Fist of Khonshu

Crescent Dart:

Most people go to Mexico and get sun, surf, sights and cerveza. Moon Knight gets luchadore assassins, double crossing drug lords, a flesh eating brute and the Punisher on his tail. This is soul searching in Moon Knight’s world though, and it’s never looked better.

Waxing:

• Jefte Palo and Lee Loughridge deliver the goods on the art
• Moon Knight is returning to his roots

Waning:

• What’s the real distinction between Spector and Lockley?

Full:

Jake Lockley may have left Marc Spector’s name, life and warrant behind, but he seems to be hell bent on making peace with his past. While the first two issues of the arc have set up a web for Moon Knight to get tangled up in, there’s still the constant theme of his desire for reconciliation with his past within these pages. Except he’s not doing it as Moon Knight (he has yet to suit up) or in the name of Khonshu. Lockley is atoning for his mercenary past by… um… essentially being a mercenary again. [singlepic id=30 w=250 h=375 float=right]

It’s working for him though; this notion of reconnecting with your past by reliving it and doing it the right way. Marc Spector was a prize fighter – Jake Lockley is making money in Mexico in some underground cage matches. Spector offered his services as a mercenary for hire – Lockley winds up doing the same down in Mexico. It will be interesting to see if any more parallels develop in this arc.

Lockley seems to have a more conscience driven approach in this return to his roots. While I’m not really sure that the inclusion of the Punisher in this arc is necessarily a good thing, it might be an interesting jolt to Moon Knight’s reality to have a link to his past pop up so unexpectedly.

That said, the one potentially negative observation I have so far is there doesn’t seem to be a distinct difference between Moon Knight’s Jake Lockley persona and Marc Spector. Whether this is to downplay the multiple personality disorder or give more credence to Khonshu’s involvement with his “condition” – it will be interesting to see how this plays out, if it does indeed play out.

Something else that I’m wondering is where in the timeline of current events in the larger Marvel Universe is Down South taking place. The previous arcs have all been on a time lag behind Marvel U events, but Down South could very well be almost running parallel with Dark Reign. I say almost because the Punisher is doing his own thing in Dark Reign so his presence wouldn‘t be known in Mexico if they were exactly concurrent. It would be great to see Moon Knight’s return to the larger Marvel U though, as he could definitely go a long way in cleaning house there.

Jefte Palo’s art is perfect for this world. He draws with a pulpy noir feel that fits the tone exactly. His backgrounds are sparse but in a way that really brings out the characters and enables you to focus on the action and dialogue. A large part of this is Lee Loughridge’s coloring which allows just the right features to pop out of the page. They’re a great team.

Get on board with this arc, you won’t be disappointed.

Crescent Dart:
The new Down South arc brings Moon Knight full circle and superbly kicks off the beginning of what looks to be a fantastic journey for fans of Moon Knight. [singlepic id=17 w=250 h=375 float=right]

Waxing:

• Fantastic dialogue merges with perfectly tailored art
• Kicks off a new beginning for Moon Knight in a masterful way
• The Punisher factors into the story intriguingly

Waning:

• You’ll see Moon Knight’s costume, but not in the way you might want to

Full:

After staging his own death while battling Bullseye, at the end of issue 25, Moon Knight did away with his only publicly known persona, Marc Spector, and steered Jake Lockley out of his fractured sense of self and back into the fold. While the death of Marc Spector helps take him off the grid in a world that is trying to contain him, the resurgence of Lockley is more than just a thematic turning point for the series. (more…)

The end of The Death of Marc Spector arc arrived last week. I thought it was a great – if fairly predictable – ending to the series. Mike Benson managed to showcase some great action and character development and deliver it with style. In a sense, the slate is wiped clean for Moon Knight and it will be great to see where he goes from here.

But what about other critical takes on the finale? Check out some excerpts below:

Comics Bulletin:
by Kevin Powers
5 out of 5
Excerpt: Benson’s second story-arc is another great success. I think he worked through managing the Thunderbolts and did a good job bringing them into Moon Knight’s playground. The battle in this issue was phenomenal, maybe one of the best fights all year and the set up for the next arc is both fantastic and mind-boggling. I’m excited for the next arc as Benson is going to introduce new villains and get a crack at the Punisher. I’ll say it once again: if you aren’t reading this title, you should definitely start. [singlepic=13,320,240,,right]

WeeklyComicBookReview.com:
by Kyle Posluszny
B-
Excerpt: Probably the best thing that I can say about “The Death of Marc Spector” is that it has turned from being a story I was reading to get a Thunderbolts fix into something I have been more than happy to pick up. As only a casual fan of the character, the latest Moon Knight arc has done a nice job drawing me into his gritty world and interesting relationships. I wouldn’t be surprised if I end up sticking around even after I finish reading about Marc Spector’s “death.”

The Independent Comics Site:
by Brett P.
4 out of 5
Excerpt: For a guy who talks about pig gutting like it’s normal table conversation, Bullseye sure didn’t give or receive much blood, even after finding Moon Knight’s secret stash that would even make Frank Castle crack a smile. Still, this wasn’t about Bullseye. This was about the final stand of Marc Spector, whose friends and family came through in the end to help him go out in a blaze and mourn for their fallen warrior. They understood what must be have been done for their sake, as well Moon Knight’s.

Click on their respective links to check out the full reviews. Again, there isn’t much out there review-wise on The Death of Marc Spector finale. If you stumble upon any I can add to the list, be in touch!

Crescent Dart:

Overall, this a good, if unsurprising, ending to The Death of Marc Spector. The Bullseye/Moon Knight confrontation works not only as a great popcorn fight scene, but as solid character development on both counts. Nothing is really tied up here but the path is clear for Moon Knight to grow as a series and in the Marvel Universe.

Waxing:

Art is the strongest it’s been in this arc

Great action scenes

Frenchie is awesome

Waning:

No build up to the Moon Knight/Bullseye confrontation.

The end of the arc isn’t that surprising

Kind of pointless scene with The Profile

Full:

We’ve reached the end of The Death of Marc Spector arc-  an end that writer Mike Benson has been alluding to potentially being quite literal. In a way, it is literal, and in every way you would expect, it’s not at all.

The end is a little bittersweet. Bitter in the way that it’s basically typical of any standard story in which the protagonist is due to die -  without giving it all way just think that if The Death of Marc Spector were a movie, this is the ending the studio would have demanded. Guaranteed sequel.

Yet it’s totally sweet in the way that all the predictability is carried out with a style that only Moon Knight possesses. Moon Knight and Bullseye go head to head most of the issue and it’s no holds barred. Benson does a great job in capturing how ruthless both these killers are, and yet the differences in their styles.

Moon Knight says about three words in combat while Bullseye chats through most of the fight. It’s in Moon Knight’s silence that you get to see his strength in combat and how he flexes his strategic side. Essentially, at the end of the issue you get to see how in control Moon Knight really was during the whole confrontation. Contrary to that is Bullseye’s non-stop chatter, and the difference as he sees it between his de rigeur fights with Daredevil and Spiderman compared to fighting Moon Knight. The former two want to bring him in to justice, while Moon Knight is a known killer. In fact Bullseye seems confused with Moon Knight’s behavior during the fight as he was probably briefed on how much of a lunatic Marc Spector is, while Moon Knight here is calling most of the shots with a certain stratagem to them. It’s a great to see the parallels and differences between two of Marvel’s most psychotic characters. And I say psychotic with love behind that term .

What’s a little lacking here, is that there’s no build up to the confrontation in the issue itself. Seeing some behind the scenes from Norman Osborn and the Thunderbolts prepping would have added more impact to the battle and the subsequent scenes with Osborn, the Thunderbolts and Tony Stark. They felt a little disjointed from the rest of the happenings.

What isn’t lacking at all is Frenchie. Charlie Huston and Benson have developed Frenchie into perhaps the deepest character in the Moon Knight world, and that’s shown in full force here. He understands Moon Knight in a way that even Marlene doesn’t and watching his development over these last few arcs has been really rewarding. On the other hand, a brief scene with the Profile is kind of pointless and doesn’t really do anything for the story. Which sucks because he’s been a great character in previous arcs.

The art is at it’s most consistent in this issue than the rest of the arc. While he’s generally a fine artist, Mark Texeira’s work on this arc has seem noticeably rushed and incomplete. It’s like his heart hasn’t been in it. But he captures some great moments in this action-packed issue so he ends on a high note.

Overall, this a good, if unsurprising, ending to The Death of Marc Spector. The Bullseye/Moon Knight confrontation works not only as a great popcorn fight scene, but as solid character development on both counts. Nothing is really tied up here (with the exception of the Profile -  you’ll see) but the path is clear for Moon Knight to grow as a series and in the Marvel Universe.

Issue 25 just hit the stands and Marvel has already revealed images from Moon Knight Issue 26 which kicks off the Down South arc featuring the Punisher. It hits stands on January 21st, 2009.

Here’s the official line from Marvel:

I’ve made my judgement on the Moon Knight: Silent Knight one-shot. I thought it was a must buy for Moon Knight fans. It offered a nice change of pace from the regular Moon Knight series, offering a glimpse into sides of Marc Spector and Marlene we don’t get to explore enough of. It also showcased a new creative team that had a solid grasp on the Fist of Khonshu and his world; a team that I would love to see more from.

But what did the critics think? Check out a few of the excerpts below:

Excerpt: It’s an action comic that keeps almost all the action off-panel. We see the effects of the violence, but we don’t see how it happens. And that’s an approach that fits this story well. But, because of that choice, it doesn’t quite have the visceral power of the Punisher holiday special. It’s more subtle this way, though, and if you’re looking for a quiet, meditative Moon Knight story, this is the one for you.
As quiet and understated as this story is, Milligan and Campbell measure it off with great care, and it’s definitely the best Moon Knight story I’ve read in a long time. [singlepic=8,320,240,,right]

Comics Bulletin:
by Dan Hill and Kevin Powers

3 out of 4

Excerpt: Instead Milligan chooses to present “hope” as a dangerous thing. Something to be wary of. Something that can let you, and those around you, get hurt. (Something Marc Spector is an expert at, which Khonshu relishes pointing out. (Dan Hill)

Excerpt: I also had a problem with the dialogue between Moon Knight and Khonshu. There were some brilliant moments, like when Moon Knight went to punch Khonshu and ended up hitting the wall, but I think that the dialogue, like certain elements of the story jumped around a little too much. My biggest problem was the lack of smooth transitions between plot points. On one hand, Khonshu is antagonizing Moon Knight about the life he’ll never have, while at the same time yelling at him to catch an escaping thug. (Kevin Powers)

Crescent Dart:

Frankly I was a bit concerned about how this one-shot was going to turn out after last years abysmal Date Night annual, but Peter Milligan seems to have a great grasp on Moon Knight’s world and Laurence Campbell’s art style with Lee Loughridge’s coloring captures it near perfectly. Get this.

Waxing:

Great to see Moon Knight in his element.

Khonshu dressed as an elf.

The art-noir style works well, almost better than the current main series art style.

Waning:

Marlene seems a bit out of character.

A couple of wince inducing dialogue moments.

Full:

With the Moon Knight series arc as of late being heavily focused on the Thunderbolt’s hunting down Marc Spector, it’s refreshing to get to see him doing some hunting of his own in this one-shot Xmas special. Silent Knight follows both Moon Knight and Marlene in two separate arcs that merge at the end.

[singlepic=5,300,450,,left]Moon Knight’s arc shows him tracking down two thugs (Khonshu in tow) who just murdered a store Santa. Moon Knight’s back and forth banter with Khonshu throughout the hunt is the highlight of the issue and are very welcome for followers of the monthly series who’ve missed Khonshu’s psychotic and twistedly funny remarks. They serve as insight into how Khonshu simultaneously enables and imprisons Moon Knight in his schizo ways. The fact that Khonshu appears as a faceless Bushman dressed as an elf – complete with huge ears- is hilarious. Moon Knight has some great action scenes that showcase his brutal style of justice nicely – like throwing a guy through a car windshield after stomping on his face. It’s the little things that really make the action scenes. Just like it’s the lack of subtlety in some of the dialogue choices that detract from the scenes -  like the thug yelling out “Yo, man! C’mon it’s CHRISTMAS!” right before Moon Knight pounds his head in. Kind of ridiculous. Plus Marc was born a Rabbi’s son and wanders around as the avatar of an Egyptian deity. I doubt Christmas means a damn thing to him.

The other arc follows Marlene as she preps for a Christmas dinner with Marc. The focus is on her inner dialogue and her wistfulness about how Marc and her could embrace a more ‘normal’ life together. The arc starts and ends strongly. It’s the middle that bothers me.

When Marlene starts daydreaming about Marc and her moving to a small town and opening up a mom and pop store, it just seems ridiculous. It’s not her desire for change that I find out of character -  after all she grew up traveling with her father on archaeological digs and has endured a rocky relationship with Moon Knight over the years – it’s just the way this one-shot presents it. A mom and pop store with an American flag draped over the counter? A kid they refer to as junior whom Marc has to have a word with “coach about that young man’s swing”? Please. In addition to being Moon Knight, Marc is an ex-CIA agent and mercenary, he’s been in this world since Marlene met him. One would think Marlene’s desire for stability would play out more subtly -  not in the extremeness portraedl here.

What turns this right around, however, and almost completely redeems Marlene’s arc, are the two scenes right after. The parallels in Marc and Marlene’s desire to communicate but being too stuck in old patterns and afraid to show any sense on vulnerability to each other is really fresh for the series.

Frankly I was a bit concerned about how this one-shot was going to turn out after last years abysmal Date Night annual, but Peter Milligan seems to have a great grasp on Moon Knight’s world and Laurence Campbell’s art style with Lee Loughridge’s coloring captures it near perfectly. Get this.

Confused by the review? Read the FAQ here.

Howdy folks and welcome to Fist of Khonshu, a blog focused on Moon Knight… aka The Fist of Khonshu. This site is just getting off the ground so bear with us in the next couple of weeks as I make tweaks, add features, and call on Khonshu’s guidance to get this site working. Actually, scratch that, Khonshu would just make me destroy my computer.

Why a Moon Knight blog? While Moon Knight gets some coverage, he’s still relatively unknown and on the fringe of the current Marvel universe. The relaunch of his series in 2006 has been one of the strongest series in recent years and I would love to see it grow in popularity (read: NOT GET CANCELED). He’s also, in my opinion, one of the most complex and interesting Marvel characters out there with differentiating traits that often get overlooked.

So this blog is part tribute and part exploration in unlocking Moon Knight as a character. While I’m still ironing out the overall direction and tone, I do know that I want to stay away from the typical plot outlining style of reviews and “power battles”. I love that stuff, but there are other sites that already do that well. (Not that there won’t be reviews of his series and appearances, just that the approach to covering them will be different.)

For more info on the site, editors, etc check out the (still being updated) About page.

Make mine Moon Knight….