The upcoming Death of Superman 30th Anniversary Special features four new tales centered on Superman's death, and one of them delves into the character of John Henry Irons, better known as Steel.
"One of the things I loved about [Louise "Weezie" Simonson's] story is that it's a snapshot of the character at a particular moment of his development," artist Jon Bogdanove told CBR. "This is not the Steel that we know who works with the JLA. This is John Henry at a particular moment in his evolution as a character when he's desperate to repay Superman and so focused on that that he doesn't realize he's already paying back Superman every step of the way, even if he can't manage to get to Ground Zero. We only had eight pages so to cram action and character development into that little brief space -- that was some pretty nifty writing."
Penned by Simonson and illustrated by Bogdanove with colors by Glenn Whitmore and letters by Rob Leigh, the story focuses on John before he dons his high-tech armor as an ode to Superman. John saves civilians, protects his community and utters a line made famous in 1993's The Adventures of Superman #500 -- "Gotta stop Doomsday!" -- as he emerges from the wreckage of a Metropolis reeling from Doomsday's rampage. According to Simonson, the tale is "about the pressures that drive a character to take the next step."
"It was low-tech stuff he was doing, because that's what he had available, but he was thinking the whole time about how to get things done," Simonson said. "I thought it reminded people just how smart he is. He's not just a big strong guy -- he's a big strong smart guy."
Who Is Steel?
Steel debuted in The Adventures of Superman #500, but his backstory was fleshed out in Superman: The Man of Steel #22. A weapons engineer who became disgusted at how his machines were used to kill innocents, John Henry created his trademark armor in the wake of Superman's death, intending to repay Kal-El for saving him months before. Steel went on to become a major character who headlined his own solo series, worked alongside the Justice League, and developed a legacy through his niece Natasha, who eventually became the new Steel after him.
The Death of Superman 30th Anniversary Special #1 features cover art by Dan Jurgens and Brett Breeding, as well as additional variant covers by Jim Lee, Scott Williams, Dan Mora, Ivan Reis, Danny Miki, Francesco Mattina, Jurgens and Breeding. The special releases Nov. 8 from DC, and a reprint of Superman #75, the famous issue that saw the Man of Steel die after delivering a final blow to Doomsday, releases on Nov. 1. A new 30th anniversary omnibus of the entire Death of Superman story hits shelves on Dec. 6.
Source: CBR