Review: Moon Knight #198

Marvel“s Moon Knight #198 is a penultimate entry in the “Societe des Sadiques”“ saga. Moon Knight has infiltrated the secret society“s inner circle and his confrontation with Ernst is immanent in this issue. Ernst is the Nazi whose tortuous ways factor directly into our dark dis-associative hero“s origins. This may all sound like a lot of lore and back story to catch up on, but Moon Knight #198 also stands alone quite well ”“ mostly due to its narrative structure revolving around the final trials of the secret sadistic society lead by Ernst.

Moon Knight“s creative team is simpatico. Max Bemis writes; Jacen Burrows pencils; Guillermo Ortega inks; Matt Milla colors; Cory Petit letters; and Nick Russell designs. All together they deliver a version of the character that is dark, psychologically complex, but somehow also approachable and maybe even likable as he works through the mystery and the ritual maze of Ernst“s sadist society. Bemis is not afraid to break the “fourth wall.”“ Burrows and company are not afraid of channeling Stanley Kubrick. But the readers will be terrified by the ways in which the second trial of the sadists“ rituals resonates with one of our real world, contemporary news stories. (e.g. Click HERE)

The story world of Bemis and Burrows“ Moon Knight is rich and it is carefully steeped in the psychological discourse that underpins the mentality of Marc Spector (aka Moon Knight) and too many other characters who moon light as your superhero favorites. This includes Batman and Wolverine, of course, but so many others as well. What are the psychological motivations behind comics“ most dutifully violent vigilantes and why do readers (and viewers) take such sadistic pleasure in their “heroic”“ exploits? Those questions can“t be answered in any one issue of a comic, but Moon Knight #198 at least raises them in a way that will challenge readers even as it challenges the artisans who craft these psychologically complicated characters.

If there ever is a Moon Knight movie or streaming series, this story will have to be a part of the narrative. The real reward for readers ”“ especially any long-time fans of this character ”“ is that this creative team is clearly invested in establishing some plausible coherence to the various iterations and incarnations of the Moon Knight character over the character“s long, complex history. The kind of continuity that this arc will ultimately establish does what all good stories are designed to do: make way for even more good stories. 4.5/5!

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(W) Max Bemis (A) Jacen Burrows (CA) Becky Cloonan