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Steel (Henry Hank Heywood III)

Steel (Henry Hank Heywood III)

34 appearances · Bronze Age · 1985–2025 · 3 key issues
Who is Steel?

When teenager Hank Heywood III was gravely injured, his grandfather — the original Commander Steel — saved his life by surgically grafting a titanium-steel alloy skeleton with motorized joints onto his body, transforming him into Steel and recruiting him into the Justice League Detroit.

Forged in the Bronze Age heat of Justice League of America #242 (1985) by Gerry Conway and George Tuska, Steel arrived at one of DC's most turbulent and exciting moments, stepping onto pages alongside titans like Green Lantern, J'Onn J'Onzz, and Vibe. With key issues among their appearances and a presence stretching across four decades — from Legends to DC Universe: Legacies — this is a character whose footprint in DC history runs deeper than their appearance count might suggest. For collectors tracing the rich, complicated tapestry of the Justice League's Bronze Age evolution, Steel is exactly the kind of figure worth seeking out.

Identity

Real name. Henry "Hank" Heywood III

Powers. Cyborg: titanium/steel-alloy skeleton with motorized joints granting enhanced strength, speed, and durability (grafted onto him by his grandfather, the original Commander Steel).

Teams & affiliations
Justice League
★ First appearance
Justice League of America #242
Sep 1985

Part of the Steel legacy

Steel is one of 3 heroes to carry the Steel mantle. See the whole Steel family ▸

Top series

Covers through the years — 1985–2025

Justice League of America #242 1985
Justice League of America #242
Suicide Squad #11 1988
Suicide Squad #11
DCU: Legacies #6 2010
DCU: Legacies #6
DC Universe: Legacies #[nn] 2011
DC Universe: Legacies #[nn]
Who's Who Omnibus #1 2021
Who's Who Omnibus #1
DC Finest: Justice League of America: The Return #[nn] 2025
DC Finest: Justice League of America: The Return #[nn]

Appearances

Infinity, Inc. (1984)
#19
Justice League of America Annual (1983)
#3
Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe (1985)
Aquaman (1986)
#4
Legends (1986)
The Fury of Firestorm (1982)
#55
Justice League (1987)
#1
Who's Who: Update '87 (1987)
#3
Suicide Squad (1987)
#11
DCU: Legacies (2010)
#6
DC Retroactive: JLA - The '80s (2011)
#1
DC Universe: Legacies (2011)
Who's Who Omnibus (2021)
#1
DC Finest: Justice League of America: The Return (2025)