Moon Knight month continues! This week, we're taking a stroll down memory lane and highlighting some of his best covers. Marc Spector's been around for several decades, so you can bet there were a whole lot of excellent covers to choose from. We've picked 11 that we love and hopefully you'll enjoy them, too. When all is said and done, don't forget to share your favorites in the comment below. Otherwise, you'll be on Khonshu's naughty list, and that really isn't a list you want to be on. Anyway, let's check out all of the cover goodness!
Feast your eyes upon the first cover Moon Knight appeared on! WEREWOLF BY NIGHT #32 went on sale way back in 1975 and it's full of action between the new character and the main lead, Jack Russel. Gil Kane had the honor of creating the cover and it tells you everything you need to know about the contents of the issue: it's a whole lot of fighting between Werewolf by Night and a dude armed with silver weapons!
Moon Knight made his debut in WEREWOLF BY NIGHT, but it wasn't until 1980 that we really got to learn about the hooded hero. In this first issue, Moon Knight's origin story is revealed and Bill Sienkiewicz's (you'll be seeing that name a lot) cover teases what makes the character unique: his different personalities. And in case you're wondering, the two extra identities were made so he can get information at different levels. Overall, this is an unforgettable cover for any fan of the Fist of Khonshu.
Moon Knight made a return in 2006 with an all-new series and man, it was dark. In fact, calling it just "dark" feels like an understatement. It was a brutal opening story arc and David Finch's artwork felt like a perfect fit. He makes Moon Knight look so formidable and this cover does a tremendous job establishing the tone for the story. Even if you have no idea what happens in this opening storyline, the fact remains this is simply a very, very powerful cover. It's a simple pose and something we've seen so many times before, but Finch makes sure its incredibly well done and pulls you right into the dark setting.
If you know Moon Knight well enough, then odds are you know the guy's had his fair share of encounters with Werewolf by Night. Artist Bill Sienkiewicz created a lot of stellar covers for the character, but this one leaves such a strong impression. Take a moment to really stare at this one. It's legitimately frightening, right? It almost makes you feel like the creature will emerge from the darkness and attack you next.
In 2009, Moon Knight had yet another new volume. Leinil Francis Yu's primary cover is a real attention-grabber and shows off the character's new armor, but Alex Ross' variant is a jaw-dropper. Everything about it is phenomenal. Moon Knight looks terrific as he strikes an authoritative pose, two of Manhattan's famous skyscrapers (the Empire State Building and the the Chrysler Building) look great without becoming distracting, and then there's the cloudy sky which is beautifully brought to life and illuminated by the full moon. It's a magnificent cover.
Arthur Suydam provided a number of impressive covers for Moon Knight's 2006 series, but the one for #15 always keeps my eyes locked on it for a good amount of time. It's a creative piece of work which manages to speak volumes about what's going on in the series. It touches on what's occurring in Moon Knight's head and the overall narrative. There's even some foreshadowing in there!
Moon Knight made another return in 2011. Opinions are definitely mixed on the volume's story, but the artwork? Not so much. There's an overwhelming amount of love for the talented Alex Maleev's art and understandably so. You can't help but stare at this cover for the volume's final issue and truly appreciate the clever design. Maleev really is an extraordinary fit for Moon Knight, isn't he?
Bill Sienkiewicz strikes again! This engrossing cover marks the very first appearance of the villain Black Spectre. This piece of artwork makes him look every bit as intimidating as he should and the fiend puts a major hurting on the anti-hero within the issue. It's a fitting pose and a proper dose of foreshadowing, too, since Black Spectre does indeed flank Marc in the story.
In the latest volume of Moon Knight (which will hopefully last more than a dozen issues...), Declan Shalvey has been producing some seriously praiseworthy covers. This latest one, issue #4, is delightfully trippy and places a firm grip on your attention. The shades of blue give it such a relaxing atmosphere, as well. It's a thoroughly powerful compliment to Warren Ellis' superb script and quite an awesome cover.
Remember when we said the 2006 series was really dark? We forgot to mention it's ridiculously violent and David Finch's cover for issue #6 makes that crystal clear. Moon Knight's at a low point in the series and he engages in some viciously brutal fights. He's at a point where he's okay with taking a punch and then sending one back twice as hard. This cover perfectly illustrates that point and is easily one of the character's most badass covers.
So many of Moon Knight's covers aim to impress with cool poses and immersive environments, but Skottie Young delivers one that'll simply make you smile. You've seen Moon Knight strike fear into his enemies and you've seen him bloodied and bruised, but have you ever seen him look so... adorable?! There were a couple of remarkable variants for the debut issue of the latest series, but this one just warms your heart and absolutely earns our praise.
What's your favorite Moon Knight cover? Don't be shy, share it below! Be sure to keep checking the homepage throughout June for more Moon Knight articles!
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