Moon Knight has been on a roll since Jed MacKay and Alessandro Cappuccio launched the new series, and the fifth issue drops this week to further explore Marc Spector’s character. Moon Knight #4 got intimate with Marc and in the latest issue, we learn a bit more about why he’s such a violent hero. Spoiler alert, it has something to do with his father.
One reason Moon Knight works so well under this creative team is how Moon Knight is more than a guy in a suit when fighting crime, but something more temporal. That goes along with his powers, but it also suits his vibe. He’s a hero who is a bit unconventional, is willing to break a nose, and floats across the city skyline like a living spirit. Meanwhile, there is an actual human being wearing the costume who is trying to make sense of his life.
Spector’s psyche is further explored in this issue as he seems to have a breakthrough on why he’s a violent person. It’s an interesting take from Spector and it makes a lot of sense. It also ties into his father being a rabbi and being the kindest man he ever knew. Cappuccio draws you into Spector’s truths through the psychologist’s reactions and subtle hints at Spector’s emotions while sharing through body language and gesture. It reads like he’s being more honest with himself than ever, which is always interesting when it comes to historically closed off characters like him.
When your abs create their own shadow you’re doing something right.
Credit: Marvel
The best stories show rather than tell, and this issue does that even with a lot of self-reflecting dialogue from seated characters. Moon Knight is tested in a way that forces him to save a life that may not be worth saving, but as he puts it, “I decide who deserves to live and die around here.”
Cappuccio and color artist Rachelle Rosenberg continue to dazzle when Moon Knight is suited up with supernatural glow effects. The use of shadow is particularly intriguing as it cuts across Moon Knight’s body, creating interesting angles and shapes. There are moments where he practically looks like a nightmare incarnate as his cape flows in the wind. It’s interesting to see how the green and yellow glow that sweeps behind him creates a ethereal vibe around the character.
Moon Knight #5 culminates in a test for Marc Spector from a villain, but also from himself. It’s a self-reflective issue that delves deeper into who the character is and why he’s a violent hero. It’s a rarity to see a superhero be so open about themselves while having it all make so much sense.
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