Superman: The Animated Series
Episode 34
Prototype
While we never get the Death of Superman and Reign of the Supermen comic stories in the DCAU we do the character John Henry Irons who eventually becomes Steel. This is his early origin and what makes it so great is how he’s introduced little by little like Batgirl in BtAS. By the time he’s fully realized in Justice League Unlimited it’s an amazing evolution of the character.
There is a solid joke in the episode where Lois Lane needs a car to a newsworthy event but accidentally talks to a creepy dude instead of Clark Kent who already flew off to save the day.
The origin story involves a cop getting a super suit funded by Lex Luthor and invented by John Henry Irons but eventually the cop goes crazy with power and causes problems. Superman has to take him down. Irons regrets his invention but Superman encourages him to keep working on it because he could use the help. He just needs someone responsible doing it. It’s a fun episode, and while Corey Mills is never a real threat to Superman, the possibilities of John Henry Irons appearing in Superman: the Animated Series are exponential. Will we get a Death of Superman story? No, but it was a nice character edition.
Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com
