Moon Knight is one of the latest obscure Marvel comic characters to reach a wider audience, thanks in part to his new self-titled series on Disney+. The character has been a part of comics history for over forty years, wherein he has woven a long and intricate story of superheroics.
It may be daunting for new fans of the character to simply jump into Moon Knight's latest comics run, which is currently helmed by writer Jed Mackay. If prospective readers plan on picking up the tales of Moon Knight's current adventures, there are certain things they'll need to know to catch up.
Mr. Knight
Viewers of the Moon Knight Disney+ series will be at least somewhat familiar with the Mr. Knight persona, which dresses like Moon Knight, albeit with a white suit and tie in replacement of the hero's signature cape and costume. The comics' version of Mr. Knight is slightly different than what was depicted in the series and is indeed one of the most important personalities within Marc Spector.
While the Disney+ show portrayed Mr. Knight as Steven Grant's manifestation of Khonshu's ceremonial garb, the title is a completely different personality within Marc Spector in the comics. Mr. Knight has become an "alpha-personality" of sorts, keeping all the other consciousnesses within his body at bay under his leadership. In the current run of Moon Knight (Volume 9), Moon Knight is the primary identity by which Marc Spector lives, even requiring his associates to refer to him as such.
Lemire's Handiwork
While Jeff Lemire is no longer at the helm of Moon Knight, his prolific run on the series, which began in 2016, continues to influence the nature of stories told regarding the character to this day. The writer, who is responsible for other popular titles, most notably Old Man Logan, has reworked the character of Moon Knight like never before.
Lemire's run, which influenced much of the MCU series, saw Marc struggling with his dissociative identity disorder as never before, unable to differentiate between real life and fantasy. However, by the end of this run, Marc had found a way to bring all of his many personalities into conjunction with Mr. Knight, a status quo that the hero continues to maintain to this day.
Marc's Daughter
One of the many major changes made in recent runs of Moon Knight was the introduction of Diatrice, the daughter of Marc Spector's Jake Lockley personality, and his longtime love interest, Marlene Aulrane. Though her age is not directly confirmed, the character is about 6-8 years old when Marc finally learns of her existence, changing his life forever.
Diatrice plays a major role in the previous volume of Moon Knight, though she has yet to make an appearance in Mackay's run. Nevertheless, she has been referenced on occasion, as her mother has taken her overseas to avoid her father, whom she has deemed untrustworthy. Given comic companies' tendency to sideline nonpowered children of superheroes, it remains unclear whether or not Diatrice will ever return.
The Midnight Mission
Prospective readers of Mackay's work with the current Moon Knight title must be familiar with the superhero's current line of work in his Midnight Mission. The Midnight Mission is an organization founded by Marc Spector to protect "the travelers in the night," as he always intended under Khonshu's command, where anyone can seek him out for help.
The Midnight Mission is a great chance for Marc to display his intelligence through his detective work as Mr. Knight. It is through this organization that he has put his skills to better use than ever before, as he has finally found a way to help others despite his struggles.
Marc's Old Pals
Marc Spector has had several compatriots throughout Moon Knight's comics history. Most notable among these are Jean-Paul "Frenchie" Duchamp, Marlene Aulrane, and Bertrand Crawley, who was portrayed by Shaun Scott in the Moon Knight MCU series.
Due to Marc's many struggles both as a hero and within his mind, he often pushed his friends away or caused them to get hurt both physically and psychologically. As a result, all of these companions have virtually abandoned him, with none even making an appearance in the latest run of the comic. While these characters may yet return, Marc still heavily feels their absence as he continues his hero work with his newer friends.
Marc's New Haunts
The Midnight Mission has been working extremely well for Moon Knight over the last several issues of his latest comic book but has lacked a proper headquarters to stretch the limitations of his new superhero service. However, this issue has been amended in the last several issues.
After being called upon to investigate what someone claimed to be a "haunted house," Moon Knight discovered that, while the house was indeed haunted, it was not necessarily by a malevolent spirit. So, instead of driving the ghosts away, he decided to make the location the new headquarters of the Midnight Mission, a delightfully spooky setup for his nocturnal obligations.
Finally Getting Help
Marc Spector has struggled with depression and dissociative identity disorder for many years, beginning mainly in the 2006 volume of his self-titled series, since extending to all ensuing storylines, especially those written by Jeff Lemire. In his 2021 series, Marc has reached out to a professional to work out his issues.
After several mishaps with other therapists, including one that stole Khonshu's influence to become her version of Moon Knight, Marc has finally settled on Dr. Sterman, a professional who seems to finally be getting through to her patient's underlying issues without any ulterior motives. As this storyline presses onward, readers may see a more vulnerable version of Marc than ever before.
Devil's Reign
Marvel's latest line-wide event, Devil's Reign, features the rise of the Kingpin of Crime, Wilson Fisk, to the mayor's office of New York City. Fisk, in his classic villainous sensibility, outlaws all heroes in his city, wreaking havoc once again on New York.
Moon Knight, who currently operates out of New York City, was not unaffected by Fisk's schemes, finding himself arrested in the one-shot comic Devil's Reign: Moon Knight. However, it was later revealed that he had allowed himself to become incarcerated to send a message to inmate Man Mountain Marko after being hired by his ex-wife at the Midnight Mission. Marc has since escaped imprisonment and returned to his life as a costumed vigilante.
Hunter's Moon
The latest volume of Moon Knight is notable for its introduction of Khonshu's "other fist," under the moniker of Hunter's Moon. This new vigilante, whose real name is Dr. Badr, operates under similar guidelines as Moon Knight, albeit with an increased devotion to Khonshu.
While his true motivations are yet unrevealed, Hunter's Moon will doubtlessly factor heavily into the plot of the comic moving forward. In recent issues, he has been presented as a friend to Marc, but may yet have ulterior motives that could make for a good future villain both for the comic and for Moon Knight Season 2.
Age Of Khonshu
One of the most monumental moments of Moon Knight's recent history was the "Age of Khonshu" storyline in the current Avengers title, which spanned issues #33-37. This storyline featured Khonshu's attempt to take over Earth to defend it from Mephisto, laying waste to several of Earth's Mightiest Heroes along the way.
Though this storyline revealed that Marc only complied with Khonshu's wishes to protect the planet, in the time since Khonshu's reign, he has been generally dismissed by the other Avengers, no longer welcome among their ranks. And, after Khonshu's defeat, the Egyptian god has been sent into exile, apparently no longer having any influence over the events on Earth or in Marc Spector's life. Whether this remains the status quo will remain to be seen, though the ancient god of the moon rarely leaves his avatar alone for long.