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*A quick look at the black “super heroes” will reveal the clear stereotype that is present when they are designed. If not a man from a shady past that still haunts his present, then the hero is going to be a man that is on the wrong side of the law dishing out his own personal brand of justice.
While it is not any different for Luke Cage as a superhero in the latest adaptation of Netflix’s Marvel stories, it is certainly a step in the right direction when it comes to showcasing the Black Struggle that African Americans have to face day in and day out, superhero or not.
Luke Cage steps back from the traditional high octane fight the power or alien invader plot line and focuses on the district of Harlem where Luke Cage is from. It shows how the black society is built up and shows the intricacies of everyday life and interactions. It takes a step in to black politics and how they are woven tightly around the society they stem from. Not only that, it shows all the struggles of a young black man growing up and trying to live a normal life.
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This show has to take two steps back when it comes to super hero live action dramas and three steps forward when it comes to accurately depicting the origin and representation of the black culture that stems those super heroes.
The perfect example that comes out from the show as it follows the character of now renowned actor, Mahershala Ali. His character is in the seat of power as the owner of a very powerful establishment in the Harlem. What the show succeeds in touching on is how he got there. The show goes to show that it was not always the character’s driving force to become a malign force in the world when in fact he wanted to be an artist. True to the struggles of the black community it pushed him down a road that was not of his own choosing and that gave birth to the antagonist of the story. This representation and in depth look in to how the fabric of the black community is woven is what makes Luke Cage a faithful flag bearer to the black struggle and how it has affected the outcome of so many lives and will continue to do so.
