Sweet Christmas! - Luke Cage Appreciation 2022

[SecretWarrior]

I feel this captures Luke's early personality. He wasn't very in touch with his feelings after Reva's death and he kept things personal to his chest to the point it started to cause friction between him and Claire. Good catch.

That's exactly right.

I'm telling you people can continue slurp Bendis for making him the black man with punchlines in a book with four of the most popular Marvel heroes of all time, but he did very little to grow Luke's character. Even the marriage between Luke and Jessica was underdeveloped and I don't see any reason why he married other than getting her pregnant. He donated one issue of the Pulse where he shoehorned I'm a backstory that just didn't really land with me. Maybe had he spent his time building their relationship in Alias instead of her running around with Scott Lang for the majority of the series it could've worked. She was clearly just a piece of ass to him until he felt sorry for her. I remember a panel when she feared for life and Luke pretty much just kicked her to the curb because he was busy with another woman. Just poor execution. When Elektra appeared in Daredevil 168, Frank Miller wasted no time telling us who she was and why her connection to Murdock matters. Some with Reva Connors in Heroes-for-Hire 1.

People can rag on 70's Cage all they want but he was a more fleshed out character back then. I hear folks say how his dialogue was cringe back then but Bendis and others didn't do anything different. In the 70's he used Shaft type slang, 00's 50 Cent slang.

Bingo.

[LukeCagefan]

I'm getting repetitive at this point lol. But I really would like to enjoy Cage again.

[LukeCagefan]

I don't know if anyone read the Variants #2 but Jessica Jones gets a disturbing voice message from Matt Murdock - and she tells her massively overpowered husband to take the baby and leave. Luke doesn't even question her. He just leaves. I get what Gail Simone was trying to convey - Cage loves and trusts his wife sooooo much he wouldn't question her. It just doesn't work with a character that's brash, tough, outspoken, cocky, superhumanly invulnerable and masculine like Luke Cage. It's just not who he is. He wouldn't leave. And whether those were variants of Jessica that made-out with Murdock to me it just shows that with how shipping in comics has become so popular I don't think any character should be married. lol. Cage should actually punch Tigra for kissing his wife, too. During the A-Team era Jessica was married with a child and she tried to move in on his wife. But knowing how they write Luke he'd has just rolled eyes and sighed.

[SecretWarrior]

I don't know if anyone read the Variants #2 but Jessica Jones gets a disturbing voice message from Matt Murdock - and she tells her massively overpowered husband to take the baby and leave. Luke doesn't even question her. He just leaves. I get what Gail Simone was trying to convey - Cage loves and trusts his wife sooooo much he wouldn't question her. It just doesn't work with a character that's brash, tough, outspoken, cocky, superhumanly invulnerable and masculine like Luke Cage. It's just not who he is. He wouldn't leave. And whether those were variants of Jessica that made-out with Murdock to me it just shows that with how shipping in comics has become so popular I don't think any character should be married. lol. Cage should actually punch Tigra for kissing his wife, too. During the A-Team era Jessica was married with a child and she tried to move in on his wife. But knowing how they write Luke he'd has just rolled eyes and sighed.

Yeah, while it's understandable that they're not writing a team book and don't want Luke to take up the spotlight, there are other ways they could remove Luke from the story. For example, they could have said he was off on a mission in the Savage Land or Latveria or somewhere out in space or the Negative Zone or something, and he couldn't communicate or help out as a result.

[SecretWarrior]

[SecretWarrior]

Randomly heard this gem, and it reminded me of early Luke:

[LukeCagefan]

I really wouldn't mind Cage adopting this Luke though it's used by Victor Alvarez lol.

[kcekada]

I think it was a mistake to make Luke overpowered. I liked that he wasn't in the same class as guys like Hercules and Wonder Man. Heck, he wasn't even in the same class as Thundra and She-Hulk. And he didn't need to be! Luke is more of a street level fighter -- doesn't need the additional power to take on cosmic types. But I guess all of that is behind him. The best we can hope for is a mini-series set in the 70s that could address some of the blacksploitation dialogue people didn't like.

[SecretWarrior]

Nah, I like him as a mid-tier hero like Spider-Man, the Thing, etc. Makes him big time and not some every day, generic guy who only protects one neighborhood.

I really wouldn't mind Cage adopting this Luke though it's used by Victor Alvarez lol.

Yeah, it's based on Luke's Power Man costume from one of the Spider-Man cartoons. A little different than the Alvarez one, but I see the similiarities. Just needs a yellow biker jacket IMO.

[LukeCagefan]

I think it was a mistake to make Luke overpowered. I liked that he wasn't in the same class as guys like Hercules and Wonder Man. Heck, he wasn't even in the same class as Thundra and She-Hulk. And he didn't need to be! Luke is more of a street level fighter -- doesn't need the additional power to take on cosmic types. But I guess all of that is behind him. The best we can hope for is a mini-series set in the 70s that could address some of the blacksploitation dialogue people didn't like.

I actually have thought this myself. I remember back in the day when he would be shot he'd be bruised - or the shots would sting depending on the weapon of choice. Those times were fun. I see Cage with Iron Fist and I'm like why do they work with Daredevil when their power scales are so above him now. lol.

[LukeCagefan]

Nah, I like him as a mid-tier hero like Spider-Man, the Thing, etc. Makes him big time and not some every day, generic guy who only protects one neighborhood.



Yeah, it's based on Luke's Power Man costume from one of the Spider-Man cartoons. A little different than the Alvarez one, but I see the similiarities. Just needs a yellow biker jacket IMO.

Alright you've got me sold! Would the jacket also be bulletproof?

[SecretWarrior]

Alright you've got me sold! Would the jacket also be bulletproof?

I hadn’t given that any thought, and I don’t care too much one way or another, since creative teams always tear up costumes anyway. That said, it makes sense for it to be bullet proof and fire retardant. Not for Luke, but the people he protects. I could see him wrapping someone in it to protect them from the flames of a burning building, for example. A successful Hero for Hire business should afford him gadgets, like a car, tech goggles, etc. Items that enhance what he does without taking away from his main gimmicks.

[SecretWarrior]

I actually have thought this myself. I remember back in the day when he would be shot he'd be bruised - or the shots would sting depending on the weapon of choice. Those times were fun. I see Cage with Iron Fist and I'm like why do they work with Daredevil when their power scales are so above him now. lol.

Put this way, I agree. I would keep him mid tier, but he should still display pain and struggle from time to time. Like if he hops down several stories and lands on the ground, he should be a bit shaken up like John McClane in Die Hard or Steve Rogers in the MCU Winter Soldier film, when he jumps off the elevator and lands on his shield. An RPG or other ordinance should be able to shake him up. Luke can get injured and bleed internally. He can get concussions. He can be knocked out by someone like Blue Marvel, presumably. I imagine vibranium or adamantium could make him bleed. I imagine he can be electrocuted, drowned, gassed, suffocated by someone with top tier super strength, temporarily blinded by flash bangs, be deafened by sonic weaponry, etc. He’s as vulnerable to reality warping as anyone else. All these things would require him to have some skill, even if he’s mostly a brawler. He should know judo throws, football tackles, flashy wrestling take downs, and some grappling and striking stuff. He should be able to use his brain to take on more powerful guys successfully. He’s a guy the Avengers, Defenders, and Fantastic Four all want because he’s got all the makings of a varsity athlete.

[LukeCagefan]

I hadn’t given that any thought, and I don’t care too much one way or another, since creative teams always tear up costumes anyway. That said, it makes sense for it to be bullet proof and fire retardant. Not for Luke, but the people he protects. I could see him wrapping someone in it to protect them from the flames of a burning building, for example. A successful Hero for Hire business should afford him gadgets, like a car, tech goggles, etc. Items that enhance what he does without taking away from his main gimmicks.

Damnit!! Why can't Marvel think like you?!!! It's so frustrating! You have the blueprint to make this character get to the next level! You're incorporating everything that works and adding logical and interesting concepts to his arsenal!!! Ugh!

[LukeCagefan]

Put this way, I agree. I would keep him mid tier, but he should still display pain and struggle from time to time. Like if he hops down several stories and lands on the ground, he should be a bit shaken up like John McClane in Die Hard or Steve Rogers in the MCU Winter Soldier film, when he jumps off the elevator and lands on his shield. An RPG or other ordinance should be able to shake him up. Luke can get injured and bleed internally. He can get concussions. He can be knocked out by someone like Blue Marvel, presumably. I imagine vibranium or adamantium could make him bleed. I imagine he can be electrocuted, drowned, gassed, suffocated by someone with top tier super strength, temporarily blinded by flash bangs, be deafened by sonic weaponry, etc. He’s as vulnerable to reality warping as anyone else. All these things would require him to have some skill, even if he’s mostly a brawler. He should know judo throws, football tackles, flashy wrestling take downs, and some grappling and striking stuff. He should be able to use his brain to take on more powerful guys successfully. He’s a guy the Avengers, Defenders, and Fantastic Four all want because he’s got all the makings of a varsity athlete.

You know what's funny is that Luke Cage is basically an MMA fighter and Marvel never really shines any light on this subject. I was talking to a friend and I was telling Luke Cage should know Muay Thai, Wrestling and Judo. In issue 1 it tells us Willis Stryker was the drug dealing and Luke was the fighter and the muscle. He was a legit street fighter. Not to mention that hanging around Danny Rand should've increased his fighting ability. I really like the gadget ides. Besides goggles what else would he use? I dig the goggles.