Moon Knight #1 *Spoilers*

[Ex_]

I believe that Bendis and Maleev's Moon Knight would be a LOT more well-received if they kept the premise of the book more hush-hush before it came out. Bendis naysayers and Moon Knight purists alike were swearing off this book before Maleev had finished his pencils.

The book itself isn't bad, and it surprisingly does not contradict any Moon Knight continuity or reimagine things in any outlandish way, which sort of surprised me.

The biggest problem in the book is the presence of a character that we know is in prison, as he was spotted in the last issue of Thunderbolts, and even that might be explained later in the arc, considering Moonie's state of mind.

Basically, this issue introduces the teaser: who is the new Kingpin of the West Coast, and what does he want with an Ultron body? The twist at the end, which has been teased for the past month, is that Moon Knight is working alone on this case. The Captain America, Wolverine, and Spider-Man that he's been briefed by are figments of his imagination.

If you disliked Maleev before, you might like him now. The photorealism is no longer there, and the action is much more dynamic than before.

Continue to bash Bendis, but this book didn't have any of the 'pitfalls' that he's usually condemned for. Not the strongest #1, but a decent issue. 7/10.

[Jack J Napier]

Yeah, I really love this first issue. I love the idea of him imagining his fellow Avengers.

[The Batman]

I enjoyed this. Not perfect, but certainly enjoyable. I think the end-of-issue reveal would've been better had it not been spoiled by Bendis in interviews, I think.

Marc Spector feels like Marc Spector, or at least enough like Marc Spector, and he also feels, well, heroic again. The Steven Grant: Slick Television Producer/Marc Spector: Moon Knight dichotomy feels a bit like the Bruce Wayne: Playboy/Batman: The Caped Crusader set up, but it could be fun. Maleev seemed to be in form too.

I'm hoping that Moon Knight doesn't get too tangled up with Bendis' Avengers books, though I'm curious to see how this case matches up with what just happened in Avengers 12.1.

I'll definitely be back for issue two.

[Prince Of Orphans]

I posted in another thread about this issue that seems to have been swallowed in obscurity...

Personally, i didn't think the issue was that great. I picked this up wanting to like it, or else i would've just left it on the shelf. It didn't sell me on the premise, which i was already pretty weary about.

I thought the art was inconsistent. At times, it was very hard to tell what was going on, especially during the fight on the boat.

I didn't think the storytelling or dialogue was particularly strong. Not a fan of Marc Spector's new image as a D-bag TV producer who flirts with women despite the fact that the woman he loves recently lost her baby. The reveal he moved to LA to make tv shows about his life seemingly came out of left field.

The scene at the end was lackluster only because the hook was already revealed to us in interviews pretty much.

The premise has me most disappointed though. The actual implication that he is 100% legit crazy doesn't sit well with me. Although pushed into that direction for a while, I believe this pushes it to a point of no return. There was always the question as to whether or not Khonshu was actually there or not and whether or not he was actually insane. The appeal of that mystery i feel is gone now.

Again, i honestly wish i could've liked it more. Moon Knight's a character I've always found interesting.

[Ex_]

I posted in another thread about this issue that seems to have been swallowed in obscurity...

Personally, i didn't think the issue was that great. I picked this up wanting to like it, or else i would've just left it on the shelf. It didn't sell me on the premise, which i was already pretty weary about.

I thought the art was inconsistent. At times, it was very hard to tell what was going on, especially during the fight on the boat.

I didn't think the storytelling or dialogue was particularly strong. Not a fan of Marc Spector's new image as a D-bag TV producer who flirts with women despite the fact that the woman he loves recently lost her baby. The reveal he moved to LA to make tv shows about his life seemingly came out of left field.

The scene at the end was lackluster only because the hook was already revealed to us in interviews pretty much.

The premise has me most disappointed though. The actual implication that he is 100% legit crazy doesn't sit well with me. Although pushed into that direction for a while, I believe this pushes it to a point of no return. There was always the question as to whether or not Khonshu was actually there or not and whether or not he was actually insane. The appeal of that mystery i feel is gone now.

Again, i honestly wish i could've liked it more. Moon Knight's a character I've always found interesting.
Seriously? The previous volumes pretty much confirmed that he wasn't crazy, that Khonshu was real and empowering others.

[DarthSaeris]

I posted in another thread about this issue that seems to have been swallowed in obscurity...

Personally, i didn't think the issue was that great. I picked this up wanting to like it, or else i would've just left it on the shelf. It didn't sell me on the premise, which i was already pretty weary about.

I thought the art was inconsistent. At times, it was very hard to tell what was going on, especially during the fight on the boat.

I didn't think the storytelling or dialogue was particularly strong. Not a fan of Marc Spector's new image as a D-bag TV producer who flirts with women despite the fact that the woman he loves recently lost her baby. The reveal he moved to LA to make tv shows about his life seemingly came out of left field.

The scene at the end was lackluster only because the hook was already revealed to us in interviews pretty much.

The premise has me most disappointed though. The actual implication that he is 100% legit crazy doesn't sit well with me. Although pushed into that direction for a while, I believe this pushes it to a point of no return. There was always the question as to whether or not Khonshu was actually there or not and whether or not he was actually insane. The appeal of that mystery i feel is gone now.

Again, i honestly wish i could've liked it more. Moon Knight's a character I've always found interesting.

I think I may have liked it more because they snagged me as a new reader of the character. Aside from him being a badass in the Secret Avengers I've never read anything else with him in it. I did a review on the issue but it's a review from someone who is a first time reader. Moon Knight Review!
(http://grizzlybomb.com/2011/05/05/marvel-comic-review-moon-knight-1/)
I'm not sure if I would have picked it up if it wasn't Bendis Maleev because I love those guys. I have to agree that although I love Maleev's work it was a little difficult to figure out what was happening when the mystery guy confronted Hyde. Regardless I'll be checking out the next issue to see if it keeps me interested.

I'm actually thinking I need to check out some Moon Knight trades on amazon. Any suggestions?

P.S. PrinceofOrphans - Thanks for redirecting me to this thread. :biggrin:

[Hulk_Is]

I believe that Bendis and Maleev's Moon Knight would be a LOT more well-received if they kept the premise of the book more hush-hush before it came out. Bendis naysayers and Moon Knight purists alike were swearing off this book before Maleev had finished his pencils.

The book itself isn't bad, and it surprisingly does not contradict any Moon Knight continuity or reimagine things in any outlandish way, which sort of surprised me.

The biggest problem in the book is the presence of a character that we know is in prison, as he was spotted in the last issue of Thunderbolts, and even that might be explained later in the arc, considering Moonie's state of mind.

Basically, this issue introduces the teaser: who is the new Kingpin of the West Coast, and what does he want with an Ultron body? The twist at the end, which has been teased for the past month, is that Moon Knight is working alone on this case. The Captain America, Wolverine, and Spider-Man that he's been briefed by are figments of his imagination.

If you disliked Maleev before, you might like him now. The photorealism is no longer there, and the action is much more dynamic than before.

Continue to bash Bendis, but this book didn't have any of the 'pitfalls' that he's usually condemned for. Not the strongest #1, but a decent issue. 7/10.

Um, his so-called "pitfalls" were in the preview alone; in particular - the overwrought and empty dialogue.

[The Batman]

I'm actually thinking I need to check out some Moon Knight trades on amazon. Any suggestions?



Grab the Essential Moon Knight Volumes. They're in black and white, yes, but they reprint some great stories at a great price point.

[scribbleMind]

. There was always the question as to whether or not Khonshu was actually there or not and whether or not he was actually insane. The appeal of that mystery i feel is gone now.
.


Depends. I view Khonshu and Moon Knights "personality disorder" as two separate things. That is to say, take away the personas and Khonshu would still be around, take away khonshu and the personas would still be around. I don't feel like the existence one entirely confirms or discounts the other. Also, didn't Khonshu and The Beast get into it a little bit during shadowland? He certainly knew of things Jake didn't. So, unless Marc's insanity effects reality (which has been suggested before) or a nice Bendis retcon, that was one point in favor of Khonshu being real. Not that the is he/or isn't he real debate matters much, it sounds like Bendis won't be using Khonsu for a good, long time.

[The Batman]

^^^

That's much the same attitude I take. The two exist separate from each other. That being said, I also think that Marc's state of mind influences his perceptions/understandings of Khonshu and that we can still wonder whether the Khonshu we see is the real deal or one that is in Marc's head.

[Prince Of Orphans]

Depends. I view Khonshu and Moon Knights "personality disorder" as two separate things. That is to say, take away the personas and Khonshu would still be around, take away khonshu and the personas would still be around. I don't feel like the existence one entirely confirms or discounts the other. Also, didn't Khonshu and The Beast get into it a little bit during shadowland? He certainly new of things Jake didn't. So, unless Marc's insanity effects reality (which has been suggested before) or a nice Bendis retcon, that was one point in favor of Khonshu being real. Not that the is he/or isn't he real debate matters much, it sounds like Bendis won't be using Khonsu for a good, long time.

Understandable. I've always tried to justify the implication his "personality disorder" was going out of control because it was Khonshu, or at least the thought of Khonshu, that influenced this somehow, at least during the time where the possibility of Khonshu having a connection to a mental disorder was still an option in explaining this.


Seriously? The previous volumes pretty much confirmed that he wasn't crazy, that Khonshu was real and empowering others.

To me, the possibility was always left open that it may have been in his head. Despite the communication Khonshu had with people outside Marc, the possibility that it was just what Marc's eyes and psyche were taking in was often there. I've been an on and off again reader of Moon Knight though, there may have been a few things I've missed.


I think I may have liked it more because they snagged me as a new reader of the character. Aside from him being a badass in the Secret Avengers I've never read anything else with him in it. I did a review on the issue but it's a review from someone who is a first time reader. [B][U][URL="http://grizzlybomb.com/2011/05/05/marvel-comic-review-moon-knight-1/"]Moon Knight Review!
I'm actually thinking I need to check out some Moon Knight trades on amazon. Any suggestions?

P.S. PrinceofOrphans - Thanks for redirecting me to this thread. :biggrin:

No problem. Always good to have more people talking.

This issue is very new reader friendly and it gives a premise that wouldn't bother anyone other than a more "traditional" Moon Knight reader i guess. I'm glad you enjoyed it, he's a great character that needs some more exposure to a wider audience.

Like a previous poster mentioned, you can't go wrong with Essentials. It's where i started as well.

[Orboros]

I personally bought the book to learn what Moon Knight is all about, his origin, the man behind the mask and stuff because i'm fairly new to comics.. but i still don't understand the character and why i should read him

[Hulk_Is]

I personally bought the book to learn what Moon Knight is all about, his origin, the man behind the mask and stuff because i'm fairly new to comics.. but i still don't understand the character and why i should read him

You should read about him because he is linked to the Avengers - the hottest franchise going right now (I don't know if you've heard about the new upcoming movie!). He's actually four Avengers thrown together in one body now and he's embraced his crazy side. So, he's just a crazy Avenger now with a television show on the side because having simple riches just aren't cutting it. When a team of Avengers can't be reached - L.A. can count on Moon Knight!

Doesn't that sound awesome?

[Prince Of Orphans]

I personally bought the book to learn what Moon Knight is all about, his origin, the man behind the mask and stuff because i'm fairly new to comics.. but i still don't understand the character and why i should read him

A lot of people are turned off by having to get back issues to understand the depth of certain characters, but if you really want to learn about him I'd start there. He's a great character with lots of depth, just going in a fairly controversial/distinct new direction right now lol.


You should read about him because he is linked to the Avengers - the hottest franchise going right now (I don't know if you've heard about the new upcoming movie!). He's actually four Avengers thrown together in one body now and he's embraced his crazy side. So, he's just a crazy Avenger now with a television show on the side because having simple riches just aren't cutting it. When a team of Avengers can't be reached - L.A. can count on Moon Knight!

Doesn't that sound awesome?

A little light on the sarcasm don't you think :tongue:

[Orboros]

I think i just wikipedia the character for now and stick for the book for a while to see how the plot evolves.
Thanks for the input you two ^^

[The Batman]

I personally bought the book to learn what Moon Knight is all about, his origin, the man behind the mask and stuff because i'm fairly new to comics.. but i still don't understand the character and why i should read him

That bit of a film clip at the beginning of the issue is a kinda-sorta retelling of Marc Spector's origin. The Likely we'll learn about Moon Knight, or at least Bendis' take on Moon Knight, as the series progresses. So far we know he's not right in the head, that he's acting as a vapid TV producer while out in L.A., and that he's talking to Captain America, Spidey, and Wolverine in his head to work his way through his cases.

Stick around to learn more.

[The Batman]

A lot of people are turned off by having to get back issues to understand the depth of certain characters, but if you really want to learn about him I'd start there. He's a great character with lots of depth, just going in a fairly controversial/distinct new direction right now lol.


I dunno, I'm not sure how having to read more comics can ever be a bad thing. :biggrin:

I mean, I was talking with my friend Mark Zieba the other day about how when we came into comics it was before the internet or trades and so that back issues were almost the only way there was to ever learn anything. Well, that or just pick it up as you go along.

Thing is, it was kinda awesome. Reading the stories is almost always better than a wikipedia article.

[Hulk_Is]

A little light on the sarcasm don't you think :tongue:

What sarcasm? Moon Knight is being handled by an Eisner-winning creative team. Not to mention the writer of that collabo is handling a major portion of the Avengers franchise. Moon Knight may be very well on his way to A-list status.

[The Batman]

That was a TV show and not a flashback. Why would Marc use his own name for his own TV show?

[Smoothesuede]

Glad to see the general reception is at least lukewarm.
I haven't run to the LCS yet this week but this will be on my pull.

[Jeremi]

You should read about him because he is linked to the Avengers - the hottest franchise going right now (I don't know if you've heard about the new upcoming movie!). He's actually four Avengers thrown together in one body now and he's embraced his crazy side. So, he's just a crazy Avenger now with a television show on the side because having simple riches just aren't cutting it. When a team of Avengers can't be reached - L.A. can count on Moon Knight!

Doesn't that sound awesome?


http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wAxDMfEGhoY/TI6y4IuY8aI/AAAAAAAAAS8/NCjMIHtSW0E/s1600/Not+Sure+if+serious.jpg

[FunkyGreenJerusalem]

I really didn't think too much of the issue.

Until I got to the last page.

Put a HUGE grin on my face.


You should read about him because he is linked to the Avengers - the hottest franchise going right now (I don't know if you've heard about the new upcoming movie!).

That's the worst reasoning to try a book in the world - 99% of books spun off of 'hot' franchises are terrible.

[Leocomix]

I think I guessed who is the LA kingpin.

[jackolover]

Well I have read 3 books now that are set after Fear Itself, supposedly, and in MK and Childrens Crusade we see Steve Rogers back in the Captain America uniform and still in charge of the Avengers. In Schism, Logan is also on Utopia, while in MK he is available enough to still be an Avenger with Spider-Man, and visiting the West Cost. That means somebody like the Black Panther might be in charge, because Ororo wasn't there on Utopia with the X-Men.

The mood post-FI is a little unsettling in the way that you can't quite put your finger on whether it's the Heroic Age again, or, there is something else going on. Because in Children, I notice the Avengers are Cap, Iron Man, and Ms Marvel. In MK it's Cap, Spidey, and Logan, and in Schism, there is another threat to the existence of the mutants, which sounds a little critical, but still something the X-Men want to handle themselves and not involve the Avengers. The way I look at Post-FI is that it's almost a dreamscape. There's no rush in MK, the Childrens Crusade is like a magical landscape, because the Avengers aren't really trying to take out the Children, in that Cap wants to fly with the aid of the magic kid. Schism seems like another place, though Magneto, Namor and Xavier are all there as the older generation to give advice. Namor even seems surprisingly quiet in all this. It's not as up beat and bright as the Heroic Age was when Rogers was in charge. It's more settled even to the point of being like Madripoor, where you don't quite know your place and the neighbourhood could turn on you at any minute. It could almost be like Kingpin is in charge, except Cap wouldn't be activating the Avengers like he is. One things for sure, post-FI feels like a throwback to another time, and Throwbacks was an item on Tony Starks chart from Avengers #5.

[FriendRoss]

I really didn't think too much of the issue.

Until I got to the last page.

Put a HUGE grin on my face.



That's the worst reasoning to try a book in the world - 99% of books spun off of 'hot' franchises are terrible.


thats pretty much how i felt


it just jumped around so much for the rest of the book.. i kept checking to see if i had skipped a page or something on accident

[Lord Bravery]

Another person speaking for fans. Im an old fan & I enjoyed it.

Funny thing, you call him out for a continuity error, then youre not even sure if it is or not.

I don't know how fans of the old Moench series or even the more recent Huston/Benson work can enjoy this take. It's a bastardized version of the character just to increase sales, not for artistic integrity.

And how wasn't it a continuity error?






That's the worst reasoning to try a book in the world - 99% of books spun off of 'hot' franchises are terrible.

He was being sarcastic.

[Jarael]

So, let's see...

-Absolutely no explanation on moving to L.A.
-Absolutely no explanation on dropping Marlene, Frenchie, etc.
-Absolutely no explanation of the absence of his previous personae (Lockley, Grant)
-Hamfisting in Cap, Wolverine, and Spidey

Maleev's art was quite good (not surprising), and he has SO FAR only been in the Moon Knight costume. That and the whole "mystery kingpin of L.A." hook are the only redeeming factors. And we're only one issue in, folks. This can get much, much worse.

Well, to be completely honest, there is one other good thing for me: I didn't pay for it. Until I find out Bendis is going to do a better job with my favorite (yes, favorite) Marvel character, he will not be getting my money.

[Drz]

Moon Knight #1 conclusion is not a fist-pump "oh my" due to the press already revealing what Bendis pitch to the character is, we get the "origin" for Moon Knight at the opening pages via his tv show, we get Moon Knight fightning Mr. Hyde while Bendis builds up the Kingpin of LA, who i seriously hope is Daken! Alex Maleev's art is not photorealistic here at all but rather dirty and gritty, it fits the atmosphere but one can either argue that the beaten up thugs are beatifully drawn or awfully, since the thugs get so ugly as their faces are all broken and swallowed and whatnot.

It's a good opener, nothing amazing or anything due to the reveal known beforehand, but i like it.

[Hero Girl]

So, let's see...

-Absolutely no explanation on moving to L.A.
-Absolutely no explanation on dropping Marlene, Frenchie, etc.
-Absolutely no explanation of the absence of his previous personae (Lockley, Grant)
-Hamfisting in Cap, Wolverine, and Spidey

Maleev's art was quite good (not surprising), and he has SO FAR only been in the Moon Knight costume. That and the whole "mystery kingpin of L.A." hook are the only redeeming factors. And we're only one issue in, folks. This can get much, much worse.

Well, to be completely honest, there is one other good thing for me: I didn't pay for it. Until I find out Bendis is going to do a better job with my favorite (yes, favorite) Marvel character, he will not be getting my money.

Because it won't all be explained in due time...

Some story telling isn't linear "This happened, then this, then this." That's a pretty boring way to tell a story. His moving to LA will, most likely, be expanded upon later and add to a story later on

[darknessatnoon]

Because it won't all be explained in due time...

Some story telling isn't linear "This happened, then this, then this." That's a pretty boring way to tell a story. His moving to LA will, most likely, be expanded upon later and add to a story later on

I doubt it. I don't have the impression from Bendis that he's at all interested in filling out continuity that isn't his own. Marlene might show up one day and she'll mention that after the miscarriage she couldn't look him in the face again, blah blah, but it's not the kind of jump-cut a writer explains. People are still asking for what happened during the X-Men's "six month gap" from 2000.

[SomeBodyAtCBR]

Well, I have to say knowing that Spidey, Wolverine and Cap were all figments of his imagination make their idiotic drivel that much more palatable. I thought it was pretty easy to tell they were figments due to their speech patterns and how well they explained the context to Marc in a way that if they were real they wouldn't be able to. But overall, this was bad, and I only see it getting worse when he starts dressing up as each guy.

Maybe Bendis will throw me for a loop and have this all be a movie. The way the story read made it seem like it because the secondary characters revealed plot points a way that is common in cinema. Plus some of this art was nasty.

This was on par with the other Moon Knight offerings I've read, like Vengeance. I don't see anything too special about it, or anything that would make it stand out of the crowd and sell better than the previous Moon Knight attempts. I figured after he knocked Avengers 12.1 out of the park I should have given Bendis a chance on this title (even though I agree with the poster who smartly won't buy a book until the creative team creates a good rapport) but I'm kind of sorry I did.

The reveal was easy to point out, even if you didn't hear the hype, and it wasn't really strong enough to keep me interested. I thought there was too much action and it was hard to follow at points, and the only thing I really appreciated was the fact that Bendis made it very easy to tell that they were figments of his imagination due to the fact that they knew and explained things to him that they wouldn't have logically known and sounded particularly out of character -- in such a way that if you didn't know the guys on a first name basis those were the personalities your brain would come up with. I guess maybe this is a series were Bendis's practice of skimming off the top of a character's personalities works.

[zipppoww]

I'll make this quick. It was ok. Just that. OK. I'm not bashing Bendis... he is the shit. I just feel that this incarnation of Moon Knight will not work either. Also I'm personally tired of seeing Wolverine, Spider-man, and Captain America in things... I feel like I'm being haunted my them as much as Moon Knight. Maybe this is some kind of meta-commentary on the industry and the comic consumer right now. I'm not sure, if so kudos. But I think there just may be something fundamental about this character that does not work. I'm particularly not into this incarnation, but I did like the last couple of runs about Moon Knight... but those were canceled. If anything keeps this book running, it will not be Moon Knight himself. I feel that despite all the appearances of the character, many have no idea who he is and honestly don't care. I feel they think he looks cool and they are right, he does. But unlike Wolverine, Spider-man, and others he has no character grounding currently. Who is this dude? He's not who he used to be in the last couple of runs, so who is he? I hear you saying, "This series will answer that, just wait you asshole!". But I have to stop you there. Let's go back to my earlier point. If this series makes it, it is not because of Moon Knight. How you say? Easy. This series exist so Bendis can construct a new world/locale for Marvel, L.A. Yes, it is that simple. Think about it... you don't care about Moon Knight's personalities not really. You want to know who is the kingpin of L.A. and what other capes will be making an appearance as a result. What will the new L.A. hero mecca be? Will The Order appear? etc... Bendis is a genius, that is not to be disputed. But Moon Knight... we'll see how he, as a character, fairs... it was an OK read. I'll probably pick up the next issue to see where it is going and if I'm wowed by the "new" Moon Knight character. (Currently I'm underwhelmed by him, but swept up in the story... so it could be worse)

[Hero Girl]

Also, why bog down the story with what happened to Frenchie and Marlene?

It's a relaunch, the whole point is to grab new readers. If someone has never read MK, why introduce backstory that will probably not affect the new direction of the book?

It would be a continuity wank, but it would also confuse the new readers and possibly turn them off from the book

[The Batman]

Another person speaking for fans. Im an old fan & I enjoyed it.

Funny thing, you call him out for a continuity error, then youre not even sure if it is or not.

It wasn't a continuity error at all. What we were shown at the beginning of the book was the in-universe TV show version of Marc's origin. Given that he's the producer he can't well use his own name however and Steven Grant's kinda sorta already a pretty public name and so he used Jake Lockley.

Not sure why people didn't pick that up.

[JDOliva]

Who's to say that the TV series was legit real and not just another figment of his imagination?

I enjoyed the book, personally.

[Superbeast]

I want to know how Bendis gets away with not following up on previous work done by other writers on characters so easily. Does he have photos of Axel Alonso greasing up Tom Brevoort on Fire Island or something?

[The Batman]

I want to know how Bendis gets away with not following up on previous work done by other writers on characters so easily. Does he have photos of Axel Alonso greasing up Tom Brevoort on Fire Island or something?

He's got a track record of selling comic books. It's really that simple.

[Nite-Wing]

The fact that Spidey,Wolvie, and Cap as figments of his imagination make so little sense already but now as their shown in the issue its literally the stupidest concept in the world.

How do they know whats going on with crime in LA if Marc doesn't know this?
How do they have intel on whats going on with the other Avengers if Marc doesn't know this?

Don't even get me started on Maleev's art. When you can't tell what the hell is happening on panel for a string of 3-5 pages its not a good thing.

All in all this issue was decent but its still unispired

[Superbeast]

He's got a track record of selling comic books. It's really that simple.

So high sales mean low levels of editing?

Normally high sales means quality control is kept across the board so as not to compromise quality simply for higher numbers in every other market. Toyota recalled their crappy malfunctioning cars that had sold across the world, they didn't just go "well if we make lots of them, you should expect them to be low quality crap made to an inferior standard."

If anything because he sells well he should be held to a higher standard because there is more to lose if he fails, he is one of their top guns but he's allowed to miss the mark when it comes o continuity? Then why not simply make his stories out of continuity arcs then? Otherwise it suggests the entire company's editorial staff don't have to do their jobs when it comes to certain people's output. Surely isn't that opening itself up to a workplace discrimination tribunal if some people are held to lower standards than others when it comes to turning in 22 pages of comic script writing?

[The Batman]

Bendis choosing to go a different way with Moon Knight isn't the same thing as Toyota making cars that can't brake when they need to.

Not at all.

I can't even begin to fathom why you'd think it is.

[rsante]

It wasn't a continuity error at all. What we were shown at the beginning of the book was the in-universe TV show version of Marc's origin. Given that he's the producer he can't well use his own name however and Steven Grant's kinda sorta already a pretty public name and so he used Jake Lockley.

Not sure why people didn't pick that up.

I keep reading posts from people that can't seem to grasp this small fact. Once we saw the TV screen at the party that said Marc Spector was the producer, it all kinda clicked....not sure why it's so hard to comprehend.

Glad the fact that Spidey, Cap and Wolverine turned out to be in his head. Seemed kinda odd that they would be showing up anytime Moon Knight had a question or needed some advice.

[marvelprince]

I want to know how Bendis gets away with not following up on previous work done by other writers on characters so easily. Does he have photos of Axel Alonso greasing up Tom Brevoort on Fire Island or something?

It's not really a new take if you're just following what previous writers have done now is it?


The fact that Spidey,Wolvie, and Cap as figments of his imagination make so little sense already but now as their shown in the issue its literally the stupidest concept in the world.

How do they know whats going on with crime in LA if Marc doesn't know this?
How do they have intel on whats going on with the other Avengers if Marc doesn't know this?

Don't even get me started on Maleev's art. When you can't tell what the hell is happening on panel for a string of 3-5 pages its not a good thing.

All in all this issue was decent but its still unispired

Who's to say that Marc doesn't "know"? He probably does, but its just his subconscious way of processing the information.

[marvelprince]

Personally I really liked this issue. It was perfect as a first issue for new readers. As an longtime MK fan I found it fresh while retaining the things that make Marc...Marc. Overall though, I find myself thinking that it'd be stronger without his "Four-Avengers-In-One" gimmick. The parts of I loved where of Marc being himself, fighting bad guys, gathering intel. I would've been happy with a story about that by this creative team. I just hope that next issue when I see him pretending to be Cap or someone its not going to turn me off of the concept.

[ImmortalIronFist]

I don't know how fans of the old Moench series or even the more recent Huston/Benson work can enjoy this take. It's a bastardized version of the character just to increase sales, not for artistic integrity.

And how wasn't it a continuity error?



He was being sarcastic.

It wasn't a continuity error because they were scenes from Spector's television show, not an actual recap of his origin.

And saying it's not for artistic integrity is a pretty bold statement backed up by nothing. You have no idea what Bendis is thinking when he's writing this.

[ImmortalIronFist]

For the record, I liked it

[Superbeast]

Bendis choosing to go a different way with Moon Knight isn't the same thing as Toyota making cars that can't brake when they need to.

Not at all.

I can't even begin to fathom why you'd think it is.

My issue is how is quality control allowed to suffer just because of increased profits from moving more units? Is there no professional accountability in regards to maintaining that quality so the product that sells in high volumes is of equal of not better quality than a lower selling product that is not as representative of their output, given it's lower profile and lower profits? Just cause a crap load of Corollas shifted, Toyota didn't turn around and go "Well, you bought it and it doesn't work, that's your problem", they took responsibility for an error in the production process and recalled them. It's about being able to deliver the product the consumer expects and wants, not just excusing poor work by saying "the consumer will tolerate our failings because we do not care about ensuring quality here, any issues about this are their fault and not ours even though it's our job to ensure quality entertainment as well as internal continuity." Editors are meant to be the quality control inspectors of comics.

I'm not saying cars and comics are the same, obviously thousands of dollars seperates a new car from a new comic, but the point is brand new products should be delivered to the highest possible quality, particularly if that product is being marketed as a premium class product with a higher price tag than usual. High sales of high end goods should not mean lower quality accepted by the consumer because the producers do not want to do a solid job all round. If you can't fathom that, well, kinda sucks to be you.

I personally expect a comic a dollar more than most others to at least follow on from the previous story featuring the character, I'm paying that extra buck for what is implied to be a higher quality product worth more than others like it on the rack because of the so called top talent involved who are mean to deliver to a high standard.

[TheAmazingSpidey]

This was my first issue of Moon Knight, so I obviously didn't have the problems some major fans of him have, and I liked it. The only experience I had with Moon Knight is when he would show up elsewhere. (Whether it be Avengers, or Hulk, or Ultimate Spider-Man, or what have you.) Never read an issue of Moon Knight before this one, but I'll be reading this title from now on.

[The Batman]

My issue is how is quality control allowed to suffer just because of increased profits from moving more units? Is there no professional accountability in regards to maintaining that quality so the product that sells in high volumes is of equal of not better quality than a lower selling product that is not as representative of their output, given it's lower profile and lower profits? Just cause a crap load of Corollas shifted, Toyota didn't turn around and go "Well, you bought it and it doesn't work, that's your problem", they took responsibility for an error in the production process and recalled them. It's about being able to deliver the product the consumer expects and wants, not just excusing poor work by saying "the consumer will tolerate our failings because we do not care about ensuring quality here, any issues about this are their fault and not ours even though it's our job to ensure quality entertainment as well as internal continuity." Editors are meant to be the quality control inspectors of comics.

I'm not saying cars and comics are the same, obviously thousands of dollars seperates a new car from a new comic, but the point is brand new products should be delivered to the highest possible quality, particularly if that product is being marketed as a premium class product with a higher price tag than usual. High sales of high end goods should not mean lower quality accepted by the consumer because the producers do not want to do a solid job all round. If you can't fathom that, well, kinda sucks to be you.

I personally expect a comic a dollar more than most others to at least follow on from the previous story featuring the character, I'm paying that extra buck for what is implied to be a higher quality product worth more than others like it on the rack because of the so called top talent involved who are mean to deliver to a high standard.



This boils down to you wanting a red car when this one is blue. There's nothing wrong with the car itself, this isn't some sort of quality control issue, the car just isn't the color you want.

So I guess the question is: if you wanted a red car why were you looking at a blue car in the first place?

This book was pretty up front about being a revamp of Moon Knight. I'm not sure why you'd expect a revamp to continue on past stories when revamps are meant to do almost the exact opposite of that.

[DaUltimateSheild]

it was pretty good, Writing was solid, good use of the Bendis dialogue style, Love the art, The fight with Mr. hyde was sweet, and i am curious about the Ultron thing

[Expletive Deleted]

Editors are meant to be the quality control inspectors of comics.Editors are responsible for quality control, but questionable adherence to prior continuity is not the only factor determining a lack of comic book quality.

[The Batman]

It wasn't a continuity error because they were scenes from Spector's television show, not an actual recap of his origin.


Thank You. I'm not sure why this is giving so many people so much trouble. It's pretty plain if you read the book.




And saying it's not for artistic integrity is a pretty bold statement backed up by nothing. You have no idea what Bendis is thinking when he's writing this.

I imagine it has about as much artistic integrity as most any mainstream superhero comic does. If this is just a straight up cash grab, Moon Knight seems an odd character for it.

[darknessatnoon]

Thank You. I'm not sure why this is giving so many people so much trouble. It's pretty plain if you read the book.


Only two people in this thread complained about it. Two other people have complained about "so many" people not understanding it. Calm down. There was a concern. Asked and answered. It doesn't mean people are "stupid" or have low reading comprehension. The issue was pretty poor, though. If this was double-sized, I'm wondering how tiny the story slivers are going to be in a regular size issue are going to be? 6 issues to tell what a normal writer would tell in 6 panels?

[Hulk_Is]

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wAxDMfEGhoY/TI6y4IuY8aI/AAAAAAAAAS8/NCjMIHtSW0E/s1600/Not+Sure+if+serious.jpg

It shouldn't matter if a random poster (myself) is serious or not as the facts speak for themselves:

- Bendis is an Eisner award winner for his work on Daredevil and is the writer of Marvel's #1 book. He no doubt has the ability to make anyone fall in love with Moon Knight (and his Eisner award winning artist has a hand in this as well).

- Bendis is setting up Los Angeles to be a new hotspot in the marvel universe - a feat never before accomplished!

- Moon Knight has a live-action television series in the works, so Bendis' Moon Knight is essential reading because Steven Grant's television series has ties into that.

- Lastly, gritty, street-styled characters with mental issues are what Bendis is best at writing. Bendis has Moon Knight on "Sentry"-mode. Bendis is almost guaranteed to knock this one out of the park.

[marvelprince]

This boils down to you wanting a red car when this one is blue. There's nothing wrong with the car itself, this isn't some sort of quality control issue, the car just isn't the color you want.

So I guess the question is: if you wanted a red car why were you looking at a blue car in the first place?

This book was pretty up front about being a revamp of Moon Knight. I'm not sure why you'd expect a revamp to continue on past stories when revamps are meant to do almost the exact opposite of that.

And boom goes the dynamite! Well said.

[marvelprince]

It shouldn't matter if a random poster (myself) is serious or not as the facts speak for themselves:

- Bendis is an Eisner award winner for his work on Daredevil and is the writer of Marvel's #1 book. He no doubt has the ability to make anyone fall in love with Moon Knight (and his Eisner award winning artist has a hand in this as well).

- Bendis is setting up Los Angeles to be a new hotspot in the marvel universe - a feat never before accomplished!

- Moon Knight has a live-action television series in the works, so Bendis' Moon Knight is essential reading because Steven Grant's television series has ties into that.

- Lastly, gritty, street-styled characters with mental issues are what Bendis is best at writing. Bendis has Moon Knight on "Sentry"-mode. Bendis is almost guaranteed to knock this one out of the park.

I know this is all said in sarcasm cause you loathe the current direction but almost all of your points are spot on :biggrin:

[Nite-Wing]

What happened with Mr Hyde at the end with the boat? Can he fly now? That was just really unclear with Maleev's art.

[pharoahe22]

This was a pretty good 1st issue. I was unsure about the hook at first, but I asked Bendis would he explain how Moon Knight came about adpoting these other heroes' personas, and he said "Of Course", so that was a bit of a relief. I enjoyed this...I'm definitely on Board for issue #2

[marvelprince]

What happened with Mr Hyde at the end with the boat? Can he fly now? That was just really unclear with Maleev's art.

Yeah that whole scene was really hard to interpret.

[darknessatnoon]

The Kingpin of LA is clearly Cyclops.

[Nite-Wing]

The Kingpin of LA is clearly Cyclops.

Its clearly going to be Moon Knight since his personalities know all about LA but Marc doesn't. Hes just that crazy and it would be such a twist.

[SomeBodyAtCBR]

Its clearly going to be Moon Knight since his personalities know all about LA but Marc doesn't. Hes just that crazy and it would be such a twist.

Yeah I'm thinking that too.

[Hulk_Is]

Those speculations are basically what occured in Amazing Spider-Man 220. Moon Knight takes over just to take baddies down. :-/

Bendis' run is at least, an extentsion of that.

[Amy Racecar]

long time moon knight fan and usually a bendis & maleeve fan & all i can really say is "meh".

its like we finally get a relaunch with a creative team that people will buy no matter what and theyve turned moon knight into just another bendis avengers book. i dont get it.

[XPac]

Those speculations are basically what occured in Amazing Spider-Man 220. Moon Knight takes over just to take baddies down. :-/

Bendis' run is at least, an extentsion of that.

If that's what he's doing, he's kind of taking a page out of Shrouds playbook. And funnily enough, he's kind of doing it on SHrouds turf too.

[Alan2099]

I know this is all said in sarcasm cause you loathe the current direction but almost all of your points are spot on :biggrin:

... :confused:
I have no clue who's being sarcastic and who's not, so just to be on the safe side, I'm going to disagree with everyone.

[Prince Of Orphans]

It wasn't a continuity error at all. What we were shown at the beginning of the book was the in-universe TV show version of Marc's origin. Given that he's the producer he can't well use his own name however and Steven Grant's kinda sorta already a pretty public name and so he used Jake Lockley.

Not sure why people didn't pick that up.

I'm not sure either. I think it's an honest mistake by some is all. Maybe they missed the 'Executive Producer Marc Spector' bit since it was in the backround.



Also, why bog down the story with what happened to Frenchie and Marlene?

It's a relaunch, the whole point is to grab new readers. If someone has never read MK, why introduce backstory that will probably not affect the new direction of the book?

It would be a continuity wank, but it would also confuse the new readers and possibly turn them off from the book

It takes the risk of alienating old fans imo, trading old friends for new friends and all that. The old friends will always be there for MK, but you won't be able to say the same for the new friends. It's a tad underhanded to the fans that made MK as popular as he is and although i realize it's a business, you can't run a business without a sect of dedicated clients, which are the old MK fans.

I think it could be done in a way that introduces readers to the characters rather than have the reader feel as if they are missing something. It's possible to do it in a way that doesn't distract from the story. Marlene in particular could've been introduced no problem.



Reading the stories is almost always better than a wikipedia article.

100% agreed. I don't find wiki ever giving a deserving character justice. Back issues FTW.

[AcesX1X]

if moon knight is the kingpin of LA is steve going to be forced to kick him off the avengers and throw him in a hospital? this seems like a disturbing mental illness that needs to be contained.

[earl]

I thought it was a pretty good comic overall. It hung up as a single issue and made me wonder what comes next, which is what it is all about. You got the characters background handled pretty succinctly and then it is on to what is going down now. I am sure that Frenchy and Marlene will be incorporated at some point and the expanded cast of the new Moon Knight comic laid out.

Now this is on one issue, but this issue is way more on target than the totally psychotic loony that was Moon Knight in the Huston re-start. That thing was totally over the top by comparison.

[Kaim]

Up until now the formula of Bendis + Maleev + the solo adventures of a street-level hero haven't disappointed me, so I'm going to ignore my strong urge to kind of shrug at this issue. It may be that the concept was so unabashedly plastered all over everything that the issue's ending really had absolutely no kick to it, or that I read the thing in a kind of over-tired state at 1:00 in the morning, but it hasn't really grabbed me yet. That said, I've never passed judgement on a series based solely on a first issue, and this one wasn't even a bad first issue - just not great. If the rest of the first story arc pans out, I'll be sold. If not... while, another $3.99 in my pocket.

[StoneGold]

That thing was totally over the top by comparison.

You say that like it was a bad thing.

[Maestro]

I love the inside joke on Hawkeye's death. :biggrin:

NOT LIKE THIS!!!

[marvelprince]

I love the inside joke on Hawkeye's death. :biggrin:

NOT LIKE THIS!!!

Oh yeah, I read that and wondered if anyone else picked up on that. Got a good laugh out of it.

[chalmersforthree]

Yeah that whole scene was really hard to interpret.

same here. :confused:

[Ace Grayson]

I think i just wikipedia the character for now and stick for the book for a while to see how the plot evolves.
Thanks for the input you two ^^

I'd suggest this too. I think Moon Knight, as a character, is pretty cool, but his old comics...Fist of Khonsu, the Marc Spector run...Are really boring. I didn't finish either.

[The Batman]

Fist of Khonshu and the Marc Spector: Moon Knight stuff was some of my least favourite stuff as well. Fist of Khonshu felt a bit off base and the Marc Spector book a little too 90's Marvel generic.

[Expletive Deleted]

I never read much of either series, but I remember the Infinity War crossover in Marc Spector: Moon Knight being a lot of fun.

[Jason Abbadon]

Another person speaking for fans. Im an old fan & I enjoyed it.

Funny thing, you call him out for a continuity error, then youre not even sure if it is or not.
Lockley was something made up AFTER he became Moon Knight- the streetwise taxicab persona he made to get street intel.

It's a mistake.

OR it's the TV show version useing the name "Lockley" to seperate the show from actual events.

Overall though, I'd give this a 5 of 10 stars- okay, sorta.
I raelly hate the tired old "moon KNight is insane" premise and probably wont keep buying this series- too bad too, I was an MK fan from the late 80's.

[Samy]

Here's a question I have, have they addressed this in the issue?

If Marc Spector is certifiably insane, wouldn't it be immoral for the Avengers to basically hand him a city and say, "go to work"? Shouldn't the Avengers work to commit him to a mental institution instead?

It's kind of stretching my suspension of disbelief way past the breaking point for Steve Rogers, of all people, to take someone who needs treatment and instead throw him into lifethreatening situations.

[mburr]

I agree Moon Knight was awesome in the infinity war crossovers

[The Batman]

Here's a question I have, have they addressed this in the issue?

If Marc Spector is certifiably insane, wouldn't it be immoral for the Avengers to basically hand him a city and say, "go to work"? Shouldn't the Avengers work to commit him to a mental institution instead?

It's kind of stretching my suspension of disbelief way past the breaking point for Steve Rogers, of all people, to take someone who needs treatment and instead throw him into lifethreatening situations.

Um, it wasn't actually Steve Rogers or the Avengers doing that....

[Nite-Wing]

It would have certainly made a lot more sense if it was Steve and co doing all that though

[The Batman]

I'm curious, how so?

[Samy]

Um, it wasn't actually Steve Rogers or the Avengers doing that....

Ohhh, I think I see what you're saying. If I'm reading you right, then that would make a lot of sense...

[Nite-Wing]

I'm curious, how so?

because as I pointed out before Marc Spector isn't super insane to the point that he can come up with personalities on the fly like that and still cognitively have them keep secrets from him.

Theres no logical reason behind those scenes with the Avengers in his head since he should already know everything their telling him.

Bendis was just playing up a concept that really doesn't make sense. I would have been fine with it if they were just there telling him what he should do but as soon as they started feeding him intelligence it took me out of the story.

[scribbleMind]

Ah, but what if this newfound ability to incorporate other peoples personalities into himself was given to him by Khonshu? Then you have the question of whether these personalities could know things Moon Knight doesn't because they're mystical in nature or whether his imagined god just gave him the "power" to create imagined superheroes in his head. If that's the case it might be argued that he's insane enough. If Khonshu decided to give Marc some ability again after all this time, it would work well with what happened at the end of the Shadowland Arc where Marc accepts being Khonshu's avatar.

I think Moon Knight and Silver Surfer should have a chat.

[Hulk_Is]

Ah, but what if this newfound ability to incorporate other peoples personalities into himself was given to him by Khonshu? Then you have the question of whether these personalities could know things Moon Knight doesn't because they're mystical in nature or whether his imagined god just gave him the "power" to create imagined superheroes in his head. If that's the case it might be argued that he's insane enough. If Khonshu decided to give Marc some ability again after all this time, it would work well with what happened at the end of the Shadowland Arc where Marc accepts being Khonshu's avatar.

I think Moon Knight and Silver Surfer should have a chat.

Stop. Just stop.

[scribbleMind]

Oh, Come on mr. hulk! It's the next big mystery, the how and the why of it! The Ultron and the Kingpin aren't all that interesting as far as I'm concerned, but Marc's current state of being is, and I think the how and why of it might save or doom this title (at least for me).

Also, Bendis writing Moon Knight, Silver Surfer, Crimson Witch, Wasp, and Bruce Banner as West Coast Avengers is practically everyone's dream come true! Throw in Spider-man and Wolverine and you've got yourself the single greatest title in history!

[marvelprince]

Lockley was something made up AFTER he became Moon Knight- the streetwise taxicab persona he made to get street intel.

It's a mistake.

OR it's the TV show version useing the name "Lockley" to seperate the show from actual events.

Overall though, I'd give this a 5 of 10 stars- okay, sorta.
I raelly hate the tired old "moon KNight is insane" premise and probably wont keep buying this series- too bad too, I was an MK fan from the late 80's.

Its a TV show. Of course he's not going to use his real name, so uses another fictional name that he created.


Here's a question I have, have they addressed this in the issue?

If Marc Spector is certifiably insane, wouldn't it be immoral for the Avengers to basically hand him a city and say, "go to work"? Shouldn't the Avengers work to commit him to a mental institution instead?

It's kind of stretching my suspension of disbelief way past the breaking point for Steve Rogers, of all people, to take someone who needs treatment and instead throw him into lifethreatening situations.

Well the Avengers haven't had problems sending Hank Pym, Scarlet Witch or Sentry out of the field until things get reeeeeally bad. MK is the picture of mental health compared to them (cept Hank).


because as I pointed out before Marc Spector isn't super insane to the point that he can come up with personalities on the fly like that and still cognitively have them keep secrets from him.

Theres no logical reason behind those scenes with the Avengers in his head since he should already know everything their telling him.

Bendis was just playing up a concept that really doesn't make sense. I would have been fine with it if they were just there telling him what he should do but as soon as they started feeding him intelligence it took me out of the story.

They aren't cognitively keeping secrets from him. Its all stuff that he knows that he's processing in his head by use of the his various personalities. Read the scene again, there's nothing that he learns in that scene that he couldn't have known before.

[rick]

I read the new start for Moon Knight last night and I loved it.

Loved it, loved it, loved it.

We drawn, well written, with some nice action and without a doubt one of the most twisted, twist endings in some time.

I am really looking forward to the second issue.

[rick]

I don't know how fans of the old Moench series or even the more recent Huston/Benson work can enjoy this take. It's a bastardized version of the character just to increase sales, not for artistic integrity.


I'm surprised you think that.

I thought the story did a great job of reintroducing the character in all his glory, whole at the same time taking him another step down the road to total insanity.

I don't know why it is, since in some ways it's THE 80's cliche, but in the case of Moon Knight, I enjoy the story of a psychotic guy dressing up in a costume to fight crime who really is a very psychotic man who put on a uniform to go and fight crime.

[destro]

I'm not really a fan of this take on Moon Knight. Mainly because it reeks of the "Henry Pym Syndrome". The idea that no matter how much work other writers do on a character, eventually a new writer is going to come on and throw all of that out the window to make the character how they want them to be, usually how they were in their "classic" mode.

I've followed MK on and off since his 1st appearance in Werewolf by Knight.

As I remember, in his 1st ongoing Doug Moench played around a lot with the insanity angle and for the most part put it to bed. There was a story where MK's Khonshu statue is destroyed and he goes completely nuts. Eventually he accepts that whether Khonshu is real or not, his life and actions are his own responsibility. He was still maintaining his multiple identities at the end of the 1st series, but it was only for the ease of things (Grant for his money dealings, Lockley for intelligence gathering, etc..)

In the 2nd 80s series, suddenly Khonshu is presented as being real. The priests of Khonshu force Marc out of retirement (again, he isn't insane here) and give him super strength that varies depending on how full the Moon is, and some semi-magical weapons.

Then MK is around as one of the early West Coast Avengers for awhile. He is given a personality transplant here and becomes all mystical acting (though again not insane).

That brings us to the 90s series, where MK is again NOT insane and basically just doing the Batman/Daredevil act.

Now I didn't really see much of the next 2 or 3 relaunches they tried to do. Did any of those writers start to lay groundwork for him being nuts again? I have no idea.

Anyway my point is, unless somebody was laying down groundwork for his being nuts again that I missed, this is a massive regression of the character. I don't have a problem with the idea of him being insane, but there needed to be some sort of major build-up to it, because it just doesn't jibe with the character I know (unless again, this happened in stuff I missed! Then I'll happily admit that I'm wrong).

[Hulk_Is]

Oh, Come on mr. hulk! It's the next big mystery, the how and the why of it! The Ultron and the Kingpin aren't all that interesting as far as I'm concerned, but Marc's current state of being is, and I think the how and why of it might save or doom this title (at least for me).

Also, Bendis writing Moon Knight, Silver Surfer, Crimson Witch, Wasp, and Bruce Banner as West Coast Avengers is practically everyone's dream come true! Throw in Spider-man and Wolverine and you've got yourself the single greatest title in history!

Now, you're making me angry...

[earl]

Did any of those writers start to lay groundwork for him being nuts again? I have no idea.


Moonie is totally loonie in the start of the Huston/Finch series. It is way over the top, but somewhat entertaining. It tempers a bit towards the end of that volume. Don't know about the last short run series, as I missed #1 and never got back to it.

I liked the first issue, although it remains to be seen how it will all be setup. I'd think Bendis working on Moon Knight would be more in his strengths as a writer than the team books he usually works upon. I think Bendis' Daredevil run is one of the best mainstream super hero runs that I read getting back into comics a few years back.

[Hulk_Is]

I'm not really a fan of this take on Moon Knight. Mainly because it reeks of the "Henry Pym Syndrome". The idea that no matter how much work other writers do on a character, eventually a new writer is going to come on and throw all of that out the window to make the character how they want them to be, usually how they were in their "classic" mode.

I've followed MK on and off since his 1st appearance in Werewolf by Knight.

As I remember, in his 1st ongoing Doug Moench played around a lot with the insanity angle and for the most part put it to bed. There was a story where MK's Khonshu statue is destroyed and he goes completely nuts. Eventually he accepts that whether Khonshu is real or not, his life and actions are his own responsibility. He was still maintaining his multiple identities at the end of the 1st series, but it was only for the ease of things (Grant for his money dealings, Lockley for intelligence gathering, etc..)

In the 2nd 80s series, suddenly Khonshu is presented as being real. The priests of Khonshu force Marc out of retirement (again, he isn't insane here) and give him super strength that varies depending on how full the Moon is, and some semi-magical weapons.

Then MK is around as one of the early West Coast Avengers for awhile. He is given a personality transplant here and becomes all mystical acting (though again not insane).

That brings us to the 90s series, where MK is again NOT insane and basically just doing the Batman/Daredevil act.

Now I didn't really see much of the next 2 or 3 relaunches they tried to do. Did any of those writers start to lay groundwork for him being nuts again? I have no idea.

Anyway my point is, unless somebody was laying down groundwork for his being nuts again that I missed, this is a massive regression of the character. I don't have a problem with the idea of him being insane, but there needed to be some sort of major build-up to it, because it just doesn't jibe with the character I know (unless again, this happened in stuff I missed! Then I'll happily admit that I'm wrong).

In 2006 Charlie Huston wrote what appeared to me as being a Marc Spector that allowed himself essentially to be whoever he wanted to be whether it rubbed law officers the wrong way or not. After Huston, we see Mike Benson sic these officers on him which resulted in him taking on the Jake Lockley personality full-time down in Mexico. Gregg Hurwitz brought him back to the States - New York to be exact - and had Jake Lockely once again play to good guy and trying to put Khonshu on the backburner, though certain thing's that played out during the end of Hurwitz' run had Jake reconcile with Khonshu and become Marc Spector again.

Bendis is just playing 'The Sentry' with the character now. Don't let anyone tell you any different.

[scribbleMind]

Anyway my point is, unless somebody was laying down groundwork for his being nuts again that I missed, this is a massive regression of the character. I don't have a problem with the idea of him being insane, but there needed to be some sort of major build-up to it, because it just doesn't jibe with the character I know (unless again, this happened in stuff I missed! Then I'll happily admit that I'm wrong).

I wouldn't say there has been any build up for this particular incarnation. Both Steve and Jake were both pretty much written as toned down versions Marc, as it should be. There wasn't enough difference between the the personalities in any of the reboots that would lead you to believe they were truly the result of insanity. Ie, It was closer to Dr. Who than Fight Club.


Now, you're making me angry...

Oh, we wouldn't want that.

[okpanic]

Did any of those writers start to lay groundwork for him being nuts again? I have no idea.


Moonie is totally loonie in the start of the Huston/Finch series. It is way over the top, but somewhat entertaining. It tempers a bit towards the end of that volume.


Yeah, he was a bit batshit. I don't think anybody who's saying "omg Moon Knight has never been crazie!11" caught the Huston/Finch run.

Anyway, I liked it. It was a bit talky (I don't think we needed so much dialogue between disposable goons) but the set-up was intriguing and the art was pretty good, if not an acquired taste. I'd like to see more of a supporting cast appear or maybe see how Moons will operate when not out beating in heads but apart from that, good stuff.

[Mundungus]

I enjoyed the issue, but I don't think Bendis packs enough story for $3.99. That might just be me.

Marc Spector's new tv series and position as a producer are established in the opening pages. I think the idea of retelling Moon Knight's origin, except slightly skewed, was a novel idea but I think too many pages were dedicated to it. Basically, I think most scenes could have done without a page or so. The henchmen conversation, while interesting, didn't need to go on for as long as it did.

Bendis leaves enough for me to get hooked, though with the $3.99 pricetag, I might wait for this in trade. I am interested as to who the Kingpin is and what he wants with Ultron.

[agrich]

Finally read my copy last night. I enjoyed it and like the premise. Glad I didn't read interviews or anything and not get spoiled.

Bendis' dialogue gets to me in parts too. The henchmen conversation has been done by him before and better. I think he should take a step back from his own work sometime and reconsider some things. Every writer needs to now and then.

I'm sure the book won't last long before one of the creators gets bored with it or too many readers "wait for the trade" and sales suffer, but I'll be around for the duration anyway.

[Drz]

I enjoyed the issue, but I don't think Bendis packs enough story for $3.99. That might just be me.

Marc Spector's new tv series and position as a producer are established in the opening pages. I think the idea of retelling Moon Knight's origin, except slightly skewed, was a novel idea but I think too many pages were dedicated to it. Basically, I think most scenes could have done without a page or so. The henchmen conversation, while interesting, didn't need to go on for as long as it did.

Bendis leaves enough for me to get hooked, though with the $3.99 pricetag, I might wait for this in trade. I am interested as to who the Kingpin is and what he wants with Ultron.

Isn't this gonna be 2.99 series? First issue was double sized hence the price.

[Pixie_Solanas]

The forced banter between the two lackey goons (Turk and Grotto, they were most CERTAINLY not) was stultifying.

I couldn't wait for their obviously imminent death scene.

[Red Lotus]

I believe that Bendis and Maleev's Moon Knight would be a LOT more well-received if they kept the premise of the book more hush-hush before it came out.

I started to get it for that premise but at the same time I think telling us that hurt the first issue. When they showed the preview of Spider-man, Wolverine and Cap you knew then that it was in his head. That made me not get the issue.

[Mundungus]

Isn't this gonna be 2.99 series? First issue was double sized hence the price.

Oh. I thought subsequent issues were listed as 3.99. I didn't realize this was 35-pages long!

The second issue is listed as 3.99 on Marvel's website: http://marvel.com/comic_books/issue/34048/moon_knight_2010_2

I don't like it when they release a comic at 3.99 with more pages, and then continue to charge you 3.99 with less pages. It really tells you that something is fishy. Unless every issue will be double-sized, but I don't see Maleev supporting that.

[Monty_Cristo]

I started to get it for that premise but at the same time I think telling us that hurt the first issue. When they showed the preview of Spider-man, Wolverine and Cap you knew then that it was in his head. That made me not get the issue.

he only told you half the premise. it's not like he came right out and said that Spector is the new kingpin of L.A. at any rate, i'm going to skip this series. nothing against Bendis but money's tight.

[agrich]

Another option is simply not to read interviews with creators prior to a series coming out. It was a cool twist for those of us who hadn't been spoiled, which isn't as difficult as some make it out to be.

[marvelprince]

Oh. I thought subsequent issues were listed as 3.99. I didn't realize this was 35-pages long!

The second issue is listed as 3.99 on Marvel's website: http://marvel.com/comic_books/issue/34048/moon_knight_2010_2

I don't like it when they release a comic at 3.99 with more pages, and then continue to charge you 3.99 with less pages. It really tells you that something is fishy. Unless every issue will be double-sized, but I don't see Maleev supporting that.

Yeah I was looking at this a while ago and had just assumed that that series was going to be 3.99 (which I think really defeats the purpose of trying to make MK A-list because you're already cutting out people who won't buy 3.99 books). It was a nice surprise to find that the first issue was 35 pages for my extra dollar, but now if it goes back to 22 pages for the same price I'll have felt ripped off.

[Will.S]

This was a pretty good 1st issue. I was unsure about the hook at first, but I asked Bendis would he explain how Moon Knight came about adpoting these other heroes' personas, and he said "Of Course", so that was a bit of a relief. I enjoyed this...I'm definitely on Board for issue #2The Spider-Man/Wolverine/Captain America thing (on top of some overwrought dialogue) are the only problems I had with the issue. It comes out of nowhere and doesn't really have much context in the overall big picture concerning the character so I would hope to see that explained somewhere.

But outside of that it was a pretty solid read and I was happy with Maleev's art here. It's deviated considerably from his past work but not enough to say that it's not Maleev which is a good thing. He's stated that he's tried to stay away from the Bill. S influence but what's funny is that one still can't help but see it still seeping in.

I like the whole Ultron sub-plot as well as the Kingpin of the West Coast but I just hope the book doesn't get tied into Brian's whole Ultron War storyline since that kind of hurt his Avengers books during Secret Invasion. I'd rather this be a self contained thing along the lines of Daredevil but not so much as to contradict other stories either.

All in all a fairly solid start.

8/10


Oh. I thought subsequent issues were listed as 3.99. I didn't realize this was 35-pages long!

The second issue is listed as 3.99 on Marvel's website: http://marvel.com/comic_books/issue/34048/moon_knight_2010_2

I don't like it when they release a comic at 3.99 with more pages, and then continue to charge you 3.99 with less pages. It really tells you that something is fishy. Unless every issue will be double-sized, but I don't see Maleev supporting that.
Well with BENDIS comics one at this point should expect them to all be $3.99 it seems. I was amazed that Spider-Woman was $2.99 given how his other books were selling at a higher price before but I guess now they've "learned their lesson" and are sticking to the higher end pricing. Needless to say, I'm not happy about it but the book really needs to earn my cash for me so so far it's safe for an arc.

[Chachi]

Yeah I was looking at this a while ago and had just assumed that that series was going to be 3.99 (which I think really defeats the purpose of trying to make MK A-list because you're already cutting out people who won't buy 3.99 books). It was a nice surprise to find that the first issue was 35 pages for my extra dollar, but now if it goes back to 22 pages for the same price I'll have felt ripped off.

Bendis = $3.99

[paulski]

These days? Pretty much. :frown:

Spider-Woman was probably his last book that was at $2.99, IIRC.

(Oops, sorry Will, didn't see that you said the same thing :smile: )

[Hulk_Is]

$3.99 is the most logical thing about this entire book.

[YouthofToday]

I know they weren't in this one, but I could have sworn Bendis said Franchie and Marlene would be involved. Maybe we'll see them in the next few issues?

[Will.S]

These days? Pretty much. :frown:

Spider-Woman was probably his last book that was at $2.99, IIRC.

(Oops, sorry Will, didn't see that you said the same thing :smile: )
Hah! It's cool.

I'll honestly be interested in how this book does given the factor's here. Will the book maintain solidly consistent numbers or will it reach Spider-Woman levels? I think one thing is for sure that the first issue will do pretty well.

[Beadle]

Personally I'd hope the LA Kingpin was The Shroud.

He ran the Night Shift before as a crime organisation that unbeknownst to them was actually COUNTERACTING crime in the area, and Moon Knight knew about this during his time on the West Coast Avengers.

Lots of cape+hood vs cape+hood action.

[protege]

The artwork is really turning me off this book. If that was supposed to be mr. hyde, he sure didn't look it. And since when does Spider man not "know" about adamantium?

[Rahul]

The artwork is really turning me off this book. If that was supposed to be mr. hyde, he sure didn't look it. And since when does Spider man not "know" about adamantium?
"Spider-Man" was a personality in Moon Knight's head. Given how he carries himself in public, MK probably thinks Spidey is a bit of an idiot....and has projected in his head as such.

[paulski]

Hah! It's cool.

I'll honestly be interested in how this book does given the factor's here. Will the book maintain solidly consistent numbers or will it reach Spider-Woman levels? I think one thing is for sure that the first issue will do pretty well.

It may take an extra month or two but definitely 'Spider-Woman levels' sooner rather than later. Unless of course he strikes gold on a couple of storylines and turns around some of the negative sentiment we've seen in recent times.

[Telos]

May I ask why this is in the Avengers forum? Moon Knight hasn't been on the Avengers for ages, and he isn't someone who comes to mind when you say "Avengers".

[paulski]

Ummm, he's actually been in the Secret Avengers for over a year now... :tongue:

(Granted, Brubaker really didn't use him that much, but still!)

[Telos]

Oh shit my bad >_< I feel like an idiot now.

I might check this out when they trade it, otherwise it seems pretty meh.

[JessieMidnight]

I still want to get this book, but I'll give it a few more issues to decide if I'll end up trade waiting for it.

Its interesting that he's out in LA. I hope that means we'll get some cool new villains introduced. What are the guesses so far for the LA Kingpin? Moon Knight himself?

[jackolover]

Does anybody think this is before Fear Itself?

[Drz]

#4 cover seems to reveal LA's Kingpin!
http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/preview2.php?image=solicits/marvelcomics/201108/MOONKNV2003_cov.jpg

[Will.S]

Does anybody think this is before Fear Itself?
Seems likely but that shouldn't be a problem either way.

[scribbleMind]

#4 cover seems to reveal LA's Kingpin!
http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/preview2.php?image=solicits/marvelcomics/201108/MOONKNV2003_cov.jpg

I think not, it doesn't suit Bullseye's character.

I will say, I am looking forward to this rematch. There aren't a lot of fights since Huston's run where Moonie actually uses strategy in battle the way a mercenary would, so I find that fight memorable. I wonder what will happen here.

[XPac]

Does anybody think this is before Fear Itself?

My suspicion is that it won't even matter.

I'm guessing Moon Knight is sort of going to be Avenger #14 standing in the background. You can probably imput this before or after without it really changing anything.

[Justice~!]

I think not, it doesn't suit Bullseye's character.

I will say, I am looking forward to this rematch. There aren't a lot of fights since Huston's run where Moonie actually uses strategy in battle the way a mercenary would, so I find that fight memorable. I wonder what will happen here.

I'm actually wondering if Bullseye (given he's dead) is going to be another of MK's fractured personalities.

[scribbleMind]

I'm actually wondering if Bullseye (given he's dead) is going to be another of MK's fractured personalities.

That would be a very interesting turn. I thought of that myself, but I just assume they'll come up with some random reason for Bullseye being alive. Worst case scenario, its a flashback that has been retconned in.

[Drz]

#2 teaser:
http://www.comicbookresources.com/assets/images/articles/1305908532.jpg
http://www.comicbookresources.com/assets/images/articles/1305908534.jpg
http://www.comicbookresources.com/assets/images/articles/1305908573.jpg
http://www.comicbookresources.com/assets/images/articles/1305908575.jpg

[Hulk_Is]

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

[scribbleMind]

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

I kind of agree. Actually seeing Moon Knight dressed up like Spider-Man is soooo disappointing. I had kind of been hoping the concept wasn't taken that far.

I must say, I like that first image though.

[Will.S]

I kind of agree. Actually seeing Moon Knight dressed up like Spider-Man is soooo disappointing. I had kind of been hoping the concept wasn't taken that far.

I must say, I like that first image though.
At first I didn't know what to make of it but then it seemed more and more to me that this was Moon Knight masquerading as Spider-Man.

I guess the only advantage to that would be to make criminals in California think that the Avengers are in town to give out beat downs but outside of that, I got nothin'.

[XPac]

At first I didn't know what to make of it but then it seemed more and more to me that this was Moon Knight masquerading as Spider-Man.

I guess the only advantage to that would be to make criminals in California think that the Avengers are in town to give out beat downs but outside of that, I got nothin'.

I think the idea is for all the Avengers to eventually dress like Spider-Man.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/prev_img.php?disp=img&pid=1301641996

[Nite-Wing]

I'm going to be generous and assume its symbolic but the webbing tells a different story. Nothing in this series makes sense besides why Moon Knight is in LA.

[Will.S]

I think the idea is for all the Avengers to eventually dress like Spider-Man.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/prev_img.php?disp=img&pid=1301641996
Hmm, not sure if this title will have any ties to Spider-Island.

Wouldn't want it to anyway given that I only care for bits and pieces of Spider-Man nowadays.

[XPac]

Hmm, not sure if this title will have any ties to Spider-Island.

Wouldn't want it to anyway given that I only care for bits and pieces of Spider-Man nowadays.

I don't think this is tied to Spider-Island either.

That was merely my poor attempt at making a joke centering around the notion of the Avengers having matching uniforms.

[infernohara]

Moon knight is all over the place. I wouldn't doubt he'd get powers from the Spider-Island thing going on. Or maybe the Kingpin really is around and he wants to mess with him a little. I can't wait to see what Echo brings to the table.

[Will.S]

I don't think this is tied to Spider-Island either.

That was merely my poor attempt at making a joke centering around the notion of the Avengers having matching uniforms.
Heheh, no worries.

[paulski]

Gotta say, those preview pages suggest a certain level of desperation if that's what's needed to raise interest in this book. :eek: