Greetings comic lovers and welcome back to casually comics the channel where we chat
all things comics from reviews of comics new and old to history to anecdotes to really
wherever our whims take us.
I’m Sasha and Today we’re looking at Moon Knight the start of the 2016 run that for
many re-invigorated the character, or was an introduction to someone maybe lesser known
outside of comic circles.
Especially unhelpful is the fact that in order to be quick people will just say oh he’s
Marvel’s Batman but crazy, no he’s not there’s a lot more going on here.
And this 2016 run just goes for it out the gate and is just an interesting read so do
you wanna know wanna see some Moon Knight you know you do.
If you’re always down to be introduced to a new character hit that like button.
Now Moon Knight isn’t new he was first introduced in 1975 in werewolf by knight one of the many
supernatural comics of the 70s that was caused by the cca or the comics code authority lessening
it’s ban on supernatural creatures and imagery.
And this 2016 take has all of that and more so let’s look at it.
Look at this cover it’s bold he’s starring right at you and in a straight jacket covers
like this very much have a yes please or no oh no thank you response.
Also for some his mask may look at bit iffy.
For me this was an oh yes please add to cart.
Largely because it promises a very played out trope but one I still love, and that’s
the protagonist in a mental asylum, are they crazy are they not ooooohh.
This can be done quite well or it can be hot trash let’s take a look.
Moon Knight written by jeff lemire with art by greg smallwood the same person who did
veronica lodge vampire hunter a.k.a vampironica so if you liked that art when we did that
video get excited.
The stories opens as all new introductions should with backstory for newbs every comic
could be someone’s first there’s no shame in not knowing who everyone is.
Mercenary Marc spector died in egypt under a statue of the moon god khonshu.
In the shadow of the ancient deity marc returned to life and took on khonshu’s aspect to
fight crime for his own redemption.
He went completely insane and dissapered for a time but returned to protect those who travel
by night.
At least he thinks that’s what happened.
Also that was more cliffnotes than my cliffnotes a lot has happened to marc spector most of
it bad.
His brother’s a serial killer fun fact.
Welcome to Egypt part 1 of 5.
The comic opens with what in my opinion is gorgeous art of Marc wandering the desert
calling to khonshu in his search he enters the tomb seemingly recalling his death when
he first met khonshu.
If you are to be reborn you must suffer through pain it is the way of things my son.
Firstly khonshu looks intimidating and imposing secondly a meta reference that wasn’t obnoxious
or in your face well played.
In front of marc a chest and inside a mask Khonshu tells him he must remember who he
has been so he puts it on and this gorgeous page of his past identities fills the full
page spread.
Ok history for those new to moon knight modern day moon knight has d.i.d dissociative identity
disorder also know to some more commonly as multiple personality disorder.
He didn’t always at first these were aliases and there were only a couple of them a high
class guy and a low class guy so he could infiltrate different levels of crime but over
time and all the paranormal stuff he dealt with plus some personal tragedies this became
d.i.d in canon he just got more and more unstable until canonically he had always been primed
for d.i.d.
He now many personalities with special attention granted to the original ones Steven grant
and jake lockley both of whom sound like harlequin romance paperback protagonists.
So this panel that’s what the reader is seeing.
However we now get to the asylum part of our program he wakes up it’s an asylum and an
abusive one where the orderlies are beating him he’s given electro shock, its never
a nice asylum.
It also from here gets very Legiony like FX legion wherein the first season had a decently
portioned David Haller in an asylum plot.
That was announced in 2015 with the first season airing in 2017.
Chicanery or parallel thought probably parallel thought everybody and their mom does this
plot Buffy did this plot.
As Marc wanders the asylum he sees news footage of Moon Knight taking on one of his arch foes
Stained Glass Scarlet.
Scarlet for short.
He watches confused cause he’s pretty sure that he’s Moon Knight.
One of the other patients begins talking to him Bertrand crawley and feeds into his belief
that he’s forgotten something really important.
And tells him that he is the fist of Khonshu.
But before anything can come of it the same orderlies who beat him come and get him to
take him to see his doctor a woman dressed all in red with red hair some would say scarlet,
hint hint.
Colours are actually very important in this most of them are dull of whites with bleeding
shading so when something is bright it stands out.
Also this isn’t a dialogue heavy book it prefers to let the art speak which for me
in a comic which is a marriage of these two mediums the visual and the written it does
the story so much justice and shows it’s strength to be able to tell it that way.
His doctor tells him he’s an orphan that he’s always been there moon knight is a
fantasy a journal he’s kept all his life.
Also just if someone ever tells you you’ve always been somewhere get put you’re in
a parallel dimension or something else has gone horribly wrong it’s a glitch in the
matrix.
She also tells him I do want to help you I’ve always been your friend.
Run those are words of evil.Friendship is magic dark magic.
That night he calls on Khonshu asks what’s true Khonshu tells him he already knows.
So he fashions a mask and cape out of his bed sheets hence the questionable mask from
the cover and draws his moon symbol on it, gotta look good for the breakout protect the
brand.
With the mask on Khonshu tells him he will see things as they are the orderlies orderlies.
He fights his way out to the surface and sees a world in chaos sinking in sand.
Khonshu tells him that it is real and it is an attack by seth, however the orderlies catch
up with him and rip the mask from his head telling him to open his eyes to see a world
normal as usual.
So part one ends with a confused marc being dragged inside wondering was it real.
Well was it?
This is cool re/introduction to the character for a couple of reasons one it acknowledges
past canon and pays homage to it.2 it tells new readers what they need to know in a non
stopping the plot exposition dump way so that they can catch and 3 it’s a bold choice
for a restart no plain jane oh he’s back on the streets for moon knight.
Moon Knight also dives into egyptian mythology which is one that gets a bit less play when
it comes to iconography and inspiring characters so Moon Knight is cool for those who like
that sort of thing too.
Now some of how much you enjoy this will ride or die on how much you enjoy plots like these.
For some they just roll their eyes waiting for the almost always inevitable oh it was
the fantasy world all along what a shock.
While others find the jumping back and forth jarring and others have just seen it too many
times before.
Me i’m all for it I just like to see it done well and this one is trying it’s giving
the reader clues in story which is always nice and is taking itself seriously no winking
at the camera it treats marc’s feelings and confusion seriously it treats this story
like this is the first time you’ve seen this which is a good attitude for a relaunch
book.
Side note my favurite though not the best asylum episode but it is solid is TNG’s
Frame of Mind with Riker trapped in the asylum til they see if he’s competent enough to
stand trial for murder a murder that’s the same as the one as the play
he was in.
What’s your favourite asylum episode or do you not like them?
Tell me?
Also do you like moon knight or was this your first introduction did it make you want to
read more answer all questions down below and while you’re down there please do all
of the YouTube things, like share comment subscribe and hit that bell notification so
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I’m Sasha and i’ll see you again soon here on Casually Comics bye bye.