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Professor Hamilton

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Emil Hamilton
Emil Hamilton as depicted in The Adventures of Superman #425 (February 1987).
Art by Jerry Ordway (penciler/inker) and Tom Ziuko (colorist).
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceAs Professor Hamilton: The Adventures of Superman #424 (January 1987)
As Ruin: Adventures of Superman #630 (September 2004)
Created byMarv Wolfman (writer)
Jerry Ordway (artist)
In-story information
Alter egoEmil Hamilton
SpeciesHuman
Team affiliationsS.T.A.R. Labs
Enginehead
Society
Notable aliasesRuin
AbilitiesGenius-level intelligence
Expert scientist

Professor Emil Hamilton is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by DC Comics, usually as a supporting character in stories featuring Superman.[1]

The character was portrayed by Richard Schiff in Man of Steel. Additionally, Victor Brandt and Robert Foxworth voice Hamilton in the DC Animated Universe (DCAU) series Superman: The Animated Series and Justice League Unlimited. In the DCAU, Hamilton is portrayed as an initially benevolent figure who later joins Project Cadmus out of a belief that Superman is dangerous.

Publication history

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Created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist Jerry Ordway, Professor Emil Hamilton first appeared in The Adventures of Superman #424 (January 1987). His depictions in various incarnations range from that of a trusted ally to Superman and his colleagues to one who is cautious and mistrustful of Superman and his power, to an unambiguous villain. The character was named after Edmond Hamilton, who wrote stories about Superman and other characters from the 1940s to the 1960s.[citation needed]

Fictional character biography

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Emil Hamilton is introduced as a villain, using his gadgets to attack Superman in an attempt to gain funding by proving that they work. A former employee of S.T.A.R. Labs, Hamilton was driven insane when Lex Luthor bought his research and took credit for his inventions. After being treated and released, Hamilton sets up a laboratory in Metropolis and becomes Superman's "scientific advisor" and technical consultant. He creates many devices to aid Superman, including the Phantom Zone projector and early versions of the Superman robots.[2]

During "The Death of Superman" storyline, Hamilton attempts to assist Superman in battling the alien monster Doomsday.[3] When Doomsday mortally wounds Superman, Hamilton attempts to save his life, but is unsuccessful and Superman is declared dead.[4][5] Hamilton loses an arm during the "Fall of Metropolis" storyline, but replaces it with a self-designed cybernetic prosthesis.

Following Superman's resurrection, Hamilton assists him in restoring the Fortress of Solitude and saving the citizens of the bottled city of Kandor.[6] Hamilton also provides Superboy, Superman's clone, with a visor that replicates the X-ray and heat vision he lacks.[7]

Many years later, when John Henry Irons returns to Metropolis, Hamilton feels that he is being sidelined, as Superman now has access to a scientific genius who is also a fellow superhero. He disappears during the arrival of Brainiac 13, only to resurface as the Overmind, the leader of a gang plotting Brainiac's return. Hamilton is partially controlled by Brainiac's technology infecting his arm.

In a 2005 storyline, Hamilton becomes the villain Ruin, seeking to prevent Superman from destroying Earth's sun.[8] Ruin claims that Superman is draining the Sun's energy, accelerating the death of the Sun by 500 million years. Hamilton frames Superman's friend Pete Ross, making him appear to be Ruin.[9] Hamilton confronts Superman and reveals his identity as Ruin to him, only to be imprisoned after Superman clears Ross' name.[10][11]

Following "The New 52" reboot and the "DC Rebirth" relaunch, Hamilton is reintroduced in the Titans: Beast World storyline. He assists Bibbo Bibbowski in curing Jimmy Olsen of Beast Boy's spores which transformed him into a mutant turtle.[12]

Powers and abilities

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Emil Hamilton is a normal human being and thus, has no inherent powers, though he is a brilliant scientist and inventor, having designed and built devices such as a force-field generator. As Ruin, he wields a powered suit that enables him to teleport and generate red sunlight.

Equipment

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Hamilton has designed various prosthetic arms with unusual abilities, including one that acted as a sunscreen dispenser.

Other versions

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  • An alternate universe variant of Professor Hamilton appears in JLA: The Nail #2.[13]
  • An alternate universe variant of Professor Hamilton appears in Elseworld's Finest: Supergirl & Batgirl #1. This version previously worked with Lex Luthor to create a new solar battery, only to have his reputation ruined when Hamilton attempted to reveal the battery uses the corpse of an infant Kal-El as its power source.[14]
  • The pre-Flashpoint version of Hamilton appears in Convergence, where he reforms, moves to Gotham City, and repairs his friendship with Jimmy Olsen. Furthermore, he builds the Whiz Wagon, a flying, multi-purpose vehicle, as self-imposed reformation therapy.[15]

In other media

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Television

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Emil Hamilton as depicted in Smallville

Film

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Video games

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Miscellaneous

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The Smallville incarnation of Emil Hamilton appears in Smallville Season 11. He helps the Watchtower Network construct an outpost on the moon, assists in transferring Tess Mercer's consciousness from her half-brother Lex Luthor's body to the Watchtower's computer system, and acts as her psychiatrist.[19] After Mercer downloads herself into the "Red Tornado" android and joins the Justice League, she and Hamilton begin dating.[20]

References

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  1. ^ Greenberger, Robert; Pasko, Martin (2010). The Essential Superman Encyclopedia. Del Rey. pp. 116–117. ISBN 978-0-345-50108-0.
  2. ^ Byrne, John (w), Ordway, Jerry (p), Kubert, Andy (i), Tollin, Anthony (col). "Power Play" The Adventures of Superman, vol. 1, no. 442 (July 1988). DC Comics.
  3. ^ Simonson, Louise (w), Bogdanove, Jon (p), Janke, Dennis (i), Whitmore, Glenn (col). "Doomsday Is Here!" Superman: The Man of Steel, vol. 1, no. 19 (January 1993). DC Comics.
  4. ^ Ordway, Jerry (w), Grummett, Tom (p), Hazlewood, Doug (i), Whitmore, Glenn (col). "Death of a Legend" The Adventures of Superman, vol. 1, no. 498 (January 1993). DC Comics.
  5. ^ Simonson, Louise (w), Bogdanove, Jon (p), Janke, Dennis (i), Whitmore, Glenn (col). "Funeral Day" Superman: The Man of Steel, vol. 1, no. 20 (February 1993). DC Comics.
  6. ^ Jurgens, Dan (w), Frenz, Ron (p), Rubinstein, Joe (i), Whitmore, Glenn; Digital Chameleon (col). "Sanctuary" Superman, vol. 2, no. 117 (November 1996). DC Comics.
  7. ^ Kesel, Karl (w), Grummett, Tom (p), Hazlewood, Doug; Janke, Dennis (i), McCraw, Tom (col). "Sidearm, One - Superboy, Zero!" Superboy, vol. 4, no. 0 (October 1994). DC Comics.
  8. ^ Rucka, Greg (w), Morales, Rags (p), Dell, John (i), Horie, Richard; Horie, Tanya (col). "The Road to Ruin, Part One" The Adventures of Superman, vol. 1, no. 636 (March 2005). DC Comics.
  9. ^ Rucka, Greg (w), Kerschl, Karl (p), Kerschl, Karl (i), Horie, Richard; Horie, Tanya (col). "The Road to Ruin, Conclusion" The Adventures of Superman, vol. 1, no. 640 (July 2005). DC Comics.
  10. ^ Rucka, Greg (w), Kerschl, Karl (p), Kerschl, Karl; Faucher, Wayne (i), Horie, Richard; Horie, Tanya (col). "Rack & Ruin, Part I of II" The Adventures of Superman, vol. 1, no. 646 (January 2006). DC Comics.
  11. ^ Rucka, Greg; DeFilippis, Nunzio; Weir, Christina (w), Guedes, Renato (p), Guedes, Renato (i), Guedes, Renato (col). "Rack and Ruin, Part II of II" The Adventures of Superman, vol. 1, no. 647 (February 2006). DC Comics.
  12. ^ Jurgens, Dan (w), Marques, Anthony (p), Marques, Anthony; Prado, Joe (i), Pantazis, Pete (col). "Turtle Boy" Titans: Beast World Tour: Metropolis, vol. 1, no. 1 (February 2024). DC Comics.
  13. ^ Davis, Alan (w), Davis, Alan (p), Farmer, Mark (i), Mulvihill, Patricia (col). "The Nail" Justice League: The Nail, vol. 1, no. 2 (September 1998). DC Comics.
  14. ^ Kesel, Barbara; Haley, Matt; Simmons, Tom (w), Haley, Matt (p), Simmons, Tom (i), Baumann, Moose (col). "Supergirl & Batgirl" Elseworld's Finest: Supergirl & Batgirl, vol. 1, no. 1 (September 1998). DC Comics.
  15. ^ Jurgens, Dan (w), Weeks, Lee (p), Weeks, Lee (i), Anderson, Brad (col). "Superman Again" Convergence: Superman, vol. 1, no. 1 (June 2015). DC Comics.
  16. ^ a b c d "Professor Emil Hamilton Voices (Superman)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved July 20, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  17. ^ Bettinger, Brendan (January 9, 2012). "Richard Schiff to Play Dr. Hamilton in MAN OF STEEL". Collider. Archived from the original on January 13, 2012. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  18. ^ Eisen, Andrew (October 2, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  19. ^ Miller, Bryan Q. (w), Igle, Jamal (p), Deering, Marc (i), Strachan, Carrie (col). "Detective, Part Two" Smallville Season 11, vol. 1, no. 6 (December 2012). DC Comics.
  20. ^ Miller, Bryan Q. (w), Di Chiara, Marcelo; Guara, Ig (p), Di Chiara, Marcelo; Ferreira, Julio; José, Ruy (i), Strachan, Carrie (col). "Continuity, Part 4" Smallville Season 11: Continuity, vol. 1, no. 4 (May 2015). DC Comics.
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