Mike Colter Said I Hope The Black Community Can Feel Good About Luke Cage

Mike Colter is ready for Marvel fans to get to know the new Luke Cage. The new series follows Marvel's comic book hero Luke Cage, a Marvel character known for his strength and gang-busting. It co-stars Mahershala Ali, Alfe Woodard, Simone Missick, Theo Rossi and Frank Whaley. It takes place in Harlem in 1972.

"It's important in the landscape of television and globally as far as symbols," series star Mike Colter told reporters Wednesday at the television critics association summer press tour. "When you look at black culture, it's important to have positive images. It's an overwhelming task to carry this on your shoulders. We have no agenda, but I hope that the black community can feel good about it as well," he added.

Since the Luke Cage comic book came out in 1972, "the year I was born," executive producer Cheo Coker said, he had to update the look of the iconic superhero to make it fit into the Marvel Netflix universe. "The yellow shirt and the tiara aren't immediately present," Coker said of Luke's costume in the comics. "Luke Cage came out in the era of Shaft and Superfly. It was Marvel Universe's reaction to blaxspoitation. But blaxspoitation ... it's no different from anything else except we get to have swag and the chance to have compelling heroes and compelling villains. It's the opportunity to address a lot of issues and at the same time, have fun, and that's going to surprise some people," he added. Luke Cage season one will stream in its entirety beginning Friday, Sept. 30 on Netflix.

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