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Marvel Cancels 'Luke Cage'

One of Marvel's biggest names simply isn't enough of a draw to keep this series going.

By The One True GeekologyPublished 6 years ago 3 min read
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Marvel Comics, it seems, has been on a bit of a cancellation spree of late, cancelling such titles as The Unbelievable Gwenpool, Generation X, and Hawkeye, but fans are in for a shock as it's been announced that 'Luke Cage' is also getting the axe.

Confirmed by writer of the series, David Walker he posted a brief statement on Twitter that read; "Sad but true... LUKE CAGE (the comic book, not the TV series) has been cancelled. Issue #10 is the last (and best) of the series. Oh well, on to other adventures. Thanks to everyone who supported the series."

Obviously, being cancelled after only ten issues isn't great for such a big name character as Cage, but this is among a number of low-selling comics that got the axe by Marvel simply for not bringing in enough revenue to the company. But what's equally saddening about this is that Cage, along with the other cancellations, largely feature characters in a central role from some sort of minority background. With Marvel's recent push for more diversity in their comics range, does this tell the story that diversity is bad for business?

Naturally, all the recent cancellations by Marvel had their dedicated fan-bases who will be upset by this, but they shouldn't be too bummed out. The characters still very much exist in the Marvel universe, and will no doubt be able to find their place somewhere else in the canon of that universe by being brought into another series.

There are those who will argue the low sales are purely because of the diversity angle being rejected by a broad array of fans, but when considering low sales, there's a lot more at play. Was Marvel really invested in these characters from the beginning? Were they given the time for their stories to be told and for their individual worlds to be expanded upon?

Even in a company as big as Marvel and with the financial clout of Disney behind it, a series with that logo on isn't always guaranteed to be a best-seller. The writing and the art also have to be enough to draw in fans and keep them there, but with a cancellation by just issue ten, you have to wonder if Luke Cage was really given a good enough chance to shine?

Luke Cage will always hold that benchmark of being the first African-American hero to have his own solo series in Marvel comics with Luke Cage, Hero for Hire. His name is universally known among comic fans, especially now he has his own series on Netflix along with Daredevil, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, and The Punisher, so it's a shame a solo series never really took off.

The Netflix series of the same name, starring Mike Colter in the title role, has brought in a big following to the character, perhaps introducing him to a new audience that may have been enthusiastic for a comic series based on this hero, so perhaps it's possible that Marvel simply failed to put enough energy behind trying to make this series work. Maybe there's a reformation of power man and iron fist on the cards, particularly with the chemistry shown between the two characters on the Netflix series. After all, it's not unusual that Marvel allows the movies and TV shows to influence where it invests in the comics, or vice versa.

Here's to hoping that in the near future Marvel will be willing to have another crack at bringing power man back to his own series once more, and then hopefully, they will give him enough time to carve out his own niche in the modern world, and tell his own story, particularly in the current political climate, ripe for satire and political commentary in comic books.

- Steve

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About the Creator

The One True Geekology

"Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government." - Dennis the Peasant

Come find us at itsgeekology.com/collective and www.facebook.com/itsgeekology/

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