Lex Luthor is Superman’s greatest opponent, even though he has no super powers. This highly intelligent yet egotistical man has been a thorn in Superman’s side since his first appearance back in 1940. If you’re looking to learn more about what makes this character tick, here’s a few books you can check out to get inside Luthor’s head.

You can also check out our essential reads for Batman and Superman.

The Black Ring (2010)

Written by Paul Cornell

Art by Pete Woods

A few years back, Lex Luthor became the star of Action Comics, and writer Paul Cornell sent Lex Luthor on a journey to unlock the secrets of the Black Lantern rings, which almost destroyed Earth in the Green Lantern arc, Blackest Night. On the surface, this is a story about power and corruption, but there is a lot more going on here. Cornell explores who Luthor is and what makes him tick, all while the character is on a quest to become a god.

Luthor (2005)

Written by Brian Azzarello

Art by Lee Bermejo

No one has given readers a better look at what makes Lex Luthor the man he is than Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo in Luthor. In the eyes of this character, Superman is a threat to humanity, and that’s never been more apparent. It’s Luthor’s goal to stop Superman, and he’s willing to take the risks to do so. The story is told from Luthor’s perspective, so in addition to following the character around, there’s a lot of internal dialogue, making the character feel more human. On top of all of that, Bermejo is an incredible artist, and this book is worth picking up for the art alone.

Forever Evil (2013)

Written by Geoff Johns

Art by David Finch

Forever Evil, as a whole, was a pretty decent comic book event. It’s a typical good vs evil story, as the heroes and villains of Earth take on visitors from a parallel Earth. As far as the Lex Luthor part of this story goes, it is an intriguing tale which changes the villain’s dynamic within the DC universe. Lex goes from villain to hero. His journey alone is reason enough to buy this book, as Geoff Johns has a solid handle on writing this character as he goes through some drastic changes.

Lex Luthor: The Unauthorized Biography (1989)

Written by James D. Hudnall

Art by Eduardo Barreto

While a few of these stories have been about humanizing the character and making him more relatable, Lex Luthor: The Unauthorized Biography shows the lengths Luthor is willing to go to keep his secrets safe. A journalist named Peter Sands is tasked to write the biography of Lex Luthor. Sands finds that Luthor’s criminal history goes back far before anyone realized. While this version of Luthor isn’t considered canon anymore, it’s still a riveting read.

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2003)

Written by Jeph Loeb

Art by Ed McGuinness

Superman and Batman teamed up for the opening story in the Superman/Batman comic series, and this duo becomes public enemy number one. Superman has been accused by the President of a horrible crime. The President of the United States, in this arc, is none other than Lex Luthor. Readers get to see Luthor in the ultimate power position. What’s really interesting about Luthor’s role in this story is that he has an ultimate breakdown and becomes unhinged. It’s one of the few times in comics that this happens.

The Man of Steel (1986)

Written by John Byrne

Art by Byrne and Dick Giordano

While this six-issue miniseries was another successful revamp to Superman’s origin, what it did with Lex Luthor really defined how fans view him now. Legendary writer and artist John Byrne took the supervillain Lex Luthor and gave him an update by making him a corrupt business man. Everything that makes Luthor the man he is now stems from this story.

Justice League: Amazo Virus (2014)

Written by Geoff Johns

Art by Jason Fabok

The Amazo Virus storyline was a turning point for the Justice League comic series. Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok ignored most of current continuity to just tell great Justice League stories. What makes this such a landmark comic is that this follows the aftermath of Forever Evil, where Lex Luthor is now a part of the Justice League. That’s right, Lex is a hero and legitimately wants to work for the greater good. Why does he do this? He wants to be remembered and held on a pedestal, like the rest of DC’s heroes.

All-Star Superman (2006)

Written by Grant Morrison

Art by Frank Quitely

While we already talked about All-Star Superman in our essential Superman reads piece, this is also a great story to learn more about Lex Luthor. Clark Kent and Luthor spend some time in prison together (Clark is visiting), and during this time, readers get to see a different side of the villain. He comes off as more of a protector than someone who wants to rule the world. Grant Morrison does a fantastic job of fleshing out Luthor to create a more compelling character during this story.