The Official Moon Knight Thread - Part 1

[Grayson]

I'm looking forward to the re-imagining that Bendis is doing. I like what he did with Daredevil, so I'll expect the same type of coolness for MK.

 

[Drz]

Here's some beatiful teaser art for Moon Knight and some general chit chat on "Big Shots"

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=31041

Spoiler

In publishing news this week, Marvel has branded three upcoming relaunched under the Big Shots banner – "Moon Knight" by Bendis and Maleev and then "Daredevil" and "The Punisher" by mystery creative teams. On the latter two books, those are characters that have in recent memory been wrapped up or given time off, but do you feel they fall into the category where Marvel wants to get them back up and running ASAP? In other words, do they fit into the "always should have a title" category, or were there just some other circumstances that led them to being published now?
Brevoort: It tends to be case-by-case, but when you're talking about the bigger, more perennial, more popular Marvel characters that have sold a lot of books over the years – and certainly Daredevil and Punisher fit in that mold – it's no surprise that those are characters we think about more often than characters who may have sold a few books at some point but have been off the racks as long as they were on them. That being said, every once in a while we'll take a character and purposefully leave them on the bench for a period of time. Thor’s a good example of this—we kept the character on the shelf and allowed the readers’ hearts to grow fonder through his absence, and waited until we had the right creative team and story concept to bring him back to prominence in a big way. The same kind of thing applies to a Daredevil or a Punisher. In this case, we've got some very strong creative teams that you'll hear about in the weeks to come. But these are characters that have had an enormously good track record. The previous "Daredevil" series only ended because of the events of "Shadowland" where we sent Matt into "Daredevil Reborn" and cycled the numbering of his monthly title over to "Black Panther." There was always the intent – whether it was going to be six months or a year or two years later – to eventually either bring Matt back or to introduce some new Daredevil. Once we realized we had the "Moon Knight" launch and the other two all happening at around the same time, given that they're similar sorts of characters – for lack of a better term, non-superpowered costumed adventurers – it made sense to group them together.
So yeah, they are amongst our perennial characters. And every once in a while, one of those guys falls of the radar a bit, though it's no surprise when they come back because they've got a bedrock track record.

 

[NDX]

Is Wolverine literally standing on a soap box to lecture him? Only way he could be that tall.

I'm actually not liking that art.

 

[Dread]

Is Wolverine literally standing on a soap box to lecture him? Only way he could be that tall.

I'm actually not liking that art.

Artists have been forgetting that Wolverine is supposed to be 5' 3'', as in shorter than Kitty Pryde, for only the last 30 or so years. I think it is high time the Handbook people conceded the point and made him 5' 8'' or something. Nobody draws him at below average height very often. He's usually shown as maybe 1-2 inches shorter than Spider-Man, who is 5' 10''.

Looks like we'll get a brief 2 page recap of his origin.

It is funny to see Wolverine, who has killed more people than some countries and who has had no end of mental issues and/or has been brainwashed or possessed into being a weapon, lecturing Moon Knight about ANYTHING, really.

I don't like the premise, and Bendis comics have largely disappointed me for years. As much as I like Moon Knight, my head says to pass on this and hope whatever he does won't be so destructive that the next writer can't rebound from it.

 

[Hound55]

I don't like the premise, and Bendis comics have largely disappointed me for years. As much as I like Moon Knight, my head says to pass on this and hope whatever he does won't be so destructive that the next writer can't rebound from it.

I'm not that optimistic, I'm just hoping Bendis doesn't destroy the character so badly that Marvel doesn't go to the Moon Knight well for the next decade...

 

[NDX]

I'm not that optimistic, I'm just hoping Bendis doesn't destroy the character so badly that Marvel doesn't go to the Moon Knight well for the next decade...

...

Can Bendis write Ghost Rider? I wrote that while squinting and looking to my right, for the added drama.

As for Moon Knight, I can actually see this doing very well, completely retconning the last 5 years of stories that have actually been very good. Hate to see the last 2 volumes get completely left behind because Bendis's drones came in full force with this series (and this is coming from someone who likes his Powers books).

 

[Drz]

It is funny to see Wolverine, who has killed more people than some countries and who has had no end of mental issues and/or has been brainwashed or possessed into being a weapon, lecturing Moon Knight about ANYTHING, really.

How do we know thats Logan for real and not his imagination?

 

[Dread]

I'm not that optimistic, I'm just hoping Bendis doesn't destroy the character so badly that Marvel doesn't go to the Moon Knight well for the next decade...

A cynic might say that if MOON KNIGHT can't sell with Bendis on it, he may not be able to sell for a while. The very idea that Bendis could simply have a bad premise for him isn't comprehensible for them. The only things most editors say is "Yes" and "Man".

How do we know thats Logan for real and not his imagination?

We don't know.

And that's terrible.

 

[Drz]

I'm going to guess imagenery since #1 is an introduction issue and all, but anyhow someone pointed this out:

DAKEN: DARK WOLVERINE #9.1
Written by ROB WILLIAMS
Art & Cover by GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI
Special POINT ONE issue.
START READING with this Point One issue! In his bid for power, Wolverine’s son Daken has already singlehandedly taken over the underground criminal element of Madripoor, but he’s just getting started. Next on his list is the city of angels. That’s right, Daken’s headed to Hollywood but first he’s got a stop to make and score to settle. Enter Wolverine! Guest starring the Avengers!
32 PGS./Parental Advisory ...$2.99

Could Daken be the Kingpin of LA? I kinda doubt it, but Bendis has atleast written him before and i wouldn't mind it.

 

[Drz]

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=31178

Speaking of projects Bendis is working on, a reader who was somewhat new to comics wanted to know more about the writer's upcoming "Moon Knight" series. Since he wasn't extremely familiar with the character, he wanted to know what he could expect from the series. Bendis was happy to oblige with details.
"Alex [Maleev] and I are debuting a brand-new 'Moon Knight' series in May. The first issue is double-sized, and it's beautiful. The storyline will involve Moon Knight reinventing himself. He'll be setting up shop in L.A., using his Moon Knight stories to create a Xena-like… syndicated show, where he's pretty much telling everyone his secrets under the guise of making a fortune off of it, and using that fortune to battle the new Kingpin of Los Angeles.
"What you're going to see is that there's been a large migration of criminals coming to the west coast, because… why on earth would you do anything in New York? There's seven thousand superheroes there. Why on earth would you try to make a living as a crook there? So there's a new Kingpin that will be unveiled.
"Also, Moon Knight will be reinventing his personality disorder, because now that he's more a part of the Marvel Universe -- he's been an Avenger, a Secret Avenger and a West Coast Avenger -- his personalities will take on that of Captain America, Spider-Man, and Wolverine, and he'll be using their personalities to kind of become a one-man Avengers team and go out and drive criminals insane with his insaneness. And I'm very excited about the book… but if you really want to be entertained, go online and watch Moon Knight fans rip me a new a-hole."


As Moon Knight was moving to L.A., another fan asked if he would be bumping into the Runaways team. Bendis replied, "Not right away, only because there's some Runaways plans that I don't want to get in the way of. I'm a huge Runaways fan, and I want them to sing their song. So once that's all set up and established, that would be a lot of fun, because who doesn't want little kids around a crazy person?"

 

[NDX]

I couldn't even finish reading that. It was just so... depressing.

 

[Nightwing 52]

......

 

[Hound55]

And I'm very excited about the book? but if you really want to be entertained, go online and watch Moon Knight fans rip me a new a-hole."

Let me entertain you, Bendis!

 

[venom892]

I don't even know if I should read this and I've bought every Moon Knight comic since I've started collecting.

 

[The Morningstar]

I love Moon Knight. But I will not read this new series. I enjoyed Bendis' Daredevil, he's good at street level stuff. But I do not like the concept for this new series.

Moon Knight is a very complex and interesting character. Making him into a composite Avenger stinks of Bendis not knowing how to write Moon Knight as the complex, morally ambiguous, extremely violent character that he is. What I mean is, Bendis is changing the character into something he finds easier to write.

 

[venom892]

That's what Bendis has done for the last 6 years.He writes the characters to suite him instead of writing them with any sense of continuity.

 

[The Morningstar]

I suppose that is an accurate statement. I can not stand his Avengers either. And that is painful for me, considering I have loved the Avengers since I was a kid.

 

[roach]

aint that the truth...Bendis Avengers and New Avengers were/are crap. Hawkeye's quiver blowing up....Avenger's dismantled because of some deaths (that would be like the police disbanding because a cop got killed). Then of all the Avengers who could have been put on a team we get more Spidey and Wolverine.
Sorry Bendis has been messing Avengers up for a while and I cant wait for someone else to take the reins....Nothing Bendis has done has been able to out do what Busiek and Perez did on the title.

Now he is on the reins of Marvel's most unique character...he could have returned him to his pulp roots...made him more The Shadow than The Batman
instead we get this stupidity...no need to explain Spidey or Wolvie in the book to boost sales because he pretends to be them.
...and the sad thing is this will probably sell thru the roof because its Bendis

 

[The Morningstar]

I both pity and hate the people who gobble up Bendis' dreck.

Pity because either they are not that intelligent and are the kind of people who find The Hills or Jersey Shore brilliant, or because they have missed out on some of the truly great Avengers runs like Busieks. Because frankly, I cannot fathom how someone can read and enjoy the likes of Busieks run and then read and enjoy Bendis'.

Hate, because they are feeding his ego. And they are giving Marvel excuses to carry on letting Bendis feed his ego and be the main man.

 

[roach]

I think its more of people who never read the books and are Bendis fans following him around.
If you dont know the history of the characters then New Avengers and Disassembled is gold.
But if you are like me and remember that killing the Supreme Intelligence created a rift with the Avengers then you know Tony would never put Logan on the team just because they need someone who'll kill...and Cap accept it.

 

[Dread]

When I used to actually read titles like NEW AVENGERS monthly, I would often rip into Bendis for, among other things, an arrogant aura that seems to penetrate into some of his work - especially when he is doing something "edgy" or "explaining" something. And I would often get counter arguments like, "you can't tell if a guy is arrogant or full of himself by reading his work", because writing is a totally emotionless affair in which none of a writer's personality or quirks or desires leak in.

And then we get interview lines like this:

but if you really want to be entertained, go online and watch Moon Knight fans rip me a new a-hole.

Now, I'm no humorless fop. I know very well that all comic writers are aware that regardless of reputation or whatnot, they will have "haters" of their work. Alan Moore has haters, for heaven's sakes. Many a writer has poked fun at the fans who rage at them for stories or whatnot. But a simple fact is that if a writer is changing something major about a character, this reaction is fairly expected. It isn't isolated to comics. Just try and change ANYTHING about a major character in STAR TREK or STAR WARS and you'll feel some "fire breathing fists". Heck, last year I made the mistake of blasting SCOTT PILGRIM without reading it - there are bones in alleys of people who have paid the price for that. So, I get it.

Even still, Bendis seems like a guy who almost relishes the attention and "play" that one of his "big idea" runs gets. It seems obvious that the editors are giving him whatever he wants with MOON KNIGHT, and if he wanted to make Marc Specter a Kree cyborg, that would happen.

And, for total disclosure, I am a big fan of Dan Slott and even he has lamented some of the things about Moon Knight that his fans have no problem with - the Khonshu connection. If Slott was the one writing MOON KNIGHT, would he be just as capable of doing major changes? Yes. Part of me thinks he cares too much about the continuity of Marvel to do as major a thing as Bendis is, but it is possible.

Still, this reminds me of what has happened to Daredevil, and I know I have made this rant before. DD has been trapped in a vicious cycle of one major story arc for the better part of the last 20-25 years - "his life is destroyed and he has to rebuild from scratch". This naturally happened because the Frank Miller run and FALL FROM GRACE are his iconic stories and writers and editors want to endlessly duplicate them. So the story has to be retold, but it has to be done in a more extreme way every time. So eventually, we get SHADOWLAND, in which DD is possessed by a demon, builds a ninja temple in Manhattan, talks like the Shredder, and has a death experience.

I might add that the X-Men franchise, for decades of time, has been caught in similar loops of "imitate Chris Claremont stories" for so long that it is easier to find runs that don't.

Moon Knight's loop is sanity stories - every writer seems to want to play with Moon Knight's sanity, since he attains different personalities. At first these were all roles he played for various crime fighting purposes, and some were easier to slip into than others. Now, they are full blown multiple personalities, Two-Face style. Every writer has to tell their "Moon Knight is nuts" story, and it has to get more extreme every time. Huston had Marc carving moon shapes into faces, scalping enemies, and throwing crooks off rooftops. And now Bendis will make his multiple personalities more extreme. Hey, the hints were there in his USM run when he created his own version of Moon Knight - a version, with merely a few cosmetic differences, that we will see in his run with Maleev.

The irony is that Marvel's yes-men editors don't do Bendis any favors, either. They keep him in a loop in which he not only repeats himself endlessly, but is praised for work that is not even published and criticized yet - who could maintain high quality when your bosses are endlessly rubbing your shoulders? Much in the way that many people need a good, brutally honest friend to remain better people, I think Bendis has needed a brutally honest editor for at least 6 years now. He doesn't have one and he still doesn't. The iron fist of Jim Shooter is such a trauma for Marvel Comics that I think a lot of editors instead want to be honey bears, like modern day parents who don't want to be "as strict" as their own parents were, and they thus spoil their kids rotten and turn them into shallow, selfish, low class thugs.

I am sure Bendis has some pressure to maintain sales draw. But that isn't the same as quality. McDonalds sells more burgers than any "high class" burger joint, but that doesn't mean their patties are better.

From a financial standpoint, MOON KNIGHT is a franchise Marvel wants to see selling better. They have been working to keep a title in print since 2006. Sticking their A-List, #1 writer on a relaunch with the artist he collaborated with for his career defining work makes good dollars and cents sense. I could argue that if Bendis can't make MOON KNIGHT sell, no one can right now. But the problem is that if he totally shatters the character, and even if it doesn't sell, it becomes "insta-canon" and every writer down the line HAS to follow it to the letter.

The only writer who had the stones to say, "**** that noise" and did a 180 on something Bendis wrote was Peter Milligan. At the time he was writing X-Men, and barely 2 months after Bendis deliberately depowered Iceman in the final issue of HOUSE OF M, Milligan, who had Iceman on his roster, re-powered him effortlessly with a hand waving gesture ("I just willed my power back enough"). You'll notice he doesn't work as much with Marvel anymore than he did back then. I doubt they'd offer an exclusive contract. Maybe it is coincidence, but maybe it isn't. Maybe there is a price for crossing the Bendis mafia.

There's more to do with Moon Knight than endlessly making him crazier. A pity it may be a while before anyone tries.

 

[The Morningstar]

Bendis mafia huh? I can totally, totally see that.

I actually think i despise the man.

 

[Dread]

Bendis mafia huh? I can totally, totally see that.

I actually think i despise the man.

I could be wrong. I never worked for Marvel nor do I really "know" anyone who does that I talk to on a regular basis. I know Bendis has a sarcastic sense of humor and he may be an awesome guy to talk to.

But...

Anything he writes becomes what I call "INSTA-CANON", or Instant Canon. Suddenly every writer down the line follows it, because every editor follows it. While there are other writers and editors who follow along with the work of others, Bendis' work seems "more equal" than the work of, say, Jeff Parker or Paul Tobin. This naturally comes to reputation and sales draw, which Marvel denies happens but it is true. If Matt Fraction wants Juggernaut to be a villain again, then **** whatever Parker is doing with Marko in THUNDERBOLTS; it WILL happen. But the thing is, that sort of thing has happened with Bendis since 2004-2005, when he got on NEW AVENGERS. Same as if Geoff Johns wants something to happen at DC, it happens. Granted, Johns has been promoted within DC Entertainment in official title, thus making his role obvious. Bendis has refused editorial positions in so many words and remains "just a writer". Yet he seems to be in this awkward position above a writer and maybe lower than some editors.

For no reason, Iron Fist changed his costume in NEW AVENGES. Guess which costume he now wears everywhere. Iron Fist was a member of the NA for years of time, yet changing his costume there was maybe the second or third plot development Bendis ever wrote for the character; normally he just stood around and uttered an occasional functional line (i.e. "What the--!?" or "Woof!"), like Daken in DARK AVENGERS.

Thus, the reality is unless Bendis/Maleev's MOON KNIGHT debuts at 10k and goes lower, and even if, anything he does with Specter is INSTA-canon. Bendis may decide to dismiss the work of dozens of other writers when he does stuff, but NOBODY seems to ever dismiss HIS work. Aside for Peter Milligan, who doesn't get to write big books at Marvel like UNCANNY X-MEN anymore. Maybe it's coincidence, maybe he likes DC and smaller work better.

It would be funny that a creator would be penalized more for dismissing a Bendis story than in turning in work years late, eh, Allan Heinberg or J. Michael Straczynski? Israel and Palestine will be friendly neighbors before THE TWELVE sees completion.

 

[The Morningstar]

Well, Bendis dismisses the work of his good buddies Fraction and Brubaker when he writes Iron Man and Bucky totally different to how they write them in their solo books.

The guy just reeks of arrogance and an attitude of "I can't do no wrong and I can do whatever I want, don't like my work? Screw you". And like you say, Marvels weak willed editors don't help matters.

 

[Drz]

Well didn't Brubaker just write Baron Zemo the way he wrote withouth caring how he was written before? No explanations given or anything there either.

MOON KNIGHT #2
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils & Cover by ALEX MALEEV
Moon Knight’s startling true nature as a one-man Avengers team stands revealed! Now, in the guises and identities of Spider-Man, Wolverine and Captain America, Marc Spector wages war against organized crime in Los Angeles. But who is the Kingpin of crime in L.A. and how does Moon Knight plan to bring him down?
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99

I wonder if Daken truly is the Kingpin of L.A