Reflecting on Luke Cage, the Pioneering Black Superhero, and His Lasting Legacy

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Notice: This story initially ran in February 2020, as a part of a Black Historical past Month collection. Within the wake of ongoing civil unrest across the nation, TV Information is re-publishing this story and others prefer it to assist foster better understanding and consciousness round problems with racial justice.


The science on what precisely occurred Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016 — the day Marvel’s Luke Cage hit Netflix — is fuzzy, however whether or not attributable to a glitch or overwhelming demand, Netflix undoubtedly went down the day after Season 1 of the superhero drama was launched. Netflix by no means gave an official clarification for the oopsie, however it does not matter: In up to date black mythology, Luke Cage broke Netflix that fall day, similar to John Henry was a real man and Beyoncé made the lights go out at the Super Bowl. Luke Cage, a bulletproof black man performed with sturdy, studly aplomb by Mike Colter, was not the primary black superhero lead of a TV present (that distinction belongs toM.A.N.T.I.S.in 1994) however he was the primary for Marvel, the primary of the 2000s, and absolutely the primary black superhero to carry a hip-hop soaked “unapologetic blackness” to the small display.

Subsequent years have seen folks of coloration represented on tv at record high levels, however when Luke Cage debuted in 2016, the collection turned a part of the blackest year on television at that time in historical past.Empire, an enormous hit for Fox, was in its second season; Atlantawas in its impressive first. Beyoncé‘s Lemonade made its beautiful shock debut, disrupting the definitions of each “music video” and “slay,” and President Barack Obama visited Cuba together with his household, thawing a long time of diplomatic ice with the Caribbean nation and beaming a not-subtle message of solidarity between black and brown folks to screens all around the world.

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Cheo Hodari Coker, Simone Missick, Mike Colter, Rosario Dawson, and Mustafa Shakir

Michael Loccisano/Getty Photographs for Netflix

Even for Marvel followers, Luke Cage would possibly’ve been a shocking alternative for a lead character in a cinematic universe stuffed with higher-flying fighters. Earlier than he was the principle star, the Harlem hero appeared as a recurring character onMarvel’s Jessica Jonesand, debuting two complete years earlier than Black Panther grossed $1.four billion at field places of work worldwide, he was with out precedent. Shepherded to the display by government producer Cheo Hodari Coker — a journalist turned screenwriter who wrote for and producedNCIS: Los Angeles, Southland, and Ray DonovanLuke Cage titled episodes after Gang Starr songs, and in a shock to many, used the N-word. He wasn’t radical for radical’s sake although; Luke Cage earned an enthusiastic reception from followers and critics and helped vault actors Colter, Mahershala Ali, and Simone Missick to stardom. The present gave trade veterans — together with star Alfre Woodward, singer-songwriter Raphael Saadiq, and singer Faith Evans — a brand new style through which to showcase their abilities.

After which all of it got here crashing down.

After collaborating in The Defenders crossover collection in 2017 and releasing Season 2 in 2018, Luke Cage was abruptly canceled. Like sophomore albums, a present’s second season opens it as much as elevated expectations and scrutiny, and Luke Cage was no totally different. Luke Cage Season 2 struck some as too stretched out, too stuffed with improbable Jamaican accents, and too low on Misty Knight (Missick). Nonetheless, nobody anticipated the collection’ cancellation in October 2018 — notably on condition that pre-production on Season Three was effectively underway, with six months of work and several scripts in the can. There have been unofficial reports that viewership had declined in the course of the present’s sophomore outing; however extra necessary than stream counts, Netflix’s success had gotten rivals salivating, and Disney was planning to launch its personal streaming service, Disney+, that includes new shows set within the Marvel Cinematic Universe and starring actors from the movies. Though we will not say for sure it was Disney’s want to carry issues in-house that killed its Netflix partnership, Luke Cage — and eventually all of Netflix’s Marvel dramas — received the ax.

Coker, who’s since signed an overall deal with Amazon, by no means mentioned a lot publicly about what precisely occurred, nor revealed particulars about what he had deliberate for Season 3. Owing to authorized points and his skilled decorum, he will not. Nonetheless, when he heard TV Information was celebrating black superheroes for Black Historical past Month, he agreed to share what he may about Luke Cage‘s cancellation, its lasting influence on the tradition, and what we would have seen if the present had lived on.

Simone Missick and Mike Colter, Luke Cage

David Lee/Netflix

Are you able to stroll me by means of what occurred after you heard concerning the cancellation? How’d you reply emotionally to that — have been you mad, did you cry, did you need to be alone — and did it affect your determination to maneuver to Seattle in any respect?
Cheo Hodari Coker:
No. [Laughs] On all fronts. [My wife], she’s a pediatrician, and [years ago] she received a place [at a hospital] and he or she had the chance to maneuver to Seattle. So it was like, “I am at all times the one with the keyboard. So it is most likely simpler for me to take a aircraft to L.A.”

Actually, Luke Cage was the one present that ever disrupted Netflix, the place it really, , the servers went down. We have been the one factor that ever shut down Netflix, interval. I take nice pleasure in the truth that we created one thing so in style we shut them down for a minute. Abruptly it went from assembly with a junior government on a challenge each time I went for a gathering to assembly with the president of the studio, the president of manufacturing. [Netflix said] they needed to determine whether or not or not the present comes again someday in Season 1. And so I used to be like, if it does not come again, I am principally trying on the prospect of not having any work for six months. Along with the dual boys, we additionally had a daughter. So I am principally considering, “OK, I can not [contractually] do one other present, however I can do [films].” By the point I had simply gotten by means of the gauntlet to get employed on Creed II, that is when impulsively they only introduced, “Oh, you are again within the room, Jan. 5!” And so Season 2 was loopy. It was loopy! I used to be commuting. And I wrote that first episode of Season 2 concurrently with my first draft of Creed II, after which I wrote the finale of Luke Cage with my last draft of Creed II, that I co-wrote. I am on planes on a regular basis, however once I get the decision, I am like Rocky. I actually heard the bell like in Rocky — ding! — I gotta do it.

It wasn’t any loopy drama within the room, or , somebody wrote something about inventive variations [leading to the cancellation]. It wasn’t. It wasn’t. Like, we had all 13 episodes deliberate out. We have been seven scripts in. I truthfully assume it was extra the dispute between Marvel and Netflix than it was the rest. So the cancellation itself did come as a little bit of a shock. However on the identical time, it was irritating as a result of it is like, if y’all weren’t gonna work it out, it might have been good to have taken some downtime and to not have gotten me again into the room. However we had a terrific season [planned]. I am nonetheless pleased with the episodes we would written and the story arcs.

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What are you able to inform me about what that third season would have been like?
Coker:
It was loopy as a result of we have been hitting all this stuff which can be taking place within the press proper now. I can not on the document speak about what we had deliberate as a result of, contractually, , I nonetheless don’t desire any Marvel assassins popping out of the woodwork to attempt to take me out. [Laughs] However what I can say is that we had an excellent season deliberate, and it was one which I believe would have introduced Luke Cage as a personality full circle. You see folks on-line that have been like, “Oh my god, I turned Luke right into a gangster.” They would not be [saying that] if they’d the chance to see all three seasons and see the instructions Luke would have gone. I used to be at all times a Luke Cage fan, however I used to be most likely, in the end, a Chris Claremont, Frank Miller, Wolverine, X-Males Golden Period comedian guide fan, ? And it wasn’t till Brian Michael Bendis rebooted Luke Cage inside Jessica Jones — that [I felt liberated to] strategy established characters throughout the Luke Cage universe from a distinct perspective. …

I am not an off-the-cuff fan of comedian books. Again within the day when folks would really purchase comics on a weekly foundation, each Wednesday I might be at Golden Apple or someplace, and I bonded with lots of people, like one among my closest pals, the late John Singleton. When the chance got here up [to do Luke Cage], I knew how large the chance was. It was similar to, “I can not consider I am gonna have an opportunity to do that.”

Mike Colter, Luke Cage

David Lee/Netflix

You have been going to make all of the episode titles in Season Three Public Enemy songs, proper?
Coker:
We have been going to be all Public Enemy. I tweeted it without context. The primary episode was “Public Enemy No. 1.” The final episode was “Insurgent And not using a Pause.”

That makes me marvel how a lot you’d deliberate to have Luke Cage actively struggle racism. Luke Cage exists principally inside a single neighborhood, coping with neighborhood points. However now, particularly on this local weather, would you’ve got needed to handle racism extra overtly — struggle the Klan, struggle Nazis?
Coker:
I imply, Marvel has at all times been rooted in actuality. Like Superman — this isn’t a DC diss, however Superman lives in Metropolis. He grew up in Smallville, proper? Within the Marvel Universe, New York Metropolis exists. Certainly one of my favourite graphic novels, or the one which’s the most important writing affect on me, was written by Chris Claremont. It is known as God Loves, Man Kills. And it principally launched loads of the deeper themes of what it meant to be a mutant versus anyone that’s born with these superpowers. And it is not like Spider-Man getting bitten by a radioactive spider. It is not like, , Captain America getting tremendous serum that transforms him. A mutant is born with their powers. So it introduces the entire notion of the “different.” It launched the entire notion of what it means to be totally different, what it means to be feared due to how totally different you’re.

And so racism — the characters speak about racism, that was by no means a difficulty with Marvel in any respect. As a black man writing a couple of black man, I needed to have the ability to discover the issues that black males cope with. And on the identical time additionally perceive that in case you have bulletproof pores and skin, how does a bulletproof black man change the ecology of the neighborhood? That was one of many central issues that I thought of with Luke Cage. When you’ve got anyone that may are available and cope with the road as it’s, and so they cannot be killed by typical means, it provides you a method to speak about all the pieces you may speak about. When you have anyone like that, how does it have an effect on the road? How does it upset legislation enforcement? And when you even have that individual and so they do not put on a masks and that you may go to the barbershop and speak to this individual, how does that change issues?

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Season 1 was principally a couple of character who was reluctant to just accept this accountability as a result of he was harboring a secret, however then in the end is compelled to cope with that. After which Season 2 was extra about, now that you’ve got this bulletproof movie star, how do you cope with being a superhero in a social media [world]? Finally, you type of go into the fatigue of movie star. How does that have an effect on your angle and likewise coping with, to a sure extent, the black male psyche because it pertains to rage. As a result of the Luke Cage of Season 2 is coping with anger points, and he does not even actually perceive what he is coping with till his father reveals up on the town and all these unrelated issues begin developing. That was the factor I’ve at all times appreciated about Luke Cage and the factor that individuals who appreciated the present actually dug — it was a deep meditation on blackness with superhero taste.

Simone Missick, Marvel’s Luke Cage

Myles Aronowitz/Netflix

I do know you had an affinity for the author Angelica Jade Bastién at Vulture and her critiques. Certainly one of them was that, basically, Misty Knight should’ve gotten more shine, and I used to be questioning how, trying again, you thought the present did with its feminine characters.
Coker:
Once more, I realized from hip-hop — one thing Puffy realized from Andre Harrell when Uptown launched. His complete factor was he needed hip-hop R&B that may entice male listeners but additionally sturdy ladies. That was the entire thing with Mary J. Blige — the music had that male aggressive hip-hop edge, however it nonetheless appealed to feminine R&B consumers. And so my angle about Luke Cage was that I noticed the response sisters needed to Mike Colter, so let’s put some extra gentle on this brother. On the identical time, let’s have sturdy black feminine characters that do not essentially play by their very own guidelines however aren’t dominated — which have their very own manner of doing issues.

Misty Knight, when it comes to her being on the heart of those investigations after which on the identical time additionally coping with the entire thing with Luke, it wasn’t a rejection as a lot because it was considering, we’re bringing in Claire, what else are we gonna do with Misty? And I believe relationship-wise in Season 3, we had various things that have been going to lean [into] the dynamic between them that was solely explored for one episode, but additionally giving Misty her personal factor. However on the identical time, the characters themselves have been at all times very dynamic, sturdy, and centered. And to not point out the truth that we made some extent to discover each hue of blackness, like Essence journal come to life. Whereas different reveals have been criticized for colorism, my factor was to point out each shade, each hue, and on the identical time have dramatic, dynamic characters that are not simply props or tropes. I believe black feminine engagement on the present was extraordinarily sturdy. Not less than [of] the criticisms I learn — and belief me, I learn loads of criticisms on Twitter — that was by no means one that basically caught.

Those that love Luke Cage are usually just a little older. And a few folks have been like, “F— Luke Cage, he is telling me to drag my pants up.” I am like, “That phrase was by no means uttered on the present ever!” However with Black Twitter, that turned the fact on this bizarre manner. That wasn’t the case. You had folks saying, “Why does Luke Cage have issues with the N-word?” And I am like, “Yo, Luke Cage is extra Large Daddy Kane than Hermain Caine!” My complete factor was, all people’s gonna have a distinct relationship with this phrase. And I would like to have the ability to discover all of that. And on the identical time, it is extra offensive so that you can inform me I can not use the phrase than for me to really use the phrase. They let me try this. However then on the identical time, you have received millennials and youthful followers, as a result of the phrase does not maintain which means in the identical manner, saying “Why is that such an enormous deal?” It was type of old-man, old-school hip-hop. The very fact is, you do not essentially notice that you simply’re previous till you begin doing the present after which youngsters remind you. [Laughs] My complete factor was, fairly than attempting to embrace one thing that I could not perceive and be inauthentic, I am simply gonna embrace my Timberland boots, Carhartt era of hip-hop and make a love track out of that, no totally different than Martin Scorsese. In case you watch his films, they embrace the doo-wop and rock of the ’70s. You are not gonna hear Weapons N’ Roses, you are not gonna hear Nirvana. [I decided] the ’90s period of hip-hop could be the texture of the present.

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https://www.tvguide.com/news/netflix-raising-dion-black-superheroes-kids/You talked about your youngsters earlier. How have you ever seen your personal youngsters reply to your present, when you allow them to watch it, and black superheroes generally? How do they and their pals reply?
Coker:
My youngsters love the present. My daughter, she’s eight, she wasn’t supposed to look at the present however she did. She was on the sofa watching. She requested questions on Black Mariah, and I am like, “How did you even see that episode?!” I ended up buying loads of the memorabilia when it went to public sale, so I’ve received artifacts from the present round the home. The swear jar. I’ve received Pop’s barber chair. I additionally purchased hoodies. My intention really is to donate a few of these; I’ve already began speaking to the Smithsonian African American museum about a few issues. It was costly, however it wasn’t as costly, sarcastically, because the Daredevil memorabilia, which once more, reveals that generally folks do not worth black heroes monetarily the identical manner. However I mentioned, Look, I am investing in legacy, and this historical past is necessary. And being the grandson of a Tuskegee Airman, from a really early age he taught me the significance of preserving moments of black historical past as a result of folks do not essentially rejoice it till a lot later after they have a full context and perceive the historical past that was made.

Alfre Woodard, Luke Cage

Myles Aronowitz/Netflix

My twins are actually 14 years previous. My youngsters grew up in a world the place there was a two-term black president — a president that was the epitome of sophistication, dignity, mind, and focus. You activate the TV and you bought black superheroes. You go to a movie show and you bought black superheroes. So the chances are limitless. Whereas for my era — I am 47 — it by no means bothered me that Luke Skywalker was white. It by no means bothered me that Han Solo and Indiana Jones have been white. However once you noticed anyone that appeared such as you, they gave it a distinct which means. You felt as when you have been a part of one thing. And that was truthfully one of many issues that influenced me to essentially need the job. It wasn’t simply the truth that I used to be a geek. I used to be with the twins. We have been within the movie show, and the trailer forCaptain America: The Winter Soldier got here on. And it was the second that The Falcon jumped off the aspect of the constructing to unfold his wings. I checked out them and, it is humorous, however that did one thing to me. I am getting choked up. It was like they wanted to see themselves. It is extra necessary in some methods than we take as a right.

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There are such a lot of extra black folks producing tales — and extra black superhero reveals particularly. What would you say to the subsequent era of creators who need to do one other black superhero present?
Coker:
My factor is if you wish to speak concerning the deeper context of blackness, it is your accountability, however it’s not a burden. Within the ’90s, folks received this query like, “Are you a black director? Are you a director?” I am a black showrunner. I am at all times black. I get up black, my perspective is black. However on the identical time, I’ve to know different folks’s actuality and respect them in relation to my very own. Exploring blackness does not take away from whiteness. And so it is potential to have a superhero present by itself deserves, however then on the identical time, if you wish to discover deeper themes, then there is not any cause that you may’t. You can not really feel hemmed in.

Now [black creators] are lastly capable of discover the complexity of our realities. And there’s no one central black reality. You may actually discover issues in very thrilling methods, to me, like Watchmen. What Damon Lindelof did there was electrifying. It was completely wonderful on so many alternative ranges. In case you learn the graphic novel, not solely was he respectful to it, he discovered a method to flip it, the place he created his personal factor however put black folks and blackness on the heart of the narrative with out it simply being a novelty. Like once you see what happened in Tulsa in the first episode, that is the primary time some folks even understood what Black Wall Avenue was. I imply, man, he has a everlasting invitation to the cookout. And it was one among [HBO’s] most profitable properties. So I am hoping that it provides Hollywood the braveness to inform black tales in a common manner, ? I am hoping that the success of Luke Cage, the success of Watchmen, the success of Black Lightning, the success of Black Panther, permits other ways to discover all the varied parts of blackness with out it feeling like homework.

My grandfather was one of many Tuskegee Airmen. One of many classes that he at all times taught me is that you simply nonetheless gotta fly the aircraft and you are still flying fight. So do not turn into black historical past whilst you’re making black historical past. I by no means received caught up in being the truth that I used to be one of many solely ones on the time or the rest like that. My focus was at all times on “do the best possible job that you may.” As a result of when you do not, another person that appears such as you will not be capable of get that chance. That is why black excellence is, it doesn’t matter what the style is, necessary, since you can’t take the photographs as a right.

Marvel’s Luke Cage is streaming on Netflix.

This interview has been edited and condensed. This story initially ran in February of 2020.


For Black Historical past Month, TV Information is celebrating black superheroes in TV and movie. As a part of The Rise of Black Superheroes, we’re honoring the legacies of pioneers like Luke Cage, War Machine, and actress Eartha Kitt; inspecting how blackness shapes the identities of characters like Iris West, Black Lightning, and John Diggle; exploring what today’s black heroes mean to kids of color; and celebrating the greatest black superheroes of all time. You may take a look at extra content material from The Rise of Black Superheroes here.

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