Publication History
A streetwise youth, the man called "Lucas" was sent to prison for a crime he did not commit. In exchange for parole, Lucas clandestinely underwent an experimental procedure, originally intended to generate immunity to all illness; instead, it inadvertently granted him steel-hard skin and heavier, enhanced muscle. After escaping Seagate Prison, he forged the identity of "Luke Cage" becoming a "hero for hire," a sort of super-enhanced private detective—although Cage commonly refused money, or simply received none, for cases gone awry (a fair portion, for the unlucky Cage). Later, he formed a business partnership with the martial arts hero known as Iron Fist in the series Power Man & Iron Fist.
Cage was one of the first African American superheroes to star in an eponymous comic book series. (The first African American character to do so was Dell Comics' western hero Lobo.) Cage was a groundbreaking but controversial hero. He was Marvel's entry into the 1970s blaxploitation trend, and much of "Hero for Hire" saw him using exaggerated slang, including the catch phrase "Sweet Christmas!" Brian Azzarello's Cage series was also criticized for an overly thuggish portrayal of the character.
Subsequently, Cage has been featured in the Brian Michael Bendis-written series Alias, Secret War, The Pulse, Daredevil, and New Avengers.
As of 2010, Cage is the leader of the Heroic Age era Thunderbolts, which was formed in the aftermath of Siege. He has appeared as a regular character in Thunderbolts since issue #144, and became leader of the team when the title transitioned into Dark Avengers beginning with issue #175. He also remains with the New Avengers.
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