Created By: Louise Simonson & Jon Bogdanove
Real Name: Dr. John Henry Irons
Current Occupation: Non-Leathal Weapons Designer for the Metropolis S.C.U. (Special Crimes Unit)
Marital Status: Single
Base of Operations: Metropolis
Height: 6'7"
Weight: 210lbs.
Hair: Bald (was black)
Eyes: Brown
Powers: None
Weapons: Suit of armor that increases mucular strength, rocket boots for flight, and a Hammer that can fly using magnetic fields that also responds only to Steel's voice commands.
First Appearance: Adventures of Superman #500 and Superman: The Man of Steel #22, 1993
Brief history:
John Henry Irons was once a scientist who worked fo the U.S. Government to develope state-of-the-art weaponry. When he saw how deadly they had become, he destroyed all his research and went into hiding. With with everyone in the government looking for him, he went under the alias Henry Johnson and became a high-steel construction worker. One day he saw one of his comrades trip and fall. John grabbed a cable and swung out and saved him. His friend was safe, but the cable broke loose and john started falling himself. That's when Superman came in and saved him. Believeing he owed Superman his life, John vowed make his life mean something. When Doomsday burst into Metropolis pounding on Superman, John felt that he needed to help Supes out. He grabbed a 20lb sledge hammer and went after Doomsday. While enroute, doomsday knocked a building right on top of john, burying him alive. A few days later, after Superman had died, John dug himself out of the rubble still determined stop Doomsday. After a few more days, John is lookin after somn kids when a gang battle was about to take place outside. One of the kids was killed and John, after a pursuit, was put into the hospital. He saw that the weapons used was one of his own designs. A week later, he went into his basement and built a suit of armor. He wanted to fulfill his vow to Superman. Wearing the praised "S" shield and taking the name "Man of Steel," John declared war on all gangs in Metropolis. His weapons were a rivit shooter on his left wrist and 50lb. hammer, mimicing his Great-Great-Grandfather John Henry. Eventually, he won that battle and was called into action by the real Superman in a stand against the evil Cyborg Superman at Engine City (formerly Coast City).
I guess it was about a year later when he decided to continue being Steel. He moved to Washington D.C. and set up shop there. That's when he started taking care of his neice, Natasha Irons. It wasn't long till John's identity got exposed and he was being pursued by government agents. This time, though, he fought back and won. The government eventually left him alone. After a while, John and Natasha moved to New Jersey where John could work at a hospital. After a while, he became director of the hospital.
A year or two past when John gave up that life and returned to Metropolis. He became employed by the Metropolis S.C.U. and a Non-Leathal Weapons Designer. He and his niece also live in an abandoned weapons factory. He currently still resides in Metropolis and he is Building upgrades to his armor and hammer.
Recently, after completing the reconstruction of the Fortress of Solitude, Superman named him his partner.
