Remember the 1997 superhero movie called Steel with famous basketball legend Shaquille O’Neil as the titular character? Yeah, you probably don’t and for good reason. Let me just say that I’ve never seen it, nor do I have any desire to see it. I have recently discovered, however, that it is trending on HBO Max and to be honest, I am somewhat tempted. Have you ever expressed the desire of indulging in bad movies just to see how bad they are? Of course you have, because bad movies can be super fun. I don’t know if that’s the case for the Steel movie with big boy Shaq, but perhaps the only way to really find out is to actually watch it. Call it taking one for the team or call it enjoying bad movies, but everyone watches them at some point.
The thing is, the 1997 movie with Shaq shouldn’t be the only Steel movie. In fact, was that version even remotely associated with Superman? Probably not, but if you’re a casual comic book fan, you might not be too familiar with this underrated hero. In short, he can be described as a supporting character of Superman, but to put it more accurately, Superman actually inspired him to become a hero.
Let’s begin with the man behind the steel outfit. The true identity of Steel is John Henry Irons. Where does this name come from? Well, it turns out that the character’s very name was inspired by the American folk hero John Henry. The story behind John Henry was that he was a railroad worker who was described as a “steel driver”. His legend was all about a race against a steam-powered rock drilling machine, while he had nothing but a sledgehammer. John Henry was successful in winning the race, but he literally died due to his heart giving out from the stress. The real power behind John Henry’s story was that he was a true African American folk hero who represented determination and iron will. Well, in this case, a steel one.
With that in mind, it’s easy to understand why creators Louise Simonson and Jon Bogdanove used the legend of John Henry as inspiration for the creation of Steel. The story of John Henry Irons is truly an inspiring one, as his civilian life represents that of an everyman. Before he became Steel, John Henry Irons was a genius engineer who developed weapons for AmerTek Industries. He eventually became disillusioned with what he was doing when he discovered that a powerful energy cannon he developed fell into the wrong hands. At that point, John Henry Irons decided that he would no longer work for AmerTek. The company wouldn’t take no for an answer, however, so Irons faked his own death and fled to Metropolis. Shortly after he arrived, his life was saved by none other than Superman.
In a life-changing moment, Irons asked Superman how he could repay him and Superman replied by saying, “Live a life worth saving”. This would stick with Irons forever, but what happened next with Superman was the real launching off point for him. Guess what that was? When the unstoppable Doomsday came to Metropolis, he fought Superman and the hero died fighting the monster. John Henry Irons, who was working in construction during the time of the battle, actually wanted to help his hero. So he picked up a sledgehammer and went into action, but was caught under a heavy amount of rubble from the destruction. When he recovered, he discovered that Superman was dead.
After the death of Superman, multiple gangs in Metropolis took the opportunity to thrive in the chaos. The gangs were at war with each other using advanced weaponry known as BG-80 (the same energy cannons Irons developed) but these were upgraded versions called Toastmasters. Irons, feeling responsible, decided to take Superman’s advice and do what anyone one would do: forge a metal power suit of armor in Superman’s memory and fight crime. Hence, the birth of Steel.
If you’ve seen the animated Reign of the Supermen movie, you’ll have a good idea on what kind of character Steel is. In a way, he’s the ultimate fanboy. He loved Superman so much, he decided to make his sacrifice mean something and create his own super suit. The suit itself had the Superman logo engraved in the center, and Steel even had a cape to go with it. But unlike Superman, he possessed no actual powers, so he carried around a big metal hammer. Again, taking direct inspiration from the folk hero John Henry.
Now where did he get the name Steel from? Well, one of Superman’s several nicknames is the Man of Steel, so all he did was take the Steel part of it. Okay, maybe that’s not the most creative way to name a superhero, but just look at his suit. Call it lazy, but you can’t deny that it fits. And honestly, just look at the man in his suit with his indestructible hammer. He looks incredibly awesome and we need to see a proper live-action adaptation of him asap.
For one, he needs some redemption. I will probably watch the Steel movie with Shaq, but I’ll be expecting a bad comedy of sorts. What the fans really need is a Steel movie that puts a black superhero in the spotlight. I think a Steel movie with good writers can tell a relatable story about the African American everyman with a dream just trying to do good. Other than telling a relatable story and including more diversity in DC films, a good Steel movie can help get more Superman fans on board. Speaking of which, is Henry Cavill returning to the DC Cinematic Universe? I certainly hope so, but if that’s still up in the air, I’ll take a temporary substitute.
No, I won’t take Superboy. That can be saved for a Teen Titans movie. I strongly believe that a new Steel movie can carry on the Superman legacy in the DCEU. John Henry Irons himself is a fan of the hero, so he’s basically us wanting to be like Superman. How can Warner Bros. possibly take a pass on that? And if it does happen, which it should, then we can finally put memories of the Shaq Steel movie to rest.
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