Hero for Hire

    (Marvel, 1972-1973)
™ and ©1973 Marvel Entertainment Group
Series continues as Power Man #17

Lucas was a small-time loser, sent to Seagate Prison for a crime he didn’t commit. While there, a sadistic prison guard named Rackham made it his business to make Lucas’ life miserable. Lucas’ one hope for salvation was to agree to take part in an risky cell regeneration experiment conducted by Doc Burstein. The experiment had proved fatal to all the previous subjects, but if Lucas survived, he would be granted parole.

Lucas took the gamble and was locked into a bio-bath full of strange chemicals. Rackham hated Lucas so much that he turned up the electricity flowing to the bio-bath hoping to electrocute him. The power overloaded, but instead of killing Lucas, it gave him incredible power and steel-hard skin. He broke out of his tank, then escaped to New York where he set up shop as Luke Cage, Hero for Hire. Later, he would adopt the moniker Power Man and team up with Iron Fist in a continuation of this, his first title.
Jump to issue:
  • 1
    #1
    Jun 1972
    Cover: $0.20
    W: Archie Goodwin, Roy Thomas  ·  A: George Tuska, John Romita Sr.
    1st Appearance of Diamondback; 1st Appearance of Power Man (Luke Cage); Origin of Power Man (Luke Cage)
    1 copy for $1,025.00
  • 1-2
    #1 - 2nd printing
    Jun 1972
    Cover: $0.20
    W: Archie Goodwin, Roy Thomas  ·  A: George Tuska, John Romita Sr.
    1st Appearance of Diamondback; 1st Appearance of Power Man (Luke Cage); Origin of Power Man (Luke Cage); Marvel Legends (Modok Series) action figure insert comic
    2 copies from $6.50
  • 2
    #2
    Aug 1972
    Cover: $0.20
    W: Archie Goodwin  ·  A: George Tuska
    1st appearance of Claire Temple; Versus Diamondback
    4 copies from $21.00
  • 3
    #3
    Oct 1972
    Cover: $0.20
    W: Archie Goodwin  ·  A: George Tuska
    1st Appearance of Mace; Versus Mace
    5 copies from $12.00
  • 4
    #4
    Dec 1972
    Cover: $0.20
    W: Archie Goodwin  ·  A: Billy Graham
    5 copies from $7.50
  • 5
    #5
    Jan 1973
    Cover: $0.20
    W: Steve Englehart  ·  A: George Tuska
    1st appearance of Black Mariah
    10 copies from $8.50
  • 6
    #6
    Feb 1973
    Cover: $0.20
    W: Gerry Conway, Steve Englehart  ·  A: Billy Graham
    8 copies from $12.50
  • 7
    #7
    Mar 1973
    Cover: $0.20
    W: Steve Englehart  ·  A: George Tuska
    6 copies from $14.00
  • 8
    #8
    Apr 1973
    Cover: $0.20
    W: Steve Englehart  ·  A: George Tuska
    8 copies from $12.50
  • 9
    #9
    May 1973
    Cover: $0.20
    W: Steve Englehart  ·  A: George Tuska
    1 copy for $38.00
  • 10
    #10
    Jun 1973
    Cover: $0.20
    W: Steve Englehart  ·  A: George Tuska
    1st Appearance of Señor Muerte I (Ramon Garcia)
    8 copies from $10.60
  • 11
    #11
    Jul 1973
    Cover: $0.20
    W: Steve Englehart  ·  A: George Tuska
    Death of Señor Muerte I (Ramon Garcia)
    6 copies from $3.50
  • 12
    #12
    Aug 1973
    Cover: $0.20
    W: Steve Englehart  ·  A: George Tuska
    1st Appearance of Chemistro I (Curtis Carr)
    12 copies from $12.00
  • 13
    #13
    Sep 1973
    Cover: $0.20
    W: Steve Englehart  ·  A: Billy Graham
    Versus Lionfang
    15 copies from $8.50
  • 14
    #14
    Oct 1973
    Cover: $0.20
    W: Billy Graham, Steve Englehart  ·  A: Billy Graham
    Origin of Luke Cage; Versus Big Ben
    11 copies from $4.75
  • 15
    #15
    Nov 1973
    Cover: $0.20
    W: Billy Graham, Steve Englehart, Tony Isabella, Bill Everett  ·  A: Billy Graham, Bill Everett
    Sub-Mariner back-up
    8 copies from $8.20
  • 16
    #16
    Dec 1973
    Cover: $0.20
    W: Steve Englehart, Tony Isabella  ·  A: Billy Graham
    Series continues as Power Man
    15 copies from $6.00