A Star Trek: Picard and The Next Generation actor is writing a major DC Comic title

Star Trek: Picard and The Next Generation’s Michael Dorn will write the upcoming Steel comic.

Michael Dorn is known to many people as the man behind the iconic Star Trek character Worf. Worf, who appeared in The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and now Picard is among the series’ most popular characters, and Dorn has become one of the franchise’s best ambassadors. His popularity is at an all-time high with his return to the series, and other mediums are looking to bounce on Dorn’s risen star.

DC Comics, home of Superman, has commissioned Dorn with writing a brand new comic called Steelworks, which will feature John Henry Irons, aka Steel, in a new title. It’s part of DC’s new Daw of DC initiative.

For Dorn, it’s a surprising return to an old role in a new way. The man who brought Worf to life, for a time, also brought Steel to life in the Superman the Animated Series cartoon from the 1990s. He’d voice the character in two episodes, “Prototype” and “Heavy Metal”, before giving way to Phil Lamar for the follow-up series; Justice League Unlimited.

Who is John Henry Iron’s Steel?

For those who don’t know who John Henry Irons is, he was a character created during the early 1990s, as part of the Reign of Supermen story arc, which followed up the death of Superman. Irons was a former weapons engineer for AmerTek Industries, before quitting out of disgust. He’d later become a construction worker, and after being saved by Superman one day, would try to be more like the Man of Steel. Eventually, during Superman’s conflict with the monster Doomsday, Irons would try to help Superman but would be trapped under the rubble of the building he was working on.

After fighting out Superman died, Irons would take up the S-mantle of Superman out of respect and admiration for the fallen hero. He was also the only one of the four new Supermen (Eradicator, Superboy, Cyborg Superman) who do not claim to be the original Superman; making it clear he was honoring a fallen hero, not trying to impersonate him.