Moon Knight will be stepping out of Batman’s shadow ahead of his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut next year in the form of a brand new ongoing series from writer Jed MacKay, artist Alessandro Cappuccio, and colorist Rachelle Rosenberg. The series will debut in print and digital July 7.
Moon Knight first appeared in 1975’s Werewolf by Night #32, created by writer Doug Moench and artist Don Perlin, and quickly would become a fan-favorite character. Since his introduction, the character has invited comparisons to Batman, and there is actually some merit to these comparisons. Both are cape-wearing vigilantes who lack superpowers and must rely on high-tech gadgets and vehicles to fight crime. A deeper look, however, reveals many more differences than similarities, and writer Jed MacKay plans to stress them in Moon Knight’s upcoming title.
In an interview with Comic Book Resources, MacKay describes Moon Knight as an “outsider,” and calls this aspect of his personality a “core” one. MacKay pointed out that a number of Marvel heroes do not trust Moon Knight, but he still fights crime, regardless of what others think. In light of the recently-concluded “Age of Khonshu” story, Moon Knight is now working without his patron god Khonshu, something that is forcing Moon Knight to reevaluate his life. Moon Knight has Disassociative Identity Disorder (DID) and is undergoing psychiatric treatment for it. When the series opens, he is working as a protector of travelers at night, through his Midnight Mission, and in the preview pages, readers can see Moon Knight in action in this new role as he violently confronts a gang of vampires.
All of this makes it clear: Moon Knight and Batman may share a few traits in common, but there are many more differences. For instance, there is a supernatural aspect running through Moon Knight that Batman lacks. Moon Knight works with the patronage of an Egyptian god, and hunts supernatural creatures often, such as the vampires seen in the preview. There is no doubt that Batman has some form of mental illness, but has resisted treatment. Moon Knight, on the other hand, seeks it, though whether or not it works remains to be seen. MacKay has said that Moon Knight will be “more accessible” to people, something Batman oftentimes is not. There is also an element of brutality to Moon Knight, as seen in the harsh confrontation with the vampires. And finally, Moon Knight is not at all a team player. MacKay points out that he joins teams but never stays. Batman, on the other hand, has been on many teams since his debut and has even started a few himself.
Moon Knight has been compared to Batman since his introduction, but now, with a new solo title on the way, he is beginning to step out of Batman’s shadow ahead of his television debut.
Source: Comic Book Resources