John Henry Irons
John Henry Irons is a male comic superhero who features in DC Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Origin
John Henry Irons
He was on his grandparents farm with Clay where the two of them were playing in the field when they returned home to find both their grandmother and grandfather murdered. The pair called the sheriff where the authorities concluded i was the result of a robbery though John Henry believed it was because they were delegates of the National Black Political Convention in Indiana. (Steel Annual v1 #2)
A year later, he decided to become a famous baseballer where he had his brother Clay with him at one of his games. Their parents were set to join him but he was informed that something had happened to their cars break which caused it to skid off White Hill Mountain thus killing them. (Steel Annual v1 #2)
Afterwards, he came to get a baseball scholarship at Yale. (Steel v2 #0)
As part of a military contract, Irons helped develop a powerful weapon called the BG-50 with prototypes being made for testing. AmerTek's Colonel Weston came to order John Henry to test the weapons in Qurac in order to view their effectiveness against Kurdish rebels. He later came to find the weapons having been used on innocent women and children with his AmerTek employer's considering it a successful field test. Blaming himself, he knew that the Colonel would not let him go and decided to erase all data on the more advanced BG-80's from the company's computers. Irons then faked his won death and disappeared to prevent him from being hunted down by AmerTek. (Steel v2 #0)
Inspired by Superman’s example, Irons took it upon himself to protect Metropolis when Superman was gone, crafting a mechanized suit of powered armor that granted him enhanced strength, flight, and advanced weaponry. His earliest activities centered on defending innocents from gang violence and high-tech weapon proliferation in the city streets, making him a grounded yet heroic successor in Superman’s absence. Steel quickly set himself apart from the other figures claiming Superman’s legacy during that time. Where others like Cyborg Superman or the Eradicator pursued their own rigid agendas, Irons focused on upholding Superman’s ideals through his actions, not by claiming to be him. His battles against armed gangs wielding his old weapon designs were among his first major missions, serving as a personal atonement for the damage his inventions had caused. This path put him in direct conflict with powerful criminal organizations that thrived on high-tech weaponry, forcing Irons to continually upgrade his armor while standing as a symbol of hope for the common people of Metropolis.(Adventures of Superman v1 #500)
He later came to take the assumed name of Henry Johnson where he took a job as a steelworker. One day, he was working on a a skyscraper where a co-worker nearly fell off the building. 'Henry' went out to save him but ended up falling off the edge where he was going to plummet to his death. Superman though was by the scene and came to save 'Johnsons' life where he said that he owed the Man of Steel his life. The hero told him though to make sure that it counted for something before he flew off from the scene. Henry Johnson told neighborhood children the legend of John Henry, claiming his great-grandfather actually knew the man. Gangsters with hi-tech weapons committed a drive-by, and one child, Zoid, was caught in the crossfire and died. Johnson recognized the weapons as his own prototypes, which he believed destroyed, and leapt on the gangsters’ car, but they rammed him into a wall, sending him to the hospital. Believing Metropolis needed a Superman he forged hi-tech armor and took on the identity of the Man of Steel to carry on his hero’s legacy. Steel fought off the gangsters, who were looking for Johnson to kill him. Rosie, a psychic and his next-door neighbor, witnessed Steel's debut and convinced the media that Superman's soul had entered a new body. Steel followed the gangsters, and all but one killed each other misusing their hi-tech weapons. The survivor told Steel they were working for the White Rabbit, but she was watching them nearby, and sniped her goon for squealing. (Superman: The Man of Steel v1 #22)
Steel suspected Cyborg Superman's broadcasts accusing the Last Son of Krypton as the villain behind the destruction of Coast City, reasoning that if he was able to fight the Last Son to a standstill, Cyborg and Superboy should have been able to defeat him. Cyborg sent out a broadcast claiming the Last Son of Krypton had brainwashed Superboy, and that he was now a villain under his control, casting further doubts in Steel's mind. He met Superboy, and was convinced that Cyborg was the real villain, and was planning to destroy Metropolis. A Kryptonian battlesuit treaded the ocean floor until it reached Metropolis. Lex, Supergirl, Superboy and Steel all thought it was a threat and attacked it. They disabled it, and the resurrected Superman emerged from it. (Superman: The Man of Steel v1 #25) Superman and Steel made their way deep into Engine City when they met Mongul, who explained that building Engine Cities would have led to Earth becoming his new Warworld, but when Superboy saved Metropolis from destruction and conversion into an Engine City his plan was foiled. In revenge he activated Engine City so it would blast Earth out of orbit. Superman confronted Mongul, while Steel would find the fusion process engine that powered the city. Steel unmasked as John Henry Irons, the construction worker Superman'd saved years before and told to make something of his life, and Superman acknowledged that he'd done very well. Steel fended off Cyborg and kept Earth from going off orbit, but Mongul battered Superman. (Superman: The Man of Steel v1 #26)
Steel
He returned to his old neighbourhood in Washington, D.C. where he was greeted by his niece Natasha but their re-union was interrupted by a gang using Toastmaster weapons. He tracked down and dismantled local gangs armed with stolen prototype Toastmasters, high-tech weapons he had helped design during his time as a weapons engineer. Steel patrolled the streets, confronting armed dealers and directly engaging in combat to shut down their operations. He demonstrated his engineering expertise by disabling weapons mid-battle and using his hammer as both a melee and ranged weapon to subdue criminals. (Steel v2 #1) Steel investigated the distribution network of the Toastmasters further, uncovering deeper corruption behind their proliferation. He infiltrated gang hideouts, interrogating members for information, and confronted rival groups violently clashing over the advanced guns. His armor was tested against the firepower of his own designs, forcing him to adapt his tactics on the field. In one confrontation, Steel used precision strikes with his hammer to disable enemy vehicles while rescuing civilians caught in the crossfire. (Steel v2 #2) Steel’s crusade escalated as he began targeting the manufacturers tied to the illegal weapons trade. He battled through heavily armed enforcers, using both physical strength and tactical strategy to fight his way into a weapons facility. Once inside, he destroyed critical equipment and neutralized multiple squads of guards. (Steel v2 #3) Steel encountered gangs escalating their war over the remaining caches of Toastmasters. He was forced into multiple urban combat situations, disabling heavily fortified positions and preventing civilian casualties in the crossfire. He wielded his hammer with devastating precision, knocking out armored vehicles and breaking through defenses. Despite sustaining damage to his armor, Steel pressed on, driving the gangs back and confiscating remaining weapons for safe disposal. (Steel v2 #4) Steel confronted one of the primary distributors behind the Toastmasters, forcing a direct confrontation with heavily armed guards and advanced security systems. He fought through waves of opposition, strategically dismantling defenses while relying on his suit’s resilience to survive high-powered weaponry. He reprogrammed automated defense systems mid-battle to turn them against their owners. By the end of the conflict, Steel secured critical evidence tying the trade to higher-level conspirators. (Steel v2 #5) Steel facing off against one of the key masterminds of the Toastmaster crisis. The encounter pushed him into a grueling fight against enhanced mercenaries armed with his own weaponry. Using sheer determination and tactical ingenuity, he systematically disarmed them and disabled the advanced weapons in play. Despite sustaining severe damage to his armor, he pressed forward, ultimately defeating the villain and crippling the supply chain of his stolen designs. (Steel v2 #6)
Steel came to be invited to join the ranks of the Justice League and was among them at their headquarters on the Moon. They made a public unveiling of their new team and set to recruit another hero named Retro. Irons was giving him a tour when he was knocked unconscious after it was revealed that Retro was actual a disguise for a supervillain named Prometheus. After infiltrating the Justice League Watchtower, he set about with his plan in taking down the superheroes. (JLA v1 #16)
John Henry decided to relocate to Metropolis where he made a workshop allowing him to indulge in his passion which was inventing. This saw him making a partnership with the Metropolis Special Crimes Unit where he helped develop a whole new generation of non-lethal Metahuman control technology. During this time, his niece Natasha was set to study at an advanced studies intern program where she began to help him in the testing of his prototypes. (Superman: The Man of Steel v1 #96)
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of history was created with a different series of events. John Henry Irons
He later came to work with the military in the creation of augmented humans as part of the Steel Soldier Program where he worked alongside Lex Luthor and Sergeant Corben. During this time, the U.S. Army had captured a mysterious vigilante known as the Superman where they determined that he was an alien being. Luthor came to torture the individual to learn more about his physiology with Dr. Irons opposed to this on humanitarian grounds. Irons later quit the project after he was horrified at the treatment of Superman. (Action Comics v2 #2) Shortly afterwards during the Terminaut invasion of Earth led by Brainiac Doctor Irons put on the original Metal-Zero armor to help protect the city. Surveying the attack Doctor Irons noticed Superman in pitched combat with the newly armored John Corben and intervened with the intent to destroy the new Metal-Zero armor using his own self-designed battle armor. After winning a short battle against Metallo, Doctor Irons helped Superman determine the speed he'd need to reach in order to propel himself into space to save New Troy from Brainiac. (Action Comics v2 #4) While Superman took the battle to space, Henry remained on Earth to help manage the destruction caused by the abduction of the New Troy district of Metropolis. (Acion Comics v2 #7)
After this he and Superman partnered up to defeat the menace known as the Kryptonite Man. Irons managed to aid Superman in the villain's defeat and even found a way to deactivate the villain's powers. Irons eventually founded a humanitarian non-profit, and dedicated much of his time to helping those in need in less-developed countries. However, he eventually ended up working for Amertek, and was unknowingly tricked into designing weapons by his boss. John confronted him and quit his job as he wanted to save lives. (Action Comics v1 #1054)
The injured Irons returned to his S.T.E.E.L. facility where he coated himself in his new organic steel armour that kept his symptoms at bay until he neutralised the damage done to his body. Senator Lane then informed him that Superman's encounter with Doomsday had led to the Man of Steel becoming infected by the creatures spores that were slowly transforming his body. Thus, he requested John Henry Irons to go investigate the matter and to help his friend. (Action Comics v2 #31)
Overview
Personality and attributes
In appearance, John Henry Irons was a tall, heavily muscled African-American man with a commanding presence, bald head, and goatee. As Steel, his armored suit was metallic and imposing, forged of steel with a silver-gray sheen. The design incorporated a stylized 'S' crest on his chest in homage to Superman, and the armor came equipped with a flowing red cape that reinforced his symbolic connection to the Man of Steel. His most iconic weapon was his massive sledgehammer, also constructed of advanced materials, which he wielded both as a weapon and a symbol of justice. (Adventures of Superman v1 #500)
John Henry Irons was defined by his humility, intelligence, and strong moral compass. Though gifted with a brilliant scientific mind and formidable engineering talent, he remained down-to-earth, motivated by a desire to correct his past mistakes and live up to Superman’s ideals of protecting the innocent. He was portrayed as compassionate, selfless, and deeply committed to his community, placing justice and responsibility above personal gain. His decision to take up the mantle of Steel was born not of ego, but of necessity and a sincere belief in doing what was right. (Adventures of Superman v1 #500)
His grandfather Butter had told him that he as named after John Henry who was the man that swung his hammer and beat a machine. (Steel Annual v1 #2) He once went under the assumed name of Henry Johnson. (Superman: The Man of Steel v1 #22)
It was shown that his interest in science began when a teacher told him how physics could be used to determine the trajectory of a football hit. This showed that he was as good in science as he was in sport with him having a gift in it. (Steel Annual v1 #2)
As a scientist, he was a firm believer in the principle of cause and effect. (Superman: The Man of Steel v1 #97)
After Superman saved his life, John felt the need to repay the Man of Steel. This caused him to have a desire to live as he owed his life to Superman. (Superman: The Man of Steel v1 #22)
His brother Clay was noted to be only a year younger than him. (Steel Annual v1 #2)
He had a niece named Natasha Irons who looked up to her uncle. (Steel v2 #1)
It was said that his first priority had always been family. (Steel v2 #0)
Powers and abilities
As a human being, John Henry Irons did not possess superpowers of his own. His enhanced physiology came entirely from his genius-level intellect and the technological marvel of the armor he created. The Steel armor granted him superhuman strength, resilience to bullets and energy blasts, and the ability to fly through advanced propulsion systems. Integrated weaponry, sensors, and communications technology made him a formidable force in battle, while his hammer could generate concussive force and energy discharges. His combination of engineering brilliance and physical prowess in the armor allowed him to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with metahumans and Kryptonians alike. (Adventures of Superman v1 #500)
It was said that his talent in sports projectiles translated into ballistics and science. (Steel v2 #0)
The prototype for his armor was said to had been constructed during Iron's time at AmerTek. (Steel v2 #0)
From the wrist, he could fire metallic spikes that could be used to pin a person via their clothing to a wall. (Superman: The Man of Steel v1 #22)
A further advanced variation of his suit was one that was called the Shining Armor. (JLA: The Ultimate Guide to the Justice League of America v1 #1) It was built from scratch as all previous versions of his armours had been corrupted by the B13 Virus. This led to him incorporating some of the innovations he made for the Special Crimes Unit and thus had a range of improved features. (Superman: The Man of Steel v1 #99) Another version of his suit was an organic steel that coated his body after going into a pool of the material. It provided him with superhuman abilities and was able to combat deadly viruses that impacted his body. (Action Comics v2 #31) The organic steel could adjust his heart rate and endocrine system which he could use to dial back his emotions. He could extend the coating to others though this sometimes struggled in covering those with an alien physiology. (Action Comics v2 #39)
Irons later developed a new hammer that maintained a unique damping field that increased its inertia to multiples of its initial thrust over its complete trajectory curve. This meant that the further it was thrown and the faster it travelled then the field increased the hammer's mass. As a result, the it affected the stress capacity of any object in contact with the field. Ultimately, it meant that the hammer multiplied its own speed over the course of the distance it was thrown giving it enough strength to smash through a tank. (Steel v2 #40)
He had written a paper on the use of Pseudocytes that consisted of human tissue produced by artificial flesh which he used to replace his own hand after losing it in a battle with a supervillain. Pseudocytes self-replicated and shutdown the parts of the immune response that would reject man/machine grafting. During that time, they operated as an artificial immune system until the body recovered though they required a charge during this time. (52 v1 #5) One of his creations was a type of nanotechnology called nanobytes that had their own encryption code. (Superman v1 #692)
Irons was responsible for helping develop BG-80 'Toastmasters' that were energy weapons originally designed for military use. (Superman: The Man of Steel v1 #22)
At one point, he was infected with a Metagene that gave him powers where he was able to turn his body into an organic stainless steel. Initially, it manifested without him knowing where he had only a limited level of control over this ability. (52 v1 #8)
For a headquarters, he purchased an old mill that was leased in Old Hook Basin district that was the site of his contracting business Steelworks. (Superman: The Man of Steel v1 #97) At one point, he headed his own facility known as the Salvation Tech Emergency Evaluation Laboratories (S.T.E.E.L.) situated in Manassas, Virginia with it being the most advanced physical rehabilitation research center in the country. It was built for criminals and had special containment chambers for super-powered beings. (Action Comics v2 #31)
Notes
- John Henry Irons Steel was created by Louise Simonson and Jon Bogdanove where he made his first appearance in the Adventures of Superman v1 #500 (June, 1993).
Alternate Versions
- In Kingdom Come v1 #3 (1996), an alternate version of John Henry Irons appeared in the Kingdom Come reality that was designated as Earth-22 in the Multiverse.
In other media
Television
- In the DC Animated Universe, John Henry Irons made a number of appearances in the shared continuity.
- In Superman: The Animated Series, John Henry Irons was first introduced in the setting of the animated television series in the episode "Prototype" where he was voiced by actor Michael Dorn. He was an employee at LexCorp who designed the LexCorp Police Battlesuit with the Series Alpha piloted by officer Corey Mills of the Metropolis Special Crimes Unit. However, Iron had concerns over the neural interface of the suit as he determined it bonded deeply with the wearer and affected them mentally. He brought his concerns to Lex Luthor who dismissed them causing John Henry Irons to resign rather than continue working at LexCorp. When Mills went rogue, Irons informed Superman of the danger and of a device in Luthors possession that could be used to deactivate the armor. The device was destroyed though Mills was eventually stopped the rogue officer with Irons dismayed at the failure of the suit. However, Superman told John Henry not to give up and that he always needed help in keeping Metropolis safe.
- In Justice League Unlimited, Steel appeared in the setting of the animated television series where he was voiced by actor Phil LaMarr.
- In Young Justice, Steel appeared in the animated television series third season Outsiders where he was voiced by actor Zeno Robinson. He was shown to be a member of the Justice League by this point and worked with them on numerous missions.
- In Superman & Lois, John Henry Irons appeared in the setting of the live-action television series where he was portrayed by actor Wolé Parks. John Henry Irons was a soldier in his home world and a friend of Sam Lane. He graduated from Yale University, being a former football player and extremely gifted engineer for AmerTek. At one point, he was a builder for LuthorCorp. Later in his life, he married Lois Lane and they had a daughter named Natalie. After Natalie was born, John recorded a video of Lois holding her, and also watched his daughter grow up and graduate high school. One day, when Irons left for a military mission, his wife Lois asked him to come back to her before kissing him. At some point, John and Lois woke up in bed together and were greeted by Natalie, who was disgusted by their affectionate relationship. Before taking Natalie to school, they witnessed through the window Superman leading a group of superpowered individuals destroying Metropolis using their Heat vision, much to their horror. The Irons family then hid in an underground facility. At night, Natalie woke up John while Lois was giving a broadcast with the Daily Planet. During the interview, Superman killed Lois after she revealed his weakness to Kryptonite, devastating John and his daughter. With the help of Natalie, John acquired technology from Luthor Corp and built an exosuit, capable to defeat Superman. Nat later attempted to reprogram an A.I. and failed, leaving the device to mistake John as Lex Luthor. Later, John had to go on a mission to stop the rogue Kryptonian and promised Nat that he would come back to her, they being 'Forged in fire, strong as steel'. It was also revealed that Superman led the X-Kryptonite army on 'Morgan Edge's behalf. The U.S. army, including Irons and Sam were fighting against Superman, to no avail. Sam died during the battle, as were the rest of the army when they were cut with a Heat vision beam. So, Irons became an enemy of this version of Superman up until his home world was destroyed. At some point, he began searching for Sam Lane's stash of Kryptonite from Project 7734. When he ultimately found it, two 'possessed' Kryptonians ambushed him. He was able to fight them off, but they called for backup from Superman when he tried to escape. Superman and John briefly fought, with John's helmet visor shattering during the brawl, which cut across his face and gave him a scar. Eventually, John worked with Lex to create a red solar missile. He planned to draw Superman out by flying his ship into space and enacted this plan on December 10, 2019. As Superman followed him, he fired the missile. Superman, believing that John was trying to escape, tried to stop him, punching the hull. At the same time, a wave of antimatter swept across the universe of Earth-TUD22, destroying any remnants of the Milky Way galaxy. As John attempted to escape through an antimatter portal breach, Kal-El tried to keep him from escaping. His ship went through it and arrived at Earth-TUD25's Arctic, though he never got to see if his missile had worked. In truth, and unbeknownst to John, Kal-El was rescued by Magog and eventually landed on Earth-Prime to serve his needs.
Films
- In Steel, John Henry Irons starred in the 1997 live-action film where he was portrayed by actor Shaquille O'Neal. Irons was a weapons designer who developed a high-tech laser gun and protective armor for the United States military. One soldier named Nathaniel Burke decides to show just what Irons' weapons could do and sets one of Irons' laser guns at the highest power setting, firing the device at an abandoned building. However, the weapon backfired and destroyed the building the team was situated in. Irons' partner, Susan "Sparky" Sparks came to be crushed by a large slab of concrete in the ensuing chaos. In court, Irons revealed Burke's role in the incident causing his dismissal from the military. Due to the weapon resulting in Sparks becoming a paraplegic, Irons resigned in disgust. Meanwhile, Burke hatched a plot to sell Irons' weapons to criminal gangs, recruiting a video arcade manager to help him carry out this deed. Later on, Irons witnessed a bank robbery organized by gang members wielding Burke's modified guns; they escape before he can interrogate them on where they obtained the weapons. The gang does not tell Irons anything when confronted directly in their hideout. Irons visits Sparks in a veteran's hospital and takes her to his own assembled laboratory, where he hopes he and Sparks can create weapons needed to combat the criminals. With the help of Uncle Joe, they forge a suit of armor and the weaponry necessary for Irons to carry out his war on crime and become the vigilante "Steel". However, during his crusade against crime, Irons is pursued by the cops and was forced to return to his lair. The next night, the robbers arrange to rob another bank. Irons, as Steel, tries to stop them, but is hindered by the robbers' weapons. When Irons returns to his grandmother's house, he was arrested. Meanwhile, Burke prepares to auction off all his modified weapons to every criminal organization in the world over the Internet. When Irons is released from jail, Sparky is captured by Burke's thugs. Irons, as Steel, attempts to infiltrate Burke's headquarters, but is captured himself in the process. When Burke continues with the auction, he was tricked by Steel, which allowed him and Sparks to rebel and decimate Burke's lair. Burke was hit by the laser he fired towards Steel reflects back towards him due to Steel's suit. In the end, Burke was arrested by the army. John Henry Irons, Susan Sparks, Uncle Joe and Martin get together at Grandma Odessa's new restaurant.
- In Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, John Henry appeared in the animated film where he was voiced by Khary Payton. He was shown as a construction worker in Metropolis when it came under attack from Ocean Master's Atlantean army. During the battle, he was seen wielding a hammer and defending a colleague from an Atlantean before he was saved by Superman.
- In The Death of Superman, John Henry Irons appeared in the 2018 animated film where he was voiced by actor Cress Williams. It was shown that he was inspired by the actions of Superman before and had quit LexCorp where he took a post as a metallurgist at S.T.A.R. Labs. Silas Stone called on Irons expertise to examine a suit of armor used by Intergang with John Henry confirming that it was Apokolipitian in origin but had been mixed with other metals to make it stronger. During the end-credit scene, after Superman's death at the hands of Doomsday it was shown that John Henry Irons was among various individuals that took up the mantle of the Man of Steel where he was fashioning himself a suit of armor.
- In Reign of the Supermen, John Henry Irons as Steel appeared in the animated film where he was voiced by actor Cress Williams. After the death of Superman, he fashioned himself an armour and operated as the Man of Steel who was one of the many Supermen that arose to continue on in his honour. Steel was responsible for stopping numerous crimes in Metropolis and later investigated LexCorp for illegal operations.
Video games
- In DC Universe Online, Steel appeared in the setting of the MMORPG where he was voiced by actor Ken Thomas.
Appearances
- Adventures of Superman v1: (1993)
- Superman: The Man of Steel v1:
- Steel v1:
- Steel Annual v1:
- JLA v1:
- Action Comics v2:
- Batman/Superman v2:
External Links
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