The Midnight Sons are a team that’s long been a fan favorite among Marvel readers, mainly for the idea of uniting Marvel’s supernatural antiheroes. Those fans will be happy to learn that the Midnight Sons are finally born again in Marc Spector: Moon Knight #6, and their reunion couldn’t have come at a better time. The malevolent entity known as the Mansion Ravenous has swallowed Marc Spector’s friends in its embrace, forcing him to go to Clea Strange for help. Clea has told hin to assemble the Midnight Sons, which is a problem for Spector as most of the people he’s tracking down hate him.
I have to give writer Jed MacKay credit for the characters he’s pulled together, as they all have a history with Spector while fitting into the supernatural theme of the Midnight Sons. First up is Robbie Reyes, better known as the Ghost Rider, who Spector faced off against during the “Age of Khonshu” storyline in Jason Aaron’s Avengers. Next is Blade, who’s responsible for Spector coming back to life thanks to the events of Blood Hunt. Finally, there’s Daredevil. Some fans might point out “wait, why would Daredevil be involved with the Midnight Sons?” To which I point out: his enemies include the Hand, a ninja death cult that can resurrect the dead, and he’s been possessed by the Hand’s demonic figurehead, the Beast.
Yet it’s not just the supernatural ties that make Marc Spector: Moon Knight #6 a worthy read. That’s thanks to the character work MacKay does, as we see Spector at the edge of his rope. He all but begs Daredevil to help him, apologizes to Robbie for what he put him through, and is able to convince Blade just by mentioning the word “Midnight Sons.” It’s a sharp cry from the confident, more deadly figure that MacKay has presented throughout his run, but it shows how truly desperate he is to get his loved ones back.
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The other half of what makes Marc Spector: Moon Knight #6 worth reading is Devmalya Pramanik’s artwork. Pramanik displays pages that deserve to be hung up in an art gallery, both for the sheer beauty he’s put on the page and the truly epic scope to boot. Once Robbie powers up, his flesh peels away to reveal the flaming skull of the Ghost Rider – and the same happens to his Hellcharger. A page where Daredevil confronts Spector is pulsating with jagged red lines, representing the Man without Fear’s radar senses. But the coolest page features Blade standing in an open window, katana drawn and clasping a skull. It’s both Shakespearean and stunning, and an image that’s fitting of the Daywalker.
Pramanik’s imagery sings thanks to Rachelle Rosenberg, who utilizes a great combination of bold colors and jet blacks to highlight how each of these figures stand out in the night. Robbie’s flames burn a bright reddish orange, Blade and Daredevil have plenty of red to stand out in the dark, and Spector’s cloak shines with the glimmering light of the moon. In fact, I hope to interview Rosenberg one day and figure out how she accomplishes this effect because it’s cool as hell.
Marc Spector: Moon Knight #6 re-assembles the Midnight Sons, as Marc Spector prepares for his most personal mission yet. It’s full of great character work and stunning imagery, and is proof that good things come to fans who wait.
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