It’s safe to say Jed MacKay and Alessandro Cappuccio are crafting one of the best runs of Moon Knight ever. With Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu launching a new chapter in their run this week, it’s time to see what Marc Spector is up to next after literally dying.
The first thing you’ll notice after reading Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu #1 is that Cappuccio and MacKay haven’t skipped a beat. Moon Knight is back to protecting those who live in his neighborhood, and he’s geared up in his Mr. Knight suit. The issue opens with Moon Knight entering a club he’s not invited in and kicking a ton of ass.
While Moon Knight fights through goons, the b-plot involves two cops, Flint and Frazer, discussing Moon Knight. This serves as a good catch-up for new readers. They go over key characters at the Midnight Mission and the general awesomeness of Moon Knight returning from the dead. MacKay smartly weaves this into the A-plot later, so it’s not just a summary.
Don’t mess with Moon Knight.
Credit: Marvel
Cappuccio and Rachelle Rosenberg continue to dazzle with the visuals. The colors and play with darkness give the film a magical, supernatural vibe. I think it’s worth noting that this is probably the darkest book on the stands. The gutters are dark, and there’s darkness even in lit rooms. The brutality of Moon Knight blends well with that darkness.
As far as the main plot goes, MacKay has a good blend of different elements. Moon Knight is fighting a new kind of threat, though it’s mob-related. They’re up to no good, and it has interesting ties to a fantasy realm that’ll be fun to unpack as the story goes forward. Some hints about boxing backgrounds should bring a one-on-one showdown at some point.
Perhaps more interestingly, there’s a focus on addiction. Not only does this tie into the main plot, but MacKay draws out Marc’s addiction, which could be fruitful for character development. It’s too early to say how much this may change or explore Moon Knight, which is the only gripe I have with this issue. For the first issue, Moon Knight is more of the same, which is a high bar for this series, but he’s returned to form.
The creative team hasn’t skipped a beat with Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu. It’s a first issue that reintroduces all the key elements, making it a good jumping-on point. It’s also introducing a few new players that should be fun to track as Moon Knight punches his way through a new threat to his community.
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