Issue(s): Power Man #27
Cover Date: Oct 75
Title: "Just a guy named "X"!"
Credits:
Bill Mantlo - Writer
George Perez - Penciler
Alden McWilliams - Inker

Review/plot:
Continuing the thought that last issue's Steve Englehart plot might have been an inventory story, this issue begins with Luke Cage standing in his not-quite-renovated office, commenting on how he's just returned home, as if last issue never happened.

Who's the lady that Luke has a signed picture of hanging on his wall?

This story has a washed-up and brain damaged wrestler chancing upon a super-serum formula...

...and getting into a big fight with Luke Cage...

...that kills the wrestler's manager and only friend before the serum wears off.

Cage, wrapped up in his own troubles, is quick to escalate the conflict with the wrestler; the story deliberately depicts him in a bad light.

The serum, "based on..theories as to what a certain other formula would have contained... a formula that was fed to a certain Steve Rogers...", was developed by a Doc Klemph. No more info on Klemph is given, except that he was "old", and he's killed by a petty criminal who himself was killed by the police after stashing the serum in the wrestler's locker. Would have been interesting to learn more about a guy that came so close to re-creating the super-soldier serum.

My biggest problem with this story (aside from it being a bit sentimental) is how powerful the wrestler seems to be. He's introduced by having him punch through the wall between his gym and Cage's office!

Now granted, the quality of the recent renovations is probably suspect, but he also manages to hold his own against Luke pretty well.

This is all before he takes the super-serum, mind you.

I don't think Perez does a great job depicting the pre-serum overweight and washed-up wrestler vs. the post-serum version. It's pretty clear at the end when he reverts back...

...but comparing the pre-serum fight to post, the difference in body type isn't that distinct. It's there if you look for it, but it could have been a bit clearer. I do enjoy the wrestling moves: both the fact that the guy is given a specific fighting style instead of just being depicted at a brawler, and how befuddled Cage is by the moves.

As noted in the comments, this is the first time Luke says, "Sweet Christmas!". He's used "Christmas!" as an epithet before, and "Sweet Sister", but this is the first time they get merged.

Quality Rating: C

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References:

• Cage's travels were depicted in Power Man #23 and Power Man #24-25.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

I think this was the first story George Perez drew for Marvel, but maybe not the first to be published.

Isn't that the first "Sweet Christmas"?

According to this (fusing "Sweet Sister" and "Christmas"), it may just be.
http://www.cbr.com/when-did-luke-cage-first-say-sweet-christmas/

Wow, there's even a list! Indeed, it's a distinctive trait of Luke Cage, so I guess it's appropriate.

Growing up a pro wrestling mark as well as a comics "geek", I remember this particular issue very fondly since it combined both of these worlds. In hindsight, it's nice to see the story explore the physical ramifications of a career spent in pro wrestling and not simply concentrating on the "fake" and "entertainment" aspects of the industry.