If you thought Ollie was negligent with his sidekick, Marc says "hold my beer."

Plus, Brother Voodoo! And a Geraldo Rivera cameo...oh, too far to stop now, let's just shove through here. From 1989, Marc Spector: Moon Knight #9, "Zombie Saturday Night" Written by Charles (Chuck) Dixon, pencils by Sal Velluto, inks by Mark Farmer.

Brother Voodoo had gotten beat by voodoo priest/wannabe drug kingpin Dr. Friday, and was only now recovering from the zombi drug that had been force-fed to him. His medallion had been taken, so he couldn't use his powers; so he came to Moon Knight for help. B-V didn't look great, but was willing to go in guns blazing, with Moon Knight and Midnight! Midnight...? I hadn't read a lot of his appearances: this was Marc's short-lived sidekick, Jeff Wilde. He was the son of old Moon Knight foe the Midnight Man; and had fought MK under that alias, but was maybe trying to redeem himself. For his part, Marc doesn't seem particularly invested in him? Midnight nearly gets shot by the zombi henchmen while trying to get down from the chopper, and Marc only just now realizes his costume wasn't Kevlar. (Marc also takes a call from his accountant, who is furious over an upcoming IRS audit, and can't figure out why Marc would need so much aviation fuel.)

Dr. Friday is killed by his partner, for bringing heat down on them, but he gives his back-up plan or instructions to a chalk-white zombi, who gets out while Brother Voodoo guns down several others. Brother Voodoo then connects with his brother's spirit to break the zombi spell. Midnight isn't sure he believes in "all that Shirley MacLaine junk," but Marc says he's had some experience with it. Later, the white zombi--that sounds familiar somehow--tracks down Friday's killer.

Man, if Jason Todd rubbed you the wrong way back then, Jeff is raising the bar. He repeatedly refers to Brother Voodoo, Jericho Drumm, as "Jerry" which seems really disrespectful, too. He's probably best known for the Spider-Man biweekly story "Round Robin: the Sidekick's Revenge," which I've read like one issue of, and I think I just got the Robin/"Sidekick's Revenge" thing? Seriously, I could never get past why that was in Spidey's book and not Moon Knight's, but enh. And again, Midnight's showed up a couple times since, because Moon Knight really needs a deeper bench of bad guys. I know one event issue or mini or something tried to make another bad guy from the Marc Spector run out to be a big deal, but Marc doesn't remember Chainsaw any more than you do. Read more!

Harsh!

I thought this was the only issue of that series not to be blogged here yet, but even if not, I hadn't read it before just now! From 1985, Moon Knight #2, "Deadly Knowledge" Written by Alan Zelenetz, pencils by Chris Warner, inks by E. R. Cruz.

The second issue of the brief "Fist of Khonshu" run, and the status quo was still being established. Marc now had more pronounced super-strength under the moon, as demonstrated when he accidently knocks a boorish jerk through a window. He also misses the chance to try and talk to Marlene, who takes off at the sight of him. That's not a good sign...Marc at one point also considers, he was rich, and he could hire P.I.'s to track her down; but rejects the notion, yet still chases her cab in his Corvette. But, his pursuit is interrupted, by another vision, from the "priests of Khonshu." (That was retconned, I think in West Coast Avengers; I forget how.)

The vision sends him to the Yucatan, where Moon Knight rescues a pretty (crabby) doctor from a kidnapping. Dr. Grail was trying to expose researcher Arthur Harrow, whose own disfigurement and pain had driven him to human experimentation. He had already built several zombie-like slaves, impervious to pain. Harrow was also an operative of O.M.N.I.U.M., a secret organization...that never came up again? Harrow himself escapes, and also never appears again...until the Disney+ Moon Knight series! Well, I suppose they couldn't start that show with Bushman, that'd be throwing the viewers into the deep end right away. But the two versions are completely different, except I don't think either were ever sympathetic characters, just straight monsters.

I suppose if we haven't got more of the Moon Knight show by now, it's probably not happening, huh? Too bad. 

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It's never a great day when that card shows up, is it?

Well, maybe it will be for us? Here's hoping. From 2007, Moon Knight #13, "The Uses of Restraint" Written by Charlie Huston, pencils by Tomm Coker, 3-D models by Don Cameron. (That's a credit I don't think we've seen here before!)

This feels a bit like a connecting issue between storylines, as it opens with Khonshu, appearing as the face-removed Bushmaster in an Iron Man suit, browbeating Marc into doing his job. To Marc, that's avenging and protecting the innocent, but to Khonshu right now it appears to be spreading the gospel through the ol' ultra-violence. That's illustrated by longtime MK supporting character Detective Flint, who is given the freak beat, and has to kick loose a child abuser for lack of evidence. He does take a picture of the crescent moon carved in the perp's skull for evidence, and advises that was basically a friendly warning, Moon Knight would check back with him, and next time...things would get serious. (Not unlike Marc at the start of this series, Flint is beat down and exhausted here; possibly by having seen too much horrible crap over the years; but aside from maybe the hassle of paperwork, I don't think Flint gives a crap about Marc repeatedly violating sex criminals' civil rights and/or bodily integrity.) Likewise, Marc's old friends Marlene and Frenchie both have lovers convinced they're bored with them, and that they want to get back with the more thrilling Marc. Maybe for Marlene: while Frenchie's relationship seemed sincere, Marlene's panties almost literally drop at the sight of Marc back in action in Vengeance of the Moon Knight #1. That was much later, of course: here, Marlene and her guy are mugged, and she adminsters a Khonshu-worthy beating on her assailant.

Next, as part of the post-Civil War Initiative, Marc has a psych eval with smug manipulator Dr. Depford, who seemingly tries to provoke a response from him, and is curious why he hasn't registered his super-powers. Marc demurs, that he hasn't had full-on powers for years, and that they were...overrated, and made you cocky. In response, Depford raises a shade, exposing Marc to the moon, then asks if he could speak with Mr. "Lockely" and Mr. Grant. Marc again defers: Grant and Lockley weren't real, they had merely been aliases. Of course, Lockley and Grant then speak with Depford, who had already considered Marc unstable and unfit, before Khonshu speaks through Marc. Even though I sometimes refer to him as Marc's boss, Khonshu was a god, and could turn it on as needed: he sees right through Depford, calling him a jealous tattletale, like he could view every sin of the man's life. Depford kneels, completely broken to Khonshu's will, and while Marc is still seemingly unconscious, Moon Knight is quickly ratified and verified as a licensed, card-carrying super-hero. (Unless of course, you still believed 'Khonshu' was just another of Marc's personalities, albeit a forceful one; but that ship has kinda sailed.)

After a brief chat with the Profile, who had given him intel on Depford, Marc suits up, and goes to town on a criminal that avoided extradition; as an interview with then-S.H.I.E.L.D. director Tony Stark plays on the radio. While paying lip service to the notion that "anyone" could apply to be a hero, Stark mentions "that said, we're not going to be passing out licenses to any whacko who stumbles in off the street." "Whacko" might be telling there; that was an occasional nickname for West Coast Avengers, like Tony and Marc! Moon Knight apparently kills--or at least savagely beats--three criminals, leaving them with crescents carved on their foreheads, and one with MK's registration paperwork shoved in his mouth.

While Marlene returns to Marc, Frenchie helps with the move of some of Marc's gear, which appears to culminate in burning down Spector's mansion. Frenchie ruminates, that Marc is unable to give up the past, or leave the field of battle gracefully; while Marlene already seems to be regreting her choice...This was the last issue for Charlie Huston, who really got Moon Knight started again. The next issue would be three months later, but somewhat surprisingly, not another #1. Read more!

"Fill Up."

Moon Knight was going to call Quasar "Wendy," as short for Wendell, but Vaughn is a cooler and more spy-sounding name. That, and like most cosmic types, I think Quasar would see something horrible, react for a moment, then move on. No shortage of terrible existential nightmares in space! 

And yay, Sleepwalker returns! Have I read any more of his comics since the last time he was here? I feel like I've bought some, sure, but...While I'm glad to see him, is Sleepy the one to free them from D'spayre?

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"Meow."

You've probably seen that in dozens of movie trailers: where they take a popular song, slow it down, maybe play it in a minor key, and throw in some reverb to make it creepy. Pretty sure you could do that with the "Meow Mix" tune, even without demonic chanting.

Marc is alluding to the end of Blood Hunt, which...didn't really do anything for me, and while it did bring Moon Knight back, the whole affair seemed largely to set up the next event, One World Under Doom. I'm in no mood for that, I gotta say: Doom might be a goddamn improvement at this point. I'm not even joking, he'd probably be better for women's rights alone. (Everyone is mistreated equally under Doom, but he wouldn't withhold life-saving care for bullcrap reasons.) I swear it feels like Marvel's pulled this like four times, with Norman Osborn or Hydra Cap: here's a horrible fascist state, that's different than the one you're stuck in because...um...I dunno, Arnim Zola?

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"Face."

I seriously don't recall if Moon Knight could use his ankh for anything, or if Sat and Kurt are right and I'm thinking Thundercats. I do think he could use it like a crucifix against vampires maybe? Can he use it for exorcisms? "The power of Khonshu compels you! THE POWER OF KHONSHU COMPELS YOU!" Read more!

It was really nice the other afternoon, so I went for a little bike ride and picked up a couple books, including this one I maybe hadn't read before: from 2008, Moon Knight #23, "The Death of Marc Spector, chapter three" Written by Mike Benson, layouts by Javier Saltares, finishes by Mark Texeira.

This was after the death of Steve Rogers, with Norman Osborn currently the director of the Thunderbolts, and the book opens with him reading Moonstone the riot act since the team had thus far failed to bring in "this joke, this moon freak, this D-list of a punch line." (Moonstone is more compliant here than usual, but I'm not sure she even gets a word in edgewise; she might just be letting Norman rant himself out.) As usual, Norman will take care of things himself, and had a plan already, starting with a member of a gang called the Whyos: the gang member wore a Riddler-esque derby hat, to cover up the moon-shaped scar carved into his forehead. Meanwhile, Moon Knight was also dealing with a horrible boss; as Khonshu appears to him, to tell him they were done. Khonshu was still manifesting as the skinned-face Bushman, but here looks more like the suit-wearing Red Skull of the 90's; as he tells Marc he had "other clients." (We would see other disciples of Khonshu much later, but I'm not sure it came back up in Benson's run.)

The next day, the Whyos attack a trendy gay restaurant, with a few slurs and some Clockwork Orange-style ultraviolence. Frenchie's boyfriend, Rob, is badly beaten, before Frenchie gets there to tear into them and drive them off. Rob is hospitalized, and it is uncertain if he would make it: Marlene visits Frenchie, but after a suicide attempt, Frenchie reaches out to long-time informant Crawley for info on the Whyos, and attacks them with a baseball bat. This gets him shot a bit, but Moon Knight arrives to help out: Frenchie is pissed Crawley called him, but he'd have been sunk on his own. Moon Knight gives chase to the last Whyo, putting two crescent-darts in his legs; but the Whyo is seemingly unconcerned, as he has his own backup: Venom! (I think this would be the Mac Gargan Venom; he did not have a great track record there.) Weird, because Bullseye gets the cover; he was still an issue or two out.  Read more!

"The End" Week: Nothing really ends, as long as we remember it relaunch it, over and over and over...

Good lord, last week I got, in my yard of comics from the dollar bins, five issues of what I thought was the most recent Ghost Rider series. Nope!  From the series before, and the current Ghost Rider book was actually ending this week! I almost wish I could easily track the sales numbers for those, because those returns have got to be diminishing, right? Or does every incarnation of a character like this sell about the same baseline, regardless?

In that vein, I don't read that many mainstream Marvel books, probably in part because of this sort of thing; but (at least!) three I read got cancelled this year...and relaunched virtually immediately. So, let's bite off more than we can chew, and check them out! First up, probably the most permanent cancellation...sort of. Punisher #12, "Punisher No More" Written by Jason Aaron, art by Jesús Saiz and Paul Azaceta. 

I think the Hood or somebody tried this before, but the hook for this series was the resurrection of Frank's wife, Maria; by the ninja clan the Hand, in exchange for the Punisher becoming their "Fist of the Beast." It's literally as well as figuratively a deal with the devil, but if it kills criminals, yeah, Frank's up for it. What Frank may not have known, was that before her death in Central Park, Maria had been on the verge of divorcing him: he was very obviously damaged, from the war and earlier, and utterly incapable of fixing himself or reaching out for help. Maria is also not thrilled when she finds out what Frank's done, in her name and the name of her children: year after year of brutal murder. She shoots Frank with a magic gun he had rigged up to kill Ares, and the Archpriestess of the Hand confronts the bleeding "Fist," a colossal disappointment, that she still believes in: maybe he'll be better, when she brings him back...

The Archpriestess may have jumped the gun, since Frank still had enough power to drive her off, but he's then captured by Doctor Strange, Wolverine, Captain America, Black Widow, and Moon Knight. Who are then at a loss, as to what to do with Frank; who no longer has the power, but isn't the slightest bit repentant. His only request is to Natasha, on behalf of Maria; since he seemed to think Strange or the others would decide she should be dead again. Instead, the coldly furious Maria confronts him: with Natasha's help, she cashed in the Punisher's various assets, and gave Frank's half to charities in the names of their kids: she didn't want him using them as "an excuse for slaughter" anymore--he would have lost them, regardless. She tells him, wherever he's going, "do us all a favor...and stay dead." Frank is left, with no regrets as the Punisher...and nothing but regrets, as a husband and father. 

Strange had left Frank the bullets he had dug out of him, and Frank makes a final prayer (or final threat?) to the Beast. Before the heroes can pass judgement on him--which he figures "wouldn't be enough" anyway--Frank uses a final burst of power, and disappears in flames. Strange says, he was no longer in that plane of existence: "The Punisher...is no more." But...well, let's put this after the break!

  

While the Archpriestess approaches a new candidate for the position of Fist--a young serial killer, in jail--and Maria drives off, with two duffel bags full of cash, and a positive pregnancy test; in a final epilogue, Frank saves four more orphans, in the wars on Weirdworld. Wars he doesn't want any part of...for now, seemingly content with saving lives, as he tells a young girl "Call me Frank."

The Hand stuff seemed like a weird fit from the start, but Aaron's argument seems to be Frank would get into bed with just about anyone that's going to get him to kill more criminals, especially since Frank was pretty obviously intending to wipe out the Hand later on anyway. This series also--and quite intentionally, I think--gives Maria more agency than she's ever had; partially because it's more page time than she's ever had alive. I did feel like she waffled a little in her choice; but despite Frank's shortcomings, she loved him once and saw him as someone who would protect her and her kids...which he didn't, if we get down to it. Aaron's also done Weirdworld before, of course, but sending Frank there...that's straight-up leaving an out for later, as needed. And Aaron had written another end for Frank before, in PunisherMAX #22! There are some interesting character bits with the other heroes here: Frank tells Natasha he's not a "friend" any more than a gun would be; while Moon Knight seems to look at him and see where exactly he was damaged, even if nothing could be done about it. 

There was also a crossover in this series, that should have mattered more to both titles: Chip Zdarsky's Daredevil. I was up on the book almost three years ago and thrilled to get an Elektra-DD figure, which just makes the rest of the run all the more disappointing.

I'm trying to do this without re-reading a couple years' worth of books (and tie-ins!) but let's see: Matt went to jail, as Daredevil, for murder. Elektra took up the mantle of DD on the outside, to maybe prove something to Matt but that might've shown her something as well. There were clones of Bullseye and Mike Murdock was real now? And the wedding of the Kingpin and Typhoid Mary before Matt got out--which was another Daredevil last issue? #36/Legacy #648, and it might be time to admit comic book numbering is just a crapshoot now. Huh, that was in the drawer there, too...("Lockdown, Part 6" Written by Chip Zdarsky, pencils by Manuel Garcia, inks by Cam Smith, Scott Hanna, and Victor Nava.) That's not a great cut-off, since new #1 or not, Zdarsky only had 14 more issues. Well, it seems longer, because the Devil's Reign crossover was next. (The ending, setting up the crossover, isn't bad! Wilson Fisk finds an old file labeled "Daredevil's Identity," but is furious that it seems to be blank; from the last time the genie got crammed back into the bottle.)

Then, the "Red Fist Saga," which felt like a series of stumbles for me. Like a runner coming off the blocks wrong and never hitting stride: something interesting would be brought up, then not used, or actively ignored. Matt and Elektra are "married," even if it doesn't feel real, as it has something to do with some prophecy for the final battle between the Fist and the Hand. Matt recruits some guys like Stegron (!) and Speed Demon, but in an interesting way, like Zdarsky was trying to say something about justice and rehabilitation...that gets completely left by the wayside. Ditto the battle with the Punisher and the Hand: that doesn't come down to Matt and Frank, probably because Aaron and Zdarsky were maybe working in different directions? There's a fight with the Avengers and Spidey; Elektra is framed for some murders but out before the last issue; Stick, Foggy Nelson, and some unnamed and unseen world leaders are trapped in Hell by the Hand; Matt tricks Elektra into killing him, so he can face the Beast (and the Beast's sister, who I don't know we ever saw before) to save those souls, but is seemingly left behind in hell.

I was kind of joking before, but how many beats does this share with earlier last issue Daredevil #512? With Matt Murdock gone, Foggy Nelson struggles to go on, but has a new partner to help: former cop Cole North. And Hell's Kitchen has a new protector: Elektra as Daredevil, who muses she never used to scare people, mostly because she killed them before they ever saw her. She also confronts new "Kingpin," Butch Fisk, who's presenting a friendlier, white-collar crime vibe; but probably isn't. Foggy has a visit with Reed Richards (who appeared in #36/648 as well, oddly enough) and they discuss loss, and how if anyone was going to come back, it'd be Matt.

Elektra, who is charmingly uncaring about her "secret" identity, beats a couple thugs to help out a storekeeper from earlier in the series; then seems to see Matt heading into a church. And inside, she seems to find him, as a priest: he tells her her scent is familiar, but he doesn't know her, and Elektra isn't about to destroy his peace for her own benefit. But, Elektra had told Butch he could be freed from history, to be something else: Matt hears a man, catch a beating from loan sharks, and moves to do something about it...("The Red Fist Saga, conclusion" Written by Chip Zdarsky, art by Marco Checchetto, color art by Matthew Wilson.) 

 We've long since established on this blog, I'm a godless heathen. No love for the church. Matt as a priest...ah, I'm sick of his mopey, guilty ass anyway. Elektra's my new Daredevil, long may she reign. I really liked when she first put on the horns, and was struggling in the role ("How would Matt do this...in the stupidest, hardest way possible.") but she's like an all-star that's just figured out the offensive scheme: she's got it from here. There is of course a new Daredevil series out already, and sweet Smurfberry crunch, it looks like the same beats of Matt getting his groove back, Ben Urich, Bullseye...hard pass. Marvel's still getting my money, though; with Elektra in the Gang War crossover and a Black Armor mini.

Ugh, I didn't think I was gonna have to blog four comics for this thing, what the hell...still, this one hasn't been relaunched...yet. Today. You have to wait a month! But, this is a sad end for a fun series, all too soon, even if it's been teased out for seemingly months...Moon Knight #30, "The Terminal Seconds of Moon Knight" Written by Jed MacKay, art by Alessandro Cappuccio.

Moon Knight and his allies are in final battle with Black Spectre...like the third Black Spectre. He's really Robert Plesko, who was allegedly killed earlier in the storyline, and actually dates back to 1992 as part of Marc's 'Shadow Cabinet.' Sure. I think a lot of this is a retcon insert, and maybe the last issue isn't the place to do it? Feels like trying to change the rules for a catch while the ball's in the air...Yes, I am watching a lot of football lately, why? Plesko knew Marc back in his merc phase, and describes himself as "a student of atrocity." He wants horrible stuff to happen, just out of curiosity then? Swell.

Back at the Midnight Mission, the vampire Reese confronts the earlier big-bad of the series, Zodiac; who felt like Plesko was deserving a shot at Marc. And if he killed Moon Knight, well, hell, he'd just come back, right? ...right? Zodiac is stunned to hear resurrection was off the table, and doesn't want to lose his chance to kill him: he cuts a deal with the Mission, to get out. Shot and bleeding out, Moon Knight sees Khonshu, who says while he can't help him, he was still proud of him; and Marc struggles to stop Plesko's sonic weapon, but not alone: Marc still had Jake and Steven at his side. With a final apology to Tigra, for breaking his promise, Marc blows up with most of the building; saving the city.

Plesko wonders why his sonic weapon hasn't gone off, and Zodiac tells him "You can't plan for Moon Knight." Still, he had a plan for him, for cheating him of the chance to face Moon Knight again...A month later, the Midnight Mission was still open, and still helping people, with the vampires Reese and Soldier in white suits, redeemed baddie 8-Ball and Khonshu's other fist Hunter's Moon in black, and Tigra. But, instead of Midnight Mission #1 next month, it's the return of Vengeance of the Moon Knight: I don't know what the over/under would be, but my money says it's Zodiac in the new costume, which I don't love, even with the moon-axe things.  I'm hoping it isn't just an amnesiac Marc, or Khonshu forbid, another new personality. 

Relaunching here feels like, thirty issues is positively old growth forest nowadays: I'll say it now, I'll be genuinely surprised--and impressed--if Vengeance hits half that number. Comics would be nothing but goddamn #1's if they thought they could get away with it. 

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