The Marvel / Netflix television series Luke Cage is a really good superhero television show. With a nearly all black cast and crew (along with the main character) it is also history making. There have been other productions, most notably M.A.N.T.I.S but what sets Luke Cage apart is the emphasis on embracing the American culture that would produce such a hero.
From shootouts in the barbershop to wrongdoing at a community center Luke Cage does not take place in a remote "fortress of solitude" but in the 'hood. His adventures take him to prison, nightclubs and to church. The drama is infused with and comfortable with blackness. American blackness.
That his costume is essentially a bullet riddled hoodie sweatshirt serves as a constant reminder of the danger confronting black men in modern society. Though peaceful he finds himself shot at constantly by everybody. He has served prison time, has a police record and lives under an assumed name. he is an outcast, an outlaw. He has been without ever committing a crime, criminalized. This he shares with every black man in America.
So his power is to be bulletproof. Thick - skinned.And very strong.
On a more critical note however there are many problems with Power Man from a black nationalist point of view. His values are skewed. For example, despite his tremendous ...well power he has to be convinced to contribute something to the uplift of those around him. He has no innate need or desire to see those around him succeed. It is only when he can no longer run from his blackness that he accepts it. This all the while looking to it to provide for him (companionship, entertainment, brotherhood and employment).
Overall Luke Cage moves the needle forward.
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