Depending on who you ask, Marvel's nocturnal hero Moon Knight is either a mercenary, an
emissary of an ancient Egyptian god, an obvious Batman clone, or just an absolute lunatic.
Over the years, countless revivals and reinterpretations have given readers reason to think of him
in any of those ways and more.
As a side effect, Moon Knight’s origins, and even the core of his character, can be
tough to figure out.
Asking a question as simple as "What's Moon Knight's secret identity?" is complicated
enough to make you shake your head.
So to help you along, here’s the truth about Moon Knight.
Moon Knight's real-life namesake
Rather than the usual hero/everyman dichotomy we're used to with Superman and Clark Kent,
or Spider-Man and Peter Parker, Moon Knight has at least three "civilian" names.
There's taxi driver Jake Lockley, the mercenary Marc Spector, and millionaire Steven Grant.
These three identities not only speak and act differently, the people in Moon Knight's
life choose who they believe is the dominant persona.
His girlfriend Marlene, for instance, only ever refers to him as Steven, whether or not
he’s wearing the mask.
Co-creator Doug Moench, on the other hand, cast Moon Knight's dominant persona as Marc
Spector, a name he got from an employee at a comic shop that Moench called the best comic
shop in Manhattan.
At the time, he often used the names of people in his life for new characters, and as he
says, “one of the guys who worked there was Marc Spector.”
When the employee asked "When are you going to name a comic book character after me?",
Moench decided to use his name for a new villain he was creating for an issue of Werewolf By
Night.
With that, Moon Knight got a name, and the real-life Marc Spector got his wish.
Moon Knight's villainous roots
Moench and artist Don Perlin first brought Moon Knight to life in 1975's Werewolf by
Night #32, as a mercenary hired by a clandestine group known only as the Committee to capture
a werewolf named Jack Russell.
No, really: like the adorable terrier.
It was The Committee who gave Spector his codename, his costume, and even silver gauntlets
and a truncheon specifically designed to hurt the savage werewolf.
By the end of the next issue, Moon Knight showed at least a hint or two of the hero
he would become.
While he fulfills his contract by capturing Russell and bringing him to the Committee,
he also becomes convinced that he's on the wrong side and helps the werewolf to escape.
It’s not all out of altruism, though.
He made sure to keep the Committee’s money for himself.
Big Bill's breakout
Bill Sienkiewicz is known among fans for having one of the most unique art styles in comics.
Over the past 30 years, he’s displayed his scratchy, innovative, and almost abstract
work on books like New Mutants, Daredevil, Elektra, and even Batman, but he began his
comic book career drawing Moon Knight.
Sienkiewicz was only 19 years old when he brought a portfolio to the offices of DC Comics,
but unfortunately, that was exactly the wrong time, as DC was cutting loose many of the
artists who had been working there for years.
Still, his talent was evident, so Batman artist Neal Adams, one of Sienkiewicz’s artistic
influences, “called up Jim Shooter and said, “I’ve got this kid fresh off the street
and he draws like me.
Is that a problem?”
With the common perception that Moon Knight was Marvel’s Batman, he fit right in alongside
Moench.
The first Jewish superhero?
Moench told Charlie Huston he “made up the first Jewish costumed hero,” though he also
says he didn't begin with that in mind.
After learning that the real life Marc Spector was Jewish, he reasoned that the fictional
version ought to be as well.
Whether Moon Knight really is the first Jewish superhero depends on a number of things, including
on how you define "the first Jewish superhero."
Ben Grimm predates Moon Knight by a decade, though he wasn’t confirmed to be Jewish
until a 2002 issue of Fantastic Four.
Magneto debuted all the way back in 1963, but his status a Holocaust survivor wouldn’t
be revealed until 1981.
Similarly, Doc Samson’s Jewish heritage wasn't discussed until 1990, well after the
character’s debut in the pages of Incredible Hulk.
So whether or not he was the first, Moon Knight was the first one whose heritage was discussed
on the page.
Either way, it’s a milestone.
The Hawkeye connection
Moon Knight has never been much of a team player, but in the late ‘80s, his status
as an up-and-coming fan-favorite character landed him a spot on the West Coast Avengers
- and gave him a pretty interesting source for his crime-fighting equipment.
In 1987's West Coast Avengers #23, the L.A.-based team went back in time to ancient Egypt.
Once there, they found worshippers of the moon god Khonshu - the patron diety who brought
Marc Spector back from the dead and charged him to fight for justice - under siege.
Determined to help the Egyptians defend themselves, Hawkeye designed weapons for them like darts
and boomerangs.
The issue ends with a cut back to modern times, where we see Marc Spector finding the same
weapons his fellow Avenger designed.
To date, we don't know if Moon Knight or Khonshu have offered Hawkeye royalties or even just
a co-creator credit.
If not, maybe Clint Barton should think about retaining the services of Nelson & Murdock
for the inevitable litigation.
Movie Knight?
Plans for an adaptation of Moon Knight have seemed to be in the works for years, mostly
on the small screen.
The name “Marc Spector” was mentioned on an episode of the short-lived Blade television
series, in which Sticky Fingaz from the rap group Onyx took over for Wesley Snipes.
Subsequently, Marvel Studios partnered with No Equal Entertainment to develop a show based
on the hero, and once Netflix launched their Defenders series, rumors started swirling
that the Fist of Khonshu would fit right in with the street-level side of the Marvel Universe.
Even recent Moon Knight comics have provided an episodic, psychological thriller take on
the hero that would seem like a perfect fit for a TV show.
But maybe fans have been setting their sights on the small screen when they should’ve
been looking for something bigger.
It's not impossible that the hero could appear in one of the unnamed Marvel Studios films
coming up after they wrap up Phase Three with the Infinity War sequel.
In fact, Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn confirmed in January 2017 that
he has an idea for a Moon Knight film that he presented to Marvel.
Awesome!
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