Lois Lane arrives at LexCorp. Today was a very big day. Lex Luthor was doing a tell all interview and specifically requested Lois for the interview. Lois was skeptical. Lex didn't just go around offering interviews. Usually, he tried to remain private unless he really had something to show off, like Superboy. Lois fans her face with some papers as she exits her car. It was a warm day in early June. She enters LexCorp and Mercy takes her right to Lex's office.
Lex stands in his office. He looks out the window at the city below.
"Miss Lane is here." Mercy says as they enter.
"Excellent, welcome." Lex says.
Lex turns around, he is wearing a white suit today. A sharp contrast from the black power suits he usually dons.
"Mercy, you may leave us." Lex says.
Mercy's eyes widen. Lex nods. Mercy turns and walks out.
"May I get you anything Miss Lane?" Lex asks.
"No thanks, I brought a bottle of water." Lois says as she takes a moment to look around Lex's spacious office.
"Well make yourself comfortable and let us begin." Lex says.
Lois takes a seat on the Lex's couch. The leather is soft and fine. It probably cost north of ten thousand dollars.
"I have to say, I was surprised you requested this interview." Lois says.
"Well, I figure your paper runs so many articles on the boy scout, your readers probably would like to read about something else." Lex says.
"I mean, why did you specifically want me to write this?" Lois asks.
"I heard about how that Pulitzer was recently ripped from your grasp. A true shame for the world's greatest reporter. Perhaps this will give you a shot at redemption." Lex says.
Lois looks down. She was truly hurt about losing that Pulitzer.
"Where should we begin?" Lois asks.
"Wherever you would like, I am an open book." Lex says.
"Alright, let's start with your childhood." Lois says.
Lex sighs.
"I'm afraid my early years were rather grim Miss Lane. I grew up on the south side of Metropolis. You know what that section is more commonly referred to as, don't you?" Lex asks.
"Suicide Slums, because some thing suicide is the only way out." Lois responds.
"Unfortunately, yes. It is a rough area. Even more so before LexCorp went in and attempted to revitalize it." Lex says.
"I want to get to your making of LexCorp, but let's start with your early year. You said it was a grim childhood, why did you define it as grim?" Lois asks.
"My parents were not wealthy by any means. My father, Lionel, was nothing more than a humble factory worker. As the years went on, he drowned his sorrows in countless bottles of liquor. Then he'd come home and take his anger out on my mother and me." Lex says.
"Your father beat you?" Lois asks.
"Unfortunately, so." Lex says.
Lois looks on, with pity in her eyes. This was a side of Lex she had never seen before.
"How long did this go on for?" Lois asks.
"Until his dying day." Lex says.
"Your parents died in an explosion at your apartment building, do you want to talk about that?" Lois asks.
"I was eight-teen Miss Lane. I worked at a hardware store sweeping up in the evening. One night when I was working late, there was a gas leak in our building. The common theory is someone struck a match to light a cigar, and the whole complex went up in flames. I lost both my parents that night." Lex says.
"That must have been so hard. Where did you go from there?" Lois asks.
"Yes, it was hard. As I'm sure you can piece together, I didn't enjoy my home life growing up, but I always excelled at school. Being eight-teen, I was aged out of any orphanage. I knew I needed to further my education. I applied to MIT and was accepted. If there was any blessing to my parent's death, it's that the insurance money helped pay for my education and start up LexCorp." Lex says.
"You graduated at the age of twenty-two, is that when you started LexCorp?" Lois asks.
"Oh, the idea for LexCorp started earlier than that. You see this watch I'm wearing?" Lex asks as he removes it from his wrist.
Lois looks on. The watch was rather unspectacular. Low budget for something Luthor could afford.
"What's your point?" Lois asks.
"This watch is what started my interest in technology. When I was ten, I took it apart. It took me two years but I was able to put it back together piece by piece. People take watches for granted. They don't appreciate the marvel in technology that they wear on their wrist each and every day. In many ways I consider this watch the humble beginning of LexCorp." Lex says.
Lois jots a few things down in her notebook.
"But at twenty-two, LexCorp officially begins, correct?" Lois asks.
"My professors always said to wait at least five years out of college to begin your own company. But I had ambition and lofty goals. I started LexCorp at twenty-two, got my first contract with the military at twenty-five and became a millionaire at twenty-eight." Lex says.
"Around the time you started losing your hair." Lois says under her breath.
"But you didn't stop there." Lois continues.
"No, LexCorp continued to branch out." Lex says.
Lex rises to his feet and goes over to the window. Look over there Miss Lane. Lois looks out the window.
"You see that building? That is where LexCorp began. I like to look from here and remember where I started and where I still want to go. Thirteen years ago, I built this very building we are standing in now. I built that line of factories there, and that housing district there." Lex says.
Lois looks on for a moment.
"You've done a lot for this city. But what do you have to say for your critics that claim your fortune was built on instruments of war?" Lois asks.
"My fortune was built on instruments of defense. Ask these critics how many times U.S. soil has been invaded by a foreign nation." Lex snaps.
Lois makes more notes. The two sit back down.
"So at age thirty, you built the modern LexCorp. Your company would evolve from instruments of war to technology for space travel, medical, and robotics. By thirty-four you became a billionaire and three years later were said to be the richest man on the planet. A title that you hold to this day." Lois says.
"It's not something I like to brag about." Lex says.
"Do you think you use this wealth responsibly, to help others?" Lois asks.
Lex sighs.
"You've hit on a very touchy subject. LexCorp employs over two hundred-fifty thousand people worldwide. We have contracts with N.A.S.A, the U.S. military and so on helping people in each and everyday life. And even with everything I do day in and day out, I can't help everyone with all their problems. The truth is no one helped me growing up. It was up to me to pick myself up every day, go to school and learn. I learned everything I could to better myself. I started from nothing and built my fortune organically and I believe the greatest thing I could do in life is to inspire others to do the same." Lex says.
"I think that leads to my next question. I believe it's time to address the elephant in the room. Five years ago, the world was introduced to Superman. Ironically it happened at a N.A.S.A launch of the first ever man mission to Mars. A mission that LexCorp had a hand in. Building a rocket that ended up exploding as Superman first revealed himself to the world." Lois says.
"Hmph." Lex scoffs.
"You don't like Superman, do you?" Lois asks.
"I have concern with the public's admiration of him. Like I said, I had to figure out my problems myself in life, and look what I've gone on to achieve. Superman's existence creates a laziness in people that someone else will come down and solve their problems." Lex says.
"Some would say he's just trying to help." Lois says.
"Help? His very being challenges our own self-worth. In a world with Superman, the common man is obsolete. Who cares about baseball statistics or the longest field goal on record when a being could beat that daily without breaking a sweat." Lex says.
"But Superman doesn't play sports." Lois retorts.
"No but his acceptance has opened a door for other aliens at an exponential rate. Did anyone question where Martian Manhunter came from when he showed up in the Justice League. Does anyone know where Captain Marvel is from? And the Justice League is another concern. A team of rouge costumed do-gooders who take the law into their own hands." Lex says.
Lois takes a few more notes.
"So, Lex, we've been taking for a while now. We've covered your early life all the way up to current affair, but I'm still not sure why I am here. Can you answer me that?" Lois asks.
"Because Miss Lane, I want the public to get a better understanding of me. Because today, right now, I am declaring my candidacy for president of the United States." Lex says.
25 years earlier
Lex Luthor unscrews the top of the propane take. He releases the gas into his apartments air vent. This is the eighth tank he has released. Lex lights a match and without hesitation throws it into the vent. A deafening explosion goes off as the apartment goes up in flames.