What do you think?
Lex Luthor: Diabolical Genius
Lex Luthor is many Inventor. Genius. Criminal mastermind. He’s also
barely a teenager.
When his father, Lionel Luthor, is thrown into prison by none other than that meddling blue Boy Scout Superman, the heir apparent to the Luthor crime empire must find a way to get his revenge. And Lex has the perfect plan. With the help of his infamous bodyguard Slade Wilson, he is going to kidnap Lois Lane. Lex knows that Superman would trade just about anything in exchange for Lois’s safe return—maybe even Superman’s ultimate weakness.
But what happens when Clark calls in his broody friend Batman instead?
What follows is an action-packed game of cat-and-mouse from writer Christof Bogacs (Under Kingdom) and artist Valerio Chiola sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats!
barely a teenager.
When his father, Lionel Luthor, is thrown into prison by none other than that meddling blue Boy Scout Superman, the heir apparent to the Luthor crime empire must find a way to get his revenge. And Lex has the perfect plan. With the help of his infamous bodyguard Slade Wilson, he is going to kidnap Lois Lane. Lex knows that Superman would trade just about anything in exchange for Lois’s safe return—maybe even Superman’s ultimate weakness.
But what happens when Clark calls in his broody friend Batman instead?
What follows is an action-packed game of cat-and-mouse from writer Christof Bogacs (Under Kingdom) and artist Valerio Chiola sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats!
- GenresComicsMiddle Grade
160 pages, Paperback
Published July 7, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
Even as a 40-year-old, I am always intrigued when it comes to middle grade stories. Exploring the world of DC Comics through the lens of a younger eye allows me to sit back and enjoy a superhero tale for what it is. Christof Bogacs crafted
Lex Luthor: Diabolical Genius
for a younger audience, but can still entertain the middle age as well. It's a fun romp in the DC Universe featuring younger versions of classic characters.
When his father, Lionel Luthor, is thrown into prison by none other than that meddling blue Boy Scout Superman, the heir apparent to the Luthor crime empire must find a way to get his revenge. And Lex has the perfect plan. With the help of his infamous bodyguard Slade Wilson, he is going to kidnap Lois Lane. Lex knows that Superman would trade just about anything in exchange for Lois’s safe return—maybe even Superman’s ultimate weakness.
But what happens when Clark calls in his broody friend Batman instead?
You don't see many playful stories featuring Lex Luthor, let alone a young Luthor, so it was a refreshing story from the point-of-view of a diabolical genius. The funny thing is, with it being a younger version of the character you might feel like you can let his evil tendencies to slide, knowing he hasn't matured. However, he really is evil to the bone. Taking the more evil option of the two in this story, kidnapping Lois Lane to help draw out Superman. Dude is rotten to the bone.
Another fun aspect of Lex Luthor: Diabolical Genius was featuring Lena Luthor as part of the main story, seeing the sibling rivalry and how they are different, yet also the same. Plus, we get a great story thread of the friendship of Slade Wilson and Lena along the way. The Luthor family is dysfunctional to its core, even in their younger years.
What surprised me the most was that it is a Superman story, but really it's Lex Luthor, Lena Luthor, and Slade Wilson versus Batman. We see more Clark Kent than Superman, and even that is minimal. Batman is the hero featured in this story, which was fantastic in my eyes, but I was expecting more Superman. I am much more of a Batman fan than Superman, so it ended up a bonus for me in the end.
The illustrations from Valerio Chiola made for a real Saturday morning cartoon vibe, that had me glued to the pages. It's playful, animated, and action-packed and will play well for the middle grade audience. The characters are expressive and kept me entertained. This story is not intended for my demographic, but was just as much fun as I had hoped. While 40-year-olds might not all feel that way, I am sure the intended 8-12 year-olds will love diving into the diabolical world of Lex Luthor and his family hijinks.
Lex Luthor: Diabolical Genius brings a fun, fast-paced adventure to a middle grade audience looking for a fresh look at one of DC's most iconic families. Christof Bogacs crafts a fun story where the dysfunctional family dynamics in the Luthor family and Batman take center stage. Valerio Chiola's energetic artwork wonderfully brings this story to each panel with a real Saturday morning cartoon vibe. Lex Luthor: Diabolical Genius is a delightful diabolical romp for all ages.
Lex Luthor: Diabolical Genius hits local comic shops and bookstores everywhere on July 7, 2026 from DC Comics.
NOTE: We received an advance copy of Lex Luthor: Diabolical Genius from the publisher. Opinions are our own.
When his father, Lionel Luthor, is thrown into prison by none other than that meddling blue Boy Scout Superman, the heir apparent to the Luthor crime empire must find a way to get his revenge. And Lex has the perfect plan. With the help of his infamous bodyguard Slade Wilson, he is going to kidnap Lois Lane. Lex knows that Superman would trade just about anything in exchange for Lois’s safe return—maybe even Superman’s ultimate weakness.
But what happens when Clark calls in his broody friend Batman instead?
You don't see many playful stories featuring Lex Luthor, let alone a young Luthor, so it was a refreshing story from the point-of-view of a diabolical genius. The funny thing is, with it being a younger version of the character you might feel like you can let his evil tendencies to slide, knowing he hasn't matured. However, he really is evil to the bone. Taking the more evil option of the two in this story, kidnapping Lois Lane to help draw out Superman. Dude is rotten to the bone.
Another fun aspect of Lex Luthor: Diabolical Genius was featuring Lena Luthor as part of the main story, seeing the sibling rivalry and how they are different, yet also the same. Plus, we get a great story thread of the friendship of Slade Wilson and Lena along the way. The Luthor family is dysfunctional to its core, even in their younger years.
What surprised me the most was that it is a Superman story, but really it's Lex Luthor, Lena Luthor, and Slade Wilson versus Batman. We see more Clark Kent than Superman, and even that is minimal. Batman is the hero featured in this story, which was fantastic in my eyes, but I was expecting more Superman. I am much more of a Batman fan than Superman, so it ended up a bonus for me in the end.
The illustrations from Valerio Chiola made for a real Saturday morning cartoon vibe, that had me glued to the pages. It's playful, animated, and action-packed and will play well for the middle grade audience. The characters are expressive and kept me entertained. This story is not intended for my demographic, but was just as much fun as I had hoped. While 40-year-olds might not all feel that way, I am sure the intended 8-12 year-olds will love diving into the diabolical world of Lex Luthor and his family hijinks.
Lex Luthor: Diabolical Genius brings a fun, fast-paced adventure to a middle grade audience looking for a fresh look at one of DC's most iconic families. Christof Bogacs crafts a fun story where the dysfunctional family dynamics in the Luthor family and Batman take center stage. Valerio Chiola's energetic artwork wonderfully brings this story to each panel with a real Saturday morning cartoon vibe. Lex Luthor: Diabolical Genius is a delightful diabolical romp for all ages.
Lex Luthor: Diabolical Genius hits local comic shops and bookstores everywhere on July 7, 2026 from DC Comics.
NOTE: We received an advance copy of Lex Luthor: Diabolical Genius from the publisher. Opinions are our own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5/5 rounded up!
Lex Luthor: Diabolical Genius follows Lex and his sister Lena as they deal with sibling quarrels and none other than Superman and Batman. This book was a fun, quick dive into the DC universe, told from Lex's unique perspective. Even with that fun twist, I still found it hard to be sympathetic towards him; I was much more interested in Lena and Slade's relationship, which I hope is explored in later series of this comic.
The illustrations were engaging, but the pacing could use some work. Some parts felt a bit rushed, and if I didn't have some background knowledge on the DC Universe, I'd imagine it would be a bit confusing for a middle-grade reader. All in all, a fun, quick read!
Thanks to Netgalley and DC Comics for an ARC in exchange for a review. This book is set to be published July 7, 2026. All opinions are my own.
Lex Luthor: Diabolical Genius follows Lex and his sister Lena as they deal with sibling quarrels and none other than Superman and Batman. This book was a fun, quick dive into the DC universe, told from Lex's unique perspective. Even with that fun twist, I still found it hard to be sympathetic towards him; I was much more interested in Lena and Slade's relationship, which I hope is explored in later series of this comic.
The illustrations were engaging, but the pacing could use some work. Some parts felt a bit rushed, and if I didn't have some background knowledge on the DC Universe, I'd imagine it would be a bit confusing for a middle-grade reader. All in all, a fun, quick read!
Thanks to Netgalley and DC Comics for an ARC in exchange for a review. This book is set to be published July 7, 2026. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I am never the targeted demographic for these DC Comics middle grade graphic novels but they sure are fun to read. Lex Luthor: Diabolical Genius was super enjoyable and I really loved how it played against all expectations by pitting not only Lex, but Lena and Slade, against Batman instead of Superman. It was also filled with a lot of excellent Easter eggs. Here’s hoping that the creative team has another chance to tackle these characters again, I’ll be waiting.
Special Thanks to DC Comics and Netgalley for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.
Special Thanks to DC Comics and Netgalley for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
With a release date of July 6th, 2026, Lex Luthor tries to outsmart everyone again. I really enjoyed this take on the Superman vs Lex plot. This story is presented in a comic book style that I think is a great way to introduce a younger audience to comics. You will even see Slade Wilson, Lena Luthor, and Batman grace the pages of this story. It's perfect for any fan of DC, middle school age and up.
August 29, 2026
Young Lex Luthor tries to take on Superman and ends up clashing with Batman instead. The battle of the wills between the two is pretty much exactly what I'd hoped for. I was less interested in the family drama between Lex and his sister Lena. I was excited to see her, sure, but she feels a little too wholesome to be a Luthor. Not to mention the oddly cuddly version of Deathstroke seen here, who probably should have been Mercy Graves instead.
August 30, 2026
This was absolutely adorable. I know I would’ve loved it as a kid, and it’s still enjoyable as an adult. I don’t really like how Batman’s story ends in this one, but, well, it’s not his story: it’s the Luthors’.
July 19, 2026
Cute all-ages gn
September 19, 2026
Super-cute, super well-written story, written by Sydney's own - and Cockatoo Comics' own! - Christof Bogacs
July 13, 2026
Cute art with a fun story. I have never been a huge Superman fan, but this was fun. I enjoyed the sibling rivalry aspect.
4 stars
4 stars
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews