Steel gets a chance to shine in "52"

Some lesser-known characters will be getting the spotlight in “52,” the ambitious, 52-part, weekly series from DC.

“52” bridges the gap from “Infinite Crisis” to DC’s One Year Later books, which jumped a year ahead in time. It’s a year without Superman, Batman or Wonder Woman — which gives a chance to shine the spotlight on some other heroes. Heroes such as Steel, who became the protector of Metropolis for a while after Superman died back in the 1990s. (If you haven’t heard, Superman got better.)

John Henry Irons, aka Steel, is a favorite of “52” editor Stephen Wacker, who I interviewed via e-mail for this Sunday’s Comics Fan column.

“He wanted to help people, so he built a suit of armor,” Wacker said. “What’s simpler? There aren’t a lot of characters created in the last 20 years you can imagine someone looking to for inspiration. Steel is one of them.”