10 Things You Should Know About Luke Cage

How he got his powers, his Harlem roots and more.

More Than Meets the Eye - The premiere of the first season of Marvel's Luke Cage is about to exclusively hit Netflix on Friday, so to prepare for the big day, we felt it was only right to have a refresher on who exactly this superhero is. From how he got his powers to his marriage to another Marvel character, take a look at these 10 facts about Luke Cage. -By Moriba Cummings(Photo: Myles Aronowitz/Netflix) 

1 / 11

More Than Meets the Eye - The premiere of the first season of Marvel's Luke Cage is about to exclusively hit Netflix on Friday, so to prepare for the big day, we felt it was only right to have a refresher on who exactly this superhero is. From how he got his powers to his marriage to another Marvel character, take a look at these 10 facts about Luke Cage. -By Moriba Cummings(Photo: Myles Aronowitz/Netflix) 

He Was a Criminal as a Teenager Before Becoming a Valiant Superhero - Luke Cage, in the early years — originally known as Carl Lucas — grew up in a rough neighborhood in Harlem, New York. To sustain himself, he ended up getting involved with the wrong crowd and eventually joined a gang with his best friend, Willis Stryker. After he realized how much his choices began hurting the ones he loved, he decided to get on the straight and narrow and branched out from his damaging friends, including Stryker.(Photo: Myles Aronowitz/Netflix) 

2 / 11

He Was a Criminal as a Teenager Before Becoming a Valiant Superhero - Luke Cage, in the early years — originally known as Carl Lucas — grew up in a rough neighborhood in Harlem, New York. To sustain himself, he ended up getting involved with the wrong crowd and eventually joined a gang with his best friend, Willis Stryker. After he realized how much his choices began hurting the ones he loved, he decided to get on the straight and narrow and branched out from his damaging friends, including Stryker.(Photo: Myles Aronowitz/Netflix) 

He Was Falsely Imprisoned for a Crime He Didn't Commit - After Luke left the gang life behind, his relationship with his former best friend, Willis Stryker, suffered to the point that Stryker betrayed him. Luke became an ex-con after he was falsely imprisoned for having heroin in his apartment, which was planted there by Stryker, who tipped off the cops. Adding more fuel to the fire, Stryker was also upset that his girlfriend left him for Luke.(Photo: Myles Aronowitz/Netflix) 

3 / 11

He Was Falsely Imprisoned for a Crime He Didn't Commit - After Luke left the gang life behind, his relationship with his former best friend, Willis Stryker, suffered to the point that Stryker betrayed him. Luke became an ex-con after he was falsely imprisoned for having heroin in his apartment, which was planted there by Stryker, who tipped off the cops. Adding more fuel to the fire, Stryker was also upset that his girlfriend left him for Luke.(Photo: Myles Aronowitz/Netflix) 

He Was Born and Raised in Harlem, New York - Unlike many other superheroes well-known today, Luke Cage is more humanized in where his story began: Harlem, New York. While he lived all over the country in the intervening years, Harlem was where it all started for him.(Photo: Myles Aronowitz/Netflix) 

4 / 11

He Was Born and Raised in Harlem, New York - Unlike many other superheroes well-known today, Luke Cage is more humanized in where his story began: Harlem, New York. While he lived all over the country in the intervening years, Harlem was where it all started for him.(Photo: Myles Aronowitz/Netflix) 

He's a Product of the Blaxploitation Era - In 1972, when Luke Cage made his debut in the comic series under the title Luke Cage, Hero for Hire, he was seen for the very first time in a graphic that resembled firm inspiration from Blaxploitation films. He rocked a striking, bad ass outfit and fierce firm stance, with an angry glare, and an afro, with a doodle of a Black woman smoking a cigarette in the corner.(Photo: Myles Aronowitz/Netflix) 

5 / 11

He's a Product of the Blaxploitation Era - In 1972, when Luke Cage made his debut in the comic series under the title Luke Cage, Hero for Hire, he was seen for the very first time in a graphic that resembled firm inspiration from Blaxploitation films. He rocked a striking, bad ass outfit and fierce firm stance, with an angry glare, and an afro, with a doodle of a Black woman smoking a cigarette in the corner.(Photo: Myles Aronowitz/Netflix) 

ADVERTISEMENT
His Superpowers Came From a Failed Experiment to Re-Create Captain America - While he was imprisoned, Luke Cage caught the eyes of two men who changed his life forever: a sadistic and racist guard by the name of Billy Bob Rackham and a scientist named Dr. Noah Burstein. While the guard had it out for him, Luke became good friends with Dr. Burstein, who recruited him to take part in an experiment similar to the one that turned lanky Steve Rogers into Captain America. During the procedure, Rackham intervened, with the intention of killing Luke, only for the opposite result to happen: he was left with superhuman strength and unbreakable skin.(Photo: Myles Aronowitz/Netflix) 

6 / 11

His Superpowers Came From a Failed Experiment to Re-Create Captain America - While he was imprisoned, Luke Cage caught the eyes of two men who changed his life forever: a sadistic and racist guard by the name of Billy Bob Rackham and a scientist named Dr. Noah Burstein. While the guard had it out for him, Luke became good friends with Dr. Burstein, who recruited him to take part in an experiment similar to the one that turned lanky Steve Rogers into Captain America. During the procedure, Rackham intervened, with the intention of killing Luke, only for the opposite result to happen: he was left with superhuman strength and unbreakable skin.(Photo: Myles Aronowitz/Netflix) 

His Early Alter Ego Was Known as Power Man Because of His Super Strength - Throughout the years, Luke Cage has adopted various monikers, but the one that tends to stand out most is "Luke Cage, Power Man," which he named himself in order to fit in with all of the other caped superheroes and their alter egos. With his niche being super strength, he conformed, at the time, to help him earn money and survive.(Photo: Myles Aronowitz/Netflix) 

7 / 11

His Early Alter Ego Was Known as Power Man Because of His Super Strength - Throughout the years, Luke Cage has adopted various monikers, but the one that tends to stand out most is "Luke Cage, Power Man," which he named himself in order to fit in with all of the other caped superheroes and their alter egos. With his niche being super strength, he conformed, at the time, to help him earn money and survive.(Photo: Myles Aronowitz/Netflix) 

Photo By Photo: Myles Aronowitz/Netflix

He's Best Friends With Iron Fist - Back in the early days, Luke Cage was paired with a kung-fu based superhero named Danny Rand, better known as Iron Fist, after the sales for Power Man began significantly dropping. From that point on, they became known as the Heroes for Hire, an organization that's grown and added many more A-list superheroes to their roster throughout the years, from Hulk, Human Torch, Black Panther and Spider-Man.(Photo: Myles Aronowitz/Netflix) 

8 / 11

He's Best Friends With Iron Fist - Back in the early days, Luke Cage was paired with a kung-fu based superhero named Danny Rand, better known as Iron Fist, after the sales for Power Man began significantly dropping. From that point on, they became known as the Heroes for Hire, an organization that's grown and added many more A-list superheroes to their roster throughout the years, from Hulk, Human Torch, Black Panther and Spider-Man.(Photo: Myles Aronowitz/Netflix) 

Photo By (Photo: Myles Aronowitz/Netflix)

He Started a Family With Jessica Jones - While in the Netflix series, fans learned that Jessica Jones and Luke Cage hooked up from time to time, their relationship actually went a lot deeper than that — they're actually married with a kid, in comic book land. Ironically, their daughter, Danielle, was the product of a one night stand, and will eventually become Captain America and lead The Avengers in the future. Exciting!(Photos: Myles Aronowitz/Netflix)

9 / 11

He Started a Family With Jessica Jones - While in the Netflix series, fans learned that Jessica Jones and Luke Cage hooked up from time to time, their relationship actually went a lot deeper than that — they're actually married with a kid, in comic book land. Ironically, their daughter, Danielle, was the product of a one night stand, and will eventually become Captain America and lead The Avengers in the future. Exciting!(Photos: Myles Aronowitz/Netflix)

He Was Once a Leader and Main Fixture in The Avengers - While modern fans of The Avengers know of the most recent lineup that has been featured in the movies, many don't know that Luke Cage was possibly the most closely associated character with the biggest Marvel team ever. He initially joined Captain America's Secret Avengers during the Civil War and even went on to form and lead the New Avengers after Rogers's assassination, which consisted of Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, Wolverine, Iron Fist, and, of course, his lady Jessica Jones.(Photo: Myles Aronowitz/Netflix) 

10 / 11

He Was Once a Leader and Main Fixture in The Avengers - While modern fans of The Avengers know of the most recent lineup that has been featured in the movies, many don't know that Luke Cage was possibly the most closely associated character with the biggest Marvel team ever. He initially joined Captain America's Secret Avengers during the Civil War and even went on to form and lead the New Avengers after Rogers's assassination, which consisted of Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, Wolverine, Iron Fist, and, of course, his lady Jessica Jones.(Photo: Myles Aronowitz/Netflix) 

Mike Colter Originally Didn't Want the Role of Luke Cage - By now, fans who are familiar with the popular Netflix original series that introduced them to the resurgence of Luke Cage, Jessica Jones,  have associated Mike Colter with the superhero. However, the actor almost didn't take on the role at first. "I'm obviously very grateful to have the job and I love the character, but I had a moment of, 'Do I want to take on this iconic superhero right now?" he told Polygon. We're glad he ended up taking the role.(Photo: Myles Aronowitz/Netflix) 

11 / 11

Mike Colter Originally Didn't Want the Role of Luke Cage - By now, fans who are familiar with the popular Netflix original series that introduced them to the resurgence of Luke Cage, Jessica Jones,  have associated Mike Colter with the superhero. However, the actor almost didn't take on the role at first. "I'm obviously very grateful to have the job and I love the character, but I had a moment of, 'Do I want to take on this iconic superhero right now?" he told Polygon. We're glad he ended up taking the role.(Photo: Myles Aronowitz/Netflix)