Moon Knight is back. This seems to be something that is said often. Before we get into how this issue is, let me just say I truly love the character. I gravitated to and latched onto him when I first started reading comics. He was different from the other characters in the Marvel Universe and just seemed so dang cool.
What became an odd occurrence with Moon Knight is he would have a comic series and then it would end. A little later, another series would arise only to end yet again. This cyce would continue over and over. (I believe this is the ninth volume). We would get some really really great stories along with some so-so adventures.
As such a die hard fan, I started to become disillusioned. Would we ever get a stellar series with a steady and long run showcasing what an extraordinary character this was?
Sadly, the news of a new ongoing series didn’t fill me with joy and anticipation. I was filled with a deep trepidation. Here we go again? Reading further into the announcement of this new series, seeing Jed MacKay’s name attached, I did get some hope. (You really should be reading his Black Cat comics if you haven’t been already).
The focus of this series sees Mr. Knight, one of Moon Knight’s various personas, running the Midnight Mission established to protect innocents from the “weird and horrible.” He is determined to protect “those who travel at night,” a nice callback to something he has stated before.
This first issue begins with a massive bang. Moon Knight is out on the prowl dealing with some vampires running a bizarre and deadly pyramid scheme in his “territory.” We get to see just how Moon Knight handles things.
Moon Knight makes his position clear. He has developed a reputation, which can be used as an advantage. While his mental state has been called into question in the past, he seems pretty focused on what he sees as his brand of justice. He doesn’t rely on violence for the sake of violence. He doesn’t get his kicks beating up on others. He just wants to keep his people safe. He needs to make sure he makes this message clear. Beating someone senselessly to a pulp might deliver a message, but he wants to make sure it’s fully understood.
With a beginning like that, it seems we’re off to a great start, right? Actually, it gets even better.
MacKay dives deeper into who Moon Knight is and why he’s doing what he’s doing. He is a very complex character, and this is something that must be dealt with.
A question and concern I had was how the heck would this series handle the recent fiasco between Moon Knight, Khonshu, and the Avengers. Thankfully this is also addressed. It’s not ignored or just swept under the rug.
For readers not completely versed in the gospel of Moon Knight, there is also an explanation on who he is and why he does what he does. It’s presented in a way that doesn’t feel like a simple rehash of his origin. Again, MacKay brilliantly lays everything out and deftly weaves it into the story with ease.
The series also won’t be just about Moon Knight knocking the heads of those committing dastardly acts in his neighborhood. MacKay sets up something else that will cause problems for Moon Knight and definitely will keep him busy. We have a lot to look forward to in this series.
With the visuals, we are treated with the art of Alessandro Cappuccio and colors by Rachelle Rosenberg. Cappuccio’s style is a superb fit for Moon Knight. Whether it’s Mr. Knight simply sitting in a chair or Moon Knight diving into the action, the is crisp and detailed. Rossenberg’s art enhances each panels, adding a menacing vibe along with an eerie and spectral aura with the various glowing elements. So not only we have a great scenario, we are given a fantastic art team to make a cool book even better.
Simply put–I’m extremely happy with this first issue.
This is the Moon Knight series fans have been waiting for. Jed MacKay, Alessandro Cappuccio, and Rachelle Rosenberg do a phenomenal job with the debut issue. Die hard fans can rest assured our beloved character is in safe hands. There is plenty of action, character analysis, and an intriguing hook to drive the series. This is a book you’ll immediately want more of after you finish the issue. Don’t miss out on this series.
Moon Knight #1 is on sale Wednesday, July 21.
What the Heck is going on?!? 