Warning: SPOILERS for Justice League #35

The days of Lex Luthor being known as just a Superman villain are over, now that he has evolved to his apex predator form, taken his place as general serving DC’s greatest cosmic creator, and assembled an army the Justice League can’t hope to stand against.

It’s quite an upgrade for ‘Apex Lex,’ and a well-deserved one. While heroes worried about smaller challenges, Lex was hard at work over the past year building his new Legion of Doom, and unlocking the dark, unknown origins of DC’s Multiverse. It was his discovery and freeing of Perpetua, molder and master of the Multiverse, that Lex discovered her true plans for humanity. By consuming the Martian Manhunter to ’evolve’ into his true form, Lex ascended to his true form. And now he’s being placed at the head of an army… filled with soldiers possessing that very same power.

That’s the latest development dropped in Justice League #35, following Lex and Perpetua’s victory over the Justice League. Having tipped the psychic and emotional scales of fear so that Doom has won out over Justice in DC’s Universe, Lex looks to the next step. As Perpetua explains, getting the army he needs to kill DC’s heroes once and for all… is only the tip of the iceberg. Have a look at Perpetua’s true plan:

So yes, things are about to get a lot more evil for Lex Luthor. And Earth. Suddenly making the Year of the Villain seem like a dark prophecy, as opposed to a marketing term. And showing just what will be at stake when Year of the Villain: Hell Arisen arrives in December.

First comes destruction. I will eliminate every universe in the Multiverse that sides in favor of Justice over Doom… Only the loyal worlds with doom in their hearts will survive. With the psychic balance of reality forever tipped in my favor, I will remake those who hold me in their hearts into apex predators. And you, Luthor, will lead them. You will be my great general, ruling at my side. As my son the Anti-Monitor creates new worlds at the forge at the center of the Multiverse, you will lead the army to destroy these worlds one after the other. And so will begin the eternal battle, where Doom triumphs over Justice over and over again. You will live and fight forever. For me. And if the judges of the Source are ever foolish enough to come stop me… You and my great army will rise up and eliminate them… Until there is nothing left in the firmament but us.

It’s a good thing that DC’s heroes need darkness to shine, because their future has never looked more uncertain. All things considered, it may be time for fans to get used to the idea of seeing the Justice League lose this war. Because the official solicitation for the next issue doesn’t look good, either:

  • JUSTICE LEAGUE #36 Release Date: November 20th, 2019 Written by: Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV Art by: Francis Manapul Cover Art by: Francis Manapul How powerful is too powerful? Lex Luthor has assembled everything he needs to complete his plan of turning the world toward doom, including reviving the ancient goddess Perpetua and restoring her powers. But can he keep Perpetua from dragging the DC Universe into the abyss alongside the rest of the Multiverse? This is a question that hero and villain alike must ask, as the epic battle between the Justice League and the Legion of Doom across space and time comes crashing together. Everything that happens here sets the stage for the senses-shattering finale of the Justice/Doom War-and the fate of all existence hangs in the balance!

Justice League #35 is available now from your local comic book shop. The war begins when Justice League #36 arrives on November 20th.

MORE: Batman v Superman’s ‘Knightmare’ Finally Comes To DC Comics