10 Classic "Luke Cage" Comic Aspects That Don't Belong on Netflix

[Noobian Prince]

Not to mention his battle with Black Goliath, another with Iron Man and a fight with the original Power Man over "naming rights."
PM Black Goliath.jpg

Not bad for such a short-lived series. If you count Power Man/Iron Fist, you've also got: the Living Monolith, El Aguila, Rom and the Dire Wraiths, the Constrictor and Sabretooth.

[rattypacky]

Luke Cage's always been a second rate supporting character...lame origin, lame costume and lame villains.

[chamber-music]

This is a fun article, but also kind of pointless - it's pretty obvious that Marvel isn't going to be putting any of this into Luke Cage. Also, Cage continued as a character with his own series (shared with Iron Fist) well into the 1980s.

I wonder if the Netflix series is going to link the experiment that creates Luke into the super-soldier program that has run through the MCU? The MCU has already changed the origin of the Hulk by connecting it to the super-soldier program and it does make sense. To be honest, I was never clear on Luke's origin in the comics - why was Dr. Burstein performing these experiments and why didn't anyone else realize that Luke had escaped? Was he assumed to be have been killed and his body totally incinerated?

Just read the wikipedia entry: it seems that Burstein's experiments were connected to the supersoldier idea.

Dr. Burstein's father worked on the original super soldier program. Burstein was trying to create a cellular regeneration variation of the super solider formula. Burstein was the only one that believed Cage was innocent.

The guards when he was didn't believe Cage could survive the Atlantic ocean. They saw him go in the sea, shot at him and Cage didn't resurface.

While I didn't really read the series until Iron Fist joined, IMO Chemistro was the best villain Luke Cage had (with Moses Magnum from Power Man annual #1 a close second).

Chemistro is a villain that can actually pose a threat to Cage which is why it's odd that he is nearly always written as a chump that is easily defeated.

[ShaunN]

It's interesting that no one here has mentioned Cottonmouth, the villain for the show. I have the first issue in which Cottonmouth appeared, but not the next, so I don't know how that storyline ended.

I think it's evident that Netflix is making this show about street level crime. I wouldn't be surprised if there are no superpowered villains in it at all (though Cage does seem to be fighting someone in club or Church one on one, which is unusual).

I've never been much of a Cage fan (I like him, but he's not on my top 10 list) but, to me, Mike Colter has done a tremendous job of not just embodying the character but defining it. I would not have thought of Cage done the way Colter has played the role but now that I've seen him as Luke Cage, that is Cage for me.

[Icefalcon]

If someone doesn't at least offer Mike Colter's Cage a yellow silk shirt to wear I'll be disappointed.

[BigLbo]

It seems likely that they'll link the experiment back to the Super Soldier Serum in the TV show, since they've already done so in the comics, years ago. Burstein was was using prisoners as "volunteers" in exchange for time off their sentences. Luke was presumed to have died in an escape attempt but, as I recall, the assumption was that he drowned trying to swim the several miles between the island on which Seagate prison sat and the shoreline, and his body was washed away by the tide.

What I'd like to know is how, if Cage was arrested for trafficking drugs in Harlem, he ended up in a prison off the coast of Georgia.

i would guess being transferred to the facility where the program was available was part of the deal when he volunteered.

I'm actually pretty disappointed that this series doesn't appear to pay much homage to the blaxploitation roots. I don't want it set in the 70s or anything, but get some funky music and a little more color in there. And yeah, make it a little cheesy. Not everything has to be "modern" i.e., grim and gritty.

i'd love to see cage or power man & iron fist set in the 70's. too bad marvels not very good at doing animated movies or shows.

[KOSLOX]

Luke Cage going tracking down, and beating Doom over $200 dollars is my single favorite Marvel story ever. I get why it can't be in the show, but I'll never understand why some people find it so groan inducing. That was Marvel magic at it's finest.

[Buccaneer Bruce]

What the HELL does that mean?!?!? LOL

I don't know what it means either, but one of my new personal goals is to find a way to say this in a conversation someday!

[davewire]

Hmm... all this talk of chemical baths, it's got me thinking. What if the chemicals that gave Cage his powers were the same that gave powers to Jessica and Matt? Matt only got a small does in his eyes, damaging his sight, but amping up his nervous system. Then Jessica, later, gets a heavier dose all over her, giving her super strength. The company that makes the chemicals refines the process and carefully infuses Luke with the same stuff. The chemicals in Daredevil have Rand's name on them. Maybe IGH is a subsidiary of Rand? This could ultimately bring all four together like TCRI.

[kcekada]

I'm actually pretty disappointed that this series doesn't appear to pay much homage to the blaxploitation roots. I don't want it set in the 70s or anything, but get some funky music and a little more color in there. And yeah, make it a little cheesy. Not everything has to be "modern" i.e., grim and gritty.

Agreed. And while no one expected puffy sleeves, tiara and chain belt - I would like to see Cage wearing a proper uniform -- on the show and in the comics! The one from Thunderbolts was pretty good.

[Kuwagaton]

Re Sigphi on dialogue:
The trouble with authentic dialogue is that they're not necessarily crafting the show for a demographic who gets authentic dialogue.

Luke Cage's always been a second rate supporting character...lame origin, lame costume and lame villains.

Even in good comics I could never enjoy the character, but at least this version is absolutely separate from blaxploitation.

[poneley]

If the line "Where's my money, honey?" ISN'T in the series at some point, I'll be sad...

I love that line!

I don't get why folks are down on this article. It's just meant for fun. I got enjoyment on getting more background on early Luke Cage. I actually want to grab some back issues now.

And I love how Mike Colter portrayed him in JJ. I'm very much looking forward to the new series.

[chamber-music]

Agreed. And while no one expected puffy sleeves, tiara and chain belt - I would like to see Cage wearing a proper uniform -- on the show and in the comics! The one from Thunderbolts was pretty good.

He only wore a costume as a marketing gimmick/uniform for his heroes for hire business. Considering he isn't a professional superhero yet there is no reason for him to wear a costume.

It's interesting that no one here has mentioned Cottonmouth, the villain for the show. I have the first issue in which Cottonmouth appeared, but not the next, so I don't know how that storyline ended.

I think it's evident that Netflix is making this show about street level crime. I wouldn't be surprised if there are no superpowered villains in it at all (though Cage does seem to be fighting someone in club or Church one on one, which is unusual).

I've never been much of a Cage fan (I like him, but he's not on my top 10 list) but, to me, Mike Colter has done a tremendous job of not just embodying the character but defining it. I would not have thought of Cage done the way Colter has played the role but now that I've seen him as Luke Cage, that is Cage for me.

Cage is fighting dimondback who possibly may have powers in the show.

[chamber-music]

[QUOTE=ShaunN;2242522]It's interesting that no one here has mentioned Cottonmouth, the villain for the show. I have the first issue in which Cottonmouth appeared, but not the

What I'd like to know is how, if Cage was arrested for trafficking drugs in Harlem, he ended up in a prison off the coast of Georgia.

Cage got transfered after getting into fights in his previous prison. Hearing about reva's death, being falsely imprisoned and his family turning their back on him made cage not care for a little bit.

[kalorama]

i would guess being transferred to the facility where the program was available was part of the deal when he volunteered.

He was transferred to Seagate before he volunteered for Burstein's experiment.

Cage got transfered after getting into fights in his previous prison. Hearing about reva's death, being falsely imprisoned and his family turning their back on him made cage not care for a little bit.

Yeah, I know that he got transferred and why. But since he was sentenced under state law in NY, it doesn't make sense that he'd be transferred to a prison in Georgia. And, honestly, it doesn't really make much sense that he'd be transferred at all, just for getting into fights. The usual response to that is to stick the prisoner in solitary confinement. Moving him to another prison--esp. one so far out of state--would cost money that neither state would be anxious to spend.