Lex Luthor To Run for President

Tuesday, June 13th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) â€” Maybe it was inevitable in a year filled with talk about actors and even a potted plant running for president: Lex Luthor, Superman's nemesis, will announce his candidacy Wednesday.

DC Comics, publisher of the Superman series, insists Luthor is different. Cartoon though he may be, ``Luthor is a serious candidate,'' said writer J.M. DeMatteis. ``Donald Trump he's not.''

The real estate tycoon Luthor has some negatives, including past attempts to assassinate Superman and a nasty reputation for shady backroom dealings. On the other hand, Luthor, who has been on somewhat of a redemptive kick lately, has the distinction of being the only person to have saved both Gotham City and Metropolis.

Plus, he can afford to bypass federal campaign spending limits by financing his third-party campaign himself.

Luthor will officially launch his run on Wednesday in a DC Comics issue, although the company says the campaign won't pick up steam until late August.