Luke Cage supporting Cast

I thought I would start a thread on some of Luke Cage supporting cast that may show up in the show.

Discuss the characters and who you would like to see play their roles.

First up Luke Cage childhood best friends and fellow gang members


Willis Stryker

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Willis Stryker and Carl Lucas grew up best friends, forming local street gang, the Rivals, together, and eventually becoming its leaders. Fights against rival gangs such as the Diablos honed Willis’ knife-fighting skills. Lucas eventually quit the gangs, but Willis’ involvement deepened, and he tried to cut into the Syndicate’s territory. Then both men became rivals for the affections of Lucas’ work colleague Reva Connors. At first Willis’ money impressed Reva, but witnessing Syndicate heavies ambush Willis demonstrated to her his lifestyle’s brutality. Reva fled for help, returning with Lucas in time to save Willis’ life. Despite this, an enraged Willis blamed Lucas when Reva dumped him. Willis stole two kilos of uncut heroin from his rival Cornell Cottonmouth’s gang, and used it to frame Lucas, who was imprisoned, allowing Willis to move in on Reva, falsely promising to help prove Lucas’ innocence. She was in Willis’ car when it was forced off the road in retaliation for the theft; he survived, but she did not. Over the next few years Willis won his place in the Syndicate, known as Diamondback, because of his speed with his blades. However Lucas gained superpowers and escaped prison; as “Luke Cage”, he returned to New York, and targeted Willis’ gang. Warned the Syndicate would drop him if he didn’t deal with Cage, Willis lured Cage into an ambush. Facing Cage on a rooftop, Willis fell through a skylight. An explosive dagger he had intended for Cage landed next to him, detonating and killing him.

Shades and Comanche


Comanche is ½ black and ½ Native American. Shades real name is Victor Hernan Alvarez and he is the father of the current Mighty Avengers Power Man.

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Shades and Comanche were fellow hoods from Harlem who ran the streets with then Carl Lucas and Willis Stryker. The four of them made up the gang called the Rivals. They worked the streets for the more established mobs. When they grew up, Lucas went straight, but Shades and Comanche continued to associate with Stryker once he became a mobster himself. (Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #1, 1972) Shades and Comanche were arrested and sent to Seagate where Lucas was already imprisoned. They attempted to manipulate Lucas into starting a prison riot, but Cage didn’t fall for it. Comanche drew a shiv on Lucas, but Lucas knocked him with one punch. After Lucas escaped, the guard responsible for Lucas’ mishap, Rackham, took his frustration out on the prisoners, especially the Black ones. Shades and Comanche were able to dig escape tunnels out prison, and went after Rackham, carrying a burning hatred for him due to his treatment of them in prison. The pair tracked Rackham across the country, committing small crimes to make cash. When they found him, they donned costumes so Rackham wouldn’t recognize them. They approached Lucas, now called Luke Cage, to ask him to join the protection racket they wanted to set up, as well as to get revenge on Rackham. Luke agreed, but only because he needed help proving his friend Claire Temple was innocent. As the three made their way to Rackham’s house, it exploded due to the vigilante Stiletto blowing it up. The explosion killed Rackham, but Luke was able to save Shades and Comanche. The three parted ways with the duo in debt to Luke. (Luke Cage, Hero for Hire, #14-16, 1973) The two met up with Luke again when they were working for Bushmaster, who had blackmailed Luke into attacking Misty Knight. Bushmaster’s attempt was foiled and the duo made their escape. (Power Man #48-49, 1977, 1978) The duo was hired by Industrialist Ward Meachum. Meachum provided them with upgraded weapons. Shades got a new optical blaster and Comanche got new trick arrows, the duo attacked Luke and incapacitated him. Luke revives and goes to Iron Fist for help. Luke and Danny search for the pair and come across them in a park receiving payment from a man in a suit. Luke and Danny’s friend D.W., who was filming the pair, got the man on tape. The man, Ward Meachum, instructs Shades and Comanche to retrieve the tape. The pair are defeated and turned over to the cops by the Heroes for Hire. Before the cops can take them away, Shades blasts the heroes off of a bridge. The heroes eventually see the film clip and recognize Meachum as the man in the suit paying off Shades and Comanche. Meachum kidnaps Misty Knight and D.W., but they are rescued by Luke, Danny, and some of their hero friends. Danny takes on Master Khan, who is there to kill Iron Fist. Luke is attacked by Shades and Comanche, who are defeated. After everything settles and Master Khan is defeated, Meachum and his men are arrested. (Power Man and Iron Fist #98-100, 1983) When Shades got out of crime, Comanche stayed in. He eventually ended up working for Nightshade and becoming a part of her Flashmob. Comanche was one of the former Cage enemies who was sent to retrieve the optic blasters Nightshade thought Shades son had in his possession. (Shadowland: Power Man, #2, 2010)