Origin | Super-Power | Personal Data | Membership Record
Ferro Lad is able to transform his body and costume into iron. While in this form he is "nearly indestructible" and possesses "almost inconceivable" strength (Adventure Comics No. 346, 354, 365 "The Origin and Powers of the Legion of Super-Heroes"). While in his iron form, Ferro Lad is capable of surviving in freezing, airless space. He communicates in space by means of a radio built into his mask (351), which can also be picked up on Science Police intercoms (352).
Limitations and Weaknesses: Ferro Lad is not completely invulnerable and was "knocked for a loop" by a beam from one of Brande's sentinel satellites. An intense enough heat, like in the core of the Sun-Eater, turns his body white hot, and only his will-power can keep him from melting. When he carried the absorbatron bomb into the "creature", the awesome forces and scattered energies released and then absorbed by the blast proved too much for even his super-tough body to withstand (Adventure Comics No. 353). Speculative Explanation of Power: Scientists have proven that carbon (with oxygen) can quite easily be transmuted into iron through the use of electricity. During the process of transmutation, a radioactive isotope of nickel is temporarily produced and lasts for only one-thousandth of a second. In these experiments, transmutation of up to 20% of the material is immediate, with a larger percentage occuring gradually afterwards in the air. The iron that is created from this experiment is stainless, does not rust easily, and is less affected by heat than ordinary iron due to its composition with silicon, which also results in it having a gray color. The Nolan brothers were born with the mutant ability to generate a sufficient arc of eletricity through their body that combines with the oxygen in their blood and transforms them from carbon-based life forms into iron-based life. The process combines their iron atoms with the silicon atoms in their bodies. (Biogenic hydrated silica is essential to life and exists in human connective tissues, skin, eyes, glands, and organs. It is a major constituent of collagen, which helps keep the skin elastic. In bones and teeth it helps calcium maintain bone strength.) The result of the composition is that his body turns gray and becomes incredibly strong and durable, though just as flexible, as well as rust-proof and highly resistant to heat. Scientists speculate that iron-based life is not only possible, but could have existed on Mars at one time. Ferro Lad wears a special costume made of carbon and silicon because the transformation process extends to objects that are in close contact with his skin. In this way, he can transmute his clothing into near-invulnerable iron as well. It is known that nuclear fusion can turn iron into carbon and oxygen. It is possible that intense heat can reverse the process of his transformation, for when Ferro Lad passed through the Sun-Eater he had to use his will-power to keep from melting, and possibly to maintain his invulnerable form as well. In a similar process, Ferro Lad uses his will-power to "fuse" himself back to his non-iron form.
Personality: Andrew is an extremely daring and courageous person, often hurling himself headlong into dangerous situations, usually to save his friends (Adventure Comics No. 347, 351, 353). Andrew is a forthright, honest, and outgoing person. Blunt in his observations and glib-tongued, Andrew is a bit of a wild card, but he is a highly respected and well-liked Legionnaire (350/351, 352). Probably the person he is hardest on, though, is himself and he cannot abide personal failure (352). This self-criticizing side to his nature may have led him to the decision to wear a mask to conceal his "less-than-perfect" features, which in his mind were hideous. Skills: Pottery-making (though he claims not to be an expert; Adventure Comics No. 351) Interests: Unknown. Unfortunately, Andrew's career as a Legionnaire did not last long enough for others to get to know him as well as they would have liked. Relationships: Andrew's closest Legion friends are Matter-Eater Lad (Adventure Comics No. 351) and Superboy (352). Known Relatives: Douglas Nolan (later Ferro Man; twin brother) Application: Ferro Lad applied for membership in 2966 at the same time as Princess Projectra, Nemesis Kid, and Karate Kid. After passing all the qualifying tests, Ferro Lad demonstrated his power to the Legionnaires. First, he transformed into iron, informing his audience that his costume could transform along with him. Next, he asked Lightning Lad to blast him with a bolt of lightning to prove his near-invulnerability. Then he bent a solid steel bar to show his great strength. He also asked the Legionnaire to fire a barrage of ray-missle guns at him to further establish the toughness of his armored skin. Induction: As the Legion was short-handed at a time when the Earth and the rest of the United Planets was potentially under threat from the Khund empire, they accepted more members than ever at one time, and Ferro Lad was voted into the Legion along with Princess Projectra, Nemesis Kid, and Karate Kid (Adventure Comics No. 346). Career Highlights: Adventure Comics No. 346/347 (July/Aug. 1966) "One of Us Is a Traitor" / "The Traitor's Triumph"
Adventure Comics No. 350/351 (Nov./Dec. 1966) "The Outcast Super-Heroes" / "The Forgotten Legion"
Adventure Comics No. 352/353 (Jan./Feb. 1967) "The Fatal Five" / "The Doomed Legionnaire"
Adventure Comics No. 357 (June 1967) "The Ghost of Ferro Lad"
IN MEMORIAM ANDREW NOLAN (FERRO LAD) A MUTANT WHOSE NON-HUMAN FACE WAS KEPT HIDDEN BEHIND A MASK. HE GAVE HIS LIFE TO SAVE THIS GALAXY. For information concerning Ferro Lad after 2969, click here. |