Religion: non-religious 
Name: Lubane
Classification:
villain
Publisher(s): 
First Appearance: Superman (vol. 1) #2 (Fall 1939): "Superman Champions Universal Peace!"
Creators: Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster
Number of Appearances: 1
Enemy of: Superman
Ally: Bartow
Occupation: business owner, weaponmaker
Nation: Boravia
Gender: male
Note: munitions magnate
Lubane was a particularly evil munitions magnate. He profiteered on war and sought power through control of deadly weapons and technology. Lubane apparently supplied weapons to both sides of the deadly civil war in Boravia. Superman felt that Lubane was actively fomenting war in order to sell more weapons.
Lubane seems like he very well may NOT be a native of the tiny country of Boravia. But in this story, he apparently lives there and has a large munitions plant there.
Lubane was a man who scoffed at ideas he regarded as superstitious. When Bartow (the racketeering criminal that Lubane hired to steal Professor Runyan's poisonous gas formula) warned Lubane that Superman was on their trail, Lubane scoffed.
When one of Bartow's agents called him and described what Superman was doing on the nearby Boravian battlefield, Lubane scoffed, "A man -- leaping thru the sky -- dropping bombs? You must be mad!"
Bartow explained that Superman was their "nemesis -- a man possessing terrific strength. He's after the formula!"
With the gas he had his hired scientist synthesize from the stolen formula, Lubane felt invincible. He declared, "Superman, eh? Well, whoever he is, he can't frighten me! As long as I have this gas, I need fear no one!"
Bartow and his two henchmen prepared to clear out, leaving Lubane's office. Bartow offered a final warning, "We're grabbing the first plane out of here that we can get! And if you're wise, you'll do the same."
Lubane scoffed at the warning, saying, "Still referring to a mythical Superman,, eh? Superstitious fools!"
Superman, listening while hanging from a windowsill outside Lubane's office, said to himself, "I think I'll give Lubane a little taste of superstitious fear!"
Lubane was alone after Bartow and his men left. Lubane seemed almost drunk with power as he said, "I've got it at last -- What I've always sought -- the most horribly destructive gas on Earth! Nothing can stop me now -- nothing!"
Superman then crashed through the window. A shocked Lubane demanded, "Who are you? What do you want of me?"
Superman told the villain, "I'm going to give you the fate you deserve, Lubane, for promoting this war and profiteering upon the death and misery of others!"
Lubane held his glass vial of deadly gas up in front of him for Superman to see. He threatened to smash it if Superman came any closer. Superman thought Lubane was bluffing. He probably was. After all, Lubane had no real cause other than himself. He believed in nothing but growing rich and powerful and preserving his own life. But when Superman took a step forward, the nervous Lubane accidentally dropped the tube. It smashed on the floor and released its deadly gas. Lubane pled for help, but Superman stood and watched him die. Superman was unaffected by the gas, but Lubane died within seconds, bewildered that his enemy was not succumbing to the gas as well.
Superman looked on the now-dead Lubane and said coldly, "One less vulture! He won't need this formula any longer!"
Then Superman leaped to a stately Boravian government building where he forced the assembled representatives of Boravia's warring factions to sign a peace treaty.
Superman (vol. 1) #2 (Fall 1939): "Superman Champions Universal Peace!"
Suggested links for further research about this character and the character's religious affiliation:
- https://www.comics.org/issue/528/
- http://comicbookdb.com/issue.php?ID=44189