Professor Hamilton

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.

Emil Hamilton is a former employee of S.T.A.R. Labs who is driven insane after Lex Luthor steals credit for the inventions. After being treated, Hamilton establishes a laboratory in Suicide Slum and becomes an ally of Superman, creating various devices for him.^[2][3]

After Doomsday kills Superman, Hamilton is overcome with guilt.^[4][5][6][7] He loses an arm in Fall of Metropolis, but replaces it with a self-designed prosthesis.

Hamilton also gives Superboy a visor that gives him the Kryptonian powers he lacks.^[8] He spends time with Superman, assisting him in restoring the Fortress of Solitude and saving the citizens of Kandor.^[9]

Hamilton later becomes jealous of Superman and becomes Overmind, the leader of a gang plotting Brainiac 13's return. He is partially controlled by Brainiac's technology infecting his arm.^[10]

In a 2005 storyline, Hamilton becomes the villain Ruin, seeking to prevent Superman from destroying Earth's sun. He later joins Alexander Luthor Jr.'s Society in Infinite Crisis.^{[11][12][13][14]}

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.

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

• An alternate universe variant of Professor Hamilton appears in JLA: The Nail #2.^[15]
• 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.^[16]
• 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.^[17]

• Emil Hamilton appears in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, portrayed by John Pleshette.
• Emil Hamilton appears in series set in the DC Animated Universe (DCAU):
  • Hamilton is introduced in Superman: The Animated Series, voiced by Victor Brandt.^[18] Throughout the series, he assists Superman by creating numerous inventions, such as Kryptonite-resistant suits and a Phantom Zone projector, until Superman is brainwashed by Darkseid in the series finale, causing Hamilton to distrust him and other metahumans.
  • Hamilton appears in Justice League Unlimited, voiced by Robert Foxworth.^[18] By this time, he has secretly joined Project Cadmus, using his expertise in genetics to create the Ultimen and Galatea.
• Two characters named Hamilton appear in Smallville:
  • Steven Hamilton appears in the first and second seasons, portrayed by Joe Morton. An expert in mineralogy and meteors, he is hired by Lex Luthor to study the effects of kryptonite, only to later die from overexposure to it.
  • Emil Hamilton appears in the eighth season onward, portrayed by Alessandro Juliani. This version is a private doctor, leader of S.T.A.R. Labs, and ally of the Justice League, having been hired by Oliver Queen.
• A genderbent incarnation of Emil Hamilton named Amelia Hamilton appears in Supergirl, portrayed by Sarah Robson. She is a member of the Department of Extranormal Operations (DEO).

• Emil Hamilton appears in Man of Steel, portrayed by Richard Schiff.^[19] This version is a DARPA scientific adviser for the U.S. military under General Swanwick. He later sacrifices himself to help destroy General Zod's World Engine before it destroys humanity.
• An alternate universe variant of Emil Hamilton appears in Justice League: Gods and Monsters, voiced by Trevor Devall.^[18] This version is a member of LexCorp's "Project Fair Play", a weapons contingency program meant to destroy the Justice League if necessary, who is later killed by the Metal Men.

• Professor Hamilton appears in Superman 64, voiced again by Victor Brandt.
• Professor Hamilton appears in Superman: Shadow of Apokolips, voiced again by Victor Brandt.^[18]
• Professor Hamilton appears in Superman Returns.
• Professor Hamilton appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.^[20]

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.^[21] After Mercer downloads herself into the "Red Tornado" android and joins the Justice League, she and Hamilton begin dating.^[22]

• Emil Hamilton at the DC Animated Universe wiki
• Emil Hamilton at the DC Database