To Hell and Back

*Cover of* ***Superman #33*** (published December 24th, 2025) written by Joshua Williamson, art by Hayden Sherman, colors by Alejandro Sánchez
Cover by Hayden Herman and Mike Spicer

DC’s All-Fight Month rages on in the pages of Superman #33, a tie-in to the DC K.O. event. As the "Sweet Sixteen" participants dwindle down to the "Fateful Eight," the main Superman title focuses on a battle I’ve been looking forward to since the tournament brackets were first announced: Lex Luthor vs. Etrigan the Demon!

As a massive Superman fan, my appreciation for Lex Luthor needs little explanation—as the kids say, “IYKYK.” I also appreciate the hell (heh) out of Etrigan, one of the more underrated characters from DC’s supernatural corner and one of the late, great Jack Kirby’s prized contributions to the DC Universe. Let’s hop right into it!

Warning: This article will contain spoilers from Superman #33.

A Luthor in Camelot

The seventh round of the tournament to crown a new King Omega begins with a truly grisly sight: actual Hell. Lex narrates to us as we see the world’s smartest man bound in the abyss, recalling the time runes were scratched into his flesh during his deal with Neron, Lord of the Underworld. This leads us to the question that not only drives this entire issue, but has been a point of debate for decades: does Lex Luthor even have a soul?

We catch up with Lex in the present as he fights Etrigan within Camelot, musing on the choices that led him here. For those who haven’t been following Joshua Williamson’s Superman run—a mistake I urge you to correct with all due haste—Lex is in a very interesting place, morally speaking. We get a brief recap of the iconic villain’s recent history, including his begrudging partnership with Superman to protect Metropolis. It was a partnership that worked surprisingly well—until it fell apart.

However, Lex’s self-reflection doesn't stop Etrigan from gaining the upper hand. The Demon exhales a blast of hellfire that quite literally incinerates Lex, warsuit and all. That’s right, folks—Lex Luthor dies within the first few pages! But as you are hopefully aware, the K.O. bouts are decided by a "best two out of three" format.

A Man of Steel

Both Lex and Etrigan swap out their traditional attire to different armor,

As stipulated by the rules of the battle, Lex begins to regenerate while Etrigan mocks him in his classic rhyming fashion. Lex pointedly asks why the machinations of Darkseid would concern a Prince of Hell, to which Etrigan replies that he was tricked by the Lord of Apokolips and merely wishes to have a "chat" with him.

The two combatants are then asked to choose their forms for the next round. Etrigan selects his armored form, courtesy of the wizard Merlin, while Lex chooses his "Super-Lex" armor from the period he operated as a hero following the events of Superman Reborn. They are immediately warped to Metropolis as Round Two begins in earnest. Just as Etrigan muses whether the Heart of Apokolips is manipulating them, Lex dryly confirms that this is the case before summoning a swarm of drones to assault the Demon, taking full advantage of his home-field edge.

Lois, Prime, and the Robot Superman race to reach the Time Trapper/Doomsday.

As Lex narrates how he cannot afford to lose—even claiming he allowed Etrigan to win the first round as part of a larger gambit—we return to the Fortress of Solitude in the real world. Last issue left us with the unlikely pairing of Lois Lane (whose powers as Superwoman have seemingly returned) and Superboy-Prime. The two have discovered that Doomsday/Time Trapper plays a specific role: to be the “Alpha” who challenges the “Omega,” who is obviously Darkseid.

Together, they are repairing a Superman robot to upload the data they received from Lara-El’s AI consciousness so they can deliver this vital information. Prime explains to Lois that he left the future and the Legion of Super-Heroes behind to return to the present and restore Superman’s hope using something he gleaned from the timeline. The corrupted Sun Boy—one of the Darkseid Legionnaires who attacked the Fortress last issue—accuses Prime of cowardice from his incapacitated state, prompting a defensive rebuttal from Prime. Once the robot confirms the upload is complete, it warns that the massive file size can only be held for two Earth hours. Lois, Prime, and the Superman robot immediately blast off toward the Watchtower, the last known location of the Time Trapper.

Back at the tournament, Lex and Etrigan are going at it full-swing. Etrigan mentions that during the days of Camelot, there were whispers of an "Omega"—a dark lord to rule all dark lords. He surmises this was Darkseid all along and gains the upper hand, claiming that eternal damnation is all that remains. Lex narrowly avoids a second consecutive death as Etrigan mocks him for wearing armor that celebrates his greatest foe. Lex coldly responds that he didn’t choose the armor for sentimental value, but for what it contains: a Mother Box. Lex hurls the Mother Box directly into Etrigan’s face in one of the most satisfying "K.O.s" of the tournament, tying the score at 1:1.

Gone, Gone, the Form of Man…

As the final round begins and Etrigan starts to regenerate, the two combatants are thrust into the ultimate battlefield: Hell itself. Even in the depths of the abyss, Lex continues to reflect, contemplating his identity and facing the shocking possibility that he may have been wrong following his self-imposed exile.

For context, Lex was recently forced to kill a mad clone of his own creation, X-El, which had been released by Mercy Graves against his wishes. Superman was abhorred by the act, but Lex argued it was the only way to protect Metropolis and the House of El from the unhinged clone. (Side note: the name X-El is a brilliant bit of wordplay—it is both "Lex" spelled backward and the Kryptonian surname of Superman.)

As the final round commences, Etrigan chooses a surprising form: one that is noted for not needing to rhyme and, ironically, boasts a giant "S" on its chest. In a curious counter-move, Lex chooses the form we saw at the beginning of the issue—the version of himself with ancient runes being carved into his very skin.

Prep time in DC doesn’t exclusively belong to Batman, folks.

Etrigan is absolutely thrilled by this development, boasting that there is no way Lex can hope to overcome him here in Hell. However, Lex reveals that this is not his first time in the abyss. Referencing the flashback once more, he explains that the runes carved into his skin were actually spells of preparation—specifically designed for possession.

In a shocking twist, Lex recites the iconic chant used to summon Etrigan and separates the Demon from Jason Blood, his mortal host. Lex then willingly allows Etrigan to possess him. Jason has hardly any time to celebrate his freedom from the ancient curse before Lex kills him without a second thought. But before Lex can truly claim victory, Etrigan attempts to exert control over his new body, musing that there is an inner darkness within Lex that even a Prince of Hell must respect.

Lex proceeds to use that very darkness to forcibly expel Etrigan, casting him back into the fiery pit while declaring that he refuses to let anyone control him—ever. This display of sheer will is enough for the Heart to declare Lex the winner. Restored to his human form, with no Demon and no runes remaining on his skin, Lex comments that it no longer matters whether he has a soul; he is going to win this game, and he will never be anyone’s pawn. However, just as he resolves to win the entire tournament and ascend to godhood, he doubles over in sudden, agonizing pain.

Darkseid and betrayal go hand in hand, kinda like Luthor and betrayal. Huh.

Gorilla Grodd telepathically screams at Lex that they’ve been betrayed, alluding to Booster Gold being used as a vessel for Darkseid himself. As we transition to the Watchtower to close out the issue, we see the Time Trapper rushing toward "Booster Goldseid" (I’m running with that name, sue me). The Lord of Apokolips boasts that the Trapper’s story is finally over and that no one is coming to save him—or are they?

Our final panel reveals the trio of Lois Lane, Superboy-Prime, and the Superman robot racing toward the Watchtower, soaring toward a direct confrontation with Darkseid. We are left to stew in anticipation for next month’s explosive finale!

What Makes Lex Lex?

This issue had its work cut out for it. It needed to continue the ongoing plot, advance the DC K.O. tournament, and answer the existential question posed at the start: does Lex Luthor have a soul? To its credit, the issue manages to do all three, thanks to Joshua Williamson.

First, the story continues the plotline where Lois discovered that Doomsday was created not as a destroyer, but as a champion—the “Alpha” force designed to counter the “Omega.” While her moments with Superboy-Prime are short-lived compared to the rest of the issue, the plot moves along nicely. As a huge fan of Prime, I cannot wait to see him get more involved (and if you’ve been following comic news, you know he’s definitely going to do just that next year). I’m also fully on board with Lois having powers in a temporary or limited sense.

As a DC K.O. tie-in, this issue delivers a solid bout between two characters who rarely cross paths. The result is one you might have seen coming, but it is executed in a way that doesn’t cheapen either character. Lex Luthor wins, but he does so in a way that is—well, very Lex-like. He is one of the most enduring villains in comics because of his mind, which is put on display for all to see.

For me personally, it’s that third topic—the question of Lex’s soul—that makes the book work. Lex is one of the greatest villains in the entire medium. To say he has a litany of horrific crimes under his belt is an understatement. This man once stole forty cakes—and that’s terrible. But when we look at Lex through the lens of this specific Superman run, we see a nuanced, layered antagonist with motives beyond just hating the Man of Steel. Truth be told, he doesn't even truly "hate" Superman anymore, though he certainly hates what Superman represents.

While Lex has done questionable things throughout this volume, he’s also helped Superman numerous times—even losing his memories and risking his life against Brainiac last year. This issue forces Lex to be honest with himself. Ultimately, he decides it doesn’t matter if he has a soul or not; he simply needs to win. In the end, I think it’s safe to say Lex does have a soul, but it is twisted and damaged by his own hand. This cements Lex not as a card-carrying, psychotic supervillain, but as a layered, terrible person who is self-aware enough to question himself. That is a far more engaging portrayal.

This is an absolutely sick as Hell design!

The art by Hayden Sherman and Alejandro Sánchez has a fantastic pulpy feel, ensuring the damage Lex and Etrigan inflict upon one another holds weight and feels incredibly visceral. It evokes a timeless vibe, making you believe this story could be taking place at any given point during DC’s rich publication history. It is bright and colorful, which creates a striking contrast to the actual events—which are inherently darker (e.g., Lex being burned to a crisp, Etrigan’s head being vaporized, and Jason Blood’s throat being slashed).

Speaking of which, my favorite page is definitely the visual of Lex merged with Etrigan—a terrifying form that, fortunately for the DC Universe, isn’t permanent. Lex’s design here is essentially "demonic business chic," which is totally on-brand for the character. The scene with the Mother Box disintegrating Etrigan’s head is a close second; it is such an over-the-top, gruesome, "Fatality-like" moment that feels right at home in the DC K.O. event, given its nature as a fighting deathmatch tournament.

I would also be remiss if I didn’t point out how the pages set in Hell utilize a dark, gothic layout and unique bordering, making the action all the more memorable. It’s a brilliant stylistic choice that makes Hell stand out as more than just a background locale for a fight.

Final Thoughts and Review

Lex might look like he just got sent back in time ala his nude Terminator pose here, but that’s besides the point. He’s a GOATed super villain and character in general.

All in all, this issue is everything it needs to be. It builds off the threads woven into the Superman ongoing series, advances the DC K.O. event by delivering one of the most visceral matches in the tournament thus far, and serves as a deep dive into the psyche of Lex Luthor. The fact that Superman is nowhere to be seen (outside of silent flashbacks) proves that Williamson can deliver a satisfying narrative focusing on Lex that doesn’t require his greatest enemy to define him. The (literally) killer art by Sherman and Sánchez wraps this issue up in a nice bow—one just begging to be unwrapped.

Final Score: 8.5/10

Superman #33 checks off every box. It is a rare example of a book that continues a main series' momentum while simultaneously working as a solid tie-in for those only interested in the DC K.O. event. Lex Luthor may or may not have a soul, but he proves once more why his mind is something to be both respected and feared.