First Night: Spotlight on the Origins of Moon Knight in Marvel Comics

In the midst of what’s afflicting our world–let’s be honest, we’re all in need of an escape. What better way to do that than through the universes beyond our own? That’s right…they exist! Fictional, but looming out there for us to venture into. In the time we’ve been given so far, you’ve likely taken a trip into such narratives you’re familiar with. The multiverse is both infinite and eternal, so let’s take a look at a character you may not have heard of yet: Moon Knight!

The character himself is set to have his own Disney+ series in the coming years. Filming of said series is projected to begin mid-November of this year. You may be of the general audience, not having read a comic, but steeped in anticipation of a fresh face to grace the MCU. These are adaptations, after all, so they will never be 100% loyal to the comic book. Rather, they’ll put interesting twists that will intrigue as they have for over the last decade. However, it’s still important to know where they came from!

To understand how this character was brought to life, we need to learn about the world he was brought into. A series that brought thrills to the pages before the man in question walked the stage was Werewolf by Night (his story truly begins in Marvel Spotlight #2 and goes on for a few issues until it is continued in his own series). Cursed by his “inheritance”, Jack Russell not only becomes a werewolf by nightfall, but lives to pursue everything attributed to what makes him who he is (his father, too, was a werewolf, and also a warlock with a legacy to leave behind). 

Russell endures the trials and tribulations of the strange, both in himself and what he encounters. Being a man all around, becoming a monster has its worries: the mysteries of what lies within and what that will bring forth into his world. In the opening issues, magical artifacts rooted in the Dark Ages are battled over and even possess those involved, kidnappings ensue to steal Russell’s power. A character in this vein is curious, especially with the existence of Doctor Strange, Scarlet Witch, and the like in the MCU. Russell even has exchanges with Marvel’s vampires, including…you guessed it…Morbius! This could inevitably lead to an encounter with Blade, who is also slated to appear in the MCU.

Some significant villains are also grounded in reality, too. Russell lives in Los Angeles, a location that breathes life into a handful of theatrical antagonists inspired by cinema or immersed in the world of filmmaking, all with their own traumas. An organization just as orchestral in Jack’s adventures as the magic that curses him is The Committee. They seek to achieve their idea of economic balance through calculated chaos. Their efforts culminate in the hiring of Moon Knight in hopes to capture Russell to use as an agent of their mission.

Moon Knight shapes up to be one of Russell’s greatest foes. First and foremost, as many could visually tell, he’s clad entirely in silver: a werewolf’s prime weakness. His first appearance really emphasizes his weapons and skillset as he fights Russell’s werewolf alter ego. It seems that his MO is essentially built around Werewolf by Night. The man behind the mask, Mark Spector (the spelling of “Mark” later changes to “Marc”) is described, too. His experience is emphasized in his years of wartime as a veteran of 8 different wars. It’s also bolstered by his CIA weapon expertise and versatility in the martial arts. He has now reached the title of mercenary, hence why he has taken this assignment from The Committee.

While he is intelligent, he is said to have beat a lieutenant of his down to an inch of his life, which makes us question his sanity. His mentality expands by the issue’s conclusion and speaks that there’s much more to the character than meets the eye. Regardless, he is resilient and is exhilarated by the thrill of the fight and I’m excited to delve further into Spector’s world. Likewise, it’ll be interesting to see how Russell’s story may continue to interlace itself with Moon Knight’s.

With this being Moon Knight’s first appearance, there is plenty in store with the hundreds of issues that follow. Look out for my next intake of chapters in Moon Knight’s story coming soon! For all things cinema, follow us on Twitter @thecinemaspot and Instagram @thecinemaspot_!