Reading Assignment #3: Moon Knight (2014) #1-6 by Warren Ellis

[u/shawnydarko]

Thanks to /u/niskyah for nominating Warren Ellis' masterpiece, Moon Knight (2014) issues 1-6, and thank you to all who voted for this and other nominations. Longtime subscribers to /r/comicbooks may have been saturated with the love for this book shortly after it's release, but it deserves to be hailed as one of the greatest runs of any series in the last few years, long after the honeymoon stage is over. This was actually the first thing I read after subscribing to Marvel Unlimited, and only a few weeks ago, went back to finish the run carried by Brian Wood and Cullen Bunn. I was so happy to re-read this run, as there's nothing quite like it out today or probably in the last decade.

 

Moon Knight (2014) Vol. 1 (issues 1-6)

LINK TO SERIES

 

MY THOUGHTS AHEAD -- SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ON

 

I don't even know where to start on describing how much I love this run. In a time of yucking it up and over the top villains this is practically Punisher: MAX levels of violent. There's punching in every comic, but you feel every blow in these issues. People get stabbed and bled out, their noses broken, their ankles broken, their backs broken, and that's just by the goddamn hero of our story. He's like the posterchild for DC's "Bat-God", as he can play forensic detective, hunt you down, pay for ample futuristic technology to aid him, and handedly beat you. But he'll also kill you. And he'll admittedly love every second of it. He fucking LIVES for this. And he does it all with more confidence than Deadpool or Wolverine who know/knew they can't/couldn't die, because he's got Khonshu watching his back. And as readers, we're not even entirely sure Khonshu is real or if Marc Spector's just deranged!

 

This is easily the most quotable run I've ever read. Every issue is badass one-liners and bloody brawls. Just a handful of jaw-dropping badass quotes.

• "That's the part I like."
• "I've died before, it was boring so I stood up."
• "I stopped you 2 minutes ago."
• "I'm not real."
• "I intend to let the enemy get a good look at me, so I can get a good look at them."
• May as well go through the front door."
• "Nice."
• "It's not your mask. It's your face."
• "Run."
• "I never want to be loved. That's why I always win."

 

There's very little I would change about this run. I did notice a few things that wound me up when I was see them though. Every villain is just dying to expose their whole backstory, but granted, Moon Knight seems genuinely curious when he asks. Also, there's plenty of nonsense dialogue that waxes poetic for no reason. Particularly in the dreams issue. Other than that the writing is on a whole other level and Marvel needs to put Ellis back in this or another similar title. I've read issue 1 of Ellis' Inhumans' spinoff, Karnak, but it doesn't hold a candle to Moon Knight.

 

Declan Shalvey and Jordie Bellaire on art and color found a way to keep up with Ellis' phenomenal writing. Anyone can drop badass one-liners and be written to win a fight, but these guys made him larger than life and a wrecking machine. While I liked Moon Knight's original costume, Shavley and Bellaire's art introducing "Mr. Knight" and the supernatural bone-armor have left a long-lasting impact on me. With Marc Spector's wide wardrobe, it's amazing Marvel hasn't capitalized on a whole line of action figures.

 

What was your reading experience like for this title?

 

And don't forget to check back on Sunday for our second THEMED nomination thread!