Written by: Jed MacKay
Art by: Alessandro Cappuccio
Colors by: Rachelle Rosenberg
Letters by: VC’s Cory Petit
Cover art by: David Finch
Cover price: $4.99
Release date: February 14, 2024
Vengeance Of The Moon Knight #2 spends therapy time with Tigra as she narrates the Midnight Mission’s first encounter with the “new” Moon Knight. It doesn’t go well.
Is Vengeance Of The Moon Knight #2 Good?
Let’s cut to the chase and address the big question readers of this series want to know – Is the new black-costumed Moon Knight Marc Spector or not? The answer is, “I don’t know.” Jed MacKay teases out the answer in Vengeance Of The Moon Knight #2, but the answer may or may not be what you think. Good on MacKay for sowing seeds of doubt the right way instead of confusion.
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When last we left Moon Knight’s Midnight Mission Crew, we spent an issue-long therapy session with Reese as she vented to Dr. Sterman about her grief over Marc Spector’s death. The issue ended with “Moon Knight,” decked out in a new, mostly-black costume, crashing through the office window of the Midnight Mission after thoroughly thrashing 8-Ball.
Now, Tigra takes a seat in Dr. Sterman’s office to lament her past relationships always ending in death as a sign that this new Moon Knight isn’t Marc returned from the grave. Tigra recounts how “Moon Knight” fought her allies to clear out of the Midnight Mission, his rightful base, leading to a big brawl where Moon Knight shows off his fighting prowess and a few nifty powers. The confrontation ends when Reese invites the new Moon Knight to claim the Midnight Mission, but the sentient house fully rejects the new Fist of Khonshu, sending him fleeing with a warning not to get in his way.
Is this new Moon Knight confirmed to not be Marc Spector? Maybe, maybe not. You never get a look at his face, he never confirms or denies he’s Marc Spector, and the “signs” that say he isn’t Marc Spector could be interpreted multiple ways (e.g. Marc came back but didn’t come back “right”). In short, the mystery of the new Moon Knight’s identity remains intact.
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What’s great about Vengeance Of The Moon Knight #2? To MacKay’s credit, he’s doing a good job of drawing out the mystery by dropping hints that allow the readers to play along with guesses and ideas (see above). It’s amazing how many comics we’ve reviewed in the last few years where writers drop a mystery but foolishly let it sit (coughAmazing Spider-Man*cough), so kudo to MacKay for not repeating that mistake.
What’s not so great about Vengeance Of The Moon Knight #2? The side-character therapy sessions with Dr. Sterman are getting tiresome. Nobody picks up a Moon Knight comic to read multiple long scenes about Tigra’s past love life. MacKay may be handling the mystery portion right, but he has a nasty habit of wasting large chunks of time (see also his Doctor Strange run), so readers who want Moon Knight may feel shortchanged.
How’s the art? Fantastic. Cappuccio leans into the fighting action during Tigra’s retelling of the events by delivering energetic lines, hard-hitting fight choreography, and brilliant visuals when Moon Knight shows off his powers. Factor in Rosenberg’s amazing coloring, and you have a winning comic, visually speaking.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
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