Let's Talk About The DC Comics Superhero Steel

In today's video let's talk about the DC comics superhero Steel, and why he's one of the most popular Men of Steel EVER.
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#steel #dccomics #blacksuperheroes

[@MrTwindog4]

Steel is one of best Superheroes created in the 90’s. Yes, I said it. He was never a sidekick or a knockoff. He was an original Character

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

He did a better job of standing apart from much of the Superman Family better than any of the others did. He can be a Superman and his own guy all at the same time.

[@Snowbird2701]

It's a shame the movie sucked

[@rybackfrankie8679]

I agree. That's why I find him even more interesting than Jon Kent or Val Zod.

[@kylerstorm9260]

he was never a sidekick or a knock off because he never said he was Superman. he wore the “S” as a tribute to Superman who saved his life. He was always his own person.

[@pervysage4934]

John Henry Irons was my favorite out of all the Reign of Supermen. I felt he encapsulated the heart and soul of Kal El the best

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

Steel and Superboy had my attention at the time. They actually made a decent team uup when DC would pair them up.

[@theonewhoisbetterthanyou3570]

@@BlerdWithoutFear Facts. Steel and Superboy made my fandom go crazy.

[@johnwright9049]

Steel has proven himself to be a good and indisposable partner to kalel during his publication history.

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

Most certainly. I'd dare say he's probably the most reliable member of the Superman Family. He's always shown up.

[@johnwright9049]

@@BlerdWithoutFear And been consistent.

[@eon001]

I actually like the new origin. Separates him more from Iron man. I hope Superman and Louis can do him justice this season.

[@homeaccount5943]

Who in the hell is Louis ?

[@MrKD1970]

Well, Lewis & Clark were explorers.

[@homeaccount5943]

@@MrKD1970 What the hell does that have to with " Louis?"

[@eon001]

@@homeaccount5943 you ain't seen Clark and Louis? The Pride month Elseworlds story? 😁😂🤣🙄🤔😳

[@homeaccount5943]

@@eon001 Dude, can the jokes, and just fix it already! Repeat after me, L-O-I-S. Not "Louis."

[@edaniels240]

Before Kamala Khan, Steel was Jersey City's defender which many don't know or forgot

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

He most certainly was. And he repped for the street level and neighborhoods the JLA didn't come to.

[@damianstarks3338]

This guy is criminally underrated thanks for this video on him. We need more black superheroes.

[@blackphoenix77]

I still have those issues of Superman: the Man of Steel where John put the armor on for the first time; I must've read them a gazillion times by now. Also, John's story arc in the 52 miniseries was amazing.

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

I wore mine out. I know for a fact that red cover was torn up lol

[@allster0crowly]

Would love to see a mini series where Steel, Cyborg, and Mister Terrific have a team up solve tech and alien based storyline.

[@DwayneTheGeek]

Thank you for this video! He was my favorite BLACK superhero back in the 90s.

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

anytime! Always glad to spotlight characters like Steel!

[@vice2versa]

To bad Shaq ruined the character with his terrible movie

[@adamnicholes1002]

​@@vice2versaI know it was bad, but it's what made it decent. I love a good bad movie. Granted I think DC needs to revisit the character in film.

[@flatbushmafia]

I remember that storyline and I like the direction the writers were going on. Steel did the best he could with the resources he had.

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

Sadly DC has yet to really lean into him like that again. He deserves another shot.

[@flatbushmafia]

@@BlerdWithoutFear I agree with that statement. He never gets the shine he deserves and his backstory is a fokelore.

[@deshawnedwards6412]

Can't believe Steel haven't appear in live action yet. People in the comments section bringing up the 1997 film. Me: An PROBER live action appearance. He could work in a live action film, he'd be awesome in live action, as long he's use right and they find the right actor for him.

[@cnote729]

They did a version of him on Superman and Lois

[@abps9947]

@@cnote729 He meant cinematic universe

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

Yeah sadly the only other Steel we've gotten is on Superman & Louyis, and while I'm fine with that one, he deserves a full on movie to set things right. Cause that Shaq movie? Nah...

[@highlight915]

I wish Steel had more comic runs

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

SAME! He needs a series. Like now.

[@trevorghalt1881]

Steel is a pretty cool character and I have a comic of Steel and Hardware teaming up also I like him in S&L

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

Yeah thats World's Collide! I like those issues a lot.

[@austinmorrison6953]

So why is this guy not more well known? He’s an amazing hero!

[@AvengCalifornication]

Great character, love your work

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

Thank you so much 😀

[@leestimsonjr2677]

Love it about time with spiritual power he can stand up to Superman

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

Steel needs his own book. He deserves it.

[@DCPatrol]

I miss Steel. He was such a great character. I know he's still around but it's not the same.

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

Especially without having his own book.

[@SLouiss]

Shaq Attack! What modern actor would you like to see cast as Steel?

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

Give me Laz Alonso (Mother's Milk from The Boys)

[@SLouiss]

@@BlerdWithoutFear he definitely has the Gravitas and stature for it. In 2002, I would have said Michael Jai White, but Laz Alonzo could play the role for more than a decade

[@rybackfrankie8679]

I would say Amin Joseph.

[@vincentfranklin17]

John Henry Irons, baby! Love Steel!

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

Long may he reign.

[@MrKD1970]

I never felt Steel was given a chance to exit Supermans shadow. I would love to see him as a member of the Terrifics! I think he and Mr Terrific would make a great World's Finest team as they have more in common than Batman and Supes. While we're at it, in terms of power duos, I'd love for marvel to pair Thunderball and Deadly Nightshade as reformed genius villians leading their own Thunderbolts team as part of a US/Wakanda initiative. Any thoughts Blerd? I'd love to hear your thoughts on who'd make the lineup.

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

I could see characters like Tetu from the Coates run coming back. Maybe throw in a Sabretooth, Rhino (sine he's recently reformed too), put in Moses Magnum, Nekra and her brother The Mandrill, and maybe toss in Enchantress or Calypso to round them out.

[@damianmigginis1157]

I’m tired of the disrespect he’s getting! He’s his own superhero with his own sidekick (who joins the teen titans and gets her own powers) but hes basically like an iron man of his own. He came from nothing and bounced back at the challenges he’s faced

[@ronickokeith7085]

I think they should have let him keep some of those more powerful armors

[@jakepalermo9181]

My favorite comics involving Steel are probably Christopher Priest's run. But maybe that's because the other Steel got a lot of character to go along with her uncle. Who really got to show off his abilities as an applied scientist. As well as arguably Priest's favorite part of that Dr. Villain. Gotta admit though it's funny that Priest hates being typecast as the guy who writes for only black characters.

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

Priest has legit been going out of his way to not be "the black character writer". That dude ran off and wrote USAgent just to prove a point lol

[@MrKD1970]

@@BlerdWithoutFear and only brought in Battlestar (another character who needs some love) long enough for him to get his butt kicked.

[@fr.jeremiahcaughran6191]

Man. I never thought about the fact that I was there when he was created and he was my favorite part of the Reign of the Supermen. A literal every man who is holding his own against the Eradicator (of course I didn’t know it was the Eradicator in those issues). I absolutely loved his story. I was excited when he got his own series after everything settled down and Superman was back, but I was only able to collect up through issue 26 or so when I stopped collected comics in high school, so I didn’t know about everything regarding his full back story (at least I don’t remember them fully fleshing it out in the issues I have). I also thought it was great when Milestone and DC crossed over with each other. I didn’t know much about those characters but enjoyed it immensely. And now seeing the broadness of his character and having kept up a little with recent comics, am glad he is still an on going aspect of the DC world. I hope they give him his own series again. I also had no idea about all the differences with the variations of his armor. I always liked the second generation of it that he used when his initial series started. It looked so awesome and still looks awesome. Thanks for this great dive into Steel!

[@tofu_golem]

Marvel fan here. While Marvel generally beat DC to various inclusion milestones, there are some amazing African-American heroes. Steel is one of my favorites.

[@Geronimo904]

All 🖤🖤🖤for this one... I've had an affinity for this character since the 90's... I saw Disney's Tall Tales(John Henry, Paul Bunyan, Wyatt Earp) & the episode of Superman TAS he appeared in the same year. Since then I've been pining for a take on this man that would put him on at least tier 2{Mr Terrific,Green Arrow,Huntress}. (I saw Shaqs movie too, buhh for the sake of Shaft & Ray j we don't mention that anymore)

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

Thank you, brother! I hit myself with the Men in Black memory wipe after that shit. 🤣🤣🤣

[@Geronimo904]

@@BlerdWithoutFear Share the 🔌...🥴

[@homeaccount5943]

I love this character.

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

You are in good company then

[@amorataduel]

He doesn't get that much love. I have the 1st issue

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

He doesn't get much love from DC but I know plenty of folks who love him.

[@carlosgolattjr2957]

I appreciate this video so much! Steel issue one was the very first comic I ever bought with my own money. Now I'm currently going around to find all issues of his original run. I saved this to my watch later immediately when I saw it but only watching it now because I have free time with absolutely no distractions!

[@danigirlcomics]

Loved this video! Very informative!

[@theonewhoisbetterthanyou3570]

Incredible character. Long over due Blerd. Glad you put in those specific comics. John Henry Irons is the man, reign of the Supermen was crazy at the time. I forgot completely about Lana Lang being his wife.

[@ginofrancejr555]

One of my favorite characters in comics he is just driven to do good. I love the DCAU version as well as the version of Superman and Lois I hope he gets his on spin off TV series ON HBO MAX I know we got steelworks coming out of the dawn of DC soon I want to know who will be the creative team

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

Steel is probably the closest thing to having the sensibilities of Superman without being Superman. I do wanna see more Steelworks in the future. Jon and Natasha should be in the forefront, not the background.

[@ginofrancejr555]

@@BlerdWithoutFear True I want the new steelworks series to focus on the irons as both heroes and humanitarians. And you are right about being so close to Superman in terms of his morals

[@BariStrikesback]

Great video Ernie!

[@Stella26498]

DCs answer to iron Man

[@BlakRayne84]

I'm going to get the 30th anniversary of Steel when it comes out.

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

I'm gonna be keeping an eye out for it too. Miss those books. Hate I treated my comics so poorly as a kid.

[@thadb5321]

See this is what I hate abt comics...limitations. Theorically speaking, John can upgrade himself indefinitely. If be can have a liquid metal suit and an ai, what's stopping him from basically having the metal come out his bones like Ironman? Having an AI that's a copy of his brain so it's like two of him? Updating that ai to have increased processing? Having a force field around himself at all times? Trying to tap in the speed force since Barry performed the experiment to give himself powers twice? Like there's so much that could be done it's astronomical.

[@nobodyimportant2534]

I fully believe john henry irons was the most worthy of the title of superman after clark

[@alvincapone5859]

Very well done,I feel to read a Steele comic now.

[@jmartradio]

Excellent breakdown of one DC's most under appreciated 💯💯💯

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

Thank you so much, fam! 🙏🏿

[@chrisconnors7327]

The goat

[@petemarqdadon]

Absolutely great video

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

Thank you, pimpin!

[@ladonte1980]

I'm really enjoying your content

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

Thank you so much! I appreciate the love 💖

[@creepycraiyons3519]

Bruh if you brought back Shaq with a proper modern superhero production to whoop Wack Adams ass I’d pay all the monies to watch.

[@creepycraiyons3519]

To be fair I actually thought Black Adam was great. Was definitely DC’s anti Iron Man

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

I liked Black Adam... but ShaqSteel? Yeah... I don't remember that movie 🤣🤣🤣

[@ARMXL-or5ee]

Luke Cage, super man, iron man and Thor in one😅

[@floydlholt9829]

Thanks to this video I just ordered the first 10 copies of Steel comics on Amazon. I was surprised to even find them for $2-5 each comics.

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

That's wild cause normally they try to bust folks head on Amazon! Gettem while you can!

[@floydlholt9829]

@@BlerdWithoutFear I'm guessing I found Steel comics cheap due to him not being popular right now. I do remember coming across the first copy of Black Panther in 2006 for $50, I seriously regret not buying it.

[@jackieanderson9408]

Dope 😎✊

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

Thank you! 💖

[@chadevans4792]

Great steel recommendations.. can you do some more videos on steel ?

[@woodywoodduhman1506]

DCU need to reboot Steel Movie cause that 1997 film wasn't it with Shaq.

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

It for damn sure wasn't

[@leonardpigg6441]

I wish they had done more with him in the epic "Kingdom Come," as he had fashioned his armor to have a more Batman influenced look. His hammer was shaped like the Bat symbol. It looked more like an axe.

[@cooiolhh8955]

We need a rebooted movie of this character. Not another superman or batman. They are played out!

[@onionsavoya1506]

Steel is cool.

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

He most certainly is. Had a rough start but he's amazing now

[@onionsavoya1506]

@@BlerdWithoutFear That's weird i thought he was greatest at the beginning.

[@nisaiahcampbell8390]

The folk tale of the steel driving man, John Henry, no wonder DC made this character, Steel is one of my favorites next to Superman, Green Lantern, Dreamer, Lightning Lad, Saturn Girl, and Impulse.

[@FrederickAmadi]

Dude, when I say I forgot about this character, I mean I COMPLETELY forgot about this character lol. Nice vid tho.

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

Thank you! He gets lost in the background a LOT

[@draggoon9121]

Last time I've read a steel comic book he gained cybernetic nano bite power's, need to catch up

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

Yeah depending on when you read it might have been Convergence so yeah its been a while.

[@BoredBizcit]

I got to say he is the best version of a human Superman

[@tommygeorgejr2931]

Salaam. Good 1

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

Thank you!

[@ronin2963]

I thought the tech nerd was his sidekick

[@blacktoothlongwalker1037]

Ive been insecure at not being black enough. Never insecure how much i loved Steel. Not until i watched the movie.

[@scottymacdewder5229]

I remember there were talks about a steel movie staring Shaq...

[@Geronimo904]

We don't mention that anymore...😬 Immediate grounds for a trip cross the gun line, straight to the hole.

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

Never saw it. I have no idea what movie you're talking about. Who would make a superhero movie starring Shaq? 🤣🤣🤣

[@brandonsmith6460]

Tony Bruce or Jon…. Jon did what Tony and Bruce

[@robthedude4861]

So the old Shaq lead movie Steel was totally inaccurate

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

VERY inaccurate lol

[@matthewlasalvia7026]

This guy could’ve been a major player in the DC Universe, but Shaquille O’Neil torpedoed his reputation.

[@ManapuaMan]

Eh. This Origin stories MiD. Cover the Shaq origin and Ill watch.

[@jelly4166]

Wait whats his new origins? Is it the liquid metal?

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

Nah he's back to normal armor now.

[@sawboss5794]

What about his Millinium armor?

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

Was a blind spot for me.

[@sawboss5794]

@@BlerdWithoutFear He only wore it twice that I know of. After the first time, he vowed to never wear it again. I'll try to find it.

[@sawboss5794]

Entropy Aegis armor was a crazy one too! It was made by Darkside

[@cnote729]

Steel has always been a good character but never a character oh I need to get that issue. I would buy his issue every now and then if I wanted something different, but stories always been so so

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

They were kind of rough in the beginning. I do recommend the Priest run though. Cause up until then he was written by Louise Simonson. And while her X-Men were good... her Steel was rough

[@cnote729]

@@BlerdWithoutFear good looking yea Christopher Priest is a great writer

[@CGImpala]

Original and only inspired by Superman. This is the "Black Superman" Blacks should idolize Instead of wishing and accepting Black hand me down versions of the Man of Steel.

[@bencamp18]

What a perfectly boring and overpowered character. Bear in mind, I feel the same way about Superman. But Steel sounds like he was written by a child, trying to combine Superman, Thor, Ironman, and Cyborg to create a low stakes story. He has ALL of their attributes. What's special about Cyborg anymore? Good, thorough video, though.😊

[@LusciousFoo]

lol a black superhero named steel.i know spelled different but still

[@ecnalreleam]

Why did you knock the Shaq film like that? It was fun and had the heart and soul of the character. I'll always defend that film. It did my boy more justice than most DC characters get from films.

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

What Shaq film?

[@ecnalreleam]

@BlerdWithoutFear OH come on! Don't deny its existence! Lol Nah. We all have those films we feel that way about.

[@abps9947]

@@BlerdWithoutFear yes thtee

[@abps9947]

You are wrong

[@ecnalreleam]

@abps9947 How? In what way does it not capture the heart and soul of the character? It had him wanting nolethal weapons to be used. It had him turning against the people he developed weapons for. It had him caring about his city and working hard to do what's right. The helmet wasn't great. The hammer being a gun was weird. Superman wasn't there. Shaq isn't that good of an actor. Those are literally the only complaints I can think of anyone having about the film. Those are reasonable complaints, too. However, they don't outweigh the fact that this film captured everything that makes John Henry Irons a great character.

[@barneybrown2092]

STEEL was a complete rip-off of Hardware. Okay, is anyone here old enough to recall that the black superhero’s “Hardware” comic was delayed from being released when DC Comics partnered with Milestone Comics back in the 90’s? When the late great Dwayne McDuffie was co-creating Milestone, he credited artist Walt Simonson for selflessly helping out and lending a hand. Later, after Milestone had been established and had partnered with DC, the superhero “Hardware” was set to be released. But DC delayed it. And during this delay DC introduced STEEL, a character very similar to Hardware who had been created years earlier. Guess who was credited with creating Steel? Louise SIMONSON, the WIFE of Walt Simonson… McDuffie made it clear that he was displeased, but wouldn’t go DEEP into that. I personally think that he didn’t go deep because doing so would have ruined the DC/Milestone deal that would have affected so many people who were just getting a taste of playing NEAR the big leagues. This still sticks in my craw. I mean, Hardware was a black hero standing on his own, but DC puts out Steel… a black man inspired to be a hero by a white Superman. ugh.

[@akhonaluthuli5931]

McDuffie might have had a problem but he did hold a grudge as seen as he wrote the character when he was on JLA and in a short. He was a bit offended when he was offered the character in the 90s to blacken up. Hence why Priest ended up doing it. Priest took it and actually wrote Steel as an expy of McDuffie in characterisation. As a result of how Cowan drew him. He also said Steel was his favorite black character to write and would do it again coz of the deconstruction he did with him.

[@BlerdWithoutFear]

I don't disagree at all. McDuffie was in a tough spot. He really could have gone at DC but all it would have done is screw over everyone else and they were already struggling as is. But yeah, I'm pretty safe in saying Steel was copied.

[@akhonaluthuli5931]

@@BlerdWithoutFear Steel came out soon after but what did it matter, they had a great deal with DC forking the bills on top of it. They figure their stories were what they would be using to compete and well they still hold up