Moon Knight
(Fist of Khonshu)
by Phil Perich for the Nuff Said Universe
All you huge Marvel fans may have heard the news by now. Marvel is supposedly going to create 4 more shows for Netflix. Moon Knight is one of those. Some of you who maybe are only familiar with the Movies, Netflix series, and Agents of Shield may be asking "who's Moon Knight?" Moon Knight first appeared in Werewolf by Night #32 (August 1975).
No origin was given for the mystery man, who seemed more villain than hero in his first appearance. The character went on to team up with Spider-Man, the Thing, and the Defenders.
Moon Knight got his first solo series in November 1980 with Moon Knight #1.
Moon was actually a former mercenary named Marc Spector. After risking his life to save the daughter of an archeologist, Marc “dies”, but comes back to life. He believes the ancient egyptian god Khonshu saved him so Marc would become his “fist of vengeance”. Marc would return to america, setting himself up as millionaire Steven Grant. He battled evil at night with the help of his girlfriend Marlene Alraune, the archeologist’s daughter, and his former partner, the french pilot he nicknamed “Frenchie”. Marc would also use another identity to gather information on the underworld, as the cabdriver Jack Lockley. This first series would last 38 issues. Moon Knight would later move to the west coast, star in a 6 issue miniseries, and join the West Coast Avengers for a time.
Moon Knight would later leave the team (becoming a reserve Avenger) and return to New York in time to get another ongoing series. Marc Spector: Moon Knight #1 debuted in June 1989.
This series would last 60 issues and do away with the multiple identities. While still the billionaire businessman, Moon Knight was now known only as hisreal identity of Marc Spector. Moon Knight would go on to have 2 more miniseries in the late 1990’s, not getting another ongoing series until 2006.
This series was much darker in tone than the previous ones, and would set the tone for future Moon Knight series. The series opens with Marc Spector a broken man, mentally and physically. All his friends have abandoned him, and there is a conspiracy to kill him. Marlene and Frenchie would return, only to be driven away by Marc’s mental problems. Not only were his multiple identities now multiple personalities in his head, but Marlene runs away after seeing Marc putting the skin of a dead enemies face on his own face.
Moon Knight would enter the Marvel Civil War, with both Steve Rogers and Tony Stark wanting him on their teams, not wanting this insane loose cannon on the opposite side. A later Moon Knight series written by Brain Michael Bendis would show new personalities in Marc Spector’s head, this time Spider-Man, Captain America, and Wolverine.
The current Moon Knight series featured Moon Knight as a protector of those who travel at night. This most current series took a mostly supernatural tone and had Marc having regularconversations with Khonshu himself (or a delusion?).
What’s your favorite storyline? Which storyline should they use for the Netflix series? and most importantly, who should portray this dark avengers? Let me know!
@nightwingpdp on Twitter
You can hear me and Charlie Esser (@CharlieEsser) discuss all things Marvel EVERY week on the All New Marvel Roundup and Superconnectivity podcast, both part of the Nuff Said Universe.
I also write 2 other blogs, The BatFan Cave and Flash/Arrow blogs, which can also be found at www.southgatemediagroup.com
That’s it for this time. Until next time…NUFF SAID!