Luke Cage Appreciation

[mattbib]

Sweet Christmas! Here's your thread dedicated to appreciating the former Hero for Hire...

LUKE CAGE

[TripleX]

Never mind.

[John Zaleski]

I like him because he is a stereotype. I'm one too. I'm a Black man with dreads that drives a customized Cadillac with 24" rims. I love Hip-Hop, and you can hear me blasting Young Jeezy from two blocks away. My pants sag and I have a tendency to dress like a rapper.

But that's not all I am, that's not all Luke Cage is either. He's a hero, he strives to make the world a better place and I can identify with that. "To much is given, much is required".

Should Black people live their lives worried about how White people perceive them? I don't think so. Comic book characters are no different. Luke Cage, Black Lightning, Doctor Voodoo, the Black Panther and Mr. Terrific are not interchangeable simply because they're Black men. We're not a monolithic group of people, they shouldn't be either.

So if you find yourself not liking Cage because he's a stereotype, you should ask yourself why you feel threatened by that? There are men in the real world just like him, they're just not bulletproof.

It's okay to have them represented in comic books.

I think that the people who don't like him because he's a stereotype are in no way shape or form "threatened" by him at all. He probably just feels like a generic character they've seen before who is not very orginal.

[gorthon616]

I really don't see the point to your counter-point, i.e. I'm not really sure there are many people who dislike Luke Cage at all. He might not have the rabid-fanboy-isms of other character, but for the most part I think he's is a respected and enjoyed character.

While I'm not huge on Bendis's Avengers, Cage was generally one of the better things about it, though a bit overdone in my opinion.

[rpriske]

I think that the people who don't like him because he's a stereotype are in no way shape or form "threatened" by him at all. He probably just feels like a generic character they've seen before who is not very orginal.

I disagree with this in a big way.

The character is only considered a stereotype because he is not considered the norm. Steve Rogers is a stereotype. Clint Barton is a stereotype. Tony Stark is a stereotype.

Why are they not seen that way?

Because they are white and in the eyes of the public, not defined by their race.

Luke Cage is looked at differently because he is consiidered to be 'the black guy', when he is no more DEFINED by being black than Stark is defined by being white.

[Alan2099]

It doesn't exactly help Cage that any of his more identifiable aspects and personality qwirks were pretty much done away with leaving him.

But ANYWAY ... appreciation.

I really enjoyed Cage's portrail in the Heroes for Hire book in the 90s. He kept his style and the stronger visual elements without just falling into bland clichedom and even revealed that he was pretty highly educated. Odd how that team felt more like the Avengers than any of the Avengers books Bendis has written.

[John Zaleski]

I disagree with this in a big way.

The character is only considered a stereotype because he is not considered the norm. Steve Rogers is a stereotype. Clint Barton is a stereotype. Tony Stark is a stereotype.

Why are they not seen that way?

Because they are white and in the eyes of the public, not defined by their race.

Luke Cage is looked at differently because he is consiidered to be 'the black guy', when he is no more DEFINED by being black than Stark is defined by being white.

I see where you're going with this point, but to say that readers find Luke Cage "threatening" is ludacris

[Rahul]

I was first introduced to Luke Cage through an old magazine I found in a paper dealer shop in Mumbai, where he fought some racist dude with a flame gimmick who wanted to burn all black people's homes. Don't know which issue is that.

His outrageous costume back then was really awesome and his in-your-face attitide was nothing I've ever seen before in superhero comics.

I mean this is the guy who can casually decide to show up in Doom's castle and demand his money...that's the kind of guy he is.

But of course, even Bendis had a very grounded take on him that was really good to read about. The man-crush is infectious I tell you...if I liked Cage before, I dig him even more now. Cage is the heart of the New Avengers.

His transition from fabulous costume to a grounded one is also great, and makes you appreciate all facets of the character.

He's actually more the everyman character than Peter Parker, and this I say as a fan of Spider-Man. He's been allowed to change and grow rather than become an Archie figure that most sucessful characters are unfortunately stuck in.

Its a shame he hasn't had much outside media exposure yet...he does appear in Superhero Squad in a very fun episode. And he's a playable character in Marvel Ultimate Alliance. I do hope he appears along with Iron Fist in the upcoming Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon.

[CapnAmerica07]

apparently a Luke Cage film is in the works, if its true i'd love to see Terry Crews play him,


Puh-Puh-Puh-Puh-Puh-Puh-POWER

[John Zaleski]

apparently a Luke Cage film is in the works, if its true i'd love to see Terry Crews play him,


Puh-Puh-Puh-Puh-Puh-Puh-POWER

thatd be awesome. terry crews is the man

and if you don't want to take my word for it

just watch this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWstyHN4Iy4

[Rahul]

Dude's probably the only superhero who can use his actual name(well, changed name) as a superhero codename. With matching number of letters in the first and last name!!!

[Mia]

I like him because he is a stereotype. I'm one too. I'm a Black man with dreads that drives a customized Cadillac with 24" rims. I love Hip-Hop, and you can hear me blasting Young Jeezy from two blocks away. My pants sag and I have a tendency to dress like a rapper.

But that's not all I am, that's not all Luke Cage is either. He's a hero, he strives to make the world a better place and I can identify with that. "To much is given, much is required".

Should Black people live their lives worried about how White people perceive them? I don't think so. Comic book characters are no different. Luke Cage, Black Lightning, Doctor Voodoo, the Black Panther and Mr. Terrific are not interchangeable simply because they're Black men. We're not a monolithic group of people, they shouldn't be either.

So if you find yourself not liking Cage because he's a stereotype, you should ask yourself why you feel threatened by that? There are men in the real world just like him, they're just not bulletproof.

It's okay to have them represented in comic books.

It has nothing to do with behaving in order to 'please' white people. It has much to do with behaving with dignity and self respect. While I don't need all Black men to behave like super-smart Mr. Terrific or Black Panther (or even Barrack Obama). I would at least like him to behave like he has some dignity and self respect. Luke Cage reminds me of a knuckle dragging chimp who doesn’t think before he acts and can’t control himself. Another problem is that I find his ‘huff and puff’ machismo to be hollow and a sign of an empty self. Bishop (from the X-Men) probably is just as tough and as street. But he doesn’t run around shooting his mouth off and making an ass of himself.

Years ago when I read ‘The Autobiography of Malcom X’. Malcom mentioned that when he saw Butterfly McQueen (Prissy) in Gone With Wind. He was so embarrassed that he felt like climbing under the seat at the theatre. That’s how I feel when I read Luke Cage in a comic book. Shame and embarrassment.

[Alan2099]

Dude's probably the only superhero who can use his actual name(well, changed name) as a superhero codename. With matching number of letters in the first and last name!!!

What about Jean Grey?

[Rahul]

What about Jean Grey?

Hmm....you're right! But she first went by Marvel Girl, and then Phoenix no?

Luke Cage was Luke Cage from the beginning....he just had a post tag of Hero For Hire...

[rpriske]

He was Power Man for a while.