Moon Knight: Jed MacKay Talks New Series Fist of Khonshu and Blood Hunt Fallout (Exclusive)

The Moon Knight writer teases a new era for the Fist of Khonshu.

By Timothy Adams

Moon Knight is back from the dead and on a collision course with his god, Khonshu. Marc Spector valiantly fought the good fight with the help of his Midnight Mission, but recently sacrificed his life in a fight against the new Black Spectre, Robert Plesko. That left Tigra, Hunter's Moon, and the rest of the Midnight Mission to carry on without him. However, shortly after Moon Knight's death, a vampire invasion took over the Marvel Universe in Blood Hunt. The Avengers assembled to take on the threat and were surprisingly joined by a resurrected Moon Knight, who was brought back to life by Khonshu. Now, Moon Knight prepares for his next saga in an all-new series while dealing with being indebted to the god he previously forsaken.

ComicBook spoke to Moon Knight writer Jed MacKay ahead of the launch of Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu. For those who are not aware, Khonshu had been a prisoner in an Asgardian cell ever since the conclusion of "Age of Khonshu" in Jason Aaron's Avengers. Knowing they need Khonshu's help in Blood Hunt, Tigra and Hunter's Moon take off on a secret mission to free Khonshu, who then sends an army of dead Fists after the vampires. Leading these Fists is none other than Moon Knight.

We asked MacKay what role Khonshu plays in the new series, what Marc Spector thinks about his death and resurrection, a showdown with the imposter Moon Knight (The Shroud), how Fist of Khonshu differs from the two previous Moon Knight series MacKay penned, and more. We can also exclusively show interior uncolored pages from Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu #1 by Alessandro Cappuccio, as well as the cover and solicitation for  Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu #2, out in November.

Khonshu Is Back

After reading Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu #0 it's clear that Khonshu will have an important role to play in the series. Can you discuss the storytelling possibilities that are now available to you with Khonshu free from his imprisonment? And what new threats are lurking in the shadows that Khonshu referred to in the zero issue?

Well, Khonshu being safely sequestered away was about the only upside for Moon Knight coming out of the "Age of Khonshu," so it makes sense that when it looks like his life is coming together, it's at the cost of that one thread of stability. As we'll see towards the end of Vengeance, Khonshu isn't shy of making demands of his sons, and that's not something that's likely to stop any time soon.

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(Photo:

First look at Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu #1

- Marvel Comics)

Moon Knight Is Keeping a Secret

What can you tell us about Marc Spector's headspace and mindset as we enter this new series? Is he proud of Hunter's Moon and Tigra continuing the Midnight Mission in his absence? And what does Marc think about The Shroud stealing his name and identity?

Well, we're going to see what comes of Moon Knight and the Shroud butting heads in Vengeance of the Moon Knight #9 as a result of #8, so that's not something that will be a particular concern in Fist of Khonshu, but we are going to see Moon Knight having to deal with what the mission has become in his absence, all while having to manage an all new threat coming at him in an all new vector. So there's pride there- as well as guilt, because canny readers may know that Moon Knight died with a secret, and that secret threatens what he holds most dear.

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(Photo:

First look at Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu #1

- Marvel Comics)

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Different Themes of Moon Knight

ComicBook: I'm a big fan of the world-building you've done during your time on Moon Knight, and how his death and resurrection were set up to climax in Blood Hunt. Thematically, will there be any differences between your first Moon Knight series, Vengeance of the Moon Knight, and now Fist of Khonshu?

Jed MacKay: I think that's just part and parcel with any long-running story: we certainly didn't think we'd be looking at a 40th issue (renumbering be damned), so Moon Knight now is very different from the Moon Knight of three years ago. We started out looking at redemption, picking up with Moon Knight dealing with the fallout of the apocalyptic Age of Khonshu in Avengers, and then that redemption was ultimately achieved with Moon Knight's death in #30. Vengeance then had to deal with a different sort of fallout- Moon Knight had, at times inadvertently, built an entire institution around him, and now it was time to see if that institution could survive without him.

Now, with Fist of Khonshu, we've moved on from redemption and then legacy, onto rebirth- with Moon Knight's goals apparently all met, what's next? He's been granted a new lease on life, so what does he do with it? What has changed since he's been gone, and what was left unfinished when he died?

MOON KNIGHT: FIST OF KHONSHU #2

JED MACKAY (W) • ALESSANDRO CAPPUCCIO (A) • Cover by Davide Paratore

THE MIDNIGHT MISSION REUNITED!

After the biggest surprise comic of the summer – MOON KNIGHT: FIST OF KHONSHU #0 – a new era has taken shape in the Midnight Mission! But what NEW threats and foes are waiting for the REBORN Marc Spector?

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(Photo:

Cover of Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu #2

- Marvel Comics)

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