Moon Knight has been an oddity in the tapestry of the Marvel Universe. First, he was created to be an archenemy for Werewolf by Night. Then he went through a number of reinventions – some became fan favorites, while others are best forgotten. Now, Moon Knight #28 from Jed MacKay, Federico Sabbatini, Rachelle Rosenberg, and VC’s Cory Petit marks another major shift with “The Last Days of Moon Knight”. The storyline begins with Moon Knight assembling his allies for one final battle against the malevolent Black Spectre, with everything on the line. New York City teeters on the brink of insanity. The Midnight Mission faces attack. And through it all, Marc Spector is tested like he’s never been tested before.
MacKay has been building up to this storyline throughout the pages of Moon Knight, and the payoff is worth the wait. His script touches upon all the bonds that Spector has made throughout the run: a friendship with the vampire Reese, a kindred spirit of sorts in Hunter’s Moon, and even a romantic relationship with Tigra. Even the Z-list villain 8-Ball has a major part to play in the plot! As MacKay’s script cuts between past and present, each one of these relationships comes to the forefront as Spector’s allies find themselves in precarious situations. “What we’ve built here is too important to let die,” Spector tells one of his friends – a statement that can double as a meta-narrative for the way MacKay has managed to build his own legacy for Moon Knight.
Sabbatini’s joined MacKay since the beginning of the title, and Moon Knight #28 is a high mark for him art-wise. The action is intense; one page is comprised of a series of escalating panels where Moon Knight delivers blow after ferocious blow to Spectre’s men. But the quiet moments hit just as hard. The standout is when Moon Knight and Tigra share a romantic moment amid all the fighting; the way Sabbatini draws the two melting into each other will shatter even the hardest of hearts. Rosenberg’s colors add to the romantic flair, with Moon Knight’s cloak taking on a silvery glow and Tigra’s emerald green eyes boring into his soul.
Moon Knight #28 kicks off “The Last Days of Moon Knight” storyline, paying off two years’ worth of work from its creative team. This has been one of the best Moon Knight runs I’ve ever read, and I’m glad that MacKay will continue to steer Moon Knight’s adventures in Vengeance of the Moon Knight. Khonshu himself would be proud.
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