Power Man and Iron Fist

The series debuted as Hero For Hire #1, and became Power Man from #17 onwards. The cover logo included Luke Cage's name, so from #1–16 the cover logo read Luke Cage, Hero For Hire and from #17 onwards Luke Cage, Power Man. The series was initially written by Luke Cage's co-creator Archie Goodwin, pencilled by George Tuska, and inked by Billy Graham.

Eventually, Power Man's sales became unsustainable. Marvel decided to combine his series with Iron Fist, another once popular superhero who could no longer support his own series, in order to save both characters from full cancellation.[1] Iron Fist joined the cast of Power Man in a three part story arc in #48–50. The series title changed to Power Man and Iron Fist with #50, though the indicia did not reflect this change until #67.

Iron Fist writer Chris Claremont penned the initial stories pairing the characters, but was soon forced to turn the series over to Jo Duffy due to his unmanageable workload. Duffy's run was noted for its lighthearted, humorous, character-driven tone, and had relatively few fight scenes.[1] A young Kurt Busiek had his first regular assignment with the title, writing it from issue #90 to #100. He emulated the lighthearted humor of Duffy's run, not knowing that Duffy had been taken off Power Man and Iron Fist precisely because the editorial staff disapproved of her lighthearted tongue-in-cheek approach to the series.[1]

Goodwin then returned to the series, but had difficulty keeping up with the work, and his brief second run was littered with issues by fill-in writers, including two by Busiek.[1] Jim Owsley, another Marvel staffer, took over as regular writer. The series concluded with the death of Iron Fist in #125, a controversial story. Owsley later commented, "Fist’s death was senseless and shocking and completely unforeseen. It took the readers’ heads clean off. And, to this day, people are mad about it. Forgetting, it seems, that (a) you were supposed to be mad, that death is senseless and Fist’s death was supposed to be senseless, or that (b) this is a comic book."[1]

In 1996, Marvel launched a new Heroes For Hire, written by John Ostrander and illustrated by Pasqual Ferry, featuring Luke Cage and Iron Fist along with many other characters. It lasted for 19 issues.

A new Heroes for Hire series was developed in 2006 as a spin-off of the Daughters of the Dragon limited series. The team line-up did not include Luke Cage or Danny Rand.

Power Man and Iron Fist returned as a five-issue limited series in 2011, spinning-off from the "Shadowland" storyline, which introduced a new Power Man, Victor Alvarez.[2] It was written by one of the character's creators Fred Van Lente, with art by Wellinton Alves.[3][4][5]

Four Marvel Essential trade paperbacks were published reprinting issues of the first Power Man and Iron Fist series. Essential Luke Cage, Power Man Volume 2, features Power Man #48-49, Essential Iron Fist Volume 1 features Power Man #48-49 and Power Man and Iron Fist #50. Essential Power Man and Iron Fist Volume 1 reprints Power Man and Iron Fist #50-72 & 74-75; issue #73, which features a story where Power Man and Iron Fist meet Rom the Spaceknight, was omitted from the collection due to the fact Marvel does not hold the rights to the Rom character. Essential Power Man and Iron Fist Volume 2 reprints Power Man and Iron Fist #76-100 and Daredevil #178.

• Roy Thomas - Hero for Hire #1 (June 1972)
• Archie Goodwin - Hero for Hire #1–4 (June 1972–December 1972)
• Steve Englehart - Hero for Hire #5–15 (January 1973–November 1973)
• Gerry Conway - Hero for Hire #6 (February 1973)
• Billy Graham - Hero for Hire #14–15 (October 1973–November 1973)
• Tony Isabella - Hero for Hire #15–16, 20–25 (November 1973–December 1973, August 1974–June 1975)

• John Romita - Hero for Hire #1 (June 1972)
• George Tuska - Hero for Hire #1–3, 5, 7–12 (June 1972–October 1972, January 1973, March 1973–August 1973); cover art #1–2 (June 1972–August 1972)
• Billy Graham - Hero for Hire #4, 6, 13–16 (December 1972, February 1973, September 1973–December 1973); cover art #3–16 (October 1972–December 1973)

• Len Wein - Power Man #17–19, 21 (February 1974–June 1974, October 1974)
• Tony Isabella - Power Man #20–25 (August 1974–June 1975)
• Bill Mantlo - Power Man #25, 27, 29, 38–39 (June 1975, October 1975, February 1976, December 1976–January 1977)
• Steve Englehart - Power Man #26, 36 (August 1975, October 1976)
• Don McGregor - Power Man #28, 30–35 (December 1975, April 1976–September 1976)
• Marv Wolfman - Power Man #37, 40–46 (November 1976, February 1977–August 1977)
• Chris Claremont - Power Man #47–53 (October 1977–October 1978); Power Man Annual #1 (1976)
• Ed Hannigan - Power Man #52–55 (August 1978–February 1979)
• Mary Jo Duffy - Power Man #56–66 (April 1979–December 1980)

• George Tuska - Power Man #17–20, 24, 26, 28-29, 36, 47 (February 1974–August 1974, April 1975, August 1975, December 1975-February 1976, October 1976, October 1977)
• Ron Wilson - Power Man #21–23, 25, 37 (October 1974–February 1975, June 1975, November 1976)
• George Pérez - Power Man #27 (October 1975)
• Rich Buckler - Power Man #30 (April 1976)
• Frank Robbins - Power Man #31–34 (May 1976–August 1976)
• Marie Severin - Power Man #35, 60 (September 1976, December 1979)
• Bob Brown - Power Man #38–39 (December 1976–January 1977)
• Lee Elias - Power Man #40–43, 45–46, 54–55 (February 1977–May 1977, July 1977–August 1977, December 1978–February 1979); Power Man Annual #1 (1976)
• Ed Hannigan - Power Man #44 (June 1977)
• John Byrne - Power Man #48–50 (December 1977–April 1978)
• Mike Zeck - Power Man #51–52 (June 1978–August 1978)
• Sal Buscema - Power Man #53 (October 1978)
• Trevor Von Eeden - Power Man #56–59 (April 1979–October 1979)
• Kerry Gammill - Power Man #61–66 (February 1980–December 1980)

• Chris Claremont - Power Man/Iron Fist #50-53 (April 1978 - October 1978), #76 (December 1981)
• Ed Hannigan - Power Man/Iron Fist #53-55 (October 1978 - February 1979)
• Mary Jo Duffy - Power Man/Iron Fist #56–75, 77–84 (April 1979 – November 1981, January 1982–August 1982)
• Bob Layton - Power Man/Iron Fist #67 (February 1981)
• Steven Grant - Power Man/Iron Fist #69, 91, 101 (May 1981, March 1983, January 1984)
• Mike W. Barr - Power Man/Iron Fist #76 (December 1981)
• Dennis O'Neil - Power Man/Iron Fist #85–89 (September 1982–January 1983)
• Kurt Busiek - Power Man/Iron Fist #90, 92–100, 102, 105 (February 1983, April 1983–December 1983, May 1984)
• Archie Goodwin - Power Man/Iron Fist #103–104, 108 (February 1984–April 1984, August 1984)
• Alan Rowlands - Power Man/Iron Fist #106–107, 109 (June 1984–July 1984, September 1984)
• Jim Owsley - Power Man/Iron Fist #108, 111–125 (August 1984, November 1984–September 1986)
• Tony Isabella - Power Man/Iron Fist #110 (October 1984)

• Kerry Gammill - Power Man #67-68, 70–72, 74–75, 77–79, 84 (February 1981–April 1981, June 1981–August 1981, October 1981–November 1981, January 1982–March 1982, August 1982)
• Alan Weiss - Power Man/Iron Fist #69 (May 1981)
• Greg LaRocque - Power Man/Iron Fist #73, 91, 102–104, 106, 108–113 (September 1981, March 1983, February 1984–April 1984, August 1984–January 1985)
• Frank Miller - Power Man/Iron Fist #76 (December 1981)
• Rudy Nebres - Power Man/Iron Fist #76 (December 1981)
• Denys Cowan - Power Man/Iron Fist #80–83, 86–90, 92–93 (April 1982–July 1982, October 1982–February 1983, April 1983–May 1983)
• Keith Pollard - Power Man/Iron Fist #85 (September 1982)
• Ernie Chan - Power Man/Iron Fist #94–100 (June 1983–December 1983)
• Geof Isherwood - Power Man/Iron Fist #101, 107 (January 1984, July 1984)
• Richard Howell - Power Man/Iron Fist #105 (May 1984)
• Steve Geiger - Power Man/Iron Fist #114 (February 1985)
• Billy Graham - Power Man/Iron Fist #114 (February 1985)
• Mark Bright - Power Man/Iron Fist #115–125 (March 1985–September 1986)