Moon Knight is one of Marvel Comics’ most popular antiheroes, and he has developed over the years to become one of its most complex as well. In the beginning, Moon Knight was Marc Specter, a former mercenary who gained the power of the moon god Khonshu. He also used unique identities, including Steven Grant, a millionaire, and Jake Lockley, a cab driver who could get information on the streets. However, as the years passed, his identities turned into dissociative identity disorder (DID), with different alters. Now, there is another with Mister Knight. That said, the new Moon Knight series that launched in 2026 has focused strongly on mental health issues, and it remains one of Marvel’s best titles going today.
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Here is a look at 10 Moon Knight storylines that have defined the antihero’s career in Marvel Comics.
10) Werewolf by Night (1975) #32-33
It might surprise some readers to know that Moon Knight made his debut in the Marvel horror comic Werewolf by Night. While he debuted in Werewolf by Night #32 as a villain, hired to kill Jack Russell, he realized what was going on, and it turned out he was a mercenary with morals, and he helped save the heroic werewolf at the end by betraying the men who hired him. This showed the power of Moon Knight and helped introduce a new Marvel Comics anti-hero, with him being popular enough to warrant his own ongoing storyline just one year later.
9) Marvel Spotlight (1976) #28-29
While Werewolf by Night introduced Moon Knight as an anti-hero, it was his solo run, starting in Marvel Spotlight #28, that showed who he really was. This was the series that really set up Moon Knight’s story, and it was where his alternate identities as Steven Grant and Jake Lockley made their first appearance. At this time, they were just identities he used to accomplish certain things, keeping his mercenary identity separate from his millionaire identity, which financed the operations. It also sets up his street-level identity as a cab driver, which was separate, so he could investigate things on every level of society. This was also where his relationship with Frenchie really developed.
8) Moon Knight # 1 (1980)
The first Moon Knight solo series launched in 1980, and while a lot of his origin story has changed over the years, this was the first series where Marvel attempted to give Marc Spector his origin story. This issue revealed the first appearance of the Statue of Khonshu, and while also serving as the first appearance of Moon Knight’s greatest foe, Bushman. While this shows how Marc originally became Moon Knight in flashbacks. The present day shows Bushman active in New York, and Moon Knight begins his quest to protect NYC from people like his old nemesis. This was a perfect introduction to Moon Knight as the latest street-level Marvel hero.
7) Moon Knight: Resurrection War (1998)
The third volume of Moon Knight arrived in 1998. This was after he became a superhero, worked with the Avengers, and had a long-running series that was hit and miss called Marc Spector: Moon Knight. That series ended with his death after he officially quit the Avengers. Officially recognized as Moon Knight Vol. 3, this was a four-issue miniseries that brought Moon Knight back to life, resurrecting him and returning him to the Marvel Universe. With the creative team of original Moon Knight writer Doug Moench and Tommy Lee Edwards, this is the series that establishes that Khonshu is real and not a figment of Marc’s imagination.
6) Moon Knight (2006)
Arguably one of the best Moon Knight stories ever written, the 2006 comic book series sees Charlie Huston and David Finch team up to present Marc at his lowest, with possibly the best down-and-dirty version of Moon Knight in history. This is the series that officially introduced the dissociative identity disorder (DID) angle as a fact, and this is the first time all his personalities remained separate, without knowing what the others were doing. The first 12 issues of this series see Moon Knight doing some unthinkable things, and it just gets wilder from there.
5) Moon Knight (2011)
While it might be polarizing to some fans, the Brian Michael Bendis run on Moon Knight in 2011 was one that brought a lot of new aspects to the anti-hero’s life. While Moon Knight became an Avenger in the 80s and early 90s, specifically during his run with the West Coast Avengers, this 2011 run saw him back as a real Marvel hero again, rather than living on the edge. This saw him teaming with heroes like Captain America, Wovlerine, and Spider-Man, but it also goes a long way in showing how broken Marc’s mind is, as he keeps adding on new alters without having control over any of them. This is where he takes a turn that led to his groundbreaking 2014 series.
4) Moon Knight (2014)
In 2014, Moon Knight introduced a fifth alter (who joined Marc Spector, Steven Grant, Jake Lockley, and Moon Knight himself). This alter is the fan-favorite Mr. Knight, a Moon Knight who wears a suit and tie and works with the NYPD on crime-related issues in the borough. This identity first appeared in Secret Avengers, but this series gave him a chance to run with the character on its own, and what resulted was brilliant. This series took a different direction, mixing conspiracy theories and horror into an eclectic mix that was always pure Moon Knight.
3) Moon Knight (2016)
Jeff Lemire created what might be the definitive version of Moon Knight for the modern day. The 2016 series starts with Marc Spector trapped in a mental hospital, and it focuses on his relationship with Khonshu, while also breaking down his different alters and how they all tie into his overall story. What makes this series so special is that it pays a lot more attention to Marc’s mental health issues and how they have helped create the hero that Moon Knight became. This series was built on everything that came before and constructed everything Marvel has done with Moon Knight since.
2) Avengers #31-38 (2018)
The one non-Moon Knight series that played as important a role in his life as any of his solo adventures came in Avengers #31-38. This was the first Moon Knight-centric crossover event, with Age of Khonshu. The plot was simple. When Khonshu realizes Mephisto is planning a major takeover of the world, he decides Moon Knight is the only person who can stop him. He sends Moon Knight to steal the powers of the Avengers to better face and beat Mephisto. However, the Avengers don’t like this idea and fight back, making Moon Knight and Khonshu the villains, albeit intending to save the world. This series showed how powerful Moon Knight is by having him stand toe-to-toe with the entire Avengers team. The kicker at the end, where the Avengers stopped Khonshu, only to realize Mephisto really is planning a takeover, was brilliant.
1) Moon Knight (2021)
In 2021, Moon Knight introduced a new aspect of his Mr. Knight personality, and it has become a massive fan favorite to this day. This was the series that introduced the Midnight Mission, the organization Moon Knight runs to help the people on the streets. The series had him fighting everything from vampires in the Structure to Hunter’s Moon, a man who believed he deserved the power of Khonshu, and the Cult of Khonshu, who backed him. On top of the Midnight Mission, this created an entirely fresh mythology for Moon Knight and ensured he remained one of Marvel’s greatest antiheroes.
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