This whole Marvel NOW! initiative (Marvel Comics’ sort of re-boot and re-fresh answer to DC’s New 52 of a few years ago) has had some interesting results. Issues of Uncanny Avengers, Daredevil and Electra have been provocative. As has the design of the covers which aim to have each Marvel NOW! comic visually jump off the store shelves.
One of the more interesting launches has been Moon Knight, which, six-months later, wraps up its story.
Follow me after the jump for more info on that!
Moon Knight #6
Written by: Warren Ellis
Illustrated by: Declan Shalvey
Published by: Marvel Comics
I wasn’t too familiar with the character of Marc Spector, Moon Knight. I knew of his look, more than anything else. Thanks to the Doug Moench and Bill Sienkiewicz Moon Knight comics of the early 1980’s, I knew that the character looked absolutely cool.
Dressed all in white with a hood and flowing cape and battling evil at night, Moon Knight was the sort of flip-side of a Batman coin, visually. In fact, those two characters probably share quite a bit in common. Moon Knight was very obviously based on Batman – but a Batman brought to the extreme in terms of vengeance and violence.
Oh. And add in a flavour of Egyptian mythology.
That was Moon Knight.
So, six months ago, the character was refreshed through the pen of acclaimed wrier Warren Ellis (Planetary, Transmetropolitan, The Authority), Irish artist Declan Shalvey (28 Days Later, Deadpool) and one of my current favourites, colourist Jordie Bellaire (The Massive ). Here was a Marc Spector, in his white suit, patrolling his crime-riddled urban city at night in his white limousine, ready to don the white cape and hood of his alter ego at a moments notice.
He was still visually stunning.
Interestingly, in a time where comics generally have long-form, incremental chapters of story each month, culminating in usually five or six issues, this version of Moon Knight has had six independent, done-in-one stories. It’s truly been refreshing, breaking from the mainstream.
This issue, Moon Knight #6, is the last issue from Ellis and Shalvey. Each month, the series has been an absolute treat to read, defying the common conventions of comic book storytelling. Make the run to your local comic book shop today and pick it up.
While you’re at it, pick up the previous five as well – you won’t be disappointed. Moon Knight has been some of the best storytelling that comics have to offer this year!
