VILLAINY SCORE: 5

SALES

For sales, Lex Luthor outperforms Doctor Doom. In the comic medium, it appears the Metropolis businessman lags behind the Baron of Iron.

In 2005, Lex Luthor: The Man of Steel #1 ranked 38 in unit sales on the Top Comics of March 2005. At the same time, Lex Luthor performs very well as POTUS in Our Worlds at War whose first issue ranked 19th in unit sales and sold 59157 issues on the Top Comics of July 2001.

In animation, Superman: The Animated Series and Justice League Unlimited have created the best portrayals of Lex Luthor. And to this day, Michael Rosenbaum remains the most celebrated version of Lex Luthor with Smallville. And the Total Estimated Domestic Video Sales for the series is $151,375,254.

In the movie department, the controversial Batman v Superman movie still gave us a more significant live-action adaptation than Doctor Doom in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. Overall, BvS earned $855 million internationally.

VILLAINY SCORE: 3

SALES

Though Doctor Doom stars in more event comics with prominent roles, he performs less than his counterpart in the different media.

In 1984, Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars ranked as Marvel’s first company-wide crossover event and the top-selling comic year-long with 250000 copies sold. In 2015, Doctor Doom becomes God-doom in Secret Wars whose first issue ranked 1st in unit sales with 527618 sold on the Top Comics of May 2015.

With animation, the Spider-Man: The Animated Series and The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes have created the best portrayals of Doom. However, very few portrayals have had the lasting impact that his counterpart has had.

In the movie department, the controversial live-action adaptation of Doctor Doom in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer was not successful. Overall, FF earned $289,480,691 internationally.

CHARACTER EVOLUTION

In many respects, Lex Luthor is definitely one of the most interesting character at DC Comics.

Post-Crisis, his motivations have centered on either destroying Superman’s reputation or besting him through his lackeys. What makes Lex Luthor work is that he genuinely believes himself to be humanity’s savior by virtue of his superior intelligence.

During Dark Nights: Death Metal, Lex may have finally become good. In fact, he proved why he is the smartest human in the DC multiverse by creating the weapon in the World Forge that created Truth Incarnate Wonder Woman.

CHARACTER EVOLUTION

In addition, Doctor Doom has shown he is Marvel’s Greatest Villain. Really, during the first Secret Wars, he stole Beyonder’s power becoming the Supreme Being of the Universe.

Similarly, Doom believes himself to be humanity’s savior. In Doomwar, he has beheld a potential future where he is Earth’s ruler.

However, like other Marvel villains, Doctor Doom ultimately knows he is not fit for ultimate power. Hence, his flaw proves his undoing in the end.

CAST

Really, this is where Lex Luthor truly separates himself.

Indeed, as a businessman and the smartest man on DC Earth, Lex Luthor has proven a better leader. In fact, he showed how an A-list supervillain can legally become the President of the United States.

From Lexcorp, to the Injustice Gang, to the United States, even Darkseid and Perpetua, Lex Luthor is an expert at making deals.

During Our Worlds At War, he won even Superman to his cause in order to stop Imperiex.

CAST

Tragically, Doctor Doom has remained a conflicted figure. As a conqueror and world leader, he leads the sovereign nation of Latveria.

Incredibly, Doom commands a religious following and his people actually love him.

In addition, he has sought companionship often in treacherous ways though he has remained single-minded. Effortlessly, Doom could conquer the world, however, it would take manipulation and deception.

During Avengers: Emperor Doom, Doctor Doom realizes that world conquest is an illusion.

QUALITY OPPONENTS

For the most part, Luthor is at a disadvantage. Indeed, most of his opponents are Cosmic Beings.

At the same time, Justice League: Darkseid War showed Lex Luthor can take on Gods or Abstracts.

QUALITY OPPONENTS

For the most part, Doctor Doom more or less ties Lex Luthor in this department.

Secret Wars showed that Doom’s Quality Opponents are properly Gods or Abstracts. In fact, Beyonder may be the God of the Marvel multiverse.

VILLAINY

In this department, Lex Luthor may have foreshadowed the greatest evil. However, his humanity shows he can be redeemed.

With the Worlogog, Lex Luthor created an alternate future where Darkseid imposed the Anti-Life Equation on DC Earth. In a sense, this may have contributed to Final Crisis.

In Dark Nights Metal, Luthor joined forces with Perpetua who re-made the multiverse in her image. However, he redeemed himself by supplying the weapon for Truth Incarnate Wonder Woman’s victory.

VILLAINY

In this department, Doctor Doom is pure evil. In fact, he cannot be redeemed. Indeed, his faith in magic is only a masquerade for his lust for power.

In Doomwar, Doom used the purple Man to possess the will of all humans on Earth. On mutiple occasions, his lust for power caused him to steal the power of the Silver Surfer, the Watcher and Galactus.

In Secret Wars, GodDoom rules Battleworld having stolen the Beyonders’ powers. Even here, Doom’s inner darkness makes him a powerful villain.

POWER

With his Universal-Level Class, Lex Luthor with the Omega Effect in Darkseid War has a score of 71.5. Though his lack of Teamwork with the JLA limits his potential. His Formidability rating is Metahuman.

To note, Lex Luthor with the Omega Effect is less powerful than Darkseid with the ALE. Which explains how he could not defeat Anti-Monitor. In fact, it takes the ALE to stand a chance though AM is at least as powerful as Darkseid with ALE.

SCORE: 71.5

FORMIDABILITY: METAHUMAN

POWER

Though God-Doom in Secret Wars is Nigh-omnipotent in Class, his Hubris and Power Dependency on Molecule Man, give him a score of 71. His Formidability rating is Metahuman.

To note, God-Doom is about as formidable as Thanos with the IG. Which explains how Black Panther was able to go toe to toe with him in Secret Wars (2016) #9. Though Doctor Doom was likely toying with him.

SCORE: 71

FORMIDABILITY: METAHUMAN

POPULARITY

Generally, Lex Luthor is more popular in the comic medium. In the Post-Crisis continuity alone, he boasts 789 Appearances.

However, Google Search Results yield 12,500,000 results.

POPULARITY

In order for Doctor Doom to match his popularity, we must add the Baron of Iron’s 841 Appearances to his 218 Minor Appearances.

As the winner, Google Search Results yield  98,100,000 results.