Steel - The Jersey City Era, Part 12 (Issue #50)

[superboyprime]

STEEL 50 was slated to be part 7 of 9 of the "Millennium Giants" cross-over event that ran through a bunch of DC's books. Priest asked them not to do this. He implored DC not to involve STEEL's fiftieth issue of all issues in an event whose other eight chapters would occur in other books, an event where Steel was just one player among a dozen. He begged the higher-ups to allow him to give the long-time Steel fans the milestone issue they deserved.



Guess how that went.

I was originally only going to post the single page out of the entire issue that has to do with the events of this title -- the other 21 are about the Millennium Giants story -- but flipping through the issue, I'm reminded that there's some stuff about Steel adjusting to being a JLA member and suddenly operating at a much larger scope that's sort of interesting, I guess. (He joined in an earlier chapter of the crossover, I believe.)

Steel and a bunch of other superheroes have split up into small groups to deal with the rampage of the Millennium Giants, a trio of really powerful god-creatures.









Since the Giants seem to be guided by Earth's magnetic lines, the two come upon the idea of isolating them from it.



But if you want to skip all that, here's the only page from STEEL 50 that actually has to do with the rest of the series:

Comments

[okkult3000]

The comic book industry has been treating Christopher Priest like shit for 10 years. But don't worry, kids, Jeph Loeb is still here!

[mcity]

He and Reg Hudlin will save us all!

[kenn_el]

To be fair, the crossover tie-ins generally force readers who wouldn't ordinarily pick up a book to include it in order to have a complete collection, so they were, in effect, doing him a favor by increasing his exposure (yes, and also covering their own bottom line).

[thatnickguy]

Actually, Steel joined the JLA during Morrison's run on the team's book. I think this was the first time in Priest's run it was acknowledged.

And oddly enough, even though this was part of a crossover, I still enjoyed this issue.

[kenn_el]

It always annoyed me that Steel's tenure with the JLA as a regular member was so short-lived. Marvel managed to keep Iron Man a core Avenger for decades, and Morrison's Steel was well on his way to establishing himself in a similar manner (except for providing housing for the team, of course.)

[superboyprime]

Ah, that makes sense.

I liked this issue too, actually. But I imagine I would have liked what Priest wanted to write more.

[icon_uk]

And still I find myself disliking Natasha.. manipulative and rather petty. I know those are very human traits, but they're not ones I particularly enjoy and I don't see much compensating for it in her personality.

[fifthie]

Yeah I mean come the fuck on. "We made an explicit promise to which you held up your end, SUCKER"? That kind of thing's an express ticket to my shit list in actual real life, who wants to read a fictional story showing you that kind of douche as a sympathetic character?

[superboyprime]

She's one of those characters I'd hate if I met in real life but as a fictional character I find entertaining. I find her complete lack of a filter for her snark amusing. She's just awful.

[icon_uk]

Most people would face consequences for such behaviour, but she just keeps getting away with it, and it doesn't show "Boris" in much of a good light either, being a complete doormat to a rather unpleasant girl.

[nezchan]

I've never ordered sushi that includes raw shrimp. Hell, I've never seen raw shrimp on a menu before.

[icon_uk]

It's most commonly marinaded, so whilst it may LOOK raw, it's really not, and I think Natasha is unaware enough of that to let it pass.

[nezchan]

Actually, I've never seen it that way. 'Round here (and back in Nova Scotia) it's always been cooked.

[icon_uk]

Most commonly yes, but not always.

[psychopathicus_rex]

So let me get this straight - Steel's armor is just loose, metallic cloth until he passes a current through it, then it hardens into super-armor?
...
That... explains a few things. I suppose.

[superboyprime]

Well, I'm not sure it's just a current that does it, but you've got the gist. It's not the whole armor that's like that, just the parts without complex machinery.

[icon_uk]

I don't think I ever knew that before, it just looks... odd here, like he's wearing a layer of clingfilm or the like.