Luke Cage
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Lucas "Luke" Cage, born Carl Lucas and also known as Power Man, is a
superhero A superhero or superheroine is a fictional character who typically possesses ''superpowers'' or abilities beyond those of ordinary people, is frequently costumed concealing their identity, and fits the role of the hero, typically using their ...
appearing in
American comic book An American comic book is a thin periodical literature originating in the United States, commonly between 24 and 64 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publ ...
s published by
Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...
. Created by Archie Goodwin,
George Tuska George Tuska (; April 26, 1916 – October 16, 2009),George Tuska
at the Roy Thomas Roy William Thomas Jr."Roy Thomas Checklist" ''Alter Ego'' vol. 3, #50 (July 2005) p. 16 (born November 22, 1940) is an American comic book writer and editor. He was Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics and possibly bes ...
, and John Romita Sr. in 1972, he was the first African-American superhero by Marvel Comics to be the main character in his own series. Stories featuring Luke Cage often relate to issues of race and class. His origin invokes criticism of
police brutality Police brutality is the excessive and unwarranted use of force by law enforcement against an individual or Public order policing, a group. It is an extreme form of police misconduct and is a civil rights violation. Police brutality includes, b ...
and the prison system in the United States, and his 1970s stories focus on his efforts to support himself as a businessman. His creators were initially inspired by
Blaxploitation In American cinema, Blaxploitation is the film subgenre of action movie derived from the exploitation film genre in the early 1970s, consequent to the combined cultural momentum of the black civil rights movement, the black power movement, ...
cinema and subsequently by the
Black Power Black power is a list of political slogans, political slogan and a name which is given to various associated ideologies which aim to achieve self-determination for black people. It is primarily, but not exclusively, used in the United States b ...
movement. The character was intensely masculine and sexualized in his 20th century appearances, but these aspects were tempered as Cage's focus shifted to his life as a husband and father. Cage was introduced in ''Luke Cage, Hero for Hire'' #1 (June 1972). His series was renamed ''Power Man'' with issue #17 (1974) and then ''
Power Man and Iron Fist ''Power Man and Iron Fist'' (originally ''Luke Cage, Hero for Hire'' then ''Luke Cage, Power Man'') was an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics, featuring the superheroes Power Man and Iron Fist. Publication history ''Hero ...
'' with issue #50 (1978), when Iron Fist became his costar. The series ended after issue #125 (1986), and he then briefly starred in the miniseries ''Cage'' (1992). The character was generally neglected and received little commercial success or broad popularity in the 1990s. However, writer
Brian Michael Bendis Brian Michael Bendis (; born August 18, 1967) is an Americans, American comic book writer and artist. Starting with crime fiction, crime and hardboiled, noir comics, Bendis eventually moved to mainstream superhero fiction, superhero work. While a ...
redesigned Cage for ''Alias'' (2001), and the character then appeared in another series titled ''Cage'' (2002) under the
Max Max or MAX may refer to: Animals * Max (American dog) (1983–2013), at one time purported to be the world's oldest living dog * Max (British dog), the first pet dog to win the PDSA Order of Merit (animal equivalent of the OBE) * Max (gorilla) ...
imprint. In 2004, Bendis incorporated Cage into the
Avengers Avenger(s) or The Avenger(s) may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Marvel Comics universe * Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes **Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes of "The Infinity Sag ...
. He wrote Cage as a main character in '' The New Avengers'' (2004–2010), '' The Pulse'' (2004), ''
The Mighty Avengers ''The Mighty Avengers'' is a comic book A comic book, comic-magazine, or simply comic is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are oft ...
'' (2013–2015), and '' The Defenders'' (2017–2018). Other series featuring Luke Cage have been published, such as ''Luke Cage: Noir'' (2009), a new volume of ''Power Man and Iron Fist'' (2016), the comedic series ''CAGE!'' (2016), and ''Luke Cage: Gang War'' (2023). In his origin story, Carl Lucas gained superhuman strength and unbreakable skin after being the subject of an experiment while in prison. Having been falsely imprisoned, he uses his powers to escape and starts a business as the Hero for Hire under the name Luke Cage. In appearances over the following decades, he teams up with Iron Fist and clears his name. He marries
Jessica Jones Jessica Campbell Jones-Cage, professionally known as Jessica Jones, is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Michael Gaydos and first appea ...
and they have a daughter together while Cage joins the
New Avengers The New Avengers are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The title has been used for four American comic book series. The first two were written by Brian Michael Bendis and depicted a version of Ma ...
, the
Mighty Avengers ''The Mighty Avengers'' is a comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics. Originally written by Brian Michael Bendis, also the writer of ''New Avengers'', the title first featured an officially sanctioned Avengers team of registered s ...
, and the
Defenders Defender(s) or The Defender(s) may refer to: * Defense (military) * Defense (sports) ** Defender (association football) Arts and entertainment Film, television, and theatre Film * ''The Defender'' (1989 film), a Canadian documentary * ''The D ...
. Cage runs in the New York mayoral election against
Wilson Fisk The Kingpin (Wilson Grant Fisk) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and John Romita Sr., and first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #50 (cover-dated July 196 ...
and is elected mayor. Along with Iron Fist and Jessica Jones, Cage's supporting characters include his friend David Griffith and the doctor
Claire Temple Claire Temple is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is a medical doctor primarily affiliated with the superhero Luke Cage and is one of his early love interests. Starting in 2015, a version of the char ...
. His
archenemy In literature, an archenemy, (sometimes spelled as arch-enemy) or nemesis is the main enemy of the protagonist — or sometimes, one of the other main characters — appearing as the most prominent and most-known enemy of the hero. Etymolog ...
is Diamondback, a career criminal and Cage's friend-turned-enemy who caused him to be wrongfully arrested. Other recurring villains faced by Cage include Black Mariah, Cockroach Hamilton,
Comanche The Comanche (), or Nʉmʉnʉʉ (, 'the people'), are a Tribe (Native American), Native American tribe from the Great Plains, Southern Plains of the present-day United States. Comanche people today belong to the List of federally recognized tri ...
,
Cottonmouth ''Agkistrodon piscivorus'' is a species of venomous snake, a pit viper in the subfamily Crotalinae of the family Viperidae. It is one of the world's few semiaquatic vipers (along with the Florida cottonmouth), and is native to the Southeaster ...
, Gideon Mace, and Shades. Mike Colter portrayed Luke Cage in ''
Jessica Jones Jessica Campbell Jones-Cage, professionally known as Jessica Jones, is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Michael Gaydos and first appea ...
'' (2015; 2019), ''
Luke Cage Lucas "Luke" Cage, born Carl Lucas and also known as Power Man, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Archie Goodwin, George Tuska, Roy Thomas, and John Romita Sr. in 1972, he was the first Af ...
'' (2016-2018), and '' The Defenders'' (2017) in
Marvel's Netflix television series Marvel's Netflix television series are a set of interconnected American television series created for the streaming service Netflix, based on characters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics. Produced by Marvel Television and ABC Studios ...
within the
Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on List of Marvel Cinematic Universe films, a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appe ...
.


Publication history


Creation

Luke Cage was created by Archie Goodwin, John Romita Sr.,
Roy Thomas Roy William Thomas Jr."Roy Thomas Checklist" ''Alter Ego'' vol. 3, #50 (July 2005) p. 16 (born November 22, 1940) is an American comic book writer and editor. He was Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics and possibly bes ...
, and
George Tuska George Tuska (; April 26, 1916 – October 16, 2009),George Tuska
at the Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...
publisher
Stan Lee Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber ; December 28, 1922 – November 12, 2018) was an American comic book author, writer, editor, publisher, and producer. He rose through the ranks of a family-run business called Timely Comics which later bec ...
wanted to create a character based on the
Blaxploitation In American cinema, Blaxploitation is the film subgenre of action movie derived from the exploitation film genre in the early 1970s, consequent to the combined cultural momentum of the black civil rights movement, the black power movement, ...
subgenre of action films popular in the 1970s. The films, such as '' Shaft'' (1971) and '' Super Fly'' (1972), were the inspiration for Luke Cage. Lee worked with Thomas on the initial premise of a hero who asks payment for his work. Thomas attributed many of the creative decisions to Lee. When developing Cage's abilities, Thomas was inspired by the
Philip Wylie Philip Gordon Wylie (May 12, 1902 – October 25, 1971) was an American writer of works ranging from pulp science fiction, mysteries, social diatribes and satire to ecology and the threat of nuclear holocaust. Early life and career Born in Bever ...
novel ''
Gladiator A gladiator ( , ) was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gladiators were volunteers who risked their ...
'' (1930). In the novel, the character
Hugo Danner Hugo Danner is a fictional character and the protagonist of Philip Wylie's 1930 novel ''Gladiator''. Born in the late 19th century with superhuman abilities via prenatal chemical experimentation, Danner tries to use his powers for good, making h ...
discovers he is bulletproof after examining where he is struck by machine gun fire during World War I. Dan Hagen of ''
Back Issue! ''Back Issue!'' is an American magazine published by TwoMorrows Publishing, based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 2003 and published eight times yearly, it features articles and art about comic books A comic book, comic-magazine, ...
'' compared Cage's origin to ''
The Count of Monte Cristo ''The Count of Monte Cristo'' () is an adventure novel by the French writer Alexandre Dumas. It was serialised from 1844 to 1846, and published in book form in 1846. It is one of his most popular works, along with ''The Three Musketeers'' (184 ...
'' by
Alexandre Dumas Alexandre Dumas (born Alexandre Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie, 24 July 1802 – 5 December 1870), also known as Alexandre Dumas , was a French novelist and playwright. His works have been translated into many languages and he is one of the mos ...
, to which Thomas said that the book may have had "a conscious or subconscious effect" on Lee or Goodwin. Romita created Cage's initial design, and Tuska became the series' main artist. Goodwin wrote the first stories featuring Luke Cage.
Billy Graham William Franklin Graham Jr. (; November 7, 1918 – February 21, 2018) was an American Evangelism, evangelist, ordained Southern Baptist minister, and Civil rights movement, civil rights advocate, whose broadcasts and world tours featuring liv ...
, the only Black artist working at Marvel at the time, was also brought on to ensure that Tuska's "African-American characters looked African-American". It was determined that he would at some point take over as artist for the character. Marvel had previously created two Black superheroes:
Black Panther A black panther is the Melanism, melanistic colour variant of the leopard (''Panthera pardus'') and the jaguar (''Panthera onca''). Black panthers of both species have excess black pigments, but their typical Rosette (zoology), rosettes are al ...
and
Falcon Falcons () are birds of prey in the genus ''Falco'', which includes about 40 species. Some small species of falcons with long, narrow wings are called hobbies, and some that hover while hunting are called kestrels. Falcons are widely distrib ...
. However, Luke Cage was the first of Marvel's African-American characters to lead his own series. He was developed during a period of increasing racial diversity in comic books and popular media more broadly. American society at the time was undergoing a shift in racial attitudes, and calls for
social justice Social justice is justice in relation to the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society where individuals' rights are recognized and protected. In Western and Asian cultures, the concept of social justice has of ...
and against racism were increasing. The character was distinct from other superheroes because he lived in poverty and struggled with practical affairs like supporting himself and starting a business. During internal deliberations, Marvel determined that Cage had the best marketing potential of their properties.


1970s

Cage was introduced in '' Luke Cage, Hero for Hire'', in 1972. The series alternated between its continuing plot of Cage trying to support himself and address problems in his personal life, alongside secondary plots each issue in which Cage completed a job as a hero for hire. Goodwin wrote the first four issues before
Steve Englehart Steve Englehart (; born April 22, 1947) is an American writer of comic books and novels. He is best known for his work at Marvel Comics and DC Comics in the 1970s and 1980s. His pseudonyms have included John Harkness and Cliff Garnett. Early li ...
became the writer. Tuska was the series' artist, but Graham worked as
inker The inker (sometimes credited as the finisher or embellisher) is one of the two line artists in traditional comic book production. After the penciller creates a drawing with pencil, the inker interprets this drawing by outlining and embellishing ...
and frequently shared responsibilities with Tuska as
penciler A penciller (or penciler) is an artist who works on the creation of comic books, graphic novels, and similar visual art forms, with a focus on the initial pencil illustrations. In the American comic book industry, the penciller is the first step ...
. Englehart and Tuska came into conflict while working on ''Luke Cage, Hero for Hire''. Englehart wrote subplots for the series, only for Tuska to disregard them and say "I didn't feel like drawing that". In issue #8 (1973), Luke Cage is described with the racial slur ''
schvartze Schvartze (from ; cf. German: ; OED) is a racial slur for black people in the Yiddish language. Etymology ''Schvartze'' is derived from the Yiddish word ''schvarts'', which means "black". The term was rare prior to the 20th century. An article fo ...
''. According to Englehart, he was not aware it was a slur and was tricked into adding it by Tuska. Englehart printed an apology in issue #11. Marvel made a stronger push toward representation of Black characters in 1973. Reframing the character, the company announced that "much of Cage's jivin' slang will be eliminated". Cage made an appearance outside of his own series when he fought with
Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appearance, first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in ...
in ''
The Amazing Spider-Man ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' is an ongoing American superhero American comic book, comic book series featuring the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man as its title character and main protagonist. Being in the Earth 616, mainstream continuity of t ...
'' #123 (1973). The issue was illustrated by
Gil Kane Gil Kane (; born Eli Katz , ; April 6, 1926 – January 31, 2000) was a Latvian-born American comics artist whose career spanned the 1940s to the 1990s and virtually every major comics company and character. Kane co-created the modern-day vers ...
and John Romita Sr. Graham became the main artist for Luke Cage beginning with issue #13 (1973). The character and the series were renamed "Power Man" in issue #17 (1974). The name was inspired by the
Black power Black power is a list of political slogans, political slogan and a name which is given to various associated ideologies which aim to achieve self-determination for black people. It is primarily, but not exclusively, used in the United States b ...
movement, and according to Thomas the change was made in an attempt to increase sales. Cage appeared in '' The Defenders'' #17–19 (1974–1975), which had him fight the
Defenders Defender(s) or The Defender(s) may refer to: * Defense (military) * Defense (sports) ** Defender (association football) Arts and entertainment Film, television, and theatre Film * ''The Defender'' (1989 film), a Canadian documentary * ''The D ...
before they work together to stop the Wrecking Crew. ''Power Man'' did not have a dedicated writer in the issues after Englehart's departure, so several writers briefly contributed. Tuska remained active as an artist for the series at this time.
Don McGregor Donald Francis McGregor (born June 15, 1945) is an American comic book writer best known for his work for Marvel Comics; he is the author of one of the first graphic novels. Early life Don McGregor was born in Providence, Rhode Island, where he ...
eventually requested writing duties for ''Power Man'', and he worked on issues #28 and #30–35. A production problem prevented him from writing issue #29, leaving issue #28's cliffhanger open as an alternate story was featured in issue #29. McGregor made various additions to the character during his brief run, including several of Cage's classic villains. McGregor glamorized Cage's ability to persevere through suffering. The series went through several artists at this time. Cage also co-starred in ''
Fantastic Four The Fantastic Four, often abbreviated as FF, is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team debuted in '' The Fantastic Four'' #1 ( cover-dated November 1961), helping usher in a new level of realism i ...
'' #168 (1976), when Roy Thomas used him to briefly replace the
Thing Thing or The Thing may refer to: Philosophy * An object * Broadly, an entity * Thing-in-itself (or ''noumenon''), the reality that underlies perceptions, a term coined by Immanuel Kant * Thing theory, a branch of critical theory that focuses ...
as a member of the
Fantastic Four The Fantastic Four, often abbreviated as FF, is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team debuted in '' The Fantastic Four'' #1 ( cover-dated November 1961), helping usher in a new level of realism i ...
.
Marv Wolfman Marvin Arthur Wolfman (born May 13, 1946) is an American comic book and novelization writer. He worked on Marvel Comics's ''The Tomb of Dracula'', for which he and artist Gene Colan created the vampire-slayer Blade (character), Blade, and DC Comi ...
became Cage's writer after issue #36 (1976). ''Power Man'' was accompanied by an annual edition the same year, created by
Chris Claremont Christopher S. Claremont (; born November 25, 1950) is an English-born American comic book writer and novelist. Claremont is best known for his 16-year stint on ''Uncanny X-Men'' from 1975 to 1991, far longer than that of any other writer,Clarem ...
. The duo of Claremont and John Byrne were then made artists for the series, continuing a period of collaborations between the two. The martial arts superhero Iron Fist joined the series as a co-star in issue #48 (1978), and the series was renamed ''Power Man and Iron Fist'' with issue #50 (1978). They were grouped together after neither character proved popular enough to support his own series.
Jo Duffy Mary Jo Duffy (born February 9, 1954) is an American comic book editor and writer, known for her work for Marvel Comics in the 1980s and DC Comics and Image Comics in the 1990s. Biography A native of the New York City area, Duffy attended Welles ...
, a fan of both characters, was appointed as its writer at her request beginning with issue #56. Cage's innocence was proven in this story arc, and he was no longer written as an escaped convict. To elevate Luke Cage and Iron Fist, Duffy and artist
Trevor Von Eeden Trevor Von Eeden (born July 24, 1959) is a Guyanese-American comics artist, actor and writer known for his work on such titles as ''Black Lightning'', ''Batman'', ''Green Arrow'', ''Power Man and Iron Fist'', and the biographical series ''The Orig ...
began with a story in which the characters encountered the
X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, the team first appeared in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 (September 1963). Although initial ...
and the
Living Monolith The Living Monolith (Ahmet Abdol) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He was created by writer Arnold Drake and artist Don Heck, and first appeared in ''The X-Men'' #54 (March 1969). Abdol is the Living ...
before returning them to more mundane environments.


1980s–1990s

''Power Man and Iron Fist'' received its long-term artist when
Kerry Gammill Kerry Gammill (born April 26, 1954) is an American artist who has worked in the fields of comic books, special effects, storyboards, and character designs. As a comic book artist, he is best known for his work on ''Power Man and Iron Fist'' for ...
was added for issue #61 (1980). Gammill continued drawing the series until issue #79 (1982), and Duffy continued writing it until issue #84 (1982). Their editor,
Dennis O'Neil Dennis "Denny" Joseph O'Neil (May 3, 1939 – June 11, 2020) was an American comic book writer and editor, principally for Marvel Comics and DC Comics from the 1960s through the 1990s, and Group Editor for the Batman family of titles until h ...
, disliked the light-hearted and humorous tone that Duffy had used for the series.
Denys Cowan Denys Cowan (; born January 30, 1961) is an American comics artist, television producer, media executive and one of the co-founders of Milestone Media. Early life Denys Cowan was first inspired by superheroes as a child from reruns of the 1950s T ...
took over for Gammill.
Bob Layton Bob Layton (born September 25, 1953) is an American comic book artist, writer, and editor. He is best known for his work on Marvel Comics titles such as ''Iron Man (comic book), Iron Man'' and ''Hercules (Marvel Comics), Hercules'', and for co-fo ...
was announced as Duffy's replacement, but he never began and O'Neil filled in until
Kurt Busiek Kurt Busiek ( ; born September 16, 1960) is an American comic book writer. His work includes the '' Marvels'' limited series, his own series titled '' Astro City'', a four-year run on '' The Avengers, Thunderbolts,'' and ''Superman.'' Early lif ...
became writer with issue #90 (1983). Busiek continued the light-hearted tone until he too was removed from the series, ending his run on issue #102 (1984). The series had no dedicated creators or storylines until Christopher Priest became the writer from issue #111 (1984) until the series' cancellation with issue #125 (1986), working alongside artist M. D. Bright. Priest, who was himself Black, was criticized within Marvel for reducing Cage's use of stereotypical Black dialogue. For the reaminder of the 1980s after Marvel canceled ''Power Man and Iron Fist'', Cage made guest appearances in other comics. He was revitalized with a new series, ''Cage'', in 1992. This series removed the Blaxploitation elements of the character, tempering him and putting him in common street clothes. With minimal resemblance to the original depiction of the character, the series was not well-received and it sold poorly. It was canceled after 20 issues. Cage then made an appearance in '' Marvels'' (1994), where artist
Alex Ross Nelson Alexander Ross (born January 22, 1970) is an American comic book creator, comic book writer and artist known primarily for his painted interiors, covers, and design work. He first became known with the 1994 miniseries ''Marvels'', on which ...
used
Jim Brown James Nathaniel Brown (February 17, 1936 – May 18, 2023) was an American professional American football, football player, civil rights activist, and actor. He played as a Fullback (gridiron football), fullback for the Cleveland Browns of the ...
as a model for Luke Cage's design. The character made an appearance in a parody edition of ''
What If What If may refer to: Film * ''What If'', a 2006 TV film starring Niall Buggy * What If... (2010 film), ''What If...'' (2010 film), an American film * What If... (2012 film), ''What If...'' (2012 film), a Greek film * What If (2013 film), ''What ...
'' where he found and wielded Mjolnir, the hammer of
Thor Thor (from ) is a prominent list of thunder gods, god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding æsir, god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology, sacred g ...
. Another attempt was made to revive the character in 1996 with the publication of a new Luke Cage and Iron Fist duo series, ''Heroes for Hire'', but it was canceled after 19 issues.


2000s

By the start of the 21st century, Luke Cage was not meaningfully used by Marvel and was seen as outdated following the end of the Blaxploitation era. The writer
Brian Michael Bendis Brian Michael Bendis (; born August 18, 1967) is an Americans, American comic book writer and artist. Starting with crime fiction, crime and hardboiled, noir comics, Bendis eventually moved to mainstream superhero fiction, superhero work. While a ...
created an updated version of Luke Cage in 2001, making him a supporting character in the series '' Alias'', in which Cage is a romantic interest for the main character
Jessica Jones Jessica Campbell Jones-Cage, professionally known as Jessica Jones, is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Michael Gaydos and first appea ...
. According to Bendis, his colleagues teased him for his insistence on the character's inclusion, calling it a "man-crush". A new ''Cage'' series was published under the adult-targeted
Max Max or MAX may refer to: Animals * Max (American dog) (1983–2013), at one time purported to be the world's oldest living dog * Max (British dog), the first pet dog to win the PDSA Order of Merit (animal equivalent of the OBE) * Max (gorilla) ...
imprint in 2002, featuring more explicit content. Created by
Brian Azzarello Brian Azzarello (born August 11, 1962) is an American comic book writer and screenwriter who first came to prominence with the hardboiled crime series ''100 Bullets'', published by DC Comics' mature-audience imprint Vertigo (DC Comics), Vertigo. ...
,
Richard Corben Richard Corben (November 1, 1940December 2, 2020) was an American illustrator and comic book artist best known for his comics featured in '' Heavy Metal'' magazine, especially the ''Den'' series which was featured in the magazine's first film a ...
, and
José Villarrubia José Antonio Villarrubia Jiménez-Momediano (born 17 November 1961) is a Spanish-American artist and educator who has done considerable work in the American comic book industry, particularly as a colorist. His fine art photography has been exhi ...
, this series portrayed the Black community in a more stereotypical way and depicted Cage working as muscle for hire in less heroic circumstances. It has been described as Luke Cage redesigned for
hip-hop culture Hip-hop culture is an art movement that emerged in New York City, in the borough of The Bronx; Primarily within the black community. Hip Hop as an art form and culture has been heavily influenced by both male and female artists. It is charac ...
. Bendis used Cage again as a main character in '' The New Avengers'', which took place after the 2004 "
Avengers Disassembled "Avengers Disassembled" is a 2004 crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics involving the Avengers, Fantastic Four, Captain America, Spider-Man and Thor. The beginning of Brian Michael Bendis's ''Avengers'' run, it depicts the destruction o ...
" storyline. He decided to have Cage shave his head in the second issue, inspired by a similar style change by comedian
Damon Wayans Damon Kyle Wayans Sr. (; born September 4, 1960) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, producer, and writer. A member of the Wayans family of entertainers, Damon performed as a comedian and actor throughout the 1980s, including a brief stint ...
, and the new look became standard for the character's appearance. Cage concurrently returned in Bendis's next Jessica Jones series, '' The Pulse'', beginning in 2004. In ''The Pulse'', Jones is pregnant with Cage's daughter, and issues #11–14 (2005–2006) feature the child's birth and Cage's subsequent marriage proposal to Jones. Her acceptance and their wedding are depicted in ''The New Avengers Annual'' #1 (2006). Cage was also included as one of the guest stars in the
Black Panther A black panther is the Melanism, melanistic colour variant of the leopard (''Panthera pardus'') and the jaguar (''Panthera onca''). Black panthers of both species have excess black pigments, but their typical Rosette (zoology), rosettes are al ...
storyline "Bad Mutha" in 2006, along with
Blade A blade is the Sharpness (cutting), sharp, cutting portion of a tool, weapon, or machine, specifically designed to puncture, chop, slice, or scrape surfaces or materials. Blades are typically made from materials that are harder than those they a ...
and Brother Voodoo. Cage's continued appearances in ''The New Avengers'' focused on his new life as a husband and father. This coincided with the company-wide storylines ''
Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
'', ''
Secret Invasion "Secret Invasion" is a comic book fictional crossover, crossover storyline written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Leinil Francis Yu, that ran through a self-titled eight-issue Limited series (comics), limited series and several ti ...
'', " Dark Reign", and ''
Avengers vs. X-Men ''Avengers vs. X-Men'' (''AvX'' or ''AvsX'') is a 2012 crossover event that was featured in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The event, consisting of an eponymous limited series and numerous tie-in books, involves the return of the Phoe ...
'', between 2005 and 2012. The plot of ''Civil War'' sees Cage compelled to fight against other superheroes and send his family into hiding. Cage invokes Black history in order to challenge Iron Man's strict adherence to the law, recalling slavery and the civil rights movement. Cage then has his own subplot in ''
Secret Invasion "Secret Invasion" is a comic book fictional crossover, crossover storyline written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Leinil Francis Yu, that ran through a self-titled eight-issue Limited series (comics), limited series and several ti ...
'', in which he aligns with
Norman Osborn Norman Virgil Osborn is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, he first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #14 (July 1964) as the first and best-known incarnation of th ...
in order to locate his kidnapped daughter. Cage remained a major character in ''The New Avengers'' until its conclusion in ''The New Avengers: Finale'' (2010). He was simultaneously a major character in '' House of M: Avengers'' (2008), which depicted him in his original design. A
film noir Film noir (; ) is a style of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood Crime film, crime dramas that emphasizes cynicism (contemporary), cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of Ameri ...
version of Luke Cage was also depicted in '' Luke Cage Noir'' (2009–2010), set in the 1920s.


2010s–2020s

''The New Avengers: Luke Cage'' was published in 2010, containing the three-part "Town Without Pity" storyline set in Philadelphia, written by
John Arcudi John Arcudi is an American comic book writer, best known for his work on '' The Mask'' and '' B.P.R.D.'' and his series '' Major Bummer''. Early life Arcudi grew up in Buffalo, New York. He attended Columbia University as an English major and ...
and illustrated by Eric Canete. It was published alongside a one-shot in which Daredevil and Cage fight for charity, written by
Antony Johnston Antony Johnston (born 25 August 1972) is a British writer of comics, video games, and novels. He is known for the post-apocalyptic comic series '' Wasteland'', the graphic novel ''The Coldest City'' (adapted for film as '' Atomic Blonde''), and ...
and illustrated by Sean Chen. ''Avengers Origins: Luke Cage'' was then published in 2013, written by Michael Benson and
Adam Glass Adam Glass is an American comic book writer, screenwriter and television producer best known for his work on the TV series ''Supernatural,'' ''Cold Case'' and ''Criminal Minds''. As a comic writer, he wrote such titles as '' Deadpool'' and '' L ...
. Cage was one of several Black superheroes teamed together in ''
The Mighty Avengers ''The Mighty Avengers'' is a comic book A comic book, comic-magazine, or simply comic is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are oft ...
'' (2013–2014) and ''Captain America and the Mighty Avengers'' (2014–2015). A new volume of ''Power Man and Iron Fist'' began publication in 2016 as part of the
All-New, All-Different Marvel All-New, All-Different Marvel (ANADM) is a 2015–2019 branding for Marvel Comics' entire main line of comics. Taking place after the crossover storyline "Secret Wars", it details the new Marvel Universe, with nearly 60–65 titles relaunched wi ...
branding, written by David F. Walker and illustrated by Sanford Greene. ''CAGE!'' was published the same year as a comedic interpretation of Cage's original design. This series, first announced in 2007, was written and illustrated by
Genndy Tartakovsky Gennady Borisovich "Genndy" Tartakovsky (; born January 17, 1970) is a Soviet-born American animation, animator, screenwriter, film producer, and film director, director. He is best known as the creator of various animated television series on ...
. A new ''Luke Cage'' series began publication in 2017 to coincide with the ''
Luke Cage Lucas "Luke" Cage, born Carl Lucas and also known as Power Man, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Archie Goodwin, George Tuska, Roy Thomas, and John Romita Sr. in 1972, he was the first Af ...
'' television series. The first five issues made up the "Sins of the Father" story arc, written by David F. Walker and illustrated by Nelson Blake. The series was then rebranded under
Marvel Legacy Marvel Legacy is a 2017–18 relaunch of a line of American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is concurrent with All-New, All-Different Marvel and Marvel NOW! 2.0. Publication history On April 22, 2017, Marvel Comics announced Marvel ...
, which adjusted the series' numbering. The "Caged" story arc was published as issues #166–170. Walker remained as the writer while Guillermo Sanna and Marcio Menyz were its artists. It was canceled in 2018 after issue #170. Brian Michael Bendis wrote ''The Defenders'' with artist David Marquez in 2017, placing Cage in a team alongside Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, and Daredevil to coincide with the television adaptations of these characters. The same year, Cage also appeared in a new team led by
Black Panther A black panther is the Melanism, melanistic colour variant of the leopard (''Panthera pardus'') and the jaguar (''Panthera onca''). Black panthers of both species have excess black pigments, but their typical Rosette (zoology), rosettes are al ...
, The Crew in a series written by
Ta-Nehisi Coates Ta-Nehisi Paul Coates ( ; born September 30, 1975) is an American author, journalist, and activist. He gained a wide readership during his time as national correspondent at ''The Atlantic'', where he wrote about cultural, social, and political is ...
. Cage worked alongside
Storm A storm is any disturbed state of the natural environment or the atmosphere of an astronomical body. It may be marked by significant disruptions to normal conditions such as strong wind, tornadoes, hail, thunder and lightning (a thunderstor ...
,
Misty Knight Mercedes "Misty" Knight is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Jenny Blake Isabella and Arvell Jones, the character was first mentioned in '' Marvel Premiere'' #20 (January 1975) and first appear ...
, and
Manifold In mathematics, a manifold is a topological space that locally resembles Euclidean space near each point. More precisely, an n-dimensional manifold, or ''n-manifold'' for short, is a topological space with the property that each point has a N ...
. The three-issue series ''Luke Cage: Everyman'' was released in 2018 as the second publication in the Marvel Digital Original line, written by Anthony Del Col and illustrated by Jahnoy Lindsay. A miniseries titled ''Luke Cage: City of Fire'' began production, written by Ho Che Anderson, with an expected release date in 2021. The series would have featured a story about police brutality based on the
murder of George Floyd On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black American man, was murdered in Minneapolis by Derek Chauvin, a 44-year-old White police officer. Floyd had been arrested after a store clerk reported that he made a purchase using a c ...
, but Marvel canceled it shortly before its release out of fear that it would provoke retaliation. According to Anderson, executives told him it was canceled so he would not be "attacked by right-wing nuts". Cage appeared as a major character in the "
Devil's Reign "Devil's Reign" is an American comic book event written by Chip Zdarsky with art by Marco Checchetto, published from December 2021 to May 2022 by Marvel Comics. Premise In a ploy to increase his power, Mayor Kingpin (character), Wilson Fisk has ...
" event in 2021, which ended with him becoming
mayor of New York City The mayor of New York City, officially mayor of the City of New York, is head of the executive branch of the government of New York City and the chief executive of New York City. The Mayoralty in the United States, mayor's office administers all ...
. He then received his own tie-in series for the " Gang War" event that began in 2023. ''Luke Cage: Gang War'', written by Rodney Barnes and illustrated by Ramon Bachs, depicts Cage's time as mayor and his decision to resume vigilantism.


Characterization


Fictional character biography

Carl Lucas is a resident of Harlem. He was in a gang with his friend Willis Stryker until he experienced regrets about his criminal life and left the gang. When Stryker's girlfriend breaks up with him and seeks out Lucas, Stryker frames Lucas for drug possession. Lucas is sent to prison and is abused when he refuses to be an
informant An informant (also called an informer or, as a slang term, a "snitch", "rat", "canary", "stool pigeon", "stoolie", "tout" or "grass", among other terms) is a person who provides privileged information, or (usually damaging) information inten ...
. He agrees to a dangerous experiment in the hope that it will help him get
parole Parole, also known as provisional release, supervised release, or being on paper, is a form of early release of a prisoner, prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated ...
, but a racist corrections officer sabotages the experiment in an attempt to kill him. The experiment inadvertently gives Lucas superhuman strength and nearly impenetrable skin, which he uses to escape. When he stops a robber and receives a cash reward, he decides to start a business as a super-powered private detective. Lucas takes on a new name, Luke Cage, and he later starts calling himself Power Man. When Cage is blackmailed by Bushmaster to kidnap
Misty Knight Mercedes "Misty" Knight is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Jenny Blake Isabella and Arvell Jones, the character was first mentioned in '' Marvel Premiere'' #20 (January 1975) and first appear ...
, he meets Knight's boyfriend, Iron Fist. They work together to prove Cage's innocence, and they become partners as the Heroes for Hire. Cage becomes a fugitive again when he is blamed for Iron Fist's apparent death, but Iron Fist is eventually found to be alive. For a time, Cage moves his Hero for Hire operations to Chicago. Cage moves away from hero work as a bodyguard and bar owner, and he has a sexual encounter with his friend
Jessica Jones Jessica Campbell Jones-Cage, professionally known as Jessica Jones, is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Michael Gaydos and first appea ...
. The two fall in love while working on a bodyguard job together for Matt Murdock, Daredevil's alter ego. They go on to have a daughter together and marry each other. Cage is one of several heroes who responds to a breakout from the supervillain prison the Raft, and they join together to become the
New Avengers The New Avengers are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The title has been used for four American comic book series. The first two were written by Brian Michael Bendis and depicted a version of Ma ...
. He refuses to register after the Superhero Registration Act is passed and he aligns with Captain America's resistance, separating him from his family and making him a fugitive. Cage's daughter is kidnapped by a shapeshifting alien
Skrull The Skrulls () are a race of List of fictional extraterrestrials, extraterrestrial shapeshifters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They first appeared in ''Fantastic Four (comic book), Fantastic Four'' #2 and were crea ...
during the ''
Secret Invasion "Secret Invasion" is a comic book fictional crossover, crossover storyline written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Leinil Francis Yu, that ran through a self-titled eight-issue Limited series (comics), limited series and several ti ...
''. In his desperation, he agrees to register and aligns with then-head of
S.H.I.E.L.D. S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage, special law enforcement, and counter-terrorism government agency appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, this agency first appeared in ''Strange Tal ...
, the villain
Norman Osborn Norman Virgil Osborn is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, he first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #14 (July 1964) as the first and best-known incarnation of th ...
, and he recovers his daughter. He then attacks Osborn's henchmen, sparing Osborn only because of his assistance in finding the child. After Osborn's rule ends, Cage becomes the leader of another group of New Avengers and takes command of the reformed supervillain team the Thunderbolts. Cage retires from heroism after realizing the stakes of living his lifestyle while having a child, but he later joins the
Mighty Avengers ''The Mighty Avengers'' is a comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics. Originally written by Brian Michael Bendis, also the writer of ''New Avengers'', the title first featured an officially sanctioned Avengers team of registered s ...
and then a new version of the
Defenders Defender(s) or The Defender(s) may refer to: * Defense (military) * Defense (sports) ** Defender (association football) Arts and entertainment Film, television, and theatre Film * ''The Defender'' (1989 film), a Canadian documentary * ''The D ...
. He is diagnosed with
chronic traumatic encephalopathy Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disease linked to repeated trauma to the head. The encephalopathy symptoms can include behavioral problems, mood problems, and problems with thinking. The disease often gets wor ...
as a consequence of his violent lifestyle. Cage runs to be mayor of New York, challenging Mayor
Wilson Fisk The Kingpin (Wilson Grant Fisk) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and John Romita Sr., and first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #50 (cover-dated July 196 ...
. Following Fisk's arrest, Cage runs unopposed and is elected.


Personality and motivations

As depicted in the comics, Cage was shaped by his life in poverty in Harlem, where he was forced to become a criminal and learn to survive. While in poverty, he expresses more frustration when his enemies destroy his office than when they attack him personally as he understands that he will have to pay to fix the damage to his office. He has disdain for the wealthy East Side in Manhattan, seeing the neighborhood and its residents as artificial. He takes satisfaction in his business as he becomes more successful and upgrades his office. After moving his operations to
Times Square Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and Neighborhoods in New York City, neighborhood in the Midtown Manhattan section of New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway (Manhattan), ...
, he retains his previous office over a
grindhouse A grindhouse or action house is an American term for a theatre that mainly shows low-budget horror, splatter, and exploitation films for adults. According to historian David Church, this theater type was named after the "grind policy", a f ...
theater in a poorer part of the city to ensure that he is still accessible to the working class. His financial concerns are alleviated after he partners with his wealthier ally Iron Fist. The character's anger defines Cage when he is first introduced, bitter about the injustice of his false imprisonment. His experiences living in Harlem and being experimented on in prison made him cynical. Cage is believed dead after he receives his powers, separating him from society more than a traditional superhero. Rather than act purely out of altruism, Cage seeks compensation for heroic acts. He believes that altruism is unrealistic when race and class are taken into consideration. Despite this, he sometimes refuses to accept a fee. In the third issue of ''Luke Cage, Hero for Hire'', Cage returns his fee to a widowed mother whose husband had hired him. Cage is portrayed as highly masculine, especially in the context of African-American culture. This is closely associated with his origin inspired by
Blaxploitation In American cinema, Blaxploitation is the film subgenre of action movie derived from the exploitation film genre in the early 1970s, consequent to the combined cultural momentum of the black civil rights movement, the black power movement, ...
films, where hypermasculinity is common. He is written as promiscuous and highly sexual, especially in his youth. He is embarrassed by this past when his old sexual partners continue making advances after he is married. Other characters understand him to be a "cape chaser" who had regular sexual encounters with female superheroes. As Cage's character evolved, more nuanced traits were introduced as he became husband and father and as he balanced his superheroism between street crime and more traditional supervillains. His characterization underwent a major shift in ''The New Avengers'', which reframed him as a paternal figure who cares for his infant daughter while serving as a mentor for younger superheroes who are racial minorities. He is shown as a responsible, caring father while other heroes are fighting. Part of his motivation for joining the team is so that his soon-to-be-born daughter will be able to hear that her father was an Avenger. This leads to further conflict with Cage's split roles as a father and a superhero, as the dangerous nature of his work puts his daughter at risk and causes his wife to doubt his sincerity about prioritizing the family. His romantic relationship with Jessica Jones became his primary focus, with that focus eventually shared with the daughter they have together. Aesthetically, Cage is not a traditional superhero. He does not consistently use a superhero name or wear a superhero costume. He does not have a secret identity, though he changed his name to Luke Cage while in hiding after escaping prison. Cage wears an extravagant street-clothes outfit in his original design, featuring a bright yellow top with a collar and open front, black spandex pants, yellow-trimmed boots, a chain belt, metal bracelets, and a metal headband. This outfit both reflects his inability to afford more sophisticated costumes and balances the seriousness of the character. When the character chooses these outfits, he remarks that the chains will remind him of his past imprisonment, as well as the possibility that he could be imprisoned again. He similarly chooses the name Cage to invoke his origin as a prisoner. He later wears more casual outfits like a t-shirt with jeans. Cage is associated with a catchphrase, "Sweet Christmas!", which he often exclaimed in the 1970s.


Powers and abilities

Luke Cage has superhuman strength and durability. He gained his powers through an experiment, described as an "electro-biochemical process" that was intended to improve human healing by speeding up cellular regeneration. Cage's skin is as strong as steel, his muscles and bones are much denser than those of an average human, and he can heal three times as quickly. Cage's powers are more defensive than active, making him a relatively passive character in combat. When the character was created, a rule was implemented that he could not use his powers to leap high into the air, but this rule was broken by his sixth appearance. Besides his superhuman abilities, Cage is depicted as street smart and a skilled fighter.


Themes

Race and its social implications are prominent in Luke Cage stories. Luke Cage is symbolic of the resistance to racism that defined the Black identity in the United States, and the character explores problems faced by African Americans because of
institutional racism Institutional racism, also known as systemic racism, is a form of institutional discrimination based on Race (human categorization), race or ethnic group and can include policies and practices that exist throughout a whole society or organizati ...
. Cage's symbolism arises from his being a Black man with bulletproof skin. The fact that his powers are derived from his skin creates a contrast where his skin is both what causes him to be persecuted and what gives him the ability to fight back. The character originated from the Black power movement, although this interpretation of the character receded by the 1980s as the Black power movement declined in prominence and the Black power hero moved out of the cultural zeitgeist. Prison reform had become a major political issue in the years leading up to Cage's debut, and ''Luke Cage, Hero for Hire'' introduced the character alongside a criticism of
police brutality Police brutality is the excessive and unwarranted use of force by law enforcement against an individual or Public order policing, a group. It is an extreme form of police misconduct and is a civil rights violation. Police brutality includes, b ...
and the prison system in the United States. Cage's origin as both a superhero and a prisoner makes him distinct from other superheroes with more traditionally noble origins. Unlike the heroic experiment that gave Captain America his superpowers and the science-fiction themes of later superheroes, Cage is given his powers in the less glamorous environment of a prison experiment. Shortly after Cage's first appearance, news of the
Tuskegee Syphilis Study The Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male (informally referred to as the Tuskegee Experiment or Tuskegee Syphilis Study) was a study conducted between 1932 and 1972 by the United States Public Health Service (PHS) and the Cent ...
became public as a real-life example of Black men being experimented on. Issues relating to class are a regular feature in Luke Cage stories, and Cage's persona draws from a tradition of urban
folk hero A folk hero or national hero is a type of hero – real, fictional or mythology, mythological – with their name, personality and deeds embedded in the popular consciousness of a people, mentioned frequently in Folk music, folk songs, folk tales ...
es who represent the working class. This helped to differentiate him from Marvel's other well known Black superhero of the time, the Black Panther, the king of a highly developed African nation. Cage's origin gives focus to the financial aspects of superheroism as the character has to fund his own operations. Cage operates out of New York like many other Marvel Comics superheroes, but his origin is in the
inner city The term inner city (also called the hood) has been used, especially in the United States, as a euphemism for majority-minority lower-income residential districts that often refer to rundown neighborhoods, in a downtown or city centre area. Soc ...
as opposed to more affluent or suburban areas. This setting depicts less desirable aspects of New York City relative to the settings of other superhero stories, showing a poorer, rougher area. Cage's public blending of his career and his heroism subverts the usual trope of heroes trying to keep these things separate. The transactional nature of Cage's heroism challenges the notion of a selfless hero being morally superior. It indicates that
social privilege Social privilege is an advantage or entitlement that benefits individuals belonging to certain groups, often to the detriment of others. Privileged groups can be advantaged based on social class, wealth, education, caste, age, height, skin col ...
and financial stability are necessary for a hero to act without compensation, which is not an option for working class heroes like Luke Cage. This theme became less prominent a few years into Luke Cage's publications as the series shifted toward more traditional heroics to boost sales. Cage's balancing of his life as a father and as a superhero then became a major theme used to comment on the fatherhood of Black men and domestic life more generally. Several franchise-wide storylines took place while Cage learned to become a father, presenting obstacles for the character in his attempts to prioritize his family. Cage's role in these stories subverts common ideas of absent fathers and masculinity being incompatible with domesticity when he remains committed to his responsibility as a father.


Supporting characters

Luke Cage is closely tied to the character Iron Fist. They were brought together for the shared series ''Power Man and Iron Fist'' in 1978 where they came to be partners. Cage's primary romantic interest is
Jessica Jones Jessica Campbell Jones-Cage, professionally known as Jessica Jones, is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Michael Gaydos and first appea ...
. Their relationship becomes central to his character after their marriage, and they have a daughter named Danielle. Cage formed a team, the
Defenders Defender(s) or The Defender(s) may refer to: * Defense (military) * Defense (sports) ** Defender (association football) Arts and entertainment Film, television, and theatre Film * ''The Defender'' (1989 film), a Canadian documentary * ''The D ...
, with Jones, Iron Fist, and Daredevil. He has worked with other teams, including the New Avengers. In the first issues of his original series, Cage is established with the supporting characters
Claire Temple Claire Temple is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is a medical doctor primarily affiliated with the superhero Luke Cage and is one of his early love interests. Starting in 2015, a version of the char ...
, a doctor who operates a clinic with the man who gave Cage his powers, and David Griffith, the nephew of his landlord who becomes a friend of Cage. Cage's first love interest is Reva Connors. In his origin story, Willis Stryker competes with Cage for her attention, eventually framing Cage and getting him sent to prison. Connors is then accidentally killed in a mob hit targeting Stryker.


Villains

Luke Cage's original nemesis is his friend-turned-rival Willis Stryker, who calls himself Diamondback. The pair were partners who became involved in gangs, but Cage left the lifestyle while Stryker became more involved in it. Diamondback becomes his own version of a hero for hire, using trick knives with different functionalities. Shades and
Comanche The Comanche (), or Nʉmʉnʉʉ (, 'the people'), are a Tribe (Native American), Native American tribe from the Great Plains, Southern Plains of the present-day United States. Comanche people today belong to the List of federally recognized tri ...
are also villains Cage encounters in his origin, meeting them as fellow prisoners during his origin story. Other recurring villains introduced in Cage's original series include Gideon Mace, Black Mariah, Chemistro,
Stiletto A stiletto (plural stilettos) is a specialized dagger with a long slender blade and needle-like point, primarily intended as a thrusting and stabbing weapon.Limburg, Peter R., ''What's In The Names Of Antique Weapons'', Coward, McCann & Geoghega ...
,
Steeplejack A steeplejack is a trade (profession), craftsman who scales tall buildings and structures to carry out repairs or maintenance. They are sometimes also involved in new construction, as well as demolition. Processes and techniques Steeplejacks ...
, Cockroach Hamilton, Mr. Fish, and Piranha Jones. Cage's earliest villains were underworld criminals, typically working for a crime boss or a criminal organization. He has faced several villains of this type, including
Cottonmouth ''Agkistrodon piscivorus'' is a species of venomous snake, a pit viper in the subfamily Crotalinae of the family Viperidae. It is one of the world's few semiaquatic vipers (along with the Florida cottonmouth), and is native to the Southeaster ...
, Diamondback, Steeplejack, and Stilleto. Many of Cage's villains are people who became criminals because they were unable to achieve
social mobility Social mobility is the movement of individuals, families, households or other categories of people within or between social strata in a society. It is a change in social status relative to one's current social location within a given socie ...
, including Big Brother, Chemistro, Mr. Fish, and Piranha Jones. Cage shares the name "Power Man" with the villain
Erik Josten Erik Josten, also known as Power Man, Smuggler, Goliath (Marvel Comics), Goliath and Atlas, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has been a prominent member of both the Masters of E ...
, introduced in '' The Avengers'' #21 (1965), and the two first encounter one another in ''Power Man'' #21 (1974). ''Power Man and Iron Fist'' writer Jo Duffy commented on the difficulty of writing villains for the titular characters, saying that they are too strong to fight common criminals but too weak to fight powerful supervillains. To address this, she introduced the superpowered swordsman El Águila and the scheming mountaineer
Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...
.


Reception and legacy

Luke Cage was created as African-American heroes were first becoming acceptable to the American public, and the writers at Marvel developed the character to support this movement. Cage was positively received by readers when he was introduced, both for representation that came with an African-American superhero and for the means of exploring class and race in comic books. The 2016 television adaptation of Luke Cage similarly debuted during a period of renewed interest in how
police brutality in the United States Police brutality is the use of excessive or unwarranted force by law enforcement, resulting in physical or psychological harm to a person. It includes beatings, killing, intimidation tactics, racist abuse, and/or torture. Police brutality, rac ...
affects Black men. Although the character was successful, Cage did not achieve the same popularity as Marvel's more well-known characters. Marvel introduced several Black superheroes shortly after Luke Cage's success, including
Blade A blade is the Sharpness (cutting), sharp, cutting portion of a tool, weapon, or machine, specifically designed to puncture, chop, slice, or scrape surfaces or materials. Blades are typically made from materials that are harder than those they a ...
and Brother Voodoo in 1973 as well as
Storm A storm is any disturbed state of the natural environment or the atmosphere of an astronomical body. It may be marked by significant disruptions to normal conditions such as strong wind, tornadoes, hail, thunder and lightning (a thunderstor ...
and Black Goliath in 1975. Black Panther received his own series in 1974. As solo characters, none of these were as successful as Luke Cage. Like these heroes, Cage was defined by his Blackness when he was introduced and was portrayed in a stereotypical manner, which received mixed responses from critics. Cage did not have significant effect on the Marvel Universe, leaving the niche of an influential African-American superhero unfilled for the time. Several individual Luke Cage stories have received critical praise. ''Hero for Hire'' #9 (1973) depicted Cage pursuing one of Marvel's most imposing supervillains,
Doctor Doom Doctor Doom is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in '' The Fantastic Four'' #5 in April 1962, and has since endured as the arch ...
, over a $200 debt. ''Power Man and Iron Fist'' #50 (1978) saw Cage clear his name as a fugitive and marked the beginning of his sharing a series with Iron Fist as the Heroes for Hire. ''New Avengers'' #22 (2006) defined the character's motives as he sided against Iron Man in the "Civil War" event. The 2009 miniseries ''Luke Cage: Noir'', which reimagined Cage as a detective in a story, praised for its style. Cage was satirized by the
Milestone Comics Milestone Media Company LLC is the media company which created the Milestone Comics line, which were published and distributed by DC Comics. Milestone Media created the source material that was adapted as the ''Static Shock'' animated series. Th ...
character "Buck Wild, Mercenary Man". The actor
Nicolas Cage Nicolas Kim Coppola (born January 7, 1964), known professionally as Nicolas Cage, is an American actor and film producer. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Nicolas Cage, various accolades, including an Academy A ...
, born Nicolas Coppola, is a fan of Luke Cage and chose his stage name as an homage to the character. ''
Wizard Magazine ''Wizard'' or ''Wizard: The Magazine of Comics, Entertainment and Pop Culture'' (previously titled ''Wizard: The Guide to Comics'' and ''Wizard: The Comics Magazine'') was a magazine about comic books, published monthly in the United States by ...
'' ranked Luke Cage 34th in their "Top 200 Comic Book Characters" list. ''
Gizmodo ''Gizmodo'' () is a design, technology, science, and science fiction website. It was originally launched as part of the Gawker Media network run by Nick Denton. ''Gizmodo'' also includes the sub-blogs ''io9'' and ''Earther'', which focus on pop ...
'' ranked Luke Cage 23rd in their "Every Member Of The Avengers" list. ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' ranked Luke Cage 11th in their "Let's rank every Avenger ever" list.


In other media

Mike Colter portrayed Luke Cage in ''
Jessica Jones Jessica Campbell Jones-Cage, professionally known as Jessica Jones, is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Michael Gaydos and first appea ...
'' (2015), ''
Luke Cage Lucas "Luke" Cage, born Carl Lucas and also known as Power Man, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Archie Goodwin, George Tuska, Roy Thomas, and John Romita Sr. in 1972, he was the first Af ...
'' (2016), and '' The Defenders'' of
Marvel's Netflix television series Marvel's Netflix television series are a set of interconnected American television series created for the streaming service Netflix, based on characters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics. Produced by Marvel Television and ABC Studios ...
within the
Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on List of Marvel Cinematic Universe films, a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appe ...
. Adaptations of Luke Cage have appeared in animated series like ''
Ultimate Spider-Man ''Ultimate Spider-Man'' is a superhero comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics from 2000 to 2011. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Spider-Man comic book franchise as part of the company's Ultimate Ma ...
'', ''
The Super Hero Squad Show ''The Super Hero Squad Show'' is an American superhero animated series produced by Marvel Animation that aired from 2009 to 2011. It is based on the Hasbro toyline " Marvel Super Hero Squad", which portrays the Avengers, the X-Men, and various ...
'' and '' The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes''. The character appears in several video games, including the '' Marvel: Ultimate Alliance'' series, '' Marvel Heroes'', and ''
Lego Marvel's Avengers ''Lego Marvel's Avengers'' is a Lego-themed action-adventure video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, for the Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, Windows, ...
''.
Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American filmmaker, actor, and author. Quentin Tarantino filmography, His films are characterized by graphic violence, extended dialogue often featuring much profanity, and references to ...
considered making a film about Luke Cage in the early 1990s, hoping to cast
Laurence Fishburne Laurence John Fishburne III (born July 30, 1961) is an American actor. Throughout his career, he has gained recognition for his roles on stage and screen as militant and authoritative characters. List of awards and nominations received by Laur ...
in the starring role, but he lost interest in the idea after his friends insisted that this was poor casting and he should instead choose
Wesley Snipes Wesley Trent Snipes (born July 31, 1962) is an American actor and martial artist. In a film career spanning more than thirty years, Snipes has appeared in a variety of genres, such as numerous thrillers, dramatic feature films, and comedies, th ...
. Producer Edward R. Pressman worked with Stan Lee on a possible Luke Cage film in 1995 starring Fishburne as the titular character. It would have been written by
John Singleton John Daniel Singleton (January 6, 1968 April 28, 2019) was an American director, screenwriter, and producer. He made his feature film debut writing and directing '' Boyz n the Hood'' (1991), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for ...
and Joseph Dougherty, adapting the original series and the 1992 ''Cage'' miniseries and pitting Cage against the villain
Moses Magnum M-11 M-11 is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Originally known as the Human Robot, the character was named "M-11" in the 2006 to 2007 ''Agents of Atlas'' miniseries as an allusion to its first ...
. Another possible Luke Cage film was optioned by
Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Columbia Pictures, is an American film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution company that is the flagship unit of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group ...
in 2003 with Ben Ramsey writing and
John Singleton John Daniel Singleton (January 6, 1968 April 28, 2019) was an American director, screenwriter, and producer. He made his feature film debut writing and directing '' Boyz n the Hood'' (1991), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for ...
directing. Singleton considered
Tyrese Gibson Tyrese Darnell Gibson (born December 30, 1978) is an American R&B singer and actor from Los Angeles, California. He signed with RCA Records in 1998, and released his debut single " Nobody Else" in August of that year. It peaked within the top ...
for the role of Luke Cage and
Terrence Howard Terrence Dashon Howard (born March 11, 1969) is an American actor performing on film and television. He has received a Screen Actors Guild Awards, Screen Actors Guild Award as well as nominations for an Academy Awards, Academy Award, a Golden ...
as Diamondback.


Notes


References

* * * * * * Culver, Dennis (2018). ''Black Panther: The Illustrated History of a King''. Insight Comics. ISBN 978-1-68383-185-3. * * * * * * * * * * ** **


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Cage, Luke 1972 comics debuts African-American superheroes Avengers (comics) characters Characters created by Archie Goodwin (comics) Characters created by John Romita Sr. Characters created by George Tuska Characters created by Roy Thomas Comics characters introduced in 1972 Fictional American detectives Fictional characters from Manhattan Fictional mayors Fictional mercenaries in comics Fictional human test subjects Marvel Comics characters with accelerated healing Marvel Comics characters with superhuman durability or invulnerability Marvel Comics characters with superhuman strength Marvel Comics male superheroes Marvel Comics mutates Marvel Comics politicians Marvel Comics superheroes Superhero detectives Vigilante characters in comics