The old saying goes that if you want something done right, do it yourself. I agree with that--in part, except for one word. I always say "If you want something done (at all, as opposed to right or wrong), do it yourself. Which brings me to the story you were going to read before you clicked on this introduction by mistake.

 This story was a long time in the making. Originally, it was going to be called SUPERMAN/THUNDERBOLTS, to give you an idea how many changes I put it through. The plan was to team up the New Powers Superman with the Wolves in Sheeps' Clothing, the Thunderbolts. The two most controversial concepts of 1997!

So then 1998 came along. Not only did I lose interest in Superman's change of clothes, but the Thunderbolts had changed as well. People were more accustomed to them, I guess. A dozen issues or so will do that. So I began to think of something else. Steel.

 Let me tell you a little bit about Steel. Introduced in 1993 as a 'replacement' for the then-dead Superman, Steel quickly earned popularity for his noble humanity and for his unwavering sense of right and wrong. The man put on a suit of armor and risked his neck every day for no other reason than it was right thing to do. Steel became my favorite superhero overnight.

 All of this makes him the complete opposite of the Thunderbolts. The team burst onto the scene in 1997 following the apparent deaths of at least a dozen superheroes and offered to fill the void. And as we all know by now, they were only doing this so they could pillage their defenseless planet for all it was worth. For this and other shocking plot twists, the T-Bolts remain one of comicdom's most beloved groups. Me included.

 It's a natural. A dull sincerity versus a colorful deception. A true hero, nearly overshadowed by his inspiration, versus the hot new flash in the pan, bilking it for all it's worth. Steel and the Thunderbolts are my favorite characters in all of comics, and it would rock as a crossover.

 The more I thought of it the more I wanted to do it. No this wouldn't be one of those "Team up and congratulate one another" stories! No sissy "/" would separate the title names! No, sir! This was gonnna be one of those old-fashioned "vs." stories, where somebody goes home disappointed! Yeah!

I was pumped for this. This would be one of the earliest Thunderbolts fanfics ever produced, and it would be the first Steel fanfic ever. And I'd be writing it. I picked out the time for the big shooting match. STEEL #46 was my favorite issue, so it just had happen after that. And Techno became a robot in the classic THUNDERBOLTS #8, so the fight had to be after then or it wouldn't be fair. Plus, I wanted the full T-Bolt lineup. Nothing against the current roster, but Citizen V and Techno were my personal favorites, and to deny them a chance to lock up with Steel would simply not do.

 Then there was my agenda. Since THUNDERBOLTS #1 hit the stands I was an instant fan. It was just a cool comic, and I reveled in it. Anyone who knows me knows that. In fact, it ocurred to me, some might begin to think that I had forgotten all about Steel. After all, his book was constantly in danger of getting cancelled, and it's not like I blather on about it as much. You might have thought that the T-Bolts were the heirs to my fanboy devotion. The torch had passed to them from Steel.

A Changing of the Guard.

 I realized that this tale might show folks just how I felt about both characters. And, yes, I realize that you probably never asked. So maybe I'm just showing myself. Anyway, you get a fanfic out of the deal, so enjoy the free ride.

 And so it went. Idea after idea, and I finally found time to sit down and write the story. It went two parts longer than it should have, but it was worth it. Which brings me back to my first point (thought I had forgotten about that, did you?). See, if you want something done, you have to do it yourself. Nobody else would write a Steel/Thunderbolts story. So I've done it myself. Have I done it right? Maybe, but I still can't shake the feeling that I left out some cool idea that would have made it perfect. Still, I can say with 100% certainty that I've done it. Hopefully, it'll do.