Death Of Moon Knight: Marvel Promises A 'Bittersweet Journey' For The MCU Hero
The death of Moon Knight is coming soon to the pages of Marvel Comics. To celebrate the storyline, the publisher just revealed a series of variant covers highlighting the character's history with artwork that revisits some of Moon Knight's most iconic moments. The cover art series is described by Marvel as a "bittersweet journey," and it may be just that for fans who don't want to see the hero perish, but with it, the publisher is celebrating the hero's 45-plus year career.
"The Death of Moon Knight," by Jed MacKay and Alessandro Cappuccio, will feature Marc Spector's taking on the new Black Spectre, who re-emerged in the pages of "Moon Knight" #25. While the details regarding who or what kills Moon Knight — or if the arc is more about the Moon Knight mantle itself dying — haven't been fully revealed, his upcoming fight against Black Spectre will lead to some kind of significant change to the hero. The villain, who is at least the third person to dawn the Black Spectre mantle, hasn't revealed their real identity yet. However, regardless of who they might be, Moon Knight needs to take their arrival very seriously, as they were last seen breaking into prison and meeting with another deadly villain, Zodiac.
Marvel is taking a journey through Moon Knight's past
Marvel's new tease for "Moon Knight" #28 states Moon Knight's life will flash before his eyes, showcasing key moments from his past. A number of these moments will be presented in a new series of variant covers showcasing Marc Spector's comic book history. Marcos Martin's cover, featuring Moon Knight on a telephone poll standing in front of a billboard for the West Coast Avengers, highlights his shared history with the superteam. The variant will appear on "Avengers" #7.
In a cover honoring Moon Knight's first appearance in "Werewolf by Night" #32, Spector faces off against the titular supernatural creature in gorgeous new art from Phil Noto. The variant will appear on the first issue of Marvel's upcoming Punisher relaunch.
Marvel Comics/Marcos Martin/Phil Noto
Declan Shalvey, who previously collaborated with Warren Ellis on the comic back in 2014, returns to the world of Moon Knight for a new variant as well. His artwork features Mr. Knight (a persona Shalvey co-created) holding a crescent dart in his all-white costume, while Konshu can be seen as an imposing threat behind him. The variant will appear on "White Widow" #1.
Rod Reis' cover for "Captain Marvel" #2 features one of Moon Knight's less well-known runs with Mike Benson, Mark Texeira, Javier Saltares, and Dan Brown's time with the hero getting the spotlight. The image features Bullseye discovering a fake Moon Knight strapped with explosives, which detonated in front of the villain. Bullseye managed to make it out of the incident alive, but it showed how dangerous Moon Knight could be when it came to taking down his enemies.
Marvel Comics
Moon Knight's history is full of shocking moments
Moon Knight has one of the comic's more complicated histories, with an ever-changing background related to his mental illness and Dissociative Identity Disorder. The portrayal of Moon Knight's mental health has evolved from more problematic interpretations, such as one storyline where Marc Spector says he has "the power of crazy," to developing his struggles into a vital part of the character that's treated with the respect it deserves, especially during Jed MacKay and Alessandro Cappuccio's recent run. The variant cover series will showcase the highs and lows of Moon Knight's journey, with the artwork showing how far he's evolved in order to become one of Marvel's most beloved characters — only to die in the end.
Check out Stephen Segovia and Rachelle Rosenberg's upcoming cover for "Moon Knight" #28 by MacKay, Cappuccio, Rosenberg, and Cory Petit, which features Moon Knight and his ally Hunter's Moon being watched by the new Black Spectre.
Marvel Comics
Moon Knight and his allies race to intercept the Black Spectre before his apocalyptic schemes bear fruit—but the clock is ticking, and a city hangs in the balance.
"Moon Knight" #28 from Marvel Comics arrives in comic book stores on October 18, 2023. The variant covers celebrating his history will release throughout November. Check out Marvel.com for more cover reveals.