Diamondback was created by Archie Goodwin and George Tuska, and first appeared in Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #1 (June 1972). He was introduced as a childhood friend of Carl Lucas, who would later become Luke Cage. The two grew up in Harlem, New York City, and joined a local street gang together. They eventually became the leaders of the gang, and fought against rival groups such as the Diablos. Diamondback was skilled in knife-fighting, and earned his nickname for his speed and accuracy with blades.

However, their friendship turned sour when Diamondback became jealous of Lucas’ relationship with Reva Connors, a woman that Diamondback also loved. Diamondback framed Lucas for a drug deal that he had orchestrated, and sent him to prison. There, Lucas volunteered for an experiment that gave him his superpowers and allowed him to escape. He changed his name to Luke Cage and became a hero for hire, while Diamondback rose to prominence in the criminal underworld.

Diamondback’s first encounter with Luke Cage as enemies was in Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #1. He hired some thugs to kidnap Reva Connors, who had left him for Cage, and lured Cage into a trap. He stabbed Cage with a knife, but was shocked to see that it had no effect on his skin. He then threw a gas bomb at Cage, but it also failed to harm him. Cage easily defeated Diamondback’s men and confronted him on a rooftop. Diamondback tried to escape by jumping onto a nearby building, but he slipped and fell to his death.

However, Diamondback’s death was not the end of his story. He was later resurrected by the villainous Doctor Noah Burstein, the same scientist who had given Cage his powers. Burstein experimented on Diamondback’s body, enhancing his strength and durability. He also implanted metal spikes on his knuckles, giving him a more lethal weapon than his knives. Burstein intended to use Diamondback as a pawn against Cage, but Diamondback rebelled and escaped.

Diamondback then formed his own gang called the Rat Pack, composed of other criminals who had been experimented on by Burstein. He also hired Gadget, a genius inventor who created special knives for him to use against Cage’s impenetrable skin. These knives included one that emitted sonic pulses, one that exploded on impact, and one that released poison gas. Diamondback sought revenge on Cage for ruining his life and taking Reva from him. He also clashed with other crime lords such as Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of New York.

Diamondback’s most notable storyline was in Power Man and Iron Fist #125 (September 1986), the final issue of the series. He kidnapped Cage’s girlfriend Claire Temple and lured him into a showdown at Coney Island. He revealed that he had planted bombs all over the amusement park, and threatened to detonate them unless Cage fought him to the death. He also revealed that he had killed Reva Connors years ago, after learning that she had betrayed him to Cage. He stabbed Cage with his sonic knife, but Cage managed to grab it and stab Diamondback in return. The knife overloaded Diamondback’s enhanced nervous system, causing him to collapse. Cage then disarmed the bombs and left Diamondback for dead.

Diamondback has not appeared much in comics since then, but he has made some appearances in other media. He was featured in the 2016 Netflix series Marvel’s Luke Cage, played by Erik LaRay Harvey. In this adaptation, he is Luke Cage’s half-brother who blames him for their father’s death. He wears a suit of armor that enhances his strength and durability, and uses a gun that fires bullets made of Chitauri metal that can pierce Cage’s skin. He also uses a metal gauntlet that can deliver powerful punches.

Diamondback is one of the most iconic villains in Marvel comics, especially for Luke Cage fans. He represents the dark side of Harlem’s streets, where loyalty and friendship can turn into hatred and violence. He is also a formidable fighter who can challenge even the strongest heroes with his deadly blades.

Diamondback is also playable in Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 (2017), voiced by Dave Boat. In this game, he is part of the Serpent Society, a group of snake-themed villains who work for Kang the Conqueror. He uses his knives as weapons and can throw them at enemies.