Name a Black Superhero. Does anyone come to mind? Probably not. If anyone did, it was probably Falcon, the sidekick to Captain America. Recently Marvel has decided to showcase one of their lesser known black superheroes, Luke Cage. Simply titled "Luke Cage", the plot, the tone, and the acting of Mike Colter (Luke Cage) has guaranteed that it will be taken seriously, despite the setting of the show. With a show like "Luke Cage" that deals with an all-black cast, it can be tricky to create an environment that feels real and not forced. It is hard to do a show about a specific culture (other than white) and have it be taken seriously and have it feel as if it is not mocking or condoning stereotypes of that culture. Many people would be intimidated by the idea of a show that has culture and language so different from what is dominated on television. Executive producers S.J. Clarkson and Drew Goddard handled this very well. They were able to create an environment and tone that feels genuine. Viewers actually feel as if they are experiencing black culture in Harlem. The blues-y club scene is a perfect example. The R&B vibes that feel like an underground place for pleasure were done perfectly.
This representation of black culture is strengthened with the politician Black Mariah, who has good intentions of trying to keep Harlem black as possible. She states, “For black lives to matter, black history has to matter as well.” Who can argue with that logic? She is bringing up a crucial argument in today’s society. Why would the producers use a “villain” to platform one of the most emotionally charged arguments in our country right now? So, how are we supposed to feel about her? She is a strong black politician who is not shying away from the topic of race, but at the same time, she is okay using blood money to fund her campaign. Do you respect the black politician who hates the “n” word, but at the same time assaults innocent civilians for money? I believe there will be more characters like this on Luke Cage. Ones you don’t know whether or not to trust. This gives the show an edge.
The show may have a great edge, but it also incorporates traditional values of the black culture. For example, the idea that family is whoever cares. In the first few scenes, we witness a slight bicker amongst the gentlemen in a barber shop over basketball. The setting of this conversation is crucial. In black culture, the barbershop has always been a place where boys went and grew up and became men. Dedicating their lives to one barbershop that held so many secrets and life lessons. During this argument, the conversation gets heated, the owner of the shop who is simply called “Pops” curses. After being scolded by the men in the shop, he states, “I shouldn’t have cursed” and then continues to apologize to the one child in the shop. In just a few minutes the producers have shown us what will be the driving force behind this show. And, indeed it takes the death of two teen boys who were earlier present in the shop, that allows our reluctant hero to come out of his shadows. The family is all it takes.
Stepping outside the show and into the world of reality, the show generates conversation on the limitations black men have on television. In Luke Cage, we obviously see many roles given to black men, but none seem out of the stereotype. You have Pops, the owner of the barber shop who represents something deeper as the wise old man, Cottonmouth, a successful black man but on the wrong side of the law, he’s covered in blood money. And, then you have Luke. Misunderstood, but too big and too black to be given the benefit of the doubt. Although the show has done a great job with including different aspects of the black culture, it didn’t seem able to escape the stereotypes of Hollywood and black men. Where is our genuinely successful black man? Even if it is the classic rags to riches story, I’m sure it can find its place in Luke Cage.
