Iron Munro
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Iron Munro is a fictional character in the DC Comics Universe. The character is based loosely on the protagonist in Gladiator by Philip Wylie. Gladiator was considered by many to be a major influence on Seigel and Shuster and their creation, Superman. Iron is actually the son of Hugo Danner, the protagonist of Gladiator. Iron was not a character or even a possibility in the original novel, however.
Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, all the parallel worlds were merged into one, and Earth-2 Superman was retconned out of existence. To fill the gap, DC introduced this superhero with muscles of steel, the ability to leap tall building and a spit curl hairstyle to fill in the stories that Superman would have. DC writer Roy Thomas created Iron (and the other "Young All Stars") while trying to replace the Golden Age Superman (and Wonder Woman and Batman). Using Wylie's novel which had been previously adapted to comics by Marvel Comics, Thomas had Hugo Danner fake his death at the end of the novel. After the events of Gladiator, Danner returned to Indian Creek, Colorado to his one-time love Anna Blake. They had a brief affair and Danner left again. Arn was born nine months later, but grew up knowing that Mr. Munro was not his true father.
As Young All Stars #1 opens, Iron is in his late teens and saves Dan, the Dyna Mite from the sabatours that had killed Dan's mentor, T.N.T. The series ended with the "Young All Stars" being folded back into the main group of the All-Star Squadron.
Iron's adventure's from the later 1940's up to recent continuity have not be revealed. What has been revealed is that Iron started to work for the US Government under the code name "Gladiator One". During his adventures, he met, fell in love with and married Sandra Knight (AKA the Phantom Lady) also working for the government. Knight became pregnant and was kidnapped by Baron Blitzkrieg. The child was thought killed at the time, but later Iron came to believe that Grant Emerson (AKA Damage) was his and Knight's child. This was however, revealed to be in error and Emerson was the son of Al Pratt (Atom I) and his wife. Iron continues to work for the government.
In June 2006, it was revealed that Kate Spencer was actually the granddaughter of Iron and the first Phantom Lady, Sandra Knight. Sandra feared Iron would no longer want her if he knew she was pregnant, Sandra spent the majority of her pregnancy out of the public eye. Al Pratt helped Sandra through this period of her life. When Al took Sandra to a "Home for Unwed Mothers" the nurse incorrectly assumed Al was the father and listed him as such on the birth certificate.
