When you hear Man of Steel, your mind probably immediately drifts to Clark Kent's Superman. But did you know there was another superhero soaring over Metropolis under the same title?

John Henry Irons was a mechanical engineering genius working for AmerTek, supplying designs for mass weaponry. Irons was perfectly content with his life of fame and fortune. Until he discovered that his plans had been stolen by terrorists and resulted in the death of many innocents.

After that unfortunate revelation, Irons went into hiding in Metropolis as a steelworker under the name Henry Johnson. During a near fatal incident, Superman saved Irons’ life and told him to make it count for something.

When the world famous Kryptonian tells you to do something, you listen. 

So Irons created a steel power armor to battle the White Rabbit, who was supplying his weapons to gang members. The impressive suit was complete with energy resistance, radioscopic scans, superhuman strength and durability, jet boots, kinetic hammer, and a rivet cannon.

During this time, Superman was presumed dead, and with Irons flying around with a giant S-symbol and a cape, he was readily accepted as the Man of Steel incarnate.

Irons worked to stop both those causing harm to Metropolis, as well as dismantle the AmerTek company, especially the weapons program. When Superman later reemerged, Irons officially took on the name Steel, and continued to assist in heroism whenever he was needed.

Since his initial appearance in Adventures of Superman #500, created by Louise Simonson and Jon Bogdanove, Steel continues to be a major success for DC comics.