Moon Knight Stories To Read Before The Show

The next series coming to Disney+ is Moon Knight, which begins March 30th, starring Oscar Issac as Marc Spector/Moon Knight. Moon Knight has never been a mainstream comic book character and if you were a fan, you likely knew a lot about comics. First appearing in Werewolf by Knight #32 in 1975, Moon Knight did not receive his first stand-alone series until 1980, which ran for 38 issues. With the upcoming series looming, some folks may want to do what I call "fan homework," the fun kind of homework. The following list of Moon Knight stories should provide a strong foundation before diving into the series. Happy reading!

MARVEL SPOTLIGHT (1976) #28-29

This two-part series is often overlooked, but it provided the foundation of Moon Knight's mythology. Marvel Spotlight 28-29 also introduced Moon Knight's two alternate personas: millionaire Steven Grant and taxi driver Jake Lockley. It also introduced Marlene Alraune, Marc Spector's love interest and frequent partner. Moon Knight also teamed up with trusted friend Frenchie to get the job done. In addition, a little-known fact, Conquer-Lord, is the name of Marc's first costumed villain in this classic story.

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MOON KNIGHT (1980) #1-38

Moon Knight's first solo series is this noteworthy run which included a concise origin story in Moon Knight #1 by writer Doug Moench and artist Bill Sienkiewicz. For the first time since her first appearance 9 years before, readers learn how Marc Spector met Marlene and what it cost to save her life. Marc Spector's rebirth as Moon Knight was also enigmatic as the Egyptian moon god, Khonshu's influence was felt but not seen. It will be interesting to see how this is portrayed in the streaming series. This series played up Marc's multiple identities and struggles, trying to keep everything straight in his mind.

MOON KNIGHT (2006) #1-6

Written by Charlie Huston, Moon Knight, after a long time out of the spotlight following a brief stint as a member of the West Coast Avengers, returned in a new series that physically and mentally broke Marc Spector as a vigilante. The art by David Finch is really stunning! This comic revisited many of the classic characteristics of Moon Knight while also revealing that Khonshu was responsible for Marc's downfall. Khonshu is the only one that can give Marc the means to reclaim everything he had lost. This revival of Moon Knight is considered one of the most kick-butt revivals ever!

MOON KNIGHT (2014) #1-12

Eight years later, another Moon Knight run established the fourth persona for Marc Spector: Mr. Knight. Writing duties for this run were split between Warren Ellis (issues 1-6) and Brian Wood (issues 7-12). The art is done by one of my personal favorites, Declan Shalvey. While Moon Knight favored a traditional caped costume, in this series Mister Knight wore a more stylish suit and possessed a more refined personality. Mister Knight could be even more terrifying than Moon Knight, even with a more elegant appearance. However, sometimes the cool, calculating look is enough. Khonshu has a heavy presence in this run, fueling Spector's crusade, especially in the second half of the series when an unexpected villain steals the name and strengths of Moon Knight right out from under his nose.

MOON KNIGHT (2016) #1-5

What if Moon Knight's adventures were just a dream? That's the scenario Moon Knight is forced to face in the first storyline of Moon Knight (2016) by creators Jeff Lemire and Greg Smallwood. Someone went through a lot of work convincing Marc that his life and identities were nothing but a lie conceived in his own mind. Marc Spector wakes in an insane asylum with no powers, but readers know the truth. Spector has to overcome significant hurdles from within and without to determine what's real and what isn't.

MOON KNIGHT (2021)

The first six issues of the current Moon Knight series offer a taste of Marc's current status quo. Written by Jed MacKay with art by Alessandro Cappuccio, this series is excellent for newcomers to Moon Knight's story. And, judging by my local comic book shop, is selling very well. After breaking away from Khonshu (who is still in prison), marked with a crescent moon tag, Marc's Mr. Knight persona has dedicated himself to "protecting those who travel at night," even those who transformed into vampires. Of course, all are welcome at Mr. Knight's Midnight Mission, but Moon Knight still roams the streets and confronts anyone who would dare attack those under his protection.

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Written by Eric Onkenhout

Source(s): Marvel

Syndicated from Culture Slate

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