comics Vol. 2: Welcome to the Planet (Review) | ||