Actor and science fiction ‘icon’ Michael Dorn (including 284 TV episodes as Star Trek’s Worf) pens the first issue of Steelworks #1 from DC Comics. The DC Superhero Steel, aka John Henry Irons, is the subject of this six-issue miniseries. Steel was created by Louise Simonson and artist Jon Bogdanove away back 30 years ago, in 1993.
Steel and his hammer and mechanized suit starts out the issue with a long and winding public announcement: the launch of the Steelworks building. This book appears to be Dorn’s debut as a writer, and he has set the bar high for himself here. All the TV lights are shining, and all the views are on this one, apparently. No pressure, lol.
For Steel, the pressure is there too. According to his big speech, the future of Metropolis involves Steelworks technology and infrastructure. It’s a capitalist’s dream come true, with the shiny new future gleaming like, well, steel! The future’s so bright, gotta wear shades!
Meanwhile, a verrry bad man in a rust-coloured suit and a shiny limo is recruiting. And the disenchanted are listening.
Artist Sami Basri contributes solidly packed figures, gleaming views of Metropolis, and some nicely composed scenes of rough and tumble. Colourist Andrew Dalhouse keeps everything bright and shiny, including the pawn shops and deserted playgrounds, which makes for a creepy feeling. But it’s all carefully prepared, with high key lighting throughout and great lighting effects. It’s a strongly coloured book to be sure.
It’s a good read if a bit stiff, no ‘metal’ pun intended. The dialogue sometimes feels forced, self-conscious. Dorn attempts to weave Steel’s back story into the televised press conference, resulting in a ten-page read. But having said that, comics are a tough medium to write for. The basics are there, the ball is ‘teed up’ for the next issue, and it looks like we are off to the steel plant, or at least the Kentucky Derby, cheering to the new Metropolis, and may the percolating drama keep us coming back.
There are five variant covers and several pages of “Threat Assessment” profiles. Lettered by Rob Leigh, edited by Paul Kaminski.
DC Comics, Steelworks #1, $3.99 for 22 pages of story plus three bonus pages
Newsdesk