The Essential Guide to Moon Knight for New Comic Book Readers

There’s an old saying in comics that every issue is at least one reader’s first issue, but not all comic books serve that purpose well. If you aren’t already familiar with superhero comics, it can be very difficult to know where to start reading. Jumping into an unfamiliar medium like comics can prove challenging enough without the added history and complexity that evolves from decades of stories. That’s where we come in to help. We know there are lots of new fans discovering comics for the first time due to the exciting new movies and television series being produced today. Finding the right first issue can make all the difference between becoming a lifelong reader and sticking to live-action adaptations, so it makes sense to have a blunt guide which comics are worth buying for any superhero (or villain). This article is that guide.

Disney recently announced at their 2019 D23 Expo that they would be delivering a live-action adaptation of the Marvel Comics character Moon Knight for the very first time in a Disney+ streaming series expected to arrive after Hawkeye in 2021 or later. The character has been described as “Marvel’s Batman” in the past, which should interest lots of non-comics readers. So if you’re looking to read more about Moon Knight before the series debuts, these are the comics we recommend reading first and what you should consider when purchasing them.

Where to Start

The Moon Knight volume titled “From the Dead” is one of the best introductions to both Moon Knight and modern comics. It collects six issues written by Warren Ellis and drawn by Declan Shalvey, both well-respected by superhero fans and comics critics, alike. If you choose this collection as a starting point, the only thing you’ll find missing is a recap of Moon Knight’s origin story. That is something easily summarized in an article like this by telling, though: Moon Knight is Marc Spector, a former mercenary killed in Africa after objecting to the terrible deeds of those who hired him. Resurrected by the forgotten Egyptian god Khonshu, who protects traveleres of the night, Marc adopts the identity of Moon Knight along with multiple other new personalities to seek justice using both his combat training and a high-tech arsenal.

Once you know that much, it’s easy to jump into the six unique tales collected in this volume. Each one delivers a different style of adventure ranging from supernatural to special forces battles, but they all portray what makes Moon Knight a great superhero. They also showcase what makes the comics medium special with most issues showcasing a visual motif that could not be accomplished in movies or prose. If you do start reading with “From the Dead,” keep in mind that this is all there is to Ellis and Shalvey’s stories. Future issues and collections connected to this title are very different both in style and tone, so they don’t necessarily make for a logical place to continue reading.

Comixology link for “From the Dead”

Where to Find the History

Moon Knight first appeared in the late 70s and didn’t premiere in his own series until 1980. Comics from this period don’t necessarily make for the most natural starting point for a new reader, as they typically show their age in both storytelling and artistic style. There are some very good comics to be found amongst Moon Knight’s earliest appearances, though, and Marvel has been releasing new “Epic Collections” that compile classic comics in chronological order.

The first Epic Collection, “Bad Moon Rising,” is essentially divided in two. The first half of this whopping 482-page set is composed of Moon Knight’s initial guest appearances in series featuring other characters. The overall quality varies, but does include some of the most notable artists from the era, including Mike Zeck and Keith Giffen. If you’re looking to get a sense of what superhero comics were like during this era, this half provides a great survey. The latter half provides the first stories that focused on Moon Knight as a central hero in Moon Knight and Hulk Magazine. These layout Moon Knight’s origin and set the tone for most of the character’s future appearances. They also contain some of artistic legend Bill Sienkiewicz’s early nods to future glory. Most of Moon Knight’s own ongoing adventures in collected in future volumes “Shadows of the Moon” and “Final Rest,” which read similarly well on their own with more consistent content and style. Be sure to look at some sample pages from any of these before buying, as mileage will vary a great deal between individual reader’s taste.

Comixology link for “Bad Moon Rising” the first Moon Knight Epic Collection

Comixology link for “Shadows of the Moon” the first Moon Knight Epic Collection

Comixology link for “Final Rest” the first Moon Knight Epic Collection

Where Else to Look

If “From the Dead” doesn’t appeal to you and you’re not looking to start at the beginning, there are a couple of Moon Knight collections that might make for a better fit and not provide too many hurdles for a reader new to comics. Moon Knight by Bendis and Maleev provides a version of the story that emphasizes how the character interacts with other Marvel superheroes. In these stories Moon Knight’s other personalities are replaced with popular Marvel character, including Spider-Man and Wolverine, and the history of Marvel Comics is emphasized more. Moon Knight by Lemire and Smallwood is a series for any readers looking for the strangest version of the character available told with the clearest style. It delivers multiple narratives based upon Moon Knight’s multiple personalities that each make sense within themselves, even if the overall story is played as a psychological mystery requiring some patience.

Each of these collections are the first part of a larger story. However, there’s no need to buy future volumes until after you’re sure that you like what’s in these. After you’ve had a chance to read the first chapter, future ones are clearly labeled by volume number and with the creators names on the cover.

Comixology link for the first volume of Moon Knight by Bendis and Maleev

Comixology link for the first volume of Moon Knight by Lemire and Smallwood

If you are a new comics reader, or someone who hasn’t read comics in years, and you’re using our guide to check them out with Moon Knight, be sure to tell us what worked or didn’t in the comments. Let us know how these recommendations worked as one reader’s first issue (or first issue back).