As Supergirl prepares to take her final bow tonight (November 9), we thought we would take this opportunity to look back at some other super finales from years past. Here is a look at how five shows starring Kara’s “more famous cousin” (as Barry Allen once called him) each wrapped up their run.

EDITOR’S NOTE: As there were many shows starring Super-people, this list is curated to big highlights and milestones, narrowed down to a Top 5. So, trust – nothing is “forgotten;” just only so much space!

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THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN

SERIES SUMMARY: The live-action heroics of Superman hit the small screen for the first time as George Reeves brought the character to life in black and white, alongside Phyllis Coates as Lois Lane, Jack Larson as Jimmy Olsen, and John Hamilton as Perry White. Starting with the second season, Noel Neill took over the role of Lois Lane. (She had previously played Lois alongside Kirk Alyn’s Superman in the serials of the late 1940s.) Later seasons were broadcast in color. Lex Luthor and the rest of Superman’s comic book rogues gallery were notably absent from this series, instead mostly pitting the Man of Steel against gangsters and mad scientists.

WHEN IT AIRED: 1952 – 1958

SERIES FINALE: “All That Glitters,” April 28th, 1958

HOW IT ENDED: Professor Pepperwinkle has invented a machine that creates gold, making him a target for some crooks who want to steal his device. While investigating the professor’s invention, Lois and Jimmy are exposed to “Positive Kryptonite,” which gives them the same powers as Superman! This actually turns out to be a dream that Jimmy is having after getting hit on the head. Superman shows up in the last few minutes to defeat the crooks, and the professor agrees never to use his invention again. (It turns out it requires platinum to operate, which meant he was losing money in creating the gold.)

SATISFYING ENDING?: Not at all. This is a fun episode, but it’s pretty obvious this was not intended to be a series finale. Superman only appears in about three minutes of it, and the fact that most of it is just Jimmy’s dream is a bit odd. Still, it’s amusing to see Lois and Jimmy flying around like Superman usually would!

FUN FACT: This episode was directed by George Reeves, which may explain why he doesn’t have much screen time in the episode.

WHERE TO WATCH: All six seasons of “The Adventures of Superman” are available on DVD, and they are available for digital purchase on sites such as Amazon, Google Play, Apple TV, and Vudu.

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SUPERBOY

SERIES SUMMARY: The adventures of Superman when he was a boy! “Superboy” got off to a rocky start with John Haymes Newton in the title role, a low budget, and some lackluster storylines in season one. Season two introduced a new leading man; Gerard Christopher took over the role of Clark Kent/Superboy. The later seasons of the show were particularly strong and featured scripts by comic book writers like Denny O’Neil, J.M. DeMatteis, Cary Bates, Mike Carlin, and Mark Evanier. Stacy Haiduk played Lana Lang for all four seasons of the show. The series also featured pretty faithful renditions of Superman villains like Metallo, Bizarro, and Mr. Mxyzptlk in live action for the first time.

WHEN IT AIRED: 1988 – 1992

SERIES FINALE: “Rites of Passage,” part 1 and 2, May 10th and May 17th, 1992

HOW IT ENDED: A message from Superboy’s spaceship is activated, letting him know he is ready for the next stage of his development. However, a crystal that was supposed to come with the ship is missing, and as a defensive measure Clark is stripped of his powers. Now, powerless, he must try to find the crystal and get his powers back – but he’s not the only one looking for it. Lana Lang, Matt Ritter, and C. Dennis Jackson from the Bureau of Extra-Normal Matters are all in Smallville looking for it as well, and Lana is closer than ever to figuring out that Clark and Superboy are one and the same. In the end, Clark finds the crystal first and restores his powers just in time to cast some doubt on his secret identity once more.

SATISFYING ENDING?: It’s not bad. The show stops just short of saying that Superboy has now become Superman with this “next stage of development.” It seems to be what they are implying, but it would have been better if they’d come right out and said that. Also, Lana comes very close to figuring out the secret only to have it be pulled out from under her once again. For the series finale, it would have been more satisfying if she finally got to learn the truth.

FUN FACT: The original plan was for the series to end with “Obituary for a Superhero,” killing off Superboy to be revived later in a spin-off movie. When it became clear that a movie would not be in the cards, “Obituary for a Superhero” was given a different ending with Superboy surviving and this new finale was written instead.

WHERE TO WATCH: All four seasons of “Superboy” are available on DVD, and they are available for digital purchase on sites such as Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.

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LOIS & CLARK: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN

SERIES SUMMARY: This show put the investigative reporting and will-they-or-won’t-they romantic escapades of the titular duo at the forefront, with superheroics generally taking a back seat. Dean Cain’s portrayal reflected the comic books of the time, taking a “Superman is what I can do, Clark is who I am” approach to the character. Teri Hatcher was a feisty and independent 90s woman as Lois Lane. The “love triangle with two people” concept lasted for a couple of seasons before finally letting Lois in on the secret in season three. Lois and Clark tied the knot in season four, in an event timed to coincide with their wedding in the comics.

WHEN IT AIRED: 1993 – 1997

SERIES FINALE: “The Family Hour,” June 14th, 1997

HOW IT ENDED: Lois and Clark are disappointed by the news that they are not able to have children. They ask Lois’s father, Dr. Sam Lane, for help – which involves them revealing to him that Clark is Superman. Unfortunately, a telekinetic villain known as Fat Head (Harry Anderson) has learned Superman’s secret identity as well, and he kidnaps Jonathan and Martha Kent and Sam and Ellen Lane to ensure that Superman won’t stop him from stealing millions of dollars in gold. Ultimately Fat Head is tricked into using a device which removes his powers and his knowledge of Superman’s identity, and also somehow Sam Lane’s knowledge of Superman’s identity as well. A cliffhanger ending has Lois and Clark finding a baby on their doorstep wrapped in a Superman blanket, with a note saying that the child belongs to them.

SATISFYING ENDING?: Not even close. Fat Head is one of the weirdest villains of the series (no offense to the late Harry Anderson, who seems to enjoy chewing the scenery here), and the plot just doesn’t live up to the drama of previous season finales, let alone a series finale. Having Lois’s dad learn Clark’s secret and then unlearn it in the span of an episode is a strange choice as well. This was obviously not intended to be the last episode of the series, as is evidenced by the cliffhanger with the baby, but even if you take that into consideration this is still one of the weaker entries in the entire series.

FUN FACT: Series writer and executive producer Brad Buckner revealed some details to KryptonSite about what the plans were for that baby… you can read about it here! https://www.kryptonsite.com/loisclark/buckner2003.htm

WHERE TO WATCH: All four seasons of “Lois & Clark” are included on HBO Max, in high-definition for the first time! The show is also available on DVD, as well as for digital purchase on sites such as Amazon, Google Play, Apple TV, and Vudu – although those versions are all standard definition at this time.

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SUPERMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES

SERIES SUMMARY: The creative team behind “Batman: The Animated Series” turned their attention to the Man of Steel in this series, which took a lot of visual inspiration from the Fleischer Brothers cartoons of the 1940s. Superman was voiced by Tim Daly, and Lois Lane by Dana Delany.

WHEN IT AIRED: 1996 – 2000

SERIES FINALE: “Legacy” part 1 and 2, February 5th and 12th, 2000

HOW IT ENDED: An epic two-part finale sees a subplot that had been simmering throughout the series pay off in a big way, as Darkseid (voice of Michael Ironside) takes control of Superman and forces him to lead an invasion of Earth. When Superman finally breaks free from the mind control he heads to Apokolips to settle the score with Darkseid, knowing he will have to unseat the despot once and for all. Upon returning to Earth after a brutal final battle, Superman finds that the world no longer trusts him – in fact, most people are now afraid of him.

SATISFYING ENDING?: Darkly satisfying, but, yes – which is especially ironic considering the writers originally intended for this storyline to kick off a new season, not end the series. Superman gradually regaining the public trust would have been a storyline explored as the show went on. Instead, the final moments of the series have Lois and Superman share their first kiss, as Lois assures Superman that he will win everyone’s trust back “one person at a time.” We would see this version of Superman again in the “Justice League” animated series (voiced by George Newbern going forward), but at the time, as far as we knew, this was it.

FUN FACT: The climactic fight between Superman and Darkseid was storyboarded by Bruce Timm.

WHERE TO WATCH: “Superman: The Animated Series” is included on HBO Max, and was also just released as a series set on Blu-ray. It’s also available on DVD, as well as for digital purchase on sites such as Amazon, Google Play, Apple TV, and Vudu.

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SMALLVILLE

SERIES SUMMARY: The series that started out as young Clark Kent by way of “Dawson’s Creek” would go on to give fans ten years of stories of a pre-Superman coming into his own, with a no-tights, no-flights policy strictly enforced for the majority of its run. Tom Welling played Clark, alongside Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor, Kristin Kreuk as Lana Lang, and John Schneider and Annette O’Toole as Jonathan and Martha Kent. Erica Durance joined the series in its fourth season as the incomparable Lois Lane.

WHEN IT AIRED: 2001 – 2011

SERIES FINALE: “Finale” part 1 and 2, May 13th, 2011

HOW IT ENDED: Lois and Clark’s wedding day is approaching, but so is the planet Apokolips. Darkseid (who is more of a disembodied evil force here rather than a physical presence) has unleashed doom and gloom on the world, and on top of that Lex Luthor has just been resurrected. Clark finally accepts his destiny and dons the red-and-blue suit for the first time to go save the day – although not before his father reminds him to “always hold on to Smallville.” Superman flies up, up, and away… and physically pushes the entire planet Apokolips away from Earth, to much rejoicing.

SATISFYING ENDING?: Some might disagree, but overall yes. Fan favorite Michael Rosenbaum came back to play Lex Luthor one more time, there are some great Clark and Lois moments as they get ready for their wedding, and there are lots of flashbacks as Clark embraces his powers. Some fans felt a bit cheated though by the fact that we don’t REALLY see Tom Welling in the famous super suit… all the Superman shots are done via CGI. Still, the “flash forward” in the last few minutes of the finale that shows us Lois, Clark, and the rest of the crew at the Daily Planet seven years later is hard not to geek out over, even after multiple viewings. The final shot of the series is the famous shirt-rip and “S” reveal, which seems only appropriate.

FUN FACT: Michael Rosenbaum filmed his scenes for the finale in a single day.

WHERE TO WATCH: All ten seasons of “Smallville” are included on Hulu, and the show was also just released as a series set on Blu-ray. It’s also available on DVD, as well for digital purchase on sites such as Amazon, Google Play, Apple TV, and Vudu.

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The series finale of “Supergirl” will air on the CW on November 9th as a special two-hour event (see pictures here!). Fans are, of course, speculating about how the series will end. Will Kara fly off into the sunset to live happily ever after? Will she travel to the future to be with Mon-El and the Legion? Will she finally admit her true feelings for Lena? Could she possibly be de-powered, or even killed off? Given the interconnected nature of the Arrowverse shows, many fans hope that things will be left open-ended enough that we might see Supergirl again someday, perhaps on “Superman & Lois” or “The Flash,” if Melissa Benoist can be persuaded to don the tights and cape once more.

Back in the second season of “Supergirl,” in the episode “The Last Children of Krypton,” Kara says a Kryptonian phrase to her cousin Kal-El (Tyler Hoechlin) as the two say goodbye to each other. Winn asks what it means.

“There’s not really a word for it in your language,” Superman says. “I guess the closest thing would be… ‘to be continued’.”

A fitting reminder to fans as another super show leaves the airwaves. It’s not really goodbye, when these characters always remain ready to save the day in whatever incarnation comes next. After all, the fight for truth and justice is, as it always has been, a never-ending battle.

There are two things in this world that can make Superman weak in the knees. One is a green, glowing rock that just happens to be a radioactive chunk of his demolished home planet. The other is a feisty reporter with a nose for news and the initials L.L. For years, Clark Kent has tried to balance the fact that Superman belongs to the world with his desire to live a normal life with the woman of his dreams, Lois Lane.

Lois was around from the very beginning – her first comic book appearance was the same as Superman’s. Miss Lane and the Man of Steel both made their debut in Action Comics #1 in June of 1938. Clark seemed to have a thing for Lois right away. He asked her on a date in that first issue!

The first time that Lois was given life on screen it was in animated form, in the cartoon shorts that were originated by the Fleischer brothers in the early 1940s. The voices of both Lois Lane and Superman in these shorts were already familiar to audiences – Joan Alexander and Bud Collyer also voiced the characters on the popular radio show “The Adventures of Superman.”

Audiences got their first two live-action Lois Lanes in a relatively short span of time. Noel Neill first played Lois in the Superman movie serials from 1948 to 1950, which starred Kirk Alyn. In 1951, George Reeves made his debut as Superman in “Superman and the Mole Men.” Here, Lois was played by Phyllis Coates. Phyllis continued the role for the first season of the “Adventures of Superman” TV series. After the inaugural season, Ms. Coates opted not to return, and Ms. Neill returned to the role of Lois for the remainder of the series.

Coates and Neill offered very different portrayals of the Lois Lane character. The Phyllis Coates Lois was a much more hard-edged, no-nonsense reporter, and one of the very few versions who didn’t fall head over heels for the Man of Steel. When Neill resumed the role in 1953, her version of Lois was a much gentler one, who developed a friendship with Clark Kent and an attraction to our hero in blue.

Not only did Neill star alongside both Alyn and Reeves, but she also made a cameo appearance in the 1978 “Superman” movie (she and Alyn played Lois Lane’s parents), an appearance on the “Superboy” TV series, and she had a small role in the movie “Superman Returns.” Phyllis Coates also got a chance to return to the Superman mythos when she appeared on “Lois and Clark” in 1994, playing Lois’s mother in the episode “House of Luthor.”

Next, Superman and Lois would get animated again, and Joan Alexander would return to the role that she’d played two decades earlier! Joan Alexander and Bud Collyer again voiced Lois and Clark during the 1966-1970 “New Adventures of Superman” series, as well as the 1967-68 “Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure.” Though Alexander was the primary Lois, Julie Bennett, the voice of Wonder Girl, stepped in as Lois on some episodes.

Then came the first big screen “Superman” movie in 1978, with Margot Kidder taking on the role of Lois Lane. Ms. Kidder seemed to combine the confident, no-nonsense reporter of Phyllis Coates with the swooning, doe-eyed girl of Noel Neill and make that combination somehow seem natural. Ms. Kidder was far from the only actress considered for the part. DVD and Blu-ray extras show screen tests of several other actresses who tried out, including Anne Archer, Deborah Raffin, Susan Blakely, Stockard Channing, and Lesley Ann Warren. (Ms. Warren did play Lois in a 1975 TV adaptation of the 1966 Broadway musical “It’s A Bird, It’s A Plane, It’s Superman”!) Christopher Reeve’s screen test is also included, with Holly Palance stepping in opposite him as Lois.

Kidder then returned for “Superman II” in 1980. This time out, Lois learned that Superman and Clark Kent were one and the same, and the two finally got together… at least until the end of the film, when Lois’s memory of the entire ordeal was erased with an amnesia-inducing super-kiss. An alternate cut of the film by its original director, Richard Donner, was released in 2006, and included a variation on the moment Lois discovers Clark’s secret; in a scene recreated from Reeve and Kidder’s screen tests, Lois Lane shoots Clark Kent to confirm that he’s invulnerable! (Clark doesn’t immediately realize the bullet was a blank.)

After a falling out with the producers, Kidder’s role in “Superman III” was dramatically reduced. Her screen time for the third installment is only about five minutes, while Annette O’Toole’s Lana Lang becomes Clark’s primary love interest for the film. By the time “Superman IV” came around in 1987, Kidder’s part was larger again, but she had to compete with Mariel Hemingway for Superman’s attention.

Ms. Kidder is yet another Lois Lane who returned for later installments of the Superman legend. The fourth season of “Smallville” featured two appearances by Kidder as Dr. Bridgette Crosby, emissary to Christopher Reeve’s Dr. Virgil Swann.

Lois made surprisingly few appearances on the many animated incarnations of “Super Friends” that aired throughout the 1970s and 80s, probably because the show tended to focus much more on superheroics than secret identities. She was voiced by Shannon Farnon, Mary McDonald Lewis, and Edna Mayo at various points throughout these shows. (Mary McDonald Lewis sounded quite a lot like Margot Kidder, which may have been a factor in her casting.)

When the Ruby Spears “Superman” cartoon came out in 1988, Lois’s voice was provided by Ginny McSwain. Ms. McSwain would go on to become the voice director for animated shows like “Spirit Riding Free,” “Transformers: Rescue Bots,” and “VeggieTales.”

The next to take on the role was Teri Hatcher, who played Lois on “Lois & Clark” from 1993-97. This series emphasized the romance between Lois Lane and Clark Kent, with super-heroics taking a backseat to “will they or won’t they?,” at least for the first couple of seasons. Lois eventually falls for the farmboy and not just the hero in blue, and by the start of season three she’s in on the secret. During the show’s run, Teri received the honor of being the most downloaded woman on the internet, due in large part to a picture of her wrapped up in Superman’s cape and nothing else. Teri would go on to make guest appearances on “Smallville” (a brief cameo as the mother of Erica Durance’s Lois), and “Supergirl” (as Rhea, the mother of Mon-El).

In 1996, Dana Delany voiced Lois for “Superman: The Animated Series.” No stranger to cartoon superheroes, Delany had voiced Andrea Beaumont, Bruce Wayne’s long-lost love, in “Batman: Mask of the Phantasm” just three years earlier. Ms. Delany continued to voice Lois throughout multiple appearances on Cartoon Network’s “Justice League” series. (Ms. Delany doesn’t hold the only voice credit for Lois for “S:TAS.” Mae Whitman provided the voice of a young Lois in a flashback scene, in the episode “Monkey Fun.”)

With the premiere of the fourth season of “Smallville” in 2004, Erica Durance made her first appearance as Lois Lane. (This mostly put to rest internet speculation that Allison Mack’s Chloe Sullivan would somehow evolve into the character, either via a penname or new witness-protection identity.) Originally scheduled to make only a handful of guest-appearances, Ms. Durance’s Lois proved popular enough with the fans that her role was expanded – first to 13 episodes, and then eventually to series regular. In an interesting twist, Lois is “in on the secret” before Clark actually becomes Superman, and in fact actually assists him in developing his mild-mannered secret identity throughout season 10. And yes, Erica Durance has also continued the tradition of returning to the world of heroes and capes in a “torch-passing” role: she has played Allura, Supergirl’s mother, in several episodes of the CW’s “Supergirl” beginning in season three.

In 2006, Superman flew back to the screen in “Superman Returns,” Bryan Singer’s love letter to the Christopher Reeve films. Here, Kate Bosworth portrayed a Lois Lane who had seemingly moved on from Superman after his five-year absence from Earth; Superman came back to find that Lois was engaged to another man, and that she had a child. (Spoiler alert: The kid is actually Superman’s, a controversial plot-twist that left fans divided.)

Starting in 2007, Warner Brothers began releasing a series of direct-to-video animated films based on the characters and storylines of DC Comics. Naturally, many of them are Superman stories, and include Lois Lane in some way, shape, or form.
-Anne Heche voiced Lois in 2007’s “Superman: Doomsday,” which was the studio’s first attempt at adapting the legendary Death of Superman storyarc from the comics.
-Kyra Sedgwick lent her voice to Lois in 2008’s “Justice League: The New Frontier,” adapted from Darwyn Cooke’s renowned mini-series.
-Christina Hendricks played Lois in the 2011 release of “All-Star Superman,” based on Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s mini-series of the same name.
-Grey DeLisle was the voice of Lois in 2012’s “Justice League: Doom,” a loose adaptation of Mark Waid’s “Tower of Babel” from the JLA comic books.
-Pauley Perrette provided Lois’s voice in 2012’s “Superman vs. The Elite,” an adaptation of Joe Kelly’s story “What’s So Funny About Truth, Justice, and The American Way?” from Action Comics #775.
-Stana Katic was the voice of Lois in 2013’s “Superman: Unbound,” which adapted a Brainiac story by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank. (This film also featured Katic’s “Castle” co-star, Molly Quinn, as the voice of Supergirl.)
-Dana Delaney once again lent her voice to the role of Lois Lane for 2013’s “Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox,” which was an adaptation of the “Flashpoint” mini-series.
-Paget Brewster was the voice of Lois for 2015’s “Justice League: Gods and Monsters,” an original story about a decidedly darker version of the classic DCU characters.
-Rebecca Romijn voiced Lois in 2018’s “The Death of Superman,” the second animated adaptation of the titular comic book story. She reprised the role for 2019’s follow-up, “Reign of the Supermen,” as well as for Lois’s appearance in “Batman: Hush” the same year, and “Justice League Dark: Apokolips War” in 2020.
-Amy Acker was the voice of Lois in 2020’s “Superman: Red Son,” an adaptation of Mark Millar’s mini-series about a Superman who landed in Russia instead of Kansas.
-Alexandra Daddario provided the voice of Lois in 2020’s “Superman: Man of Tomorrow,” a retelling of the early years of Superman’s adventures.

In 2013, Amy Adams portrayed Lois in the movie “Man of Steel.” In this version more than any other we got to see what an intrepid reporter Lois Lane truly is, as she tracked down Clark Kent and uncovered his secret before he ever even made a public appearance in the tights and cape. In an interview with the New York Daily News, Amy Adams revealed that this was not the first time she’d auditioned for the part of Lois. She also tried out for the role for “Superman: Flyby” (Brett Ratner’s Superman movie that never came to fruition) and “Superman Returns.” At the time that “Man of Steel” came out, Amy Adams was arguably best known for her role as live-action Disney princess Giselle in the movie “Enchanted,” but hardcore Superman fans may have recognized her from something else: she played fat-sucking meteor freak Jodi Melville in an early episode of “Smallville!” (Not something that this Academy Award nominee likely touts on her resume.) Ms. Adams reprised the role of Lois for 2016’s “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” and 2017’s “Justice League.” We will undoubtedly get to see much more of her portrayal of Lois when Zack Snyder’s four-hour cut of “Justice League” is released on HBO Max in March 2021.

In early 2018, plans were announced for a “Metropolis” series that would have centered largely around a pre-Superman-era Lois Lane and Lex Luthor, which would have premiered on the DC Universe streaming service. The series never came to fruition, and never even got as far as the casting stage.

Speaking of the DC Universe, Lois made an appearance on the animated “Harley Quinn” series on the streaming service – voiced by Natalie Morales.

The CW series “Supergirl” had made occasional references to Lois Lane throughout its first few seasons, but it was not until the Arrowverse “Elseworlds” crossover event in December 2018 that she finally made her first appearance there. Elizabeth Tulloch (who often goes by Bitsie Tulloch), known for her role on the TV series “Grimm,” became the latest actress to bring Lois Lane to life on television. Promotional images of Bitsie’s Lois and Tyler Hoechlin’s Superman in the Fortress of Solitude gave off a strong “Superman II” vibe.

Bitsie’s Lois appeared again in the following year’s crossover event, “Crisis on Infinite Earths.” Since it brought together heroes from across the multiverse, this event allowed Bitsie the opportunity to share the screen with multiple Supermen. She shared a great scene with Brandon Routh talking about hope, and a quick moment with Tom Welling where she compares him to “the buff guy on the paper towel rolls.” We also saw Erica Durance briefly reprise her role as Lois Lane in the crossover as well, in addition to playing Allura.

Fans will soon get to see more of Bitsie’s Lois on a weekly basis, as she, along with Tyler Hoechlin’s Clark, star in their own series, “Superman and Lois,” premiering on the CW on February 23rd. The series will explore something that has only been seen or teased in small doses throughout the long legacy of these characters – Clark and Lois as parents. The show centers around the super-couple raising two boys, Jonathan and Jordan, in Clark’s hometown of Smallville, Kansas.

In September of 2018, Bitsie Tulloch posted on Instagram an image of her casting announcement, accompanied by a long, heartfelt caption describing how much the role of Lois Lane means to her. “As far back as 1938 when she first appeared in Action Comics #1, Lois Lane has defied and subverted society’s expectations of how women should behave,” Bitsie wrote. “She was portrayed as opinionated, inquisitive, and an unapologetically badass career woman at a time when many representations of women leaned more towards meek and demure. One of the reasons the character has remained so compelling for the last 80 years is that she has all these formidable, strong-willed qualities, but she’s also vulnerable, romantic, and feminine. A truly modern woman.” Certainly, Ms. Tulloch hit the nail on the head with that description of why Lois has captured the hearts of readers, movie-goers, and even the Man of Steel himself. Even though Superman can stop bullets and leap tall buildings, it’s Lois who has proven to be the greatest adventure for our hero. Right from the start, she caught the attention of one of the most powerful men in the universe, and he’s been flying after her ever since. No matter who has stepped into the role over the years, there has always been one enduring and endearing quality about Lois Lane… she is the one who gives Superman his humanity, because his dream for a normal life as Clark Kent only makes sense with her by his side.

Bullets bounce off Superman’s skin. He can bend steel in his bare hands. He can move fast enough to break the sound barrier, defy the laws of gravity, and create fire with his eyes. He is one of the most powerful beings the world has ever known. Yet the one man who has proven to be his arch enemy for eight decades is a mere mortal. Though he can’t go toe-to-toe with Superman on a physical level, Lex Luthor provides a constant challenge with his cunning intellect, vast resources, and sheer strength of will. The untouchable man behind it all, Lex is the definitive nemesis for the Man of Steel.

The first appearance of Luthor (who was not yet given a first name) was in Action Comics #23 in 1940. Initially a typical “mad scientist” type character, he had a full head of red hair when he debuted. The more famous bald depiction of the character showed up the following year, in Superman #10. Over the years he would evolve from mad scientist, to a ruthless, corrupt businessman, and even the President of the United States.

The first actor to bring Lex to the screen was Lyle Talbot in the 1950 serial “Atom Man vs. Superman.” The “Atom Man” in the title actually refers to Luthor himself, who develops a machine that can disassemble and re-assemble people atom by atom. Lyle Talbot had actually played Police Commissioner Jim Gordon just one year earlier in a “Batman and Robin” serial. Talbot also shared the screen with another famous Superman actor; he costarred with George Reeves in the film “Thunder in the Pines” in 1948.

Superman had several animated outings from Filmation in the 1960s, including “The New Adventures of Superman” in 1966, “The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure” in 1967, and “The Batman/Superman Hour” in 1968. During this time, Jackson Beck served as Lex Luthor, as well as Perry White and the narrator. Beck was also the narrator of the 1940s “Adventures of Superman” radio series, and did the voice of Bluto in the Popeye cartoons of the 1950s.

The next Lex to appear on screen would also come in animated form, when he was a villain on the “SuperFriends” cartoons of the 1970s. Here, Lex was the leader of the Legion of Doom, a group made up of Bizarro, Scarecrow, Brainiac, Toyman, and assorted other DC rogues, whose sole purpose was the destruction of the Justice League. Voice actor Stan Jones, who did voices for the “Heathcliff” and “Transformers” cartoons, provided Lex’s voice throughout the series’ various incarnations.

Luthor hit the big screen in a big way when Gene Hackman made the role his own in “Superman: The Movie” in 1978. Here, Lex was the self-proclaimed “greatest criminal mind” of his time, and made his home in a vast underground lair. His grand scheme was to artificially inflate the price of worthless desert land by detonating a missile on the San Andreas fault and sinking the west coast. He surrounded himself with less-than-competent assistants in the form of Ned Beatty’s Otis and Valerie Perrine’s Miss Teschmacher, whose name he tended to shout angrily.

Much of “Superman II” was filmed simultaneously with the first “Superman,” under the direction of Richard Donner. Due to creative differences, Donner was not brought back on board to finish the second film after the first was completed, and he was replaced by Richard Lester. Gene Hackman did not return at this point, and all remaining Lex Luthor scenes were filmed with a look-alike and voice impersonator. All scenes in “Superman II” with Gene Hackman in them were filmed under Donner’s direction during the production of the first film. “Superman II: The Donner Cut” was released on DVD in 2006, and restored some previously unseen Hackman scenes.

Hackman did not appear in “Superman III,” but he did return once more for “Superman IV: The Quest For Peace” in 1987, working with future Lex Luthor Jon Cryer as his nephew, “Lenny.”

In 1988, a short-lived animated Superman series by Ruby Spears featured Michael Bell as Lex. Bell’s very long list of voice work includes the voices of Drew Pickles and Chas Finster on “Rugrats” and QuackerJack on “Darkwing Duck.”

Two different actors brought Lex to life during the run of the “Superboy” TV series. Scott Wells played the role in the series’ inaugural season, from 1988-89. Lex started out as more of a nuisance than a nemesis to Clark Kent. That changed when the first season ended with a lab accident that caused Lex to lose his hair, which he blamed the Boy of Steel for. Sherman Howard played Lex in seasons two through four from 1989 to 1992. The change in appearance was explained by Lex having plastic surgery so Superboy wouldn’t recognize him. The change was a positive one, as fans seem to prefer Howard’s take on the character over the Wells version. Many years later Howard did the voice of Blight on the animated “Batman Beyond.”

The next Lex to take the small screen would be John Shea on “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman” in 1993. Here, Luthor was the richest man in Metropolis, and the city’s most powerful man until a certain superhero came on the scene. Lex was behind most of Superman’s woes during the first season, though everyone else, including Lois Lane, was blind to his evil deeds. By the end of the season, commuting from New York to L.A. was taking a toll on Shea and he chose not to return. Lex was killed off in the first season finale, committing suicide after being exposed as a criminal mastermind. However, Shea continued to make occasional guest appearances as a resurrected Lex Luthor throughout the remainder of the series. (He was only bald in the season two episode “The Phoenix” – in all other episodes this Lex sported a full head of hair.)

In 1997, another animated incarnation of the bald billionaire hit the airwaves, when the producers of “Batman The Animated Series” turned their attention to Superman. Clancy Brown voiced Lex in “Superman The Animated Series,” “The New Batman/Superman Adventures,” “Justice League,” and “Justice League Unlimited.” He also voiced the role in an episode of the series “The Batman.” You may have heard Mr. Brown’s voice more recently as Surtur in the movie “Thor: Ragnarok.” He is also the voice of Mr. Krabs on “Spongebob Squarepants.”

In October of 2001, “Smallville” premiered on the WB. Here, Clark and Lex met as young men in Smallville, Kansas when Clark saved Lex’s life. Lex, played by Michael Rosenbaum, hadn’t yet turned into the ruthless villain he would one day become, and he and Clark started out as best friends rather than arch enemies. Rosenbaum’s Lex became one of the highlights of the show, as fans found his descent to the dark side proved just as intriguing as Clark’s journey to the world of flights and tights. Rosenbaum was a series regular for the first seven seasons of the show. The character was so popular that the writers found ways to continue to make his presence felt even after Rosenbaum departed the role, usually in the form of shadowy stand-ins, flashbacks, or clones. Fans were delighted when Mr. Rosenbaum returned for the series finale at the end of the tenth season so Lex could give Clark one last inspirational speech about how our enemies define us.

Michael Rosenbaum wasn’t the only actor who played Lex on “Smallville.” Here are some others:
-Matthew Munn played a young Lex in the pilot episode and in the second season episode “Lineage.”
-In the third season episode “Memoria,” Wayne Dalglish played a young Lex in flashback scenes that revealed a tragedy in Lex’s past.
-Lucas Grabeel played a teenage Lex in the episode “Reunion” in season six, which filled in some of the backstory between Lex Luthor and Oliver Queen. In a clever bit of casting, Lucas returned for two episodes in season ten as Connor Kent, who was partially cloned from Lex’s DNA.
-In season seven, Connor Stanhope played young Alexander, a mental manifestation of Lex’s good side. He also returned in season eight to play young Lex in a flashback, and again in season ten as a younger version of the aforementioned Lex clone/Connor.
-In season eight, we saw a scarred Lex hooked up to life support machines that included a breathing mask over most of his face. Kevin Miller played Lex here, with Matt Adler providing his voice.
-Mackenzie Gray played an artificially aged clone of Lex in the season 10 premiere. Mr. Gray later appeared as Jax-Ur in the movie “Man of Steel.”

Superman’s story really went to the dogs in 2005, with the premiere of the animated “Krypto the Superdog.” Lex appeared in a couple episodes of this show about Superman’s canine companion. Lex was voiced by Brian Dobson, and, keeping with the pet theme, he had an iguana named Ignatius.

Lex’s rivalry with Superman flew back onto the big screen in the summer of 2006 with the movie “Superman Returns.” Delving into the continuity of the Christopher Reeve films, this movie gave us a Lex Luthor who had spent time in prison, but was ultimately released when Superman never appeared to testify at his trial. Kevin Spacey assumed the role of the bald mastermind, giving a performance that owed much to Gene Hackman, but took the character to much darker places than Hackman ever did.

Also in 2006, a direct-to-DVD animated feature, “Superman: Brainiac Attacks” was released to video store shelves. Although it was done in the same style as “Superman The Animated Series” and featured some of the same voice actors, fans were puzzled by its apparent disregard of continuity with the series. The film treated the story as the first meeting between Brainiac and Lex Luthor, despite a history between the two already having been firmly established in the previous series. The characterization of Lex depicted in this movie was also a departure, with a campy, goofy Lex Luthor eating popcorn and throwing a party when Superman gets trounced by Brainiac. Luthor was voiced in this installment by Powers Boothe, who had previously voiced Gorilla Grodd on “Justice League.”

In 2008, “Batman: The Brave and the Bold” featured Batman teaming up with a rotating cast of guest-heroes. As one might expect, lots of heroes meant lots of villains, and Lex Luthor was no exception. Kevin Michael Richardson lent his voice to Lex Luthor in his three appearances on this animated series.

“Young Justice” premiered in 2010, and focused on a younger generation of heroes emerging from the shadows of the Justice League. Although teen heroes like Nightwing, Kid Flash, Aqualad, and Superboy took center stage, there were plenty of old rogues still in the picture, including Lex Luthor. Mark Rolston provided the voice of Lex here. Though the series initially only ran for two seasons, it was recently revived on The DC Universe streaming service. Mr. Rolston continues to provide Lex’s voice, along with several other voices on the show. He also voiced Lex in the “Injustice: Gods Among Us” video game.

In 2016, DC’s two biggest heroes shared the cinema marquee for the first time in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.” The clash of these two titans was manipulated by Lex Luthor, naturally – played in this incarnation by Jesse Eisenberg of “The Social Network” and “Now You See Me” fame. Surprisingly, director Zack Snyder originally had a different character in mind for Eisenberg; he initially came in to read for the part of Jimmy Olsen. (Jimmy has a small appearance near the beginning of the film, played by Michael Cassidy – although Jimmy isn’t referred to by name in the theatrical cut.) Snyder apparently thought that Eisenberg’s energy could bring a quick, nervous eccentricity to the role that was essentially Lex Luthor reimagined for the digital era. In the film, Lex is actually Lex Luthor Junior, and he is quick to point out that his father was the “Lex in front of the Corp.” Lex manages to deduce the Man of Steel’s identity, kidnap Ma Kent, pit the caped crusaders against each other, and even unleash Doomsday before finally being locked away.

Fans hoping to catch another glimpse of Eisenberg as Lex needed to stay through the credits of 2017’s “Justice League.” A tag scene at the end featured Eisenberg’s Lex and Joe Manganiello’s Deathstroke teasing the formation of “a league of our own.”

Also in 2016, “Justice League Action” debuted on Cartoon Network. As the title suggests, the series was a more action-oriented show, with each 15 minute episode tending to get right into the thick of things. Lex Luthor was voiced here by actor James Woods.

There have been a slew of direct-to-DVD (and/or direct-to-digital) DC animated features over the past decade or so. As you would imagine, Lex appears in a decent amount of them. They include:
-“Superman: Doomsday” in 1997 – James Marsters voiced Lex in this adaptation of the famous Death of Superman storyline from the comics. Marsters has another super-connection, having played Brainiac on “Smallville.”
-“Superman/Batman: Public Enemies” in 2009 – Clancy Brown once again reprised the role of Lex in this adaptation of the Jeph Loeb/Ed McGuinness comic book storyline that involved Batman and Superman taking down President Luthor.
-“Crisis on Two Earths” in 2010 – Chris North voiced a heroic version of Lex who sought the Justice League’s help in defeating the evil Crime Syndicate.
-“All-Star Superman” in 2011 – Anthony LaPaglia voiced Lex Luthor in this adaptation of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s revered miniseries of the same name.
-“Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox” in 2012 – Steve Blum provided the voice of Lex Luthor in this adaptation of the pivotal comic storyline that rebooted the DC Universe and launched the “New 52” era of comics.
-“JLA Adventures: Trapped in Time” in 2014 – Fred Tatasciore voiced Lex in this tale of time travel.
-“Justice League: Throne of Atlantis” in 2015 – Steve Blum once again played Lex, in a brief appearance at the end of this Aquaman-centric film.
-“Justice League: Gods and Monsters” in 2015 – Jason Isaacs voiced Lex in this alternate universe tale about decidedly darker incarnations of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman.
-“Justice League vs. Teen Titans” in 2016 – Steve Blum once again voiced Lex, as well as Toymaster this time, in this adventure that pitted the two titular teams of heroes against each other.
-“The Death of Superman” in 2018 – Rainn Wilson of “The Office” fame brought an eccentric air to Lex’s voice in this second attempt to adapt the Death of Superman storyline.
-“Reign of the Supermen” in 2019 – Rainn Wilson reprised the role for the direct sequel to the previous installment, which saw four Supermen rising to take the place of the fallen son of Krypton.

Lex has been seen on the big screen once again recently in a surprising place. He can be seen briefly in “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part,” where he is voiced by Ike Barinholtz. Barinholtz has another DC connection as well – he played Officer Griggs in the 2016 film “Suicide Squad.” This isn’t the first appearance of a Lego Lex, as the character has shown up in several direct-to-DVD superhero-themed Lego movies as well, such as “Batman Be-Leaguered,” “Attack of the Legion of Doom,” and “Justice League vs Bizarro League.” In all of those installments he was voiced by prolific voice actor John DiMaggio.

Over the course of the four seasons of CW’s “Supergirl,” we’ve only seen Lex Luthor once; in the season two episode “Luthors,” we saw a flashback to the day that a young Lex met his little sister, Lena, for the first time. Aidan Fink played young Lex in this episode. Despite the fact that we haven’t seen Lex in the modern day just yet, there have been plenty of allusions to him. In a season two episode, Winn Schott referred to Lex setting off an earthquake in California, an apparent reference to the events of “Superman: The Movie.” We’ve even seen an important artifact from the comics that’s never been portrayed in live action before: Lex’s warsuit, which has appeared in the comics, video games, and even action figures since it debuted in the 1980s. (The suit appeared in storage in season two, and Lex’s mother Lillian even wore it for a bit in a season three episode.)

With the March 17, 2019 episode “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” “Supergirl” fans will finally get to see the show’s version of Lex Luthor in the modern day. Jon Cryer will play Lex, and this isn’t the actor’s first foray into playing a member of the Luthor family. Cryer played Lenny Luthor, Lex’s nephew, in “Superman IV” back in 1987. And, while Mr. Cryer is probably best known for his comedic roles like Alan Harper on “Two and a Half Men,” some clips from the upcoming episode certainly suggest that his Lex will be more menacing than campy.

(In 2018, before Lex was announced as appearing on “Supergirl,” a DC Universe “Metropolis” series based around Lois Lane and Lex Luthor was proposed but it never happened.)

Clearly, Lex has evolved considerably from his initial design as the stereotypical mad scientist. He has proven that he can hold his own against one of the most powerful men in the universe, despite having no actual powers of his own. His ability to exist above the law often makes things very difficult for Superman, and while Lex can’t beat Supes physically, he more than makes up for it with his intelligence and cunning. Though Hackman’s Luthor may have been the only one to spell it out, Lex certainly is one of the greatest criminal minds of his or any other time. Superman has thrown punches with the best of them, but in the end, it’s Lex’s brains that make him a match for the Man of Steel’s brawn, and continue to make him such an intriguing character that fans sometimes can’t help but root for the bad guy.

Read some of Russ Dimino’s other “Many Faces” columns here.