Poll: Joker vs. Lex Luthor: Who Is Off to a Worse Start?

[Rowsdower!]

The Joker and Lex Luthor are easily DC's most popular and recognizable supervillains, and for good reason. Their evil schemes have proven to be tall orders for DC's most iconic superheroes, Batman and Superman. And at least in the case of the Joker, we have seen an actor's portrayal (Ledger's) that was so electrifying that it took the character to new heights.

So this year, we were introduced to the DCEU versions of these two characters. While both BvS and Suicide Squad have their staunch supporters, even many people who enjoyed the films said they were not fans of the way the Joker and Lex were portrayed. Indeed, if there was one thing about each film that most fans and critics agreed on, it's that these two portrayals were... not great.

So I ask you, who was worse? It's been said that "DC has the best villains" and yet, its two BEST villains have already been royally butchered onscreen. So much so that many fans have said that they'd rather never see either of them again. What do you think? Which portrayal did more damage? Was either one so bad that you hope WB just avoids the character altogether in the future instead of trying to right the ship? Or are you one of the ones who enjoyed these performances and would like to see more?

 

[BlueLightning]

I think the studio really dropped the ball on both of them. But we already have Ledger's Joker and his movie predecessors, there are a lot of great interpretations of the character across the medium

With Lex not so much. I mean, I like Gene Hackman interpretation, and Kevin Spacey. But I don't think they are the quintessential interpretations of the character. Clancy Brown on Superman The Animated Series, and in a lesser degree Michael Rosenbaum on Smallville did a better job portraying the modern Lex Luthor.

So I guess we have yet to see a closer Lex Luthor to this interpretation in a while.

Kind of funny that one could also make the same question for DCCU version of Superman and Batman.

 

[The Joker]

I'd probably give the edge to Luthor. He was like a bad Saturday morning cartoon villain.

 

[Flint Marko]

Luthor.

 

[Rowsdower!]

Yeah, I went with Luthor too. I wasn't crazy about Leto's Joker but more than anything I felt like I barely got a sense of who he was. What we got wasn't great but I feel like maybe there was a better character in there, or there could have been if David Ayer and WB didn't let it go awry. Luthor was just an annoying little creep.

 

[Xrated48]

Both equally bad imo

 

[The Endless]

Joker can be salvaged because of the mercurial and ever changing nature of the character.

EisenLex is just dead on arrival and it seems by the end of the film he's completely lost his marbles. He'll probably end up like a Renfield type character.

 

[Chip Chipperson]

They've monumentally destroyed both

Arguably worse than stealing 40 cakes.

 

[Slade W]

Things have been looking up for BVS recently. Not only does this look like a poll Luthor can actually win, but BVS has been kicking ass too and looks to be on course to win its first poll since the movie came out:

http://forums.superherohype.com/showthread.php?t=521985

All in all, not a bad week.

 

[Lantern Venom]

I used to feel like crying when I'd watch the post-credits scene of Green Lantern and know that I wouldn't see Sinestro lead his Corps. After seeing these new versions of Joker and Lex, I now understand that there are worse fates.

 

[ManWithNoName18]

Even though none were that great, I feel Leto has more potential than Eisenberg if given the proper script and director.

 

[Ivan Drago]

I actually..... can't pick. I was cringing in both of their scenes in theaters. Equally as bad.

I plead the fifth.

 

[The Joker]

Things have been looking up for BVS recently. Not only does this look like a poll Luthor can actually win, but BVS has been kicking ass too and looks to be on course to win its first poll since the movie came out:

http://forums.superherohype.com/showthread.php?t=521985

All in all, not a bad week.

And they said it couldn't be done lol.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

Lex.

There's not much you can do with him in future movies that wasn't already done (poorly) in BvS.

 

[Doctor Octopus]

They both equally bad.

 

[OutOfBoose]

Both were twerps, but Lex was entertaining at least.

So, The Joker.

 

[Chip Chipperson]

Things have been looking up for BVS recently. Not only does this look like a poll Luthor can actually win, but BVS has been kicking ass too and looks to be on course to win its first poll since the movie came out:

http://forums.superherohype.com/showthread.php?t=521985

All in all, not a bad week.

Haha, the DC Extended Cut Universe is constantly raising the bar!

 

[Frodo]

Joker was just mediocre, but can be improved given the right characterization and direction imo. Lex's characterization was just bad, and its gonna be hard to redeem or improve that version or characterization of the character unless they took a radical shift in the direction for the character in the future.

Ironically though, Eisenberg was more convincing playing his version of Lex than Leto was playing his version of Joker.

 

[All-Father]

Both were awful, but Lex was outrageous... He's so bad (in every scene from the movie) that you can't take him seriously.

 

[Greens]

Joker is one of my favorite characters of all time. Lex is not.

So I vote Joker because of the potential that was wasted in my eyes.

 

[MbJ]

Lex. At least the Joker is supposed to be ridiculous.

 

[Patchwork Man]

Mandarin. Oh, wait, which poll is this?

 

[Tacit Ronin]

Thankfully the Mandarin is a D-lister. A nobody who comic fanboys suddenly gave a **** about after they gave him a makeover. No such luck for Luthor and Joker, two of the most iconic villains in comicdom now forever stained by the bile of these two interpretations.

 

[MbJ]

Thankfully the Mandarin is a D-lister. A nobody who comic fanboys suddenly gave a **** about after they gave him a makeover. No such luck for Luthor and Joker, two of the most iconic villains in comicdom now forever stained by the bile of these two interpretations.

And unlike Lex the Mandarin was at least supposed to be funny.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

Yup. One was cringe by design. An admirable evolution of Sir Ben Kingsley's craft to play a comic fool. The other was Eisenberg doing his same old neurotic routine, this time on speed and a paper thin screenplay filled with vacuous lines that demanded more gravitas to carry them to decency.