I liked him during 52
This might be too controversial, but he still just kind of seems like the black version of a popular white character because there wasnt enough black superheroes on the market.
Do you think he's DC's black answer to Iron Man? and that John Henry Irons is similar to Tony Stark?
I think Iron Man is what DC had in mind when they wanted to do their own version of that character. In fact in a cameo with both characters as a team in that crossover event in 1996 they even fought in the DC vs. Marvel crossover card series that year which was a logical fight.
Its often been diffictult to get solo black superheroes to sell which is why they often make them a brand extension of already popular existing chracters like the ones you mention as well as Black Goliath/Giant Man, Aquaman/Aqualad (Jackson Hyde), Green Lantern (Hal Jordan/John Stewart), Spider-Man (Peter Parker/Miles Morales) Nick Fury/Marcus Fury, ect.I meant black buddy of a popular white character. Superman has Steel. Captain America has Falcon. Iron Man has War Machine. They are all very passive just developed enough characters who happen to be black and had have been permanently chained to the much more prominent white character.
Its often been diffictult to get solo black superheroes to sell which is why they often make them a brand extension of already popular existing chracters like the ones you mention as well as Black Goliath/Giant Man, Aquaman/Aqualad (Jackson Hyde), Green Lantern (Hal Jordan/John Stewart), Spider-Man (Peter Parker/Miles Morales) Nick Fury/Marcus Fury, ect.
If comic fans were more open to brand new superheroes of colour this wouldn't happen as much. You would have more original superheroes of colour with no connections to existing heroes.
Anyway I'm fan of Steel/John Henry Irons. I used to read his solo series in the 90s. Steel is very different from Clark Kent/Superman in terms of powers, personality, background, occupation, ect.
You could have stopped there...If comic fans were more open to brand new superheroes...