Comic Title: Steel, the Indestructible Man #1
Publisher: DC (DC Comics Inc.)
Address: 75 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY
Cover Date: March 1978
On Sale Date: December 22, 1977 Newsstand Date December 22, 1977
Source: House Ad, Justice League of America #152, Page 16

Newsstand Date December 22, 1977
Source: DC Coming Attractions, #13

Copyright Date December 22, 1977
Source: Library of Congress, Copyright Office 1977

Newsstand Date December 20, 1977
Source: Comic Reader, #151

Newsstand Date December 19, 1977
Source: Daily Planet, Vol. 77 #50
Listed as on sale the week of December 19th

Shipping Date November 29, 1977
Source: DC Coming Attractions, #13
Shipping the week of November 29th

Frequency: Monthly (with the exception of May, July, Sept., Nov., and Jan.)
Cover Price: $0.35
Page Count: 32
Editor: Allen Milgrom

Title: "From Hell Is Forged ...A Hero"
Pages: 18

Feature(s):
Steel (of Earth-2)

Writer: Gerry Conway
Penciller: Don Heck
Inker: Joe Giella
Letterer: Ben Oda
Colorist: Anthony Tollin

Feature Character(s)

• Commander Steel (Henry (Hank) Heywood; origin and first appearance; next appearance in Steel, the Indestructible Man #2)

Supporting Character(s)

• Dr. Gilbert Giles (next appearance in Steel, the Indestructible Man #2)
• Gloria Giles (next appearance in Steel, the Indestructible Man #2)

Villain(s)

• Baron Death (no further appearances)
• The Baron’s sabotuers (no further appearances)
• Baron Todlich and Bruno (a German industrialist and his henchman; next appearance in Steel, the Indestructible Man #2)
• Two Nazi saboteurs (die in this story; no further appearances)

Comments:
This story which details the origin of Steel, takes place beginning in August, 1939.

Synopsis:
Hank Heywood, research assistant to Dr. Gilbert Giles, joins the U.S. Marines when he learns of Germany’s invasion of Poland in 1939. While on base, he stops some saboteurs, but is nearly killed in an explosion. The bio-retardant formula developed by Giles saves Heywood’s life by giving him a steel skeleton and regenerating his flesh.

Once his recovery is complete, Hank discovers his steel skeleton gives him amazing strength and speed. Doning a steel-mesh costume, he vows to fight Nazis as Steel, the Indestructible Man.

Steel’s first encounters Nazis raiding a military armory. He defeats the saboteurs, but is unable to locate their leader, Baron Death.