MOON KNIGHT ROCKS!
The fearsome lunulated lunatic has been kickin’ ass and taking names in the pages of Marvel comics since the ’70s. He’s enjoyed a reputation as being one of the most flexible and experimental heroes out there.
For the most part, his characterisation remains consistent as a mercenary named Marc Spector who was left for dead in an Egyptian temple and resurrected by the god of the moon, Khonshu. Returning to the Big Apple, Spector adopts the mantle of Moon Knight to honour his god and fight crime. Where it gets interesting is the inclusion of the characters Steven Grant, a wealthy entrepreneur and Jake Lockley, as humble taxi driver.
In a unique take on the concept of a superhero’s secret identity, Both Steven and Jake are in fact separate personalities within Marc’s mind in a form of dissociative identity disorder. His mental state also raises the question of whether or not he’s speaking to the actual Khonshu or another persona his mind has created, a question that has been explored over the character’s fascinating and mind-boggling history.
Personally, it boggles my mind that we’ve gone for this long without a live action adaptation for this fantastic character. Until now.
That’s right, Moon Knight is officially getting his very own Disney+ original show. my salvation has at last been delivered in my time of need. At last, an entire TV show dedicated to the Fist of Khonshu himself.
But is this a blessing a disguise? This is a Disney+ show we’re talking about, and I’m telling you now, the stories of Moon Knight haven’t made an effort to be particularly family friendly, to say the least.
While I am eternally grateful he’s been granted an adaptation by our overlords at Disney, I am also slightly apprehensive. Can Disney deliver a satisfying portrayal of my boy in white while also keeping things PG?
For starters, I don’t think it’s impossible to have the best of both worlds. The Mandalorian is a great example of having a no-holds-barred and gritty take on an established universe without relying on too heavily on extreme gore to convey its mature tone. I’m hoping they lean towards shows like The Mandalorian in terms of its tone.
However, I have prepared a short list of things that I hope the creative ‘wizards’ at the House of Mouse do not decide to do:
- Simplify it to the point where it’s nothing more than a watered down version of Netflix’s Daredevil. That show works as its own entity, and trying to replicate its tone but without its mature themes and violence would be a misstep as it would undermine Moon Knight’s own violent history as well by being a censored copy of a standard supershow show, like Arrow.
- Improperly balance the supernatural and the realistic elements of the character. Moon Knight has been known to fluctuate from religious fanatic to hyperviolent vigilante, so I’m hoping the show can strike a balance between the two worlds that define Moon Knight. I am hoping for a ton of Egyptian iconography and the logo seems to hint at that, so I think we should be right for that. But I’m also hoping Marc’s mercenary past, his relationships with others and his arch nemesis aren’t forgotten. Marc’s best friend Jean-Paul AKA Frenchie and lover Marlene are integral to his origin and even more so is Raul Bushman, who is responsible for killing Marc and inadvertently letting Khonshu revive him. You just gotta leave that in.
- I am tired of these adaptions that are supposedly within the same universe as the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) but never go any further in establishing this than the occasional reference to ‘the ‘magic guy with the hammer’. Just call him Thor! Now that rights are no longer an issue, I want a definitive entry into the MCU that feels like its a part of the same universe and not an appendage hanging limply off the side. That being said, I’m willing to make a concession if the show choses to make it ambiguous as a stylistic choice, given the flexible nature of Moon Knight’s character. Not really holding my breath on that one, though.
- Finally, I don’t want this show to ignore the fact that Marc has a mental illness. Mental health is a pressing and relevant issue in this day and age and having a protagonist that suffers from a distinct mental illness could be a great way to address it. This hearkens back to my first point about how I don’t want this show to be another standard superhero affair, Moon Knight is not a normal superhero, he has a serious mental condition that is a foundation of his character and ignoring that would be downright disrespectful.
Truly a triple threat (credit to u/snotso_goodmans on Reddit).
Look, when it’s all said and done, I am immensely happy Moon Knight is getting something at all. And a TV show too, thank Khonshu! Infinitely more preferable than a movie. If the series is good, I’ll chalk it up to another successful win in the history of the Lunar Legionnaire. If it isn’t, I’ll shrug it off and just go read literally any one of his comics.
I’m glad this show is being made and I’m gonna watch the hell out of it. It’s a win-win situation for me. I’m either gonna be satisfied that he’s finally got a worthy adaptation, or I’ll be satisfied that in the realm of comic books, someone else out there knows how to make a good Moon Knight story.
Except for you, Bendis. Stick to Spider-Man.
Go Howl at the Moon,
CD.
WORLD OF MADNESS 