As a lifelong Marvel fan (I learned to read by reading spider-man comics), Luke Cage has always been sort of a shoe-horned super hero. PowerMan has undergone many incarnations, from the 70’s style blacksploitation version, to the much more modern hip-hop icon, to a being a husband and now father. A character that has seen him in the Alpha role since his inception, but as an Alpha that has always had doubts about what his role is as a man and a superhero.

It’s convenient to politicize his character because he’s black and living in Harlem (NYC at large) because the writers who take on this character make him malleable to the current racial crisis at hand and can put words in his mouth to characterize current sentiment as they see fit. He is, as a character, always been a voice of the street. Other superheros don’t have that persona, but PowerMan has that ‘street’ cred.

Luke Cage has always paved his own path, he can go along to get along, but he’ll always carve out a niche for himself, but even the big superhero players respect him. From Tony Stark to Captain America. However, the difference is, is that he’s been humble. Never one to dominate others and just making sure his streets stay clean as best as they can.