Luthor's Lair

Luthor's Lair

The abandoned museum—situated "smack in the middle of Metropolis"—that serves as Lex Luthor's hideout and base of operations during June 1961 (Act No. 277: "The Conquest of Superman!") and September 1962. "Just as Superman has his Fortress of Solitude," notes Luthor, "I have my own headquarters! Luthor's Lair!" (Act No. 292: "When Superman Defended His Arch-Enemy!").

Described as "a building that was once a great museum--but is now ignored and abandoned," Luthor's Lair was purchased by Luthor "long ago," under an alias, and transformed into a gigantic, elaborately equipped headquarters, its hallways lined with lead to shield its secrets against Superman's penetrating X-ray vision.

The building itself is an imposing two- or three- story affair, fronted by a colonnaded entranceway adorned with a statue of Julius Caesar. Shaking the hand of the statue releases a secret mechanism which opens the building's massive front door. Mounted atop the building is a gigantic statue of classical design (Act No. 277 , Jun 1961: "The Conquest of Superman!") which is actually the "first stage" of a rocket ship capable of carrying Luthor on journeys into outer space (Act No. 292, Sep 1962: "When Superman Defended His Arch-Enemy!"). Inside the building, a special "tele-screen tuned to hidden cameras in the eyes of the colossal statue" enables Luthor to scan the surrounding city for the possible approach of Superman or other intruders.

Elsewhere in the interior of the building is a bizarre Hall of Heroes, lined with full-color, life-sized statues of Luthor's personal heroes, evildoers such as Attila the Hun, Genghis Khan, Captain Kidd, Al Capone (Act No. 277, Jun 1961: "The Conquest of Superman!"), Nero, Blackbeard, and Benedict Arnold (Act No. 292, Sep 1962: "When Superman Defended His Arch-Enemy!"). "Many times when I've felt discouraged," remarks Luthor to one of his henchmen in June 1961, "I've come here--and gone away uplifted, inspired to go on with my work!"

Just as Superman's Fortress of Solitude contains the famed bottle city of Kandor, "so does Luthor's Lair contain a bottled land," a primeval jungle, filled with all sorts of weird flora and fauna, which Luthor "once captured and reduced. ..after probing into another dimension!"

Other features of Luthor's Lair include Luthor's elaborately equipped workshop, where, in Luthor's words, "I invent my great machines for crime--and for my forthcoming conquest of Superman," and a special Reminder Room papered with crossed-out calendar pages. "Those crossed-out calendar days remind me how many years I've spent in prison because of Superman," explains Luthor, "--and that I must never lag in my war against him!" (Act No. 277, Jun 1961: "The Conquest of Superman!").

When members of the Metropolis Police Department attempt to break into Luthor's Lair in September 1962, they are stymied by an impenetrable barrage of "colored rays" forming "a web of pure force" about the building. "Brainiac let me copy that web-ray from one of the super-weapons in his arsenal!" gloats Luthor. "The effect is only temporary! But it gives me a chance to make my getaway!" (Act No. 292: "When Superman Defended His Arch-Enemy!").