About The Iron Giant
In October 1957 (the month in which the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1), a giant humanoid robot crashes off the shore of the fictional town of Rockwell, Maine, and makes its way into the nearby forest the next day. Nine-year-old Hogarth Hughes, following the trail of destruction in the forest, discovers the robot after the latter has eaten his TV antenna. Following it into the woods, he witnesses the robot attempting to eat the metal implements at an power station, only to get entangled and electrified in the wires, and Hogarth shuts off the station's power to save it. The robot, upon recovery, disappears into the forest, eluding Hogarth.
The following day, Hogarth attempts to get a picture of the robot in the forest and is in turn approached by it, and the two befriend each other. Hogarth spends time with the robot, but when he tries to return home, the robot follows him, eventually causing a train to collide with its head. The robot demonstrates it is self-repairing, with parts dislodged by the collision drawn back towards the robot. Hogarth instructs the robot to follow him to his home and hides it from his single mother Annie in their barn. Hogarth teaches the robot about life and shares his comic books with him, including one featuring Superman and another with Atomo, a villainous metal robot. Hogarth assures the robot that it is not like Atomo and that the robot is what it chooses to be.
