Steel - The Jersey City Era, Part 9 (Issue #47)

[superboyprime]

This one's a Christmas issue.




The issue begins with Steel giving Natasha a lift to Newark Airport.



She's going to visit her mom and the rest of her immediate family. They're in witness protection, so she can't be allowed to know where they actually live these days.

Over at Garden State Medical Center, the ER receives a teen who still has a knife sticking out of his chest.



To Sam Ellis' delight, one of the firefighters who brought the guy in is an old friend of his.







The kid was stabbed because he resisted joining a gang called Parliament. They'll become important in later issues.

The operation is ultimately a success. In the course of it all, Skorpio also comes to accept -- though not happily -- that it's really over between Amanda and him.

Meanwhile, Nat arrives at her family's to find their arms not as open as she was expecting.











The issue ends with Steel admitting to Amanda, and to himself, that he loves her. A happy ending to the Christmas issue then, at least for two of the cast.

Comments

[psychopathicus_rex]

What the hell is Jamal's deal here? Sure, he's mad at his sister, but why's he wrecking their dinner? He's a regular psycho here, which I don't remember him being earlier in the series.
And Skorpio continues to be a fascinating character.

[superboyprime]

The idea is that the whole family's degenerated since Nat and John last saw them.

[psychopathicus_rex]

Well, it's hard to argue with THAT. What're they in Witness Protection FOR, anyway?

[superboyprime]

I'm not entirely clear on the details because it happened before this run. Villains began going after Steel's family after his identity went public, or something along those lines.

[psychopathicus_rex]

The usual, then. Right.

[retro_nouveau]

Let a jolly old elf get your attention ... with this glass. Merry KERRAASHmas! Love Guy, love Warriors, love ... uh, Guy in a Warriors apron.

There's something very, very wrong with ignoring Lois Lane and taking relationship advice from Guy Gardner.

[cainofdreaming]

Maybe it was Silver Age Lois, masquerading as her modern version?

[retro_nouveau]

Nice! Now it all makes sense. XD

[terrykun]

Love for Guy.

Love for Steel standing around staring at jewelry.

And weirdly enough, love for John Henry holding a sandwich and talking about being stabbed. *giggles*

[superboyprime]

That's not John Henry Irons (who I would hope would be less cavalier about a guy bleeding to death) with the sandwich. That's co-worker and secret villain Sam Ellis. But yes, quite giggle-worthy.

[feyandstrange]

Dude, when you're getting lady advice from Guy Freakin' Gardner and it makes more sense than what you're doing, you ARE an idjit.

I did like this art too. What a shame there's no good way to icon annoyed Guy in Santa hat.

Still not thrilled with the writing on this, but it's better than I expected.

[retro_nouveau]

Well, I had to try...