MARC SPECTOR: MOON KNIGHT #4 – New Mission

Creative Team – Jed MacKay, Devmalya Pramanik, Rachelle Rosenberg, VC’s Cory Petit, Paulo Siqueira

Published by Marvel Comics

Catch up with Marc Spector: Moon Knight #3!

The Story

This joint review is brought to you by Nerd Initiative’s Megan and Shawn! You can click on each name for more reviews from each of us.

Shawn – This was a wild ride. I really like the concept that MacKay is building on now that Moon Knight is free from Agence Byzantine. MacKay has been on this title a while now, and it’s really allowed him to flesh out the Midnight Mission. While his work on Moon Knight has been sensational, it just may be the Midnight Mission that marks his most lasting contribution to the character. It doesn’t just feel like a place anymore, but more akin to a family.

This issue is perhaps the best example we’ve seen so far of how this rag-tag band of misfits has become a found family. MacKay did a really good job following up the first arc of this series with something different. Readers are being allowed to jump right into the story for this new arc without it needing a ton of buildup. One of the things that I have appreciated about this run on Marc Spector: Moon Knight is how it uses existing lore but doesn’t rely on it so heavily that you need to go read a ton of Moon Knight books to enjoy it. That is a testament to how well MacKay knows the character and his abilities as a writer.

Megan – Moon Knight was taken as a hostage for weeks and his friends, Tigra, 8-Ball, Hunter’s Moon, Reese, and Soldier, had no idea where he went. Even asking for help from Khonshu, the team had no leads and no clues where to look for Moon Knight. The hit the streets to shake down any connection they could find, but turned up empty handed. That is until 8-Ball came back with some extremely strange news.

According to him, there’s a building that only they can see and is moving. While that’s very strange, it gets worse. The buildings are apparently eating its occupants. The people who lived in these buildings were never seen from again. So, is it likely that Moon Knight is in one of these buildings? The team thinks the chance is slim, but if a building is eating people on Midnight Mission territory, then it’s their problem to solve.

This all took place when Moon Knight disappeared, and the team still hasn’t come out of the buildings. Moon Knight is livid, he is worried, and he’s already on his way to finding his friends.

The Art

Shawn – Dev Pramanik continues to be one of the most creative artists at Marvel and his work on Moon Knight has been a prime example of that. Experimenting with variation in his lines as well as creative use of panels continues to be a hallmark of Pramanik’s time on Moon Knight. One thing I really loved about this issue is Pramanik does a really good job using shadows rather than just lines to establish depth. You don’t necessarily get individual lines for books on the bookshelves in the background of a panel, but the shadow clearly outlines that you’re looking at books.

Part of the reason this series has been so amazing is not only the writing but the pairing of Pramanik with Rachelle Rosenberg. The ethereal glow that Rosenberg gives Moon Knight in certain panels, while allowing the character to be washed in subdued and even gritty colors in other panels, is a masterclass in coloring. Rosenberg’s coloring helped craft one of the creepiest buildings I’ve seen in a comic in a while. Just seeing it on the panel gives me the chills down my spine. Corey Petit does a great job guiding the story with lettering. With so many characters in this issue, Petit does a really good job of controlling the flow and ensuring you always know who is talking.

Megan – There’s just something special that Devmalya Pramanik, Rachelle Rosenberg, and Cory Petit bring to the pages of Marc Spector: Moon Knight that has made it clear that they’re the only creative team I’d want working on this.

Pramanik and Rosenberg are a dynamic duo who works so incredibly well off of each other’s work. Pramanik brings drastic and dramatic details to the pages, elevating the emotions of the story. Rosenberg delivers striking and bold colors to the pages, with Moon Knight as the bright focal point. She also does a lot of excellent texture work in this issue, bringing in an abstract factor into the comic. Petit nails the heightened emotions of the characters with a great flow of dialogue. All together, the artists have exceeded every expectation I’ve had.

Final Thoughts

Shawn – 9.5/10 Marc Spector: Moon Knight continues to be one of the best ongoing series at Marvel Comics right now. The way the creative team on this series feeds off each other’s ideas is palpable. The series is punchy, gritty, and magical.

Megan – 9.3/10. I can’t say enough how incredible the artists ofMarc Spector: Moon Knight truly are. They bring a bold look to the pages, making each page an absolute masterpiece. That added with the fantastic storytelling of Jed MacKay makes this the comic of Moon Knight fan’s dreams.

Overall Grade – 9.4/10

Let us know in the comments what you thought of Marc Spector: Moon Knight #4!