Professor Emil Hamilton is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published byDC Comics, usually as a supporting character in stories featuringSuperman.[1]
Created by writerMarv Wolfman and artistJerry Ordway, Professor Emil Hamilton first appeared inThe 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 afterEdmond Hamilton, who wrote stories about Superman and other characters from the 1940s to the 1960s.[citation needed]
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 ofS.T.A.R. Labs, Hamilton was driven insane whenLex Luthor bought his research and took credit for his inventions. After being treated and released, Hamilton sets up a laboratory inMetropolis and becomes Superman's "scientific advisor" and technical consultant. He creates many devices to aid Superman, including thePhantom Zone projector and early versions of theSuperman robots.[2]
During "The Death of Superman" storyline, Hamilton attempts to assist Superman in battling the alien monsterDoomsday.[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 cyberneticprosthesis.
Following Superman's resurrection, Hamilton assists him in restoring theFortress of Solitude and saving the citizens of the bottled city ofKandor.[6] Hamilton also providesSuperboy, Superman's clone, with a visor that replicates the X-ray and heat vision he lacks.[7]
Many years later, whenJohn 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 ofBrainiac 13, only to resurface as theOvermind, 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 villainRuin, seeking to prevent Superman from destroying Earth's sun.[8] Ruin claims that Superman is draining the Sun's energy, accelerating thedeath of the Sun by 500 million years. Hamilton frames Superman's friendPete 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]
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.
An alternate universe variant of Professor Hamilton appears inJLA: The Nail #2.[13]
An alternate universe variant of Professor Hamilton appears inElseworld'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 inConvergence, where he reforms, moves toGotham City, and repairs his friendship withJimmy Olsen. Furthermore, he builds the Whiz Wagon, a flying, multi-purpose vehicle, as self-imposed reformation therapy.[15]
Hamilton appears inJustice League Unlimited, voiced byRobert Foxworth.[16] By this time, he has secretly joinedProject Cadmus, using his expertise in genetics to create theUltimen andGalatea. When Superman learned of his connection with Cadmus when helping to rescueQuestion, Hamilton explained his actions about his distrust and made a reference toLucifer. After Lex Luthor and Brainiac were defeated, Hamilton's status is unknown
Two characters named Hamilton appear inSmallville:
Steven Hamilton appears in thefirst andsecond seasons, portrayed byJoe Morton. An expert inmineralogy and meteors, he is hired byLex Luthor to study the effects of kryptonite, only to later die from overexposure to it.
TheSmallville incarnation of Emil Hamilton appears inSmallville Season 11. He helps the Watchtower Network construct an outpost on the moon, assists in transferringTess Mercer's consciousness from her half-brotherLex Luthor's body to theWatchtower'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]
^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.
^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.
^Jurgens, Dan (w), Weeks, Lee (p), Weeks, Lee (i), Anderson, Brad (col). "Superman Again" Convergence: Superman, vol. 1, no. 1 (June 2015). DC Comics.
^abcd"Professor Emil Hamilton Voices (Superman)". Behind The Voice Actors. RetrievedJuly 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.
