Shades

He's a street fighter who knows how to rough people up, but he's always looking to do more than a heist and be more than hired muscle. Out to make a name for himself, Shades pals up with his partner in crime, Comanche, to become the next kings of the New York underground.

Street Fighter

Born and raised in Harlem, New York, Shades grew up on the streets. As a kid, he joined a criminal group called the Rivals which also counted Carl Lucas, Willis Stryker, and his best friend Comanche as members. Together, they forged a rough path across the city and often engaging in fights with the Diablos, a rival gang. Shades often wore designer sunglasses, giving him his trademark look and moniker.

During his time with the Rivals, Shades met a fellow New Yorker named Reina Alvarez. Reina and Shades would go on to become a couple. After Shades found himself working for the crime lord Sonny Caputo, he ended up landing in Seagate Prison along with Comanche. While Shades was there, Reina gave birth to their child and named him Victor.

As Shades and Comanche did time, they were tortured by a prison guard named Billy Bob Rackham. After years of abuse, Rackham was eventually discharged—but when Shades and Comanche escaped the prison, they sought him out to get their revenge.

Afterward, Shades joined Comanche to become the Hoodlums for Hire. Ward Meachum—of Rand-Meachum, Inc.—later employed the two, and provided Shades with a powerful visor that could blast energy bolts at his foes.

Shades' Visor

Shades is extremely skilled at hand-to-hand combat thanks to his early years’ of street warfare alongside the Rivals. He also possesses a visor—optic-blasting shades—that Ward Meachum provided for him to use in battle against Luke Cage. The visor, originally created by the scientific genius Nightshade, pulls bio-electric energy from the surrounding environment to create its blast.

Opposing Forces

Billy Bob Rackham, a guard at Seagate Prison, abused Shades and his friend Comanche while they served their sentences for petty crimes. Rackham was released from the job because of this abuse, but when Shades and Comanche escaped the prison, they found Rackham to exact their revenge. Their ploy failed, however, and Rackham accidentally got hit by an ambulance, leaving him dead.

Carl Lucas, the man that would later become the Hero for Hire Luke Cage, grew up running in the same gang as Shades. Later, after Cage went straight, the two found themselves as direct opponents when Shades worked as muscle for John McIver, AKA Bushmaster, who was then the leader of the Syndicate. And little did Cage know at the time, but Shades was also one of the men that attacked Willis "Diamondback" Stryker in an alley by the Palmtree Club, leaving him in the hospital.

Family and Friends…and Criminal Colleagues

Shades was married to Reina Alvarez, and has a son with her named Victor Alvarez. The villain, however, cheated on Reina, which led to their breakup and parting of ways. When Victor grew up, he inherited his father's optic-blasting shades which helped him take on the mantle of Power Man.

Comanche, a fellow Rivals member, childhood friend, and partner-in-crime, was typically found at Shades' side. They were a part of the same gang growing up, endured torture together, and escaped prison as a duo before working as Hoodlums for Hire.

John McIver, also known as Bushmaster, is the leader of the Syndicate, and has often employed both Shades and Comanche as hired muscle. Ward Meachum, of Rand-Meachum Inc., has also employed Shades. He provided Shades with his energy-blasting visor to help him combat Luke Cage.

Rap Sheet

When Shades was in prison for committing petty crimes, he and his fellow inmate and friend Comanche were abused by a prison guard named Billy Bob Rackham. Rackham's abusive behavior went on for years until he was finally discharged for his actions. When Shades and Comanche escaped prison, they sought out Rackham for revenge while simultaneously planning a protection racket.

In the meantime, the duo had a run-in with their former prison mate and ally, Carl Lucas, who now called himself Luke Cage. The trio fought until the melee was broken up by Flea, an informant of Cage's, allowing Shades the time to offer Cage a job in their new criminal schemes. They offered him Rackham, the man holding Mrs. Jenks, the only person able to clear Claire Temple of a false murder charge. As such, Cage joined Shades and Comanche in their search for the former guard. When they found Rackham, they were interrupted by Stiletto, the former warden at Seagate Prison who vowed revenge against Cage. Stiletto sent explosives into the building, bringing it down in the process. Cage managed to save Shades and Comanche during the chaos, but Mrs. Jenks was badly injured. During the commotion, Rackham got hit by an ambulance and died, making Shades and Comanche's plot for retribution a moot point. In the aftermath of the event, the criminal duo refused to reveal Cage’s former identity to the police as a thank you for saving their lives.

Shades and Comanche later worked as muscle for John McIver, AKA Bushmaster, the leader of the crime organization known as the Syndicate. Despite their previous comradery, the duo became Cage's rivals when they told him that they'd kill him the moment McIver ordered them to do so.

Following this encounter with Cage, they ended up working as Hoodlums for Hire, employed by Ward Meachum of Rand-Meachum, Inc. The businessman offered them high tech gadgets to use in their underground efforts—an energy-blasting visor to Shades and trick arrows to Comanche. Later, Cage and Iron Fist tracked them to the George Washington Bridge where they threw down. Shades then used his visor to knock Cage and the Fist off the bridge. The criminals ended up in prison once again, but left soon after.

Shades later resurfaced as a gunman employed by Viktor Smerdilovisc. He was later defeated by Cloak and Dagger when Cloak sent him to a pocket dimension.

He was later released from the pocket realm, and eventually gave up his Hoodlums for Hire and Kings of Harlem business ventures; he and Comanche seemed to part ways. He fought for decent housing for the locals in Hell's Kitchen and became a community organizer. His son Victor worked with him, helping him support those whose homes were being torn down to make way for more lucrative building projects.

One of the buildings that they attempted to save was set to be demolished by Norman Osborn, who wanted to build a new Oscorp Building in its place. The Super Villain sent Bullseye after Daredevil, and told him to blow up the building; Shade and Victor were still inside along with residents when Bullseye detonated it. Bullseye then taunted Daredevil for refusing to kill him, and killed all 107 people inside, except Victor. He survived thanks to crystal fragments from his father's visor becoming embedded in his skin. These shards allowed him to absorb the Chi life force of those killed—including his father—and as such, he became the new Power Man.