What kind of guy dresses up in an all-white outfit to go out at night and kick the crud out of evil-doers? The kind of guy you don't want to mess with. The kind of guy who is both nutty and dangerous. In other words, a Moon Knight kind of guy!
Moon Knight takes a lot of heat from the uninformed for being Marvel's Bat-Man wannabee. On the surface, the characters do have some similarities. At least one of Moony's personas is a rich playboy. Both heroes are regular guys, powered more by their own obsessions than by any super-abilities. Both heroes have a bundle of cool gadgets to help them thwart their enemies. Both heroes even have the scary, spooky "avenger in the night" vibe. So what makes Moon Knight different? He's a whole lot crazier than Bat-Man could ever be! In fact, Bats seems almost normal compared to Moon Knight.
For the uninitiated, Marc Spector (AKA Moon Knight) was a mercenary who "saw the light" when he died and miraculously returned to life in front of a statue representing the Egyptian deity Khonshu. Naturally, he assumed this meant Khonshu wanted him to go out and beat the daylights out of naughty people. Unlike most heroes, Spector wasn't satisfied with any one alter-ego. He developed a plethora of aliases, each with his own totally separate personality. When Spector takes on the roles of Jake Lockley, Steven Grant, or Moon Knight, it is not at all clear if he is playing a part or if he really thinks he has become someone else. This makes Moon Knight pretty unpredictable. You never know what he may be capable of, but he sure isn't playing by Bat-Man's strict rule book. I don't think Khonshu even has a rule book. (Hieroglyphics are such a pain!)
Crime novelist Charlie Huston, a long-time Moon Knight fan, definitely seems to be emphasizing the dark and unpredictable side of Khonshu's #1 disciple. This new series is not throwing out any of the old Moon Knight stories, but it is delving into a whole new phase of his life. Huston is clearly not afraid to take this character into some of the darkest places he has ever been. And Moony has never looked better with dark and detailed art by David Finch, last seen on New Avengers. Finch's take on the brooding Knight makes it very clear that you would NEVER want to run into him in a dark alley. Or anywhere else for that matter.
I have a feeling that, this time around, Moon Knight is gonna hit the big-time! He is finally going to earn the respect that a crazed vigilante in a moon-themed costume deserves. If you don't want to miss out, you need to pick up Moon Knight #1 while you can! You have nothing to lose while it is Four Color Fantasies' guaranteed Book of the Week!!
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