Professor Hamilton

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 when Metropolis was transformed into a future version of itself.

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 later returned to his role as Superman's advisor using his innate understanding of the futuristic technology now available to him.

Hamilton, together with several other scientific geniuses and robotic beings (Automan, Brainstorm, Doctor Cyber, Ford, and Rosie the Riveter), was for a brief period part of the composite cybernetic being called Enginehead. However (if this story is still canon), the being seems to have been divided into the individual personalities again shortly after the events of the series.[10]

In a 2005 storyline it was revealed that Hamilton was, in fact, the villain named Ruin, who had been targeting Superman's loved ones.[11] Ruin claimed to have discovered that Superman was sucking the sun dry of its 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.[12] 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 Mister Mxyzptlk in the process when he tried to save Superman.[13] Superman defeated the insane Hamilton and saved Pete, Lana Lang, and their child. Superman later cleared Ross' name and reputation, and Hamilton was apparently imprisoned.[14]

During the events chronicled in the "Infinite Crisis" storyline, Ruin was one of many superhuman criminals who joined the villainous Society organized by Alexander Luthor Jr..

The pre-"Flashpoint" version of Emil Hamilton appears during the 2015 "Convergence" storyline. He has seemingly reformed, having made a home in the pre-"Flashpoint" Gotham City on the planet Telos, and repaired his friendship with Jimmy Olsen. Emil spent time rebuilding the Whiz Wagon, a flying, multi-purpose vehicle, as self-imposed reformation therapy.[15]

• Dr. Emil Hamilton appeared in two episodes of Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (both in the second season), as a S.T.A.R. Labs scientist, played by John Pleshette. In the episode "That Old Gang of Mine", Hamilton had used the DNA of Al Capone (portrayed by William Devane) to regenerate the criminal as part of an experiment that would reprogram him as a good citizen, though this also led to Al Capone making Hamilton recreate John Dillinger (portrayed by Robert Clohessy) and Bonnie and Clyde (portrayed by Amy Hathaway and Joseph Gian) as part of a plot to take over Metropolis. The clones are defeated by Superman and arrested by the police as Hamilton goes quietly with Detective Wolfe. In the episode "Return of the Prankster", Hamilton explains to Lois Lane and Clark Kent how Prankster's light ray causes paralysis, and makes special contact lenses for Superman to use in order to defeat Prankster.
• Professor Hamilton was a regular in Superman: The Animated Series, voiced by Victor Brandt. He is the director of S.T.A.R. Labs. He constructs things such as Kryptonite-resistant suits from lead and inter-dimensional warps, as well as working a Phantom Zone projector in the episode "Blasts from the Past". After Darkseid's brainwashing of Superman in the third season's finale "Legacy", Hamilton begins to feel a growing distrust of metahumans. Later in Justice League Unlimited, Professor Hamilton (now voiced by Robert Foxworth) had secretly become a confederate of Amanda Waller, the leader of Project Cadmus. Hamilton is Cadmus' expert geneticist who uses cloning and other such methods to create metahumans loyal and subservient to that organization. This includes a clone of Supergirl in the season one episode "Fearful Symmetry" named Galatea, who would be of primary importance in the Cadmus Project's endeavors against the Justice League. Superman finally discovers Hamilton's betrayal of trust in "Question Authority". Hamilton is unrepentant of his actions, and makes it clear that he believes Superman can never be fully trusted again, comparing Superman to Lucifer. In one surprising moment, Galatea hugs Hamilton referring to him as "Daddy."
• There were two Doctor Hamiltons in the live-action TV series Smallville:

Steven Hamilton was introduced in the first season, portrayed by Joe Morton. He was hired by Lex Luthor to examine the effects of kryptonite, and later to produce a cure for the effects of the deadly Nicodemus flower during his work for Cadmus Labs. In the second season, he dies from overexposure to kryptonite. The series has given no indication of any relationship between Steven and Emil Hamilton other than a shared surname.

Emil Hamilton on Smallville

In the season eight episode "Identity", Emil Hamilton's name was seen in a Daily Planet article about the mysterious "Red-Blue Blur", Clark Kent's earliest superhero identity, which had been sighted around the city of Metropolis. His first on-screen appearance is in the episode "Bulletproof", where he is played by Alessandro Juliani, who went on to appear in a total of 14 episodes. He appears as a private doctor hired by Oliver Queen for his team who saves the Martian Manhunter's life following being shot by a corrupt police officer.

In "Beast", after Clark loses the use of his powers to Parasite, Hamilton equips Clark with a fast, high-tech car. In season ten, he regularly assists the Justice League, he is subject to interrogation by proponents of the Vigilante Registration Act, attends Clark's bachelor party, and has a one-night stand with Tess Mercer (Cassidy Freeman).

• In the TV series Supergirl, Sarah Robson portrays DEO Doctor Amelia Hamilton, a female version of the character.

• Dr. Emil Hamilton was portrayed by Richard Schiff in Zack Snyder's 2013 film, Man of Steel. In this version, he is a DARPA scientific adviser for the U.S. military, who is hired to view the Kryptonian scout ship found in the Arctic. He later attends the interrogation of Lois Lane and Superman, and plays a crucial part in the film's climax, in which he helps destroy the Kryptonian world engine that threatened to destroy all human life, though Hamilton sacrifices his own life in the process.
• An alternate universe version of Emil Hamilton appears in Justice League: Gods and Monsters, voiced by Trevor Devall. He is part of LexCorp's "Project Fair Play", a weapons contingency program that would destroy the Justice League if necessary. Professor Hamilton is seen discussing the project with the other scientists involved (consisting of Will Magnus, John Henry Irons, Michael Holt, Pat Dugan, Kimiyo Hoshi, Karen Beecher, Thomas Morrow, and Stephen Shin) before they are attacked and killed by the Metal Men. On Hamilton's part, he was stabbed by the Wonderdroid with his body dropping near the billiards where Beecher was hiding. Will Magnus survived as he secretly orchestrated the attack on his fellow scientists.

• In the 1999 video game Superman 64, Professor Hamilton appears as a supporting character alongside Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane, but they are captured by Lex Luthor in the beginning of the game.
• In the beginning of the 2006 game Superman Returns, Professor Hamilton gives instructions on the meteor shower to Superman.