Cover: Ethan Van Sciver

Action Comics Annual #13

Feb 2011 · DC · 4.99 USD

📊 ~27,031 copies sold its debut month

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In "Father Box," Lex Luthor’s arrival in Metropolis kicks off a high-stakes game of deception and ambition, as he partners with Bruno Mannheim at a club while undercover Perry White watches from the shadows. Written by Paul Cornell and brought to life with sharp, atmospheric art by Marco Rudy and bold colors by Val Staples, this 2011 Action Comics Annual reveals Luthor’s secret six-week alliance with Darkseid—only to betray him in a bid for power, setting off a chain of events that hints at a much larger design. The cover by Ethan Van Sciver captures the tension with striking intensity.

Contains 2 stories

Father Box

32 pp · Superhero

Lex LuthorPerry WhiteTyBruno MannheimDarkseidDesaadMokkariSimyanKalibakLaura (cameo)Granny Goodness (cameo)Female Furies [StompaLashinaBig BardaMad HarrietBernadeth] (cameo)Robot Lois Lane [RoboLois] (cameo)

In "Father Box," Lex Luthor—newly arrived in Metropolis—slips into Bruno Mannheim’s world with Perry White in tow, uncovering a hidden portal to Apokolips. Forced into service for Darkseid, Luthor plays the long game, only to betray his master after six weeks, hoping to seize power for himself. Darkseid lets him return to Earth, amused by the ambition, but warns that even his schemes are part of a larger design—set by a god.

A Father's Box

14 pp · Superhero

Lex LuthorRa's Al GhulTalia Al Ghul (cameo)

In "A Father's Box," young Lex Luthor serves as an apprentice to Ra's al Ghul for six months before betraying him—only to meet his end and be resurrected in a Lazarus Pit. The story explores the dark turn of fate that shapes a future villain, all within the confines of a single, tightly wound narrative.