Question about Clark Kent's glasses

[bw38]

I don't follow Superman much but from what I do know, his glasses act as a disguise. The glasses make Clark Kent and Superman two different people. However, if I'm not mistaken the glasses came after he finally went to Metropolis and became the reporter Clark Kent we all know. Here's where I start questioning things, in just about all stories, Clark Kent and Lex Luthor are in one way connected early on in their Smallville days. This is before the glasses come in. So when Superman suddenly appears in Metropolis and Lex Luthor sees him, how is it possible that he is not able to deduce that Clark Kent = Superman?

Or am I missing something important here?

Btw this question came to me as I watched the last episode of Smallville. It dawned to me that Lex Luthor knew Clark in Smallville (whether he was the business man or the scientist version of Lex) and I think that still applies to the comic books.

[Conner_Kent]

the glasses play a part of the diguise, he also hunchs over as clark so he dosent appear to be as tall, he also acts like a cluts bumping in to things. In the comic's lex luthor never new clark in smallville they did that for the show so you cant really count what happens of smallville

[bw38]

so lex luthor never encountered clark kent in smallville in the comics?

[Bored at 3:00AM]

Currently, Lex Luthor & Clark Kent were childhood friends in Smallville in the comics, although that has changed from time to time through the decades.

In his original 1940s appearances, Lex Luthor first met Superman as an adult and had a full head of red hair. Later on, Lex gained his bald head by mistake (the artist confused Lex with The Ultra-Humanite, Supes' first super-villain).

By the 1950s, Superboy was introduced and Lex Luthor was revealed to have been friends with the Boy of Steel. This past history played a major role in their relationship for the next several decades until the 1986 reboot that recast Lex as a Kingpin-like businessman in his fifties who hadn't encountered Superman (who was now never Superboy) until his first appearance in Metropolis.

Then, in 2003, another revamp was made to Superman's history that merged elements from the pre-1986 and post-1986 versions together. This included Lex & Clark's childhood friendship in Smallville. It also re-established that Superman & Lex Luthor were roughly the same age. Clark met Lex when he was 15 and Lex was 18.

And, finally, in 2006's Infinite Crisis, Superman's history recieved yet another history revision which added in elements from not only the various comics' histories, but the movies and cartoons as well. In the 52 weekly maxi-series, it was confirmed that Clark & Lex have known each other since childhood.

However, it has been also re-established that Clark wore glasses while he was a teenager, so Lex not recognizing Superman & Clark Kent as the same guy is a little more plausible.

[bw38]

Currently, Lex Luthor & Clark Kent were childhood friends in Smallville in the comics, although that has changed from time to time through the decades.

In his original 1940s appearances, Lex Luthor first met Superman as an adult and had a full head of red hair. Later on, Lex gained his bald head by mistake (the artist confused Lex with The Ultra-Humanite, Supes' first super-villain).

By the 1950s, Superboy was introduced and Lex Luthor was revealed to have been friends with the Boy of Steel. This past history played a major role in their relationship for the next several decades until the 1986 reboot that recast Lex as a Kingpin-like businessman in his fifties who hadn't encountered Superman (who was now never Superboy) until his first appearance in Metropolis.

Then, in 2003, another revamp was made to Superman's history that merged elements from the pre-1986 and post-1986 versions together. This included Lex & Clark's childhood friendship in Smallville. It also re-established that Superman & Lex Luthor were roughly the same age. Clark met Lex when he was 15 and Lex was 18.

And, finally, in 2006's Infinite Crisis, Superman's history recieved yet another history revision which added in elements from not only the various comics' histories, but the movies and cartoons as well. In the 52 weekly maxi-series, it was confirmed that Clark & Lex have known each other since childhood.

However, it has been also re-established that Clark wore glasses while he was a teenager, so Lex not recognizing Superman & Clark Kent as the same guy is a little more plausible.
Thanks. That makes a lot more sense. I knew I wasn't going crazy. Now too bad that if the show Smallville ever sees Clark Kent as Superman that he won't be fooling Lex Luthor unless they come up with some new kind of reason for Lex Luthor not being able to differentiate Clark from Superman. The show may never get that far though and that's not to say it's a bad show but I don't think it was intended to go into Clark's years as Superman.

[Paul Dee]

In his original 1940s appearances, Lex Luthor first met Superman as an adult and had a full head of red hair. Later on, Lex gained his bald head by mistake (the artist confused Lex with The Ultra-Humanite, Supes' first super-villain).

So Lex's trademark look was purely by accident?

Wasn't there at one point an explanation that Superboy was responsible for Lex's loss of hair - hence Lex being out to get him?

However, it has been also re-established that Clark wore glasses while he was a teenager, so Lex not recognizing Superman & Clark Kent as the same guy is a little more plausible.

Has it been explained why he wore glasses? Because he shouldn't actually need to, surely?

[Gernot]

So Lex's trademark look was purely by accident?

Wasn't there at one point an explanation that Superboy was responsible for Lex's loss of hair - hence Lex being out to get him?[QUOTE]

Yes, that was explained in the story of how Superboy and Luthor first met. Luthor saved Superboy from a Kryptonite meteor, and then...

Ah, go ahead and read the whole story here (http://superman.ws/tales2/howluthormetsuperboy/)! You'll be glad you did! :)



[QUOTE=Paul Dee;4761648]Has it been explained why he wore glasses? Because he shouldn't actually need to, surely?

Well, in a previous continuity, his foster parents taught him to wear the glasses, and act in a manner unlike Superboy. Some say in the current continuity, he DID need glasses, but as his powers developed, he didn't need them anymore.

[glennsim]

Well, in a previous continuity, his foster parents taught him to wear the glasses, and act in a manner unlike Superboy. Some say in the current continuity, he DID need glasses, but as his powers developed, he didn't need them anymore.

That's a pretty good idea. You could say that the attributes of his eyes that would later give him his vision powers originally caused his vision to not be very good, requiring the glasses.

[Captain Smith]

You just have to let it go. Hunch over, take off your glasses or put them on and then go to work. See if anyone who has know your for long time, doesn't say:

Oh, where are your glasses, did you get contacts, oh you got glasses, etc?

Did you hurt your back?

Put red panties on the outside of your clothes and see if they think you have changed (maybe your gender orientation?).

It is the great suspension of disbelief - none of the masks and disguises used in the comics would last against any sensible test. Only a true shape shifter or magic spell or total armor would work.

So let it go.