Since the first trailer for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. came out (I don’t count the teaser-for-the-teaser that came out the day before, because that marketing trend is messed up) people have been trying to figure out who Angel alum J. August Richards is playing. The predominant theory? Luke Cage.
In the first trailer he pops up with super strength and some sort of invulnerability, and then in the longer one released a few days later he’s clearly established as an unnamed superhero being sought by S.H.I.E.L.D. and, possibly, other, more nefarious people who would wish to use his powers for evil. (Eau de Alphas, anyone?).
The superhuman strength thing fits with Cage, but the same can be said of many superheroes, and if AoSHIELD wanted to create their own, new character super-strength would be a pretty generic power to give him. That said, seeing as AoSHIELD is a Marvel production and all, it’s unlikely that they’d make up new supers, especially when Marvel Studios CEO Kevin Feige has previously said that heroes new to the MCU might show up on AoSHIELD. Comic Book Resources also notes that Richards is wearing yellowish pants in one clip, which might be a nod to Cage’s ’70s blue and yellow outfit. Sounds like a stretch, but you never know. Also reaching deep to the bottom of the barrel: Marvel is reportedly considering script ideas for several major characters not already movie-fied, among them Doctor Strange, Black Panther, Iron Fist, and Ms. Marvel. But not Luke Cage. Mayhaps because he’s already been taken by Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.?
Possibly of relevance is this weird alien-looking thing attached to his arm. The other major theory has Richards playing Rage from the New Warriors.
What say you? Would you leap from your seat in glee if Richards is in fact playing Luke Cage?
(via: Comic Book Resources)
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Published: May 15, 2013 7:00 PM UTC