While the next presidential election in the USA isn’t until 2020, the “Smallville” TV series announced back in 2011 that Lex Luthor would be elected president this year… 2018.
In the final episode of the series (Finale – Part 2), which is set in 2011, we are projected into the near future, 2018 to be exact. Clark Kent (who has taken up the mantle of Superman) is engaged to Lois Lane, the two are about to get married when a bomb scare uptown has Clark dashing for the Daily Planet rooftop. On a TV broadcast, wearing a white suit with a black glove on one hand, Lex Luthor has just been elected the President of the United States.
It’s not uncommon for TV shows to show presidential elections on alternate years, probably to separate fiction from reality. Or perhaps the writers decided to set their big finale in 2018 as an homage to Superman’s 80th anniversary.
In the comic books, in 2001’s Adventures of Superman #581, Luthor announces that he is running for President. The presidential run continues as a back story for a while, including the strange selection of Pete Ross (Clark’s school buddy and husband of Lana Lang) in Superman #162. While Lex wins the election, his term of office comes to an abrupt end in the Superman/Batman series in “The World’s Finest” story arc (issues #1-6). Luthor learns of a giant Kryptonite meteor heading for Earth. In a strange leap of logic, Luthor blames Superman and offers a $1 billion dollar reward for whoever brings in this “enemy against humanity”. The story by Jeph Loeb, with art by Ed McGuinness and Dexter Vines, has the two heroes fighting against and with a gauntlet of their colleagues. This story was the basis for the 2009 animated movie “Superman/Batman: Public Enemies”, in which Lex Luthor is president.
Say what you will about the show, but this is Still the best live action portrayal of Lex Luthor we’ve ever had. At least a post-crisis Version. No disrespect to Gene Hackman as I still love that version as well.
Sherman Howard did a great Pre-Crisis Lex on the old SUPERBOY show. Pretty much based on Hackman’s Lex, but with a dash of Hannibal Lecter.
I do have a soft spot in my heart for Superboy, my problem with Sherman though was that his portrayal came off a bit too campy for me sometimes. That being said, one of the very best episodes I ever saw was when him and Superboy Were trapped in a mine full of Kryptonite and had to work together to get out. Excellent.
Oh, yeah. There are some goofy moments from him, but those make his more serious appearances so much better. I especially like the alternate Earth episodes, where he can really show off his talent playing different sides of Lex.
Seems like now would be the perfect time for a series revival. Everything now would be post-flashforwards.
I’d be down for a 3-6 part mini series set in Metropolis, but pretty certain Tom Welling is still against wearing the suit and Has no intention of revisiting the character. We’ll have to settle for the comic I suppose.
There’s been at least lukewarm sentiment amongst the cast for an animated revival. It could prove an easy payday and not interfere with other projects.
Well, that’s ironic. =p
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I miss this show.