Steel
Reign of Doomsday Part 1: Full Circle (One-shot)
Writer: Steve Lyons
Artist: Ed Benes
Cover Artist: Alex Garner
DC Comics
Release Date: January 5, 2011

Steel #1 is part of a series of one-shots and regular issues that DC Comics is releasing with iconic covers of their heroes. Alex Garner‘s artwork on the cover immediately catches your eye.

The story begins in the middle of a battle between Steel and Doomsday, the vicious creature that murdered Superman in the monumental Death of Supermanstoryline. All of Metropolis’ other defenders are unavailable, so it falls on John Henry Irons to defend the city. Irons is recently recovered from a coma, but he feels that it is his duty to stop Doomsday.

Steve Lyons‘s script is very impressive, considering that he is relatively new to comics. There are flashbacks to the aftermath of Irons’ first encounter with Doomsday before he became Steel, and Lyons’s script really captures the integrity and nobility of Steel’s character. I also enjoyed his characterization of Steel’s niece, Natsha Irons. Ed Benes‘s artwork is also solid. There is clearly a Jim Lee influence in his work, but over the years, he has come into his own as a penciler.

My only gripe is that the fate of Steel is unconfirmed at the end of this story. However, the creative team captured the essence of John Henry Irons and I am looking forward to the next installment of the Reign of Doomsday storyline in Outsiders #37.