There are certain characters in superhero comics that attract top talent in spite never being considered part of the top tier at their respective publishers. Daredevil is the obvious example, a knockoff Spider-Man who became the source for many of the greatest Marvel comics ever made. There are plenty more and the connective tissue is that each character offers new creators a chance to prove themselves with very few limitations on what can be reimagined or invented. Outside of Daredevil the best example of this occurrence is another Marvel Comics hero who scours the streets of Manhattan for criminals: Moon Knight.
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Ever since Moon Knight premiered in the pages of Werewolf by Night in 1975, he has been a cult favorite among superhero fans. It took until 1980 for the complicated hero and his many personalities to get their own ongoing series. It was a hit from the very start with two of the great talents of the era doing career-defining work (we’ll get to who). That high bar has encouraged a lot of others to take similarly distinctive shots at the character ever since. That’s why we’re compiling a list of the 8 absolute best creative runs on the character to date.
For the sake of this list, each run is named after the writer and artist who created a substantial collection of issues. The only exceptions made are when a writer or artist works with a large number of collaborators over the course of their work. We always do our best to provide credit for both of the biggest contributors to any comic book series, but sometimes a writer or artist takes the lead over a large run of comics.
The Sienkiewicz & Moench Run
Moon Knight (vol. 1) #1-15, 17-20, 22-26, 28-30
It’s impossible to discuss the greatness of Moon Knight and not mention these names. Sienkiewicz pushed the boundaries of what could be done in superhero comics throughout the 1980s in incredible runs on both New Mutants and Moon Knight. His pencils and inks on these issued dripped with moody darkness and stretched forms to exaggerate feelings of power and terror. Moench dreamed up gritty stories and dark terrors for the character to battle, building an anti-hero who could function within Marvel Comics without needing to be a part of the colorful action. This is the essential foundation for every other impressive run on the list, even those that took a very different approach.
The Ellis & Shalvey Run
Moon Knight (vol. 7) #1-6
If Sienkiewicz and Moench set the original standard for future Moon Knight runs, then Ellis and Shalvey provided a modern bar for the same. In only 6 issues they added an incredible new set of ideas to the character, including the Mister Knight persona and an impressive supernatural battle suit. It wasn’t just Moon Knight that these two impacted in their brief run together. They offered a clear concept of what could be accomplished in a single issue of superhero comics. Every installment tells its own adventure with distinct tone and characteristics. Even 40 years after Moon Knight’s inception, they proved the character still has a lot of life left in that white suit.
The Lemire & Smallwood Run
Moon Knight (vol. 8) #1-14
While this duo came several years later, they provided a different spin on similar concepts. Moon Knight’s personalities are still wildly distinct, but they are spun throughout different conceptions of reality in an ongoing storyline. It is one of the most ambitious takes on the character to date. It also established Smallwood as one of the most distinguished artists at Marvel Comics, building on another impressive stint with Moon Knight, but more on that later.
The Bendis & Maleev Run
Moon Knight (vol. 6) #1-12
Whereas many Moon Knight runs focus on how the character is distinct from the rest of Marvel Comics, Bendis and Maleev decided to see how he would engage with the publisher’s most popular heroes. Some longtime fans of the character dislike the run for this reason, but it stands up very well when take on its own. The stature and powers of Spider-Man, Wolverine, and Captain America made for a great take on what multiple personalities could look like in superhero comics.
The Hurwitz Run
Vengeance of the Moon Knight (vol. 1) #1-10
This short-lived version of the series, under a new title, emphasized Moon Knight’s incredibly violent nature. There is a constant push-pull effect as the character resists his impulses only to give back into them. Few other iterations play into Moon Knight’s prior history as a mercenary quite as well, and how that career has warped his personality every bit as much as the mask has.
The Wood & Smallwood Run
Moon Knight (vol. 7) #7-12
Smallwood’s run with Lemire may be his best work, but it was no surprise to see him deliver stunning pages after his original, brief stint with Brian Wood on the seventh volume of Moon Knight. This run took a similar approach to Ellis and Shalvey’s with individual issues providing distinct stories, but stacking up to something greater this time. The white panel borders merged with Moon Knight’s white suit also led to some very interesting layouts and action sequences.
The Huston & Finch Run
Moon Knight (vol. 5) #1-8
This resurrection of the character is easily the darkest and grittiest form of an already dark and gritty character. Yet the approach made an excellent fit for artist David Finch. Every moment of brutality and ugliness was exaggerated to an almost absurd point, dragging the character to the initial storyline’s titular “Bottom.” This also laid the groundwork for many of the great runs that would follow, making the character’s illness and violent tendencies a constant, imposing factor in the minds of readers and creators alike.
The Benson & Deodato One-Shot
Moon Knight (vol. 5) #20
While Huston’s run isn’t one of the best, this cheat is being included because this single issue team up between guest writer Mike Benson and artist Mike Deodato Jr. led to a spectacular single issue. It returns the character to a “missing story” in which he faced off against Jack Russell of Werewolf by Night. The art and writing are some of the best from this duo, and they do a great job of returning the character to his roots. Reading this alongside the original Moench and Sienkiewicz issues shows that even Moon Knight’s origins still have untapped potential.
