Detroit Steel is a fictional suit of powered armor appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, in which it is usually operated by adversaries or rivals of Iron Man.

Detroit Steel, created by writer Matt Fraction and artist Salvador Larocca, first appeared in The Invincible Iron Man (vol 5) #25 (June 2010), the first part of the nine-part "Stark Resilient" storyline which depicted Tony Stark's struggle to build the company Stark Resilient,^[1] whose signature product is a car powered by the same clean repulsor technology that powers the Iron Man armor.^[2][3]

Fraction created Detroit Steel to embody jingoistic patriotism in the vein of Team America,^[3] and describes the character thus:

He is what follows in the hole left behind by Iron Man once Tony Stark leaves the world stage. Tony hasn't been around to protect the regular interests that he might have during his time running Stark Industries or running S.H.I.E.L.D. And now that he's back, he's made it clear he doesn't want to get back into the geo-political side of things necessarily. Detroit Steel is what happens in that absence. He is a sort of Blackwater-meets-NASCAR corporate-sponsored armored enhanced guy available for hire to the highest bidder for whatever cause around the round. Basically, Iron Man's worst nightmare of what he could become. An absolute perversion of everything he is.^[3]

Though the Detroit Steel armor exhibits the American flag's colors, Fraction states that the Detroit Steel armor can repainted to reflect the colors of whatever country or corporation purchases them, from the Japanese Rising Sun Flag^[3] (which makes an appearance in The Invincible Iron Man #27^[4]) to the yellow and red colors of McDonald's. Fraction also contrasts Detroit Steel with Iron Man's Bleeding Edge armor by describing the latter as "sleeker, slicker and pared down", whereas the former is "bigger and better and boisterous and loud and noisy and everything else. It's like the difference between a Porsche and a Mack Truck".^[3]

United States Air Force Lieutenant Doug Johnson III was Detroit Steel's first pilot.

First appearing during the "Stark Resilient" storyline, he underwent surgical modifications to operate the weaponized suit. Hammer Industries, led by Justine Hammer, wanted to market Detroit Steel globally as a new soldier for the world.^[2][5] The Hammer family embark on staging civilian attacks in which Detroit Steel is arranged to intervene before Iron Man.^[6] Shortly after, Detroit Steel launches a surprise attack alongside unmanned drones on Stark Resilient. However, the combined efforts of Iron Man, War Machine, Rescue and Maria Hill stop the strike via S.H.I.E.L.D. and shut down Detroit Steel.^[7][8][6]

Detroit Steel next appears during the "Fear Itself" storyline.^[9][10] Detroit Steel is deployed in Paris to confront the Asgardian demon Mokk who petrifies Detroit Steel to which the public believes him to be dead, but he recovers.^[11][12][13] In the subsequent "Long Way Down" storyline, Johnson steals a Detroit Steel unit before he's killed by his employers.^{[14][15][16][17]}

Sasha Hammer is Detroit Steel's second pilot in which she utilizes her own biotech weapons from Zeke Stane's augmentations as well as having her own personal team.^{[6][12][18][19]}

Justine Hammer described the Detroit Steel armor as "the most bleeding-edge research into man/machine spinal hybrid mechanics the world has ever seen", and incorporates technology, such as C.N.S. (Controlled Exo-Enhanciles), that would eventually be used to end paralysis caused by cervical, thoracic or corticospinal injuries. Weighing four and a half tons,^[2] the "oversized"^[20] Detroit Steel towers over Iron Man,^[21] at approximately twice the latter's height.^[22] The Detroit Steel suit affords considerable protection from automatic weapons and explosives,^[2] though the Asgardian-powered being Mokk was able to easily rip open the Detroit Steel armor.^[11]

The Detroit Steel suit allows its users to fly, and usually is seen with a rotary cannon mounted on its right arm, and a specialized chainsaw on its left arm,^[2] which can penetrate Iron Man's Bleeding Edge Armor.^[22] There are rocket-powered munitions on Detroit Steel's shoulders.^[2] The rotary cannon can be dismounted so that the soldier can carry and fire it as a traditional handheld weapon,^[23] and the Detroit Steel armor's users have been seen outfitted with other types of weapons in this manner, including both directed-energy weapons and scaled-up rifles.^[13] Those who pilot the Detroit Steel armor are required to undergo considerable surgical modifications, which leave implants visible on the pilot's chest, which Doug Johnson felt "turned him into a monster". Hammer Industries' models for different environments and hot zones, including arctic climates and urban encounters.^[2] Suits of different heights and designs have also been depicted.^[12][14]

Sasha Hammer's Detroit Steel armor has also been observed to have a directed-energy weapon in palm of her hands.^[24][23]

Alex Evans, reviewing Invincible Iron Man #33 for Weekly Comic Book Review, while praising the "Stark Resilient" storyline (which he gave a B-), found Justine Hammer and Sasha Hammer to be more effective villains than Detroit Steel (Doug Johnson), which he found to be "bland" and "boring". Evans also disliked the lack of a resolution to Detroit Steel and Iron Man's battle in Invincible Iron Man #33,^[25] though he later praised Iron Man #505, which he felt tied up that loose end.^[10] Evans was more receptive to the character's use in the subsequent storyline "The Long Way Down", saying of Invincible Iron Man #518, "The manner in which Fraction and Larroca depict the fight between the two versions of Detroit Steel was brilliant, alternating panels between the fight itself (at night) and the aftermath (the broken apartment in the daylight). It created almost a police procedural, detective feel that also served to make the whole thing a bit haunting and unsettling, which is great given how creepy 'Detroit Steel' already is".^[26]

The Detroit Steel armor appears in Lego Marvel Avengers: Climate Conundrum and is operated by Justin Hammer (voiced by Bill Newton).^[27]

The Detroit Steel armor appears as a playable character in Lego Marvel's Avengers and is utilized by Justin Hammer.^[28][29][30]

• Detroit Steel at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
• Detroit Steel Armor at Marvel Wiki
• Detroit Steel (Doug Johnson III) at Marvel Wiki
• Detroit Steel at Comic Vine