Issue(s): Marvel Comics Presents #82 (Luke Cage story only)
Cover Date: 1991
Title: "Hero in hiding"
Credits:
Marc McLaurin - Writer
Sal Velluto - Penciler
Brad Vancata - Inker
Mark Powers - Assistant Editor
Terry Kavanagh - Editor

Review/plot:
Ok, here's one that is actually relevant, since it's written by Marc McLaurin, who will be writing the Cage series that begins next year.

Cage is in Chicago, and he's just been caught on television rescuing people from a fire, even though he's still wanted after the death of Iron Fist. Cage's friend Monty is upset about it, because he himself is out on parole and shouldn't be harboring a wanted man.

Note that he thinks his costume is "dated". But he's not giving up "Sweet Christmas".

While Cage and Monty argue, we see a man outside drain energy from an old woman.

When the guy, Victor, moves into the building and attacks Monty's landlord's wife, Cage gets involved, despite Monty's protests.

Note that Victor mentions the boys from the Corporation, who are training him to fight mutants.

Victor drains energy from Cage and becomes super-powerful.

Cage figures out that Victor is draining too much power at once, so he presses his attack, and Victor explodes. Then others from Monty's building show up with weapons. They are apparently part of a neighborhood (or building) watch group, and they intend to beat Victor to death. Monty stops them.

I don't believe that Monty or Victor are seen again (and Cage is seen leaving Monty's building at the end), but the Corporation will be used in McLaurin's Cage series.

Quality Rating: C

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References:

• Cage is thought to have killed Iron Fist after Power Man & Iron Fist #125.
  
• Cage got his powers in Hero For Hire #1.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

Did McLaurin ever explain why Luke was still wanted for murder even though Danny is back?

Not in this story, which i assume was written before those Namor issues. But it probably takes a while for the arrest warrant or whatever to get rescinded anyway. I assume it must come up in the Cage series, at least by issue #9 when Iron Fist guest stars.

Cage would have been a good character to become a headliner for MCP. He's had his own series and has residual fans as a result. It could have been a good anchor.

Being wanted for the death of Iron Fist is a short term story idea mistakenly turned into a status quo for Luke Cage. I suppose I should use the term "status quo" loosely though since this is Cage's first appearance since 1986.

I understand the reality was that he'd been in character limbo since the end of his comic, but it looks pretty bad in-universe that all his friends let this go on for so long and no one tried to help clear his name.