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Originally founded as an aerospace engineering firm, LexCorp has become one of the world's largest, most diversified multinational corporations. Under the astute - some would say, ruthless - management of its founder, Lex Luthor, LexCorp grew and prospered, absorbing scores of smaller businesses

LexCorp, also known as LuthorCorp and L-Corp, (legally known as Lexcorp Incorporated) is a conglomerate owned and run by Lex Luthor, headquartered in New Troy, Metropolis.

History

Foundation

Originally founded as an aerospace engineering firm, LexCorp has become one of the world's largest, most diversified multinational corporations. Under the astute - some would say, ruthless - management of its founder, Lex Luthor, LexCorp grew and prospered, absorbing scores of smaller businesses.[1]

While still in its original offices on the top floor of Metropolis' famed Daily Planet building, LexCorp made its first acquisitions of two then-struggling airlines, Inter-Continental Airlines and Atlantic Coast Air Systems (since renamed LexAir). As LexCorp subsidiaries, the airlines began to prosper. And when rising profits were threatened by fuel shortages, LexCorp bought out Southwestern Petroleum, now known as LexOil.[1]

For a brief period, the Daily Planet and its building themselves came under the ownership of LexCorp, but Luthor quickly became disenchanted with what he considered the low profit margins of the newspaper business. He moved LexCorp's offices into a new high-rise building and began buying up downtown properties in preparation for the day when LexCorp would build its own corporate headquarters. LexCorp soon bought out a Metropolis television station and acquired a satellite transmission company, linking both under the corporation's new LexCom subsidiary as SuperStation WLEX. With a potentially worldwide electronic communications out-let under the LexCorp umbrella, Luthor soon sold the Planet, building and all, to TransNational Enterprises.[1]

In time, LexCorp gained controlling interest in no fewer than three banks - the Metropolis Mercantile Bank, Commerce Bank of Metropolis, and First Metro Security - and moved into all the major financial markets, absorbing new holdings worldwide.[1]

By the timeframe of the Alliance Invasion, LexCorp dominated the commerce of the city - and, indeed, of much of the world - from the 96-story L-shaped building which towered above the Metropolis skyline from the eastern tip of the borough of New Troy. It was estimated that LexCorp at its height, either directly or indirectly, employed nearly two-thirds of the city's 11 million people. A majority of local businesses were wholly- or partially-owned subsidiaries of LexCorp. Among those many subsidiaries are such diverse businesses as Advanced Research Laboratories, Secur-Corp Armored Car Service, North American Robotics, Hell's Gate Disposal Services, and the Good Foods Group, owners of Ralli's Family Restaurants and the Koul-Brau Breweries.[1]

In addition to its many properties in the greater Metropolis area, LexCorp has domestic holdings in Los Angeles, Denver, Houston, New Orleans, Chicago, Gotham City, and Boston. LexCorp currently maintains financial institutions, research facilities, refineries, and/or manufacturing plants in a score of countries, including Australia, Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Switzerland, France, the Union of South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Singapore, and the free market of Hong Kong.[1] When CEO Lex Luthor was elected President of the United States, Talia al Ghul took over the company. She sold all of Lexcorp's assets after his disgrace, and Bruce Wayne bought their headquarters in Metropolis.[2]

Competitors include Wayne Enterprises, Kord Industries, Queen Industries, and S.T.A.R. Labs.

One Year Later

A year after the events of Infinite Crisis, Lex Luthor has been stripped of his wealth, assets, and businesses and is reduced to living like a vagrant. LexCorp has had its stocks dissolved and sold off to other companies, most notably Wayne Enterprises. Talia Head donated a large portion of its profits to the Wayne Foundation during Superman and Batman's year long absences.

Lana Lang has since become LexCorp's new CEO following Luthor's public acquittal from criminal charges, although the company began heading towards bankruptcy.

Recent developments

Lana used LexCorp's resources to assist Superman on an urgent matter, and as such, she found herself in violation of her contract which forbade her from aiding and abetting Superman in any and all matters. As such, she was terminated from the company.

Supercorp

After the events of Dark Crisis, Luthor begrudgingly came to believe that Earth needed Superman, but also that Superman's restrained approach limited his effectiveness. He used the psychic antihero Manchester Black's telepathic abilities to erase Superman's secret identity as Clark Kent from the minds of everyone on Earth in order to make him more effective as a symbol; killing Black in the process. Luthor suggested to Superman that they be partners, but Superman refused and arrested him for Black's murder.[3]

While in prison, Luthor signed over control of LexCorp to Superman without his knowledge, renaming it Supercorp, so that Superman could use its resources to protect the Earth. He wrote into the contract that the company would be dissolved if Superman attempted to hand off control to anyone else, which would have caused almost half of Metropolis to instantly lose their jobs. Luthor also repeatedly gave Superman unsolicited advice from prison, aware that his old rival was constantly monitoring him with his super-hearing.[4] Superman decided to give Luthor a chance at redemption when he helped foil a plague of microscopic Parasite clones.[5]

Branches

  • Luthor Technologies: Research and development into weapons, pharmaceuticals, robotics, computer hardware and software (LexComp), bio-engineering, fertilizer, preservatives, hydroponics, air conditioning, and probably other fields.
  • Luthor Industries: Operates most of Metropolis' utilities, including electricity, gas, oil (LexOil), water, sewage treatment and waste disposal.
  • Luthor Communications: Phone company (LexCom), television stations (LexTel and Luthor News Network) and briefly the Daily Planet newspaper.
  • Luthor Enterprises: Cash businesses, including hotels (Lexor), rented accommodation, restaurants and public transportation.
  • Luthor Financial: Banks, brokerage houses, investment firm (LexEl Investments).
  • Luthor Foundation: Philanthropic enterprises including Luthor Hospital, Luthor Home for Children, Luthor Foundation for the Arts and LexMet Square Garden.
  • Property Holdings: LexCorp also owns considerable property in Metropolis, such as the Lexor hotel.
  • Others branches: LexMart (supermarket chain), Lextendo (games).[6]

Personnel


Trivia

  • In the continuity of the Smallville television series, Lexcorp is known as "LuthorCorp". On Earth-21, it's called "LexCo". In the Donnerverse, it's referred to as "Lex Luthor Incorporated".
    • In the first season of Smallville, Lex tried to branch off with his own company he dubbed "Lexcorp", until it was bought out by LuthorCorp in a corporate takeover in season 2. In the series finale, the LuthorCorp building shook by Darkseid's invasion, causing the "LuthorCorp" sign to partially collapse into "LexCorp".
  • In the DC Extended Universe, LexCorp was founded by the East German immigrant Lex Luthor, Sr.

See Also

Links

Footnotes

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