Emil Hamilton
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Powers: Emil Hamilton is a normal human being and thus, has no inherent super powers, though he is a brilliant scientist and inventor. However, as Ruin he dons a "power suit". The suit allows Ruin to take advantage of his knowledge of Superman's weaknesses. From the suit powerful blasts of Kryptonian red sunlight can be fired, which essentially sap Superman of all his powers. Also, Ruin is able to transport himself to the Phantom Zone, though at a detriment to his health. If the suit is forcibly removed from Hamilton's body, it self-destructs with a massive force--apparently enough to destroy a small city.
Bio: A former employee of S.T.A.R. Labs and the US Government, it transpired he had been driven insane when all his research was bought up by Lex Luthor, who took credit for the inventions. He was placed in a mental health facility and responded well to treatment. On his release, he set up a laboratory in Suicide Slum and quickly became Superman's "scientific adviser". He was responsible for creating many devices that aided Superman, including the Phantom Zone Projector and early Superman Robots. He also provided Superboy with the visor that duplicated Superman's vision powers(x-ray vision and heat visions).
He has also theorized about how Superman's Kryptonian biology works, and deduced the best way to defeat villains based on analysis of their powers. He lost an arm during the Fall of Metropolis storyline, but replaced it with a self-designed cybernetic prosthetic.
Many years later, when John Henry Irons returned to Metropolis, just prior to the B13 Event, Hamilton felt he was being sidelined, as Superman now had access to a scientific genius who was also a fellow superhero. He disappeared during the B13 Event.
He eventually resurfaced as the Overmind, the leader of a cyberpunk gang plotting the return of Brainiac 13. He claimed, however, that the B13-technology in his prosthetic arm was controlling his actions. Presumably this claim held some truth, as he returned to his role as Superman's adviser.
Recently it was revealed that Hamilton was, in fact, the villain named Ruin, who had been targeting Clark Kent's loved ones. Ruin claimed to have discovered that Superman was sucking the sun dry of it's solar energy, and that, in 4.5 billion years, it would mean the end of life on Earth. The identity of Ruin had been kept a mystery, until it seemed that Clark's friend, and former President of the United States, Pete Ross was Ruin. Pete Ross claimed innocence, but he became even more suspect when he escaped from custody. It turned out that it had been Hamilton who had framed Ross, and kidnapped him again from prison. Hamilton then confronted and revealed himself to Superman, seemingly killing the 5th dimension imp Mr. Mxyzptlk in the process. Superman defeated the insane Hamilton, and saved Pete, Lana, and their child. Superman later cleared Ross' name and reputation.
Notes:
First Appearance: Adventures of Superman (1987) #424
Other Identities: Ruin
View a chronological listing of this character's appearances
Issue Appearances: Action Comics (1938)
Adventures of Superman (1987)
#424 - 'Man O'War!' #424 (With UPC) - 'Man O'War!' #425 - 'Going the Gauntlet' #440 - 'The Hurrieder I Go' #442 - 'Power Play' #450 - 'Triple Threat' #451 - 'Dangerous Ground' #453 - 'Apparitions' #456 - 'Redemption' #458 - 'I Sing the Body Elastic' #459 - 'Solitude' #461 - 'Home' #463 - 'Speed Kills!' #465 - 'The Last Son of Krypton' #468 - 'The Outcast' #470 - '...Like a Woman Scorned!' #472 - 'Clark Kent -- Man of Steel!' #480 - 'Dying Breed' #482 - 'The Planet Strikes!' #483 - 'Blindspot!' #484 - 'Blackout' #485 - 'Out of the Mist' #489 - 'Panic in the Sky Epilogue: Hail the Conquering Heroes' #490 - 'Blood and Sand' #498 - 'Death Of A Legend' #511 - 'Collision Course' #514 - 'Dangerous Visions' #517 - 'Death-Trap!' #519 - 'No One Defeats Brainiac!' #540 - 'Curtain Call' #541 - 'Happily Ever After' #547 - 'Rude Awakening!' #548 - 'Friends, Lovers, and Strangers!' #549 - 'The Gang's All Here!' #560 - 'The Super-Rivalry That Rocked Metropolis!' #565 - 'The World is My Backyard' #572 - 'Chapter 2-When?' #582 - 'Crazy About You' #592 - 'Strange Behavior' #636 - 'The Road to Ruin Part One' #637 - 'Road to Ruin, Part Two' #641 - 'Innocence' DC Retroactive: Superman - The '90s (2011)
Der Neue Superman (1987)
Eclipso: The Darkness Within (1992)
#2 - 'Eclipso: The Darkness Within, The Conclusion: Brilliant Men' Enginehead (2004)
#1 - 'First Gear' #3 - 'Third Gear' JLA (1997)
#55 - 'Came the Pale Riders' JLA (2001)
#8 - 'Terror Incognita Teil 1: Die fahlen Reiter' #9 - 'Terror Incognita Teil 2: Die Ernte' #10 - 'Terror Incognita Teil 3: Geist gegen Gewalt' #11 - 'Terror Incognita Teil 4: Letzter Atem' #12 - 'Finale' JLA: The Nail (1998)
Showcase '95 (1995)
#2 - 'Argus - Metal Men - Supergirl' Smallville: The Comic (2002)
Starman (1988)
#28 - 'Krisis of the Krimson Kryptonite Part Two/A: The End of a Legend?' Superboy (1994)
#0 - 'Sidearm One! Superboy Zero!' Superman (1987)
Annual 11 - 'JLApe Part 6: The Apes of Wrath' #30 - 'Alone!' #38 - 'Unnatural Disasters' #39 - 'Jimmy Olsen's Excellent Adventure' #42 - 'Krypton Man' #44 - 'Green Death in Crime Alley' #50 - 'The Human Factor' #50 (2nd Printing) - 'The Human Factor' #50 (UPC Code) - 'The Human Factor' #57 - 'Return of the Krypton Man' #61 - 'Time and Time Again Again!' #62 - 'Wedding Daze' #64 - 'Metropolis Mailbag' #65 - 'Head Man' #66 - 'Our Army At War' #78 - 'Alive' #94 - 'Shadows of the Past' #95 - 'The Zero Effect' #96 - 'Mindscape' #103 - 'Pulp Friction' #116 - 'Sacrifice For a Superman' #117 - 'Sanctuary' #120 - 'To Be a Superman' #123 - 'Superman...Reborn!' #123 (A) - 'Superman...Reborn!' #123 (Signed) - 'Superman...Reborn!' #124 - 'A Hard Days Night!' #125 - 'Retribution' #138 - 'Dominus' #149 - 'Chapter 1-What?' #150 - 'Earth's Final Hour' #166 - 'Fathers' #166 (Regular Edition) - 'Fathers' #167 - 'Return to Krypton- Part One: Sliding Home' #173 - 'The Red Badge of Courage' #177 - 'Metropolis E-Mailbag' Superman (1993)
(02) - 'Eine Welt ohne Superman Teil 1' Superman (1994)
#107 - 'Battaglia nella bottiglia' Superman (1996)
#4 - 'Todesfalle!' #5 - 'Leben oder Tod' #8#36 - 'Jagd' #37 - 'Fatale Begierde' #38 - 'Drastische Massnahmen' #39 - 'Waffen!' #40 - 'Die Zuflucht' #41 - 'Heiss & Kalt' #43 - 'Generator X!' #52 - 'Power!' #54 - 'Schnee von Gestern' #55 - 'Bandenkriege' #56 - 'Geschichtsstunde' Superman (2002)
Superman For Earth (1991)
Superman Forever (1998)
Superman Special (1996)
Superman: King of the World (1999)
Superman: Secret Files (1998)
Superman: The Death of Superman (1993)
Superman: The Man of Steel (1991)
Superman: The Man of Tomorrow (1995)
Superman: The Wedding Album (1996)
Superman/Shazam: First Thunder (2005)
Teen Titans (1996)
#23 - 'Part 3: Lost in Space' The Superman/Madman: Hullabaloo (1997)
TPB - 'The Superman/Madman Hullabaloo!' #1 - 'Man and Super-Madman!' #2 - 'Hot Dang! Yin Yang!' #3 - 'Super Madness or They Call Me Mr. Mxyzptlk!' Wydanie Specjalne (1992)
#7 - 'Superman dla Ziemi' Video Game Appearances: Superman 64 (1999) Superman: Shadow of Apokolips (2002) Group Affiliation(s): S.T.A.R. Labs (DC) Famous Quotes: - Add a Famous Quote None.
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