Absolute DC Part 2: Man of Steel by Red-Rum-18
It has been a few months ever since the debut of The Syndicate, when they assassinated the corrupt new President of the United States. Ever since then, the Syndicate has gained a following across the planet of disillusioned people who support the metahuman team’s zero-tolerance approach to imposing their sense of justice. Near the new Keystone Oil Pipeline, which threatened to pollute all over a Native American reservation, the speedster Jonny Quick disassembled it, safely, at high speed, and then killed the oil tycoons that were trying to build it. In Flint, MI, Powerhouse not only purified the water supply, he publicly lynched the corrupt government officials who were responsible for the pollution and the lack of action against it. Near the Mexican border, Superwoman assaulted a massive immigration sting operation, allowing illegal immigrants to escape into the country. Federal agent Jonah Woodson was one of the few survivors and provided testimony to the newly-formed Department of Extranormal Operations (The DEO). There were people were elated to have the Syndicate, but others decried them; they were seen as “weaklings” and “traitors” by those who support the Syndicate. The Justice League has been trying to take down the Syndicate ever since they assassinated the President, but the Syndicate has escaped, seemingly into thin air, every time. At a high school in New York City, we meet Connor Kent, son of John Kent, the Superman. Connor had gotten into a fight with a classmate over a disagreement regarding the Syndicate. At the principal’s office, shop class teacher Jefferson Ironsstood up for Connor and said that the other kid injured himself to get Connor in trouble; in actuality, Connor attacked him with his magnetic powers, slamming locker doors against him. The reason Jeff stood up for Connor is that he sees great potential in him and his hidden powers, but he needs discipline. Connor and Jeff talked it over, and began work on Connor’s new superhero identity. In the middle of May of 2017, months after the Syndicate’s first appearance, something large and imposing appeared in the skies of New York. It was giant sphere that erupted from the earth from the outskirts and moved over the skyline of the city. It projected several spheres that began scanning the infrastructure. Superman appeared and attacked the main sphere, but a concussive energy shield projected around the object and knocked our hero away. When Superman asked himself why this is here, Ultraman, leader of the Syndicate, appeared to say that it’s after him. Ultraman tried to convince Superman to join them, claiming that holding himself back does nothing to protect the people of the world from themselves, let alone crime and disasters. Superman refused and they battled. The spheres attacked both metahumans with krypton-based laser weapons, but the lasers don’t injure Ultraman the same way the injure Superman. The master of the spheres, the cyborg super-intellect Brainiac appeared, saying that both the Justice League and the Syndicate need to be destroyed, and that he needs to absorb more global information to determine how best to protect America, which is his primary directive. That’s when a new superhero appeared! It was Connor, though this was unknown to John, wearing a weaponized suit of armor capable of flight. He is now calling himself Steel. While Superman fought Ultraman, Steel fought against Brainiac’s probes. Brainiac retreated to an unknown location for repairs, and Ultraman met with Steel to simply say “I’ll be watching you” before teleporting away. Superman thanked Steel for his help, and Steel offered to protect New York City whenever Supe’s away. Meanwhile, Jeff Irons was watching the battle through a hidden camera on the sit, claiming the Steel suit was a rousing success. His nephew Virgil was with him, proclaiming interest in revamping Jeff’s “Lightning”-suit technology.
Notes:
* The DEO was formed after CADMUS was disbanded following it’s involvement with a team of world-conquering demonic sorcerers called the Dark Side.
* Brainiac’s AI now possesses the body of the brain-deceased cyborg Hank Corben, aka Metallo, and altered his body accordingly.
* The Steel suit is operated and powered mainly by Connor’s magnetic powers.
** Steel’s face is a layer of metallic filament attached to his face with Connor’s magnetic powers.
* Virgil Hawkins, a genius engineer like his uncle, is going to use Jeff’s technology to create his own superhero identity: Static.
