HEROES FOR HIRE! Appreciation

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Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #11 Jul 1973
"Where There's Life...!"
Continued from last issue.. Left to drown in a waterfront tunnel by Señior Muerte,
Luke Cage tires to break free of the chains that bind him as the tunnel fills with water.

Muerte resumes his operations as an illegal casino operator, smashing up a rival operation by another criminal from L.A. setting up shop in New York.

As Muerte and his goons deal with this, Luke manages to break free of his trap and escape from drowning at the last minute.
While at Noah Burstein's clinic, Noah realizes that he left his desk unlocked, and securely locks it before closing up for the night.
After, Phil Fox breaks in and takes the book, hoping to find some dirt on Noah for his story about the clinic.

Meanwhile, thanks to a tip from Flea, Luke manages to track down Señor Muerte's secret hideout. However, as Luke is on the way,
Flea betrays him by calling in Suerte to warn him. When Luke arrives, Muerte is ready for him with a series of gambling related traps.
However, Luke manages to fight through them all, and begins to fight Mueret one-on-one again.
When Muerte charges up one of his hands, Luke takes off his chain-belt and throws it at Muerte.
When the chains wrap around Muerte's wrists, it causes Muerte to be jolted with his own lethal volt of electricity, killing him instantly.

After, Luke returns to Mrs. Jenks' home and tells her that he solved her husbands murder and tells her all the details before leaving.

At that moment Phil Fox, reading Noah's log book, learns that Luke Cage is an escaped convict.

Story by Steve Englehart, Art by George Tuska and Billy Graham.

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I had high hopes that they were going to add Jessica Drew as the White Tiger's replacement, after the Madripoor storyline. Sadly, it became the last arc of the book, so, fat chance of that happening.

Peace

it's what got me interested in Jessica Drew. similarly to what I did with Dane, I started picking up her backissues; to find out more about her. I thought that they were setting her up to date Shang Chi for awhile, there. she started flirting him right off the bat.

Wouldn't mind to see that happening between the MCU Jessica Drew and the MCU Shang-Chi whenever they will show up in the MCU of course.

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Heroes for Hire #13 Jul 1998
Fallout!
Following their defeat of the Master,

the Heroes fight on two fronts to save the lives of Iron Fist and Jim Hammond;


Hercules and Iron Fist leave the Heroes for Hire. Iron Fist's story continues in Iron Fist 1.

Script by John Ostrander, pencils by Martin Egeland, inks by Hector Collazo

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great series run in the 1990s. Bring back this lineup. Let Priest write it.

EXCELLENT suggestion.

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Amazing Spider-Man #123 Aug 1973
"...Just A Man Called Cage!" Guest-starring Luke Cage.
While Peter Parker and his friends attend Gwen Stacy's funeral,
J. Jonah Jameson plots revenge against the web-slinger for the death of Norman Osborn!
The Daily Bugle publisher wants the wall-crawler captured dead or alive!
And he hires the powerful Luke Cage to do it!

On a Manhattan rooftop, the Hero for Hire ambushes Spider-Man! And the super slugfest begins!

The two heroes trade punches, body blows, and haymakers one after another!

How will they break the stalemate before they break each other in half?

Notes: This issue features the first meeting between Spider-Man and Luke Cage.
The plot crosses over briefly with Hero for Hire # 12.

Script by Gerry Conway. Art by Gil Kane (pencils), John Romita (pencils, inks), and Tony Mortellaro (inks).