About the Power Man #18

1st and ONLY Appearance of "STEEPLEJACK" (Jake Mallard)

"HAVOC on the High Iron!"

The biting wind of a January morning finds Luke Cage standing at the grave of his former girlfriend Reva Connors. Luke opens up to this grave marker about his growing love for Claire Temple. When he finished his heart-felt sentiment, Luke is surprised to see Claire behind him. The two of them decide that they are in this mess together. Even though Luke is an escaped convict they will figure a way through.

As the two lovers move through the city they hear screaming on an unfinished building nearby. They see a large man threatening to push a man in a suit off the edge of the building. Power Man rushes to the skirmish and a fight ensues. We find out the the man in the suit is Maxwell Plumm and the big muscular man is Steeplejack. The two powerhouse men are evenly matched until Steeplejack pulls out a gun that shoots red hot rivets. While Luke is occupied with removing his shirt which is now on fire, Steeplejack tosses Maxwell off the building. Luke saves him and Maxwell describes the situation. Steeplejack’s brothers lost their lives on this building project and Steeplejack blames the owner.

After a pep talk from Doctor Burstein, Luke tries to find any evidence that will clear his name. Luke is hired to protect the building from Steeplejack and the next night he finds Steeplejack trying to sabotage the building. They fight again and Steeplejack falls to his death. Luke receives a mysterious package with no return address but is interrupted before he can open it. Flea calls and says that he needs to see Luke now. By the time Luke arrives Fleas is almost dead but he is able to say that he was poisoned by Cottonmouth then he expires.