Marc Spector Moon Knight #6 is written by Jed Mackay and published by Marvel Comics. Artwork is by Devmalya Pramanik, colours by Rachelle Rosenberg, and letters are by Cory Petit. Main cover art (left) is by Paulo Siqueira & Yen Nitro.
Marc Spector Moon Knight #6 is available from today, in comic book stores and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your physical copy from Forbidden Planet or digitally from Amazon Comixology UK.
Synopsis
BLADE DRAWS NEAR! Jed MacKay and Devmalya Pramanik’s critically acclaimed tour de force continues with the return of the daywalker BLADE! Weeks ago, the Midnight Mission was impaled by a living sword and seemingly destroyed! But while Marc Spector and his allies were able to resurrect it, another horrifying house from across space-time heard its death cry and has come to Earth hungry for flesh and blood. Luckily, that’s a hunger Blade knows how to handle, though this monstrosity may be beyond even HIS pay grade…
Review
Marc Spector aka Moon Knight, is desperate. His friends and family are in the belly of a trans-dimensional, living house called Mansion Ravenous. To make it work, his delusional, sentient sword Ginnarr has betrayed him. If he wants any chance of saving the people he loves, he needs help. And so Moon Knight sets out on a desperate mission to assemble the Midnight Sons.
Marvel’s supernatural Avengers have taken many different forms since their debut in 1992. This latest incarnation consists of Sorcerer Supreme Clea Strange, Robbie Reyes’ Ghost Rider, Blade, and Daredevil. All wildly different, with unique approaches to justice, yet one thing in common: as Clea puts it, they are “shadow-touched.”
Rather than rushing straight into supernatural action, the story focuses almost entirely on Moon Knight recruiting each member of the team and trying to convince them to join him. However, there’s nothing harder than asking for help from people who don’t like or trust you.
As Moon Knight tells one reluctant hero, “Show me what a good choice looks like.”
Not only is that a fantastic thematic line, but it is the real heart of this issue. This is a personal, character-focused story. Moon Knight isn’t simply recruiting a superhero team; he’s pleading his case to people who have every reason to turn him down. Not everyone likes Spector or believes in his style of vigilante justice, and they have doubts about whether helping Moon Knight is worth the risk.
There is a raw sense of humility in Marc Spector as he tries to convince the reluctant heroes to help, which shows just how desperate he is to save his loved one. But is there more to Moon Knight’s vulnerability? Moon Knight hasn’t put all his cards on the table.
For a story that is essentially about recruitment, it is a thrill a minute. The dramatic tension in each encounter absolutely sizzles, and the issue constantly keeps you guessing about who will say yes and who will throw a punch. By the time the story reaches its conclusion, the momentum has built to an edge-of-your-seat cliffhanger that leaves you itching for the next issue.
But it’s not just the script that sings. The artwork perfectly complements the script’s tension. Each panel is vivid and drives the story forward without ever allowing the tension to dissipate.
The art and panel layouts are exceptional. You can tell Pramanik is having a lot of fun putting the pages together. Each one is tight, with unique angles and framing.
I say this without any tone of hyperbole: this is one of the most visually dynamic Marvel books I’ve read in a long time. It frequently throws back to the Marvel Knights era, when creators made bold, distinctive choices in both storytelling and visual style. Each character introduction explodes off the page, with Ghost Rider and Daredevil having some of the standout pages.
Rosenberg’s colours make Pramanik’s illustrations pop. The way Rosenberg uses light and shadow to contrast against the whites and reds of each character is brilliantly handled.
Verdict
Marc Spector Moon Knight #6 is a confident, stylish thrill ride with strong character dynamics and some of the most striking visuals Marvel has produced in a while. The creative team have taken a Marvel B-list hero and brought him up to an A-list game; I’m calling this a must-read. Don’t sleep on this new series.
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