As the sworn enemy of the Man of Steel, Lex Luthor is probably the most famous supervillain of all time. However, despite being a super-genius with considerable resources, Luthor often loses because of his refusal to see anyone besides Superman as a threat. This fact is showcased in the latest issue of DC K.O. as Luthor unveils his latest anti-Kryptonian weapon.
Written by Scott Snyder, with art by Javier Fernández, DC K.O. #3 continues the cosmic tournament for the power of Darkseid. For the third round of the contest, the eight surviving gladiators were required to pick a partner from among the fallen. This resulted in Lex Luthor and Aquaman dueling, with Supergirl and Hawkman as their respective allies.
(Image Source: DC / Javier Fernández)
At first, this seemed to be a major blunder on the part of Lex Luthor. There was nothing compelling the chosen warriors to stand by their partners. Given that, Supergirl was unsurprisingly quick to turn upon the greatest enemy of Superman. However, this was all according to Luthor’s plan.
What is Lex Luthor’s ultimate weapon?
Unsurprisingly, Luthor had stocked his power armor with Kryptonite. However, he did not make use of the common Green Kryptonite that merely weakens Kryptonians like Superman. Instead, Lex wielded a synthetic form of Kryptonite that he had designed himself. Dubbed “Designer K,” this new Kryptonite combined the effects of three different kinds of natural Kryptonite.
(Image Source: DC / Javier Fernández)
The end result was Supergirl’s transformation into a vicious giant. Driven beyond reason, Kara Zor-El made short work of Hawkman and Aquaman. Luthor claimed the win and advanced to Round 4 of the tournament.
It was not the direct victory over his archenemy Luthor might have wished for. However, the fight proved a perfect test of the effectiveness of Designer K. It also had the added bonus of forcing Superman to watch his cousin suffer before dying yet again as part of the tournament.
DC K.O. #3 is now available at comic shops everywhere.