Paul Cornell: 'Lex Luthor almost Tony Stark'

Writer Paul Cornell has claimed that Lex Luthor is similar to Iron Man's alter ego Tony Stark.

Speaking to io9, the Action Comics scribe said that Superman's nemesis is just "a couple notches below" the Marvel hero.

"Lex is a couple notches below being a really great hero, from being actually Tony Stark. Those two have so many similarities, but in these couple notches are all of these bad things," he explained.

"Lex would like to think that he protects the planet from a dangerous, insufferable superpowered alien with heat vision, who will one day become cold and terrifying."

Luthor has featured prominently during Cornell's run on Action Comics, serving as the title's protagonist in a recent arc.

Cornell signed an exclusivity contract with DC Comics last summer.