How did Lex Luthor’s portrayal change from a mad scientist to a business mogul?

The portrayal of Lex Luthor underwent a significant transformation in the late 1980s, shifting from a mad scientist to a powerful business mogul.12

For several decades, beginning in the 1960s, Luthor was depicted as a classic mad scientist obsessed with destroying Superman. This version of the character often used his intellect to engineer global threats, such as creating earthquakes or instigating wars, with his hatred frequently attributed to a childhood accident involving the young Superman that caused Luthor to go bald.1

In 1986, as part of a broader effort to reinvent the Superman mythos, writer and artist John Byrne reimagined Luthor in the miniseries The Man of Steel. In this updated iteration, Luthor was recast as a ruthless captain of industry. Rather than relying solely on scientific schemes, this version of the character is defined by his status as a wealthy and influential businessman. His motivation also evolved; his resentment toward Superman is now rooted in the fact that the hero consistently outshines him in the eyes of the public, representing the one individual on Earth whom Luthor cannot surpass.21