Ferro Lad (Andrew Nolan) is a superhero appearing in DC Comics, primarily as a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries. In post-Zero Hour continuity, he is simply known as Ferro.[1]
| Ferro Lad | |
|---|---|
 Ferro Lad as depicted in Secret Origins #47 (December 1989). Art by Eric Shanower and Dave Cockrum. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Adventure Comics #346 (July 1966) |
| Created by | Jim Shooter |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Andrew Nolan |
| Species | Metahuman |
| Place of origin | Earth (31st century) |
| Team affiliations | Legion of Super-Heroes |
| Notable aliases | Ferro |
| Abilities |
|
Publication history
editFerro Lad first appeared in Adventure Comics #346 and was created by Jim Shooter.[2] When Jim Shooter first created the character, he intended Ferro Lad to be black, but editor Mort Weisinger vetoed the idea,[3] saying "we'll lose our distribution in the South".[4]
In a 2003 interview, Shooter said that he killed Ferro Lad out of annoyance towards being unable to make him black.[5] However, in a 2011 blog post, he had a different explanation: that Ferro Lad's powers enabled him to survive entering the Sun-Eater's core.[6]
The Life and Death of Ferro Lad (ISBN 978-1-4012-2193-5), a hardcover trade paperback collecting Ferro Lad's Silver Age appearances, was released in 2009.
Fictional character biography
editSilver Age
editAndrew Nolan is a metahuman with the power to transform himself into living iron.[7] He has a twin brother named Douglas who has the same power. Both twins have deformed faces as a side effect of the mutation that gave them their powers, so both wear iron masks. Ferro Lad later sacrifices himself to destroy the Sun-Eater in The Death of Ferro Lad storyline, and makes minor appearances as a ghost and statue afterward. Additionally, a temporal clone of Ferro Lad from "Batch SW6" appears in the "Five Year Gap".[8]
Post-Zero Hour
editFollowing Zero Hour: Crisis in Time!, which reboots the Legion's continuity, Ferro Lad is renamed Ferro and originates from the 20th century. He meets and joins the Legion of Super-Heroes after they are displaced in time.[1][9][10]
Powers and abilities
editAndrew Nolan can transform into organic metal, which gives him enhanced strength and durability.[11] As a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, Ferro Lad is provided with a Legion Flight Ring, which allows him to fly and protects him from the vacuum of space and other dangerous environments. He also has a built-in radio mask for communication in airless space.
Other versions
edit- An alternate universe variant of Douglas Nolan who succeeded Andrew as Ferro Lad appears in Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 2) #300.
- Ferro Lad, a fusion of Ferro Lad and Marvel Comics character Colossus, appears in the Amalgam Comics universe.
In other media
editTelevision
edit- A statue of Ferro Lad appears in the Justice League Unlimited episode "Far from Home".
- Ferro Lad appears in Legion of Super Heroes (2006), voiced by Dave Wittenberg. In his most notable appearance in the two-part season one finale "Sundown", an adaptation of the Sun-Eater story arc, he sacrifices himself to destroy the Sun-Eater, with his body subsequently ending up in an asteroid. Additionally, according to series producer James Tucker, his long-lost twin brother would have appeared had the show been renewed for a third season.[12]
Film
edit- A statue of Ferro Lad appears in Justice League vs. the Fatal Five.
- Ferro Lad makes a cameo appearance in Legion of Super-Heroes (2023).
Video games
editFerro Lad appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.[13]
Miscellaneous
edit- Ferro Lad appears in Adventures in the DC Universe #10.[14]
- Ferro Lad appears in the one-shot comic Batman '66 Meets the Legion of Super-Heroes.[15]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Beatty, Scott (2008), "Ferro", in Dougall, Alastair (ed.), The DC Comics Encyclopedia, New York: Dorling Kindersley, p. 121, ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1, OCLC 213309017
- ^ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 107. ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
- ^ "Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed #30!". Archived from the original on 2012-02-04. Retrieved 2009-01-06.
- ^ Cadigan, Glen (2003). The Legion Companion. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 53. ISBN 978-1893905221.
- ^ Cadigan, p. 54.
- ^ Wells, John (2014). American Comic Book Chronicles: 1965-1969. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 173. ISBN 978-1605490557.
- ^ Wells, John (2014). American Comic Book Chronicles: 1965-1969. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 110. ISBN 978-1605490557.
- ^ Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 4) #38, late December 1992.
- ^ The Adventures of Superman #540 (1996)
- ^ IGN: Superman/Green Lantern interview Archived 2012-02-09 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe Vol 1 #8 (October 1985)
- ^ "The World's Finest - Batman: The Brave and the Bold".
- ^ Eisen, Andrew (October 2, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved August 10, 2024.
- ^ "Adventures in the DC Universe #10 - The Blobs (Issue)". Comic Vine. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
- ^ "Batman '66 Meets the Legion of Super-Heroes #1 - Atomic Batteries To Power, Flight Rings To Speed (Issue)". Comic Vine. Retrieved August 18, 2023.