JODY CHOATE

Real Name: Lieutenant Colonel Jody Choate

Identity/Class: Human mutate

Occupation: Soldier in United States Army, director of Project: Glamor

Group Membership: Project: Glamor, US Army

Affiliations: Mr. Bressack, McDonald, Monteiro, Railsback, General Selbert, Lloyd Zahner (in the end everyone was against him, except for his wife)

Enemies: Man-Thing, Mickey Ditillio, Senator Miller, Senator Wycombe

Known Relatives: Debbi (wife)

Aliases: Steel

Base of Operations: various, including Columbia, Washington DC, the Freedoms Science Studies Institute in Northern California, and the Man-Thing's swamp, in Casagata, Florida

First Appearance: Marvel Comics Presents#1/2 (September, 1988)

Powers: As a super soldier, Choate possessed superhuman strength (@ enhanced human) and durability.

He was highly trained in armed and unarmed combat, as well as strategy by the US army. He was capable of maintaining calm and composure during tense situations. He was fanatically loyal to the United States, willing to sacrifice anyone and anything to accomplish his goals.

History: Jody Choate had a long and distinguished career in the US Army. He came to head Project:Glamor, an operation designed to recreate Ted Sallis' super-soldier serum. This project had ties to sales of arms to Latveria and drugs to Columbia. When a congressional committee began to investigating the matter began to uncover the truth, he attempted to stop it by having the head of the committee, Sen.Wilbur Wycombe become the next test subject. This failed to stop the investigation, and Choate then sent his agent, Zahner (aka Corndog) to terminate the investigating reporter, Mickey Ditillio (aka Rodent). This too failed, as Ditillio escaped from Zahner. Another member of the Project, a cult-leader named Marea (aka Demon III), attempted to sever ties with the Project. Choate sent a number of his soldiers/mercenaries to try to terminate her, but she was defended by the Man-thing.

Wishing to remove blame from higher up government officials, such as the president, Choate took the fall for Project: Glamor, claiming sole responsibility. Realizing his career was now over, he subjected himself, a loyal soldier, Dixon, and five other soldiers to the super soldier serum. He slew Dr. McDonald (aka Lime) after the serum was administered when he demanded financial compensation. Choate, Dixon, and the others took a plane to Costa Dinora to destroy rebel forces there. However, en route, Choate was notified by co-director General Selbert (aka Brass I) that Zahner and Marea had both revealed their full stories to Ditlliio. Choate changed plans and traveled to Casagata, Florida where he and his soldiers encountered and slew Railsback, former head and later subject of the serum who had just killed Selbert. Choate himself pursued Ditillio, killing his girlfriend, Lyssa, before being incinerated in conflict with the Man-Thing.

Ditillio eventually published full details on the project, and Dixon and the only other surviving super soldier flew to the USSR to accomplish their ultimate mission, to the assassinate Mikhail Gorbachev (aka the Grape).

Comments: Created by Steve Gerber and Tom Sutton. Jody Choate appeared to be loosely based on Colonel Oliver North from the Iran/Contra scandal of the time.

Steel had no connection to:

• Steel, the steed of Kid Colt, @ Kid Colt Outlaw#1
• Steel 8162, of Dragon's Claws, @ Dragon's Claws#1

Choate's wife, Debbi, was loyal to a fault, believing that all of his decisions were right ands in the best interest of the USA.
--Marvel Comics Presents#3/2 (MCP#3/2-4/2, 6/2, 8/2

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Marvel Comics Presents#5, p9, pan4 (head shot)