Sarge Steel is the name of a detective/spy character originally owned by Charlton Comics and later acquired by DC Comics. Sarge Steel first appeared in Sarge Steel #1 (December, 1964) and was created by writer Joe Gill and artist Dick Giordano.
Sargent "Sarge" Steel is a hard-boiled ex-Vietnam vet who lost his left hand in the war. Replacing it with a metallic prosthetic, he would return home to the United States, becoming a detective/spy-smasher. After being purchased by DC, Sarge Steel would become a government official in charge of many of the DCU's superhero-related agencies, including L.A.W., Checkmate, the Department of Metahuman Affairs, and the Bureau of Sovereignty.
Oh, and he became Arsenal's boss during New Titans.
Sarge Steel has appeared in Batman and Harley Quinn, and made his live-action debut in Naomi, albeit under the name of Commander Henry Steel.
Has no relation with similarly named DC characters Commander Steel.
Sarge Steel provides examples of:
- Adaptational Villainy: Initially he was just your typical hard-boiled detective, and a pretty nice and heroic one at that. Flashforward to Tom King's Wonder Woman (2023) and he is a trigger-happy power-hungry psychopath who calls Wonder Woman a cunt and who is depicted as little more than a thug with too much power.
- In Pax Americana he is an assassin serving Charles Eden's plan to kill President Harley and thus kill Earth's one chance of peace and harmony to advance his boss' plans.
- Alternate Company Equivalent: Modern DC stories usually posit him as one to Nick Fury, though usually a more villainous take.
- Alliterative Name: Sargent "Sarge" Steel.
- An Arm and a Leg: Sarge lost his left hand in Vietnam.
- Artificial Limbs: Sarge has a mechanical metal hand.
- Brainwashed and Crazy: He's been left mentally unstable twice after psychics Mr. Mind and Dr. Psycho tampered with his mind.
- Covered in Scars: Sarge has numerous bullet holes in his back from his life as a spy.
- Cyborg: Sarge has a cybernetic left hand.
- Hardboiled Detective: He began as one, but this characterisation of his has mostly vanished. Interestingly enough he seems to be the Ur-Example for the Vietnam vet working as a private eye.
- Military Rank Names: Sarge is interesting, because of 👁 This example contains a TRIVIA entry. It should be moved to the TRIVIA tab.
Flip-Flop of God. Either he was a sergeant during his time in the military and the nickname stuck with him or his actual first name is "Sargent". Considering that he acts way more like a high-ranking officer rather than an NCO, it's likely that he's not a sergeant. The Tom King version of the character also went to West Point, which produces officers, not enlisted. - The Spymaster: Sarge has filled this role for the U.S. Government.
