Recently, even more superheroes (not to mention villains) have made their way into the spotlight, thanks to a slew of new blockbusters. Find out how steel empowers these fictional characters to fulfil their roles and duties.

Colossus: A Lean, Mean, Metal Machine

A Russian mutant and member of the X-Men, Colossus is most known for his ability to transform into a form of “organic steel”—a power he uses for the betterment of human and mutant-kind.

When this change takes place, his entire 200-centimeter-tall body is metamorphosed into an armored state, making him even taller and heavier.

In steel form, Colossus possesses superhuman levels of strength, stamina and durability, enabling him to withstand great impacts, large caliber bullets and falls from monumental heights. And, much like steel itself, Colossus has great resistance to temperature extremes of hot and cold.

Unlike his appearances in past X-men movies, where filmmakers often highlighted the character’s transformation from bare skin to full metal exoskeleton, Colossus was only portrayed in metal form in the recently released Deadpool flick.

The decision to keep Colossus in his steel form was made to make things easier for filmmakers, but also made sense from a story perspective. After all, Colossus needs all of the protection he can get when he teams up with the loose cannon that is Deadpool.

Captain America’s Indestructible Shield

Vibranium is a fictional, super-strong metal that is often referenced in comic books published by Marvel Comics.

This rare metallic substance is native only to Wakanda, an African nation under the rule of Black Panther—a superhero who made appearances in this year’s production of Captain America: Civil War.

The story goes that a small amount of Wakandan Vibranium came into the possession of a scientist in the early 1940s who made numerous unsuccessful attempts to create a Vibranium steel alloy. One morning, however, he discovered that the two materials had bonded on their own in an unknown manner. The ultra-resilient alloy was then used to create Captain America’s shield.

Under normal conditions, the shield of Captain America is virtually indestructible. The defensive equipment has proved strong enough to absorb Hulk’s strength and repel an attack from Thor’s hammer without any visible damage.

The shield also absorbs all kinetic energy and transfers very little energy from each impact, meaning Captain America doesn’t feel recoil when blocking attacks. These properties also allow the shield to bounce off of most smooth surfaces, ricocheting multiple times with minimal loss in aerodynamic stability or velocity.

Captain Boomerang and His Blades of Steel

But superheroes aren’t the only ones who benefit from the power of steel. Villains, too, have made use of the metal to carry out their own personal agendas.

Captain Boomerang is one of them. This infamous Australian mercenary is renowned to be among the most lethal assassins in the world, which will become even more obvious when he makes an appearance in Suicide Squad this August.

The villain is reputed to be in top physical condition, capable of knocking down an A.R.G.U.S. soldier with a single blow, but is also a master boomerang thrower.

He is a very formidable opponent when armed with his trick boomerangs, which are each made with a steel curved blade, sharpened on both sides and perforated by elongated holes. When thrown, his boomerangs spin about an axis that is perpendicular to their flight direction, and are designed to return to the thrower.

Girder’s Steel Skin

Likewise, supervillain Tony Woodward, or “Girder,” also used steel to his advantage, as seen on recent episodes of the popular US TV series The Flash.

After being laid off at an iron works facility, Girder got into an altercation with his boss. He was subsequently knocked over a railing into a vat of molten steel. The S.T.A.R. Labs particle accelerator simultaneously exploded, causing him to transform into a meta-human with the ability to transform any part of his body into girded steel at will.

Taking advantage of the super strength of steel, he soon fell into petty crime and was known to hurt others to prove his superiority.

Girder is strong enough to overturn a car and is able to deliver punches that can smash concrete. His metallic skin can withstand extreme conditions, and bullets from handguns inflict virtually no damage on him. The Flash had to impact him at Mach 1.1 (1,347 kilometers per hour) before he could even break through the villain’s skin.

As the world’s most beloved stories and characters continue to develop, the number of superhero fanatics only continues to grow larger. It is certain that steel, a symbol of strength and indestructibility, will continue to play a part in these entertaining—and inspiring—stories.

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But if you think about it, steel and superheroes aren’t really all that different, as the two possess very similar characteristics. Which is probably why the metal has been a common thread in comics and superhero stories throughout the past century. In fact, references to steel can be found in the gadgets, in the names and in the iconic costumes of the world’s favorite comics. Read on to find out about a few of them. 

It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… No! It’s Steel!

Perhaps no other superhero has as much of an association to the metal as the Man of Steel himself: Superman. Often referred to as the greatest superhero of all time, Superman is faster than a speeding (steel) bullet, more powerful than a locomotive and can leap tall buildings in a single bound. He may be, for all intents and purposes, indestructible.

However, the Man of Steel gets his nickname from his unwavering resolve. When he is put in a situation and must choose between absolute power and absolute servitude, he doesn’t bend in the same way that steel doesn’t bend under pressure. It is altruism that makes Superman, well, super. (Image: http://on.fb.me/1HL2qYI) 

From Irons to Steel

John Henry Irons first appeared in The Adventures of Superman in 1993. Originally a weapons engineer, Irons became distraught and faked his death after a cannon he had designed fell into the wrong hands and was used to kill innocent people. Later on, he was saved by Superman when he fell from a skyscraper and was inspired to “live a life worth saving.” During Superman’s fatal battle against Doomsday, Irons attempted to return the favor, though unsuccessfully, by fighting the villain with a sledgehammer.

He was eventually likened to a reincarnation of Superman and was nicknamed “Steel” by Superman himself. He appeared in his own solo series, battling the gangs that used the weapons he created. Traits of the character, who is often portrayed wielding a hammer, are inspired by the African American folk hero John Henry. (Image: http://bit.ly/1KmbdBA)

Pedal to the Metal

Unlike other superheroes, Bruce Wayne, aka Batman, has no super powers. Instead, he relies on his mental and physical excellence, martial arts mastery, detective skills and criminal psychology expertise. Additionally, he uses his Batsuit to prey on criminals’ fears and utilizes an arsenal of high-tech gadgets. Among these, the Batmobile is probably the most well-known. Bulletproof and fireproof steel armor plates envelop the body and cockpit of the car, which has been customized over time, both in comic books and movies, into a sleek metal mobile. Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, which is expected to premiere in 2016, illustrates the power of the Batman suit, complete with steel knuckles and steel-toed boots. Take a look for yourself. (Image: http://bit.ly/1Lwc4me)

Blue Steel

The Mark 30, also known by its codename “Blue Steel”, is a Silver Centurion Suit, and was one of several new Iron Man Armors created by Tony Stark as part of the Iron Legion. The armor, which utilizes blue and silver plates as well as a triangular shaped Unibeam in its design, was created sometime after the Battle of New York.

It was featured in Iron Man 3, and made its debut in the Hollywood hit when Tony ordered J.A.R.V.I.S. to initiate “House Party Protocol”, in which it was activated to assist Tony in his battle against Aldrich Killian. (Image: http://bit.ly/1eirzj2)

Fictional Steel Gets Real

Adamantium is a practically indestructible fictional steel alloy that appears in a number of comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is best known as the substance that was bonded to the superhero Wolverine’s skeleton and claws during an experiment carried out by the Japanese scientist Lord Dark Wind.

Wolverine’s mutant healing factor allowed him to survive the process and generated a molecular change in the metal, transforming it into Adamantium Beta, an entirely new metal that does not inhibit the biological processes of bone. As a result, Wolverine ended up with some incredibly sharp claws that allow him to cut into durable materials, block attack and projectiles, as well as dig into surfaces allowing him to climb. This impressive mythical metal is even inspiring new, real developments in materials science. (Image: http://bit.ly/1Km7EeA)

It doesn’t seem that the world’s passion for comics will fizzle out anytime soon. In fact, as stories and characters develop and redevelop over the years, the number of superhero fanatics only continues to grow larger. It is certain that steel, a symbol of strength and indestructibility, will continue to play a part in these inspiring stories.