MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Spider-Man. Daredevil. There are many costumed crime-fighters in the Marvel Universe. But Moon Knight comes closest to Batman’s look and feel (Batman is a DC character): He’s a caped crusader at night, an expert in hand-to-hand combat, has an assortment of vehicles (Moon Cycle and Moon-Chopper), and is a billionaire playboy by day. The similarities stop there. Here’s a rundown of what makes Moon Knight stand apart from The Dark Knight.
1. The Costumes! Batman has had several looks throughout the years but his signature ears and cape are always there. Plus, the costume is designed for stealth. On the other hand, MK’s classic sleek white/silver cowl look is designed for fear – to make criminals see him coming. MK’s other costumes are wildly different from one another: the Mr. Knight suit and tie look represents one of MK’s more dapper personas and there’s even a costume that honors his servitude to the god Khonshu when he fights more supernatural enemies.
2. Personality Disorder: It has been debated that Bruce Wayne debonair billionaire is the façade while Batman is Wayne’s real personality. While Wayne has largely been able to distinguish his identities, MK is a total head case, having three dominant personalities – Marc Spector the mercenary (the original persona), Steven Grant the billionaire playboy, and Jake Lockley the taxi driver. Many MK stories center around his identity crisis. There was even a story where his personalities consisted of Spider-Man, Wolverine, and Captain America!
3. Mystical Aspect: The idea that crooks are a “superstitious lot” is rooted in The Dark Knight’s origin and he employs a lot of smoke and mirrors to make him appear mythical in nature. Moon Knight is rooted in mythology. In exchange for his resurrection, Marc Spector became a priest of the Egyptian god of vengeance Khonshu. Thanks to Khonshu, Moon Knight possesses enhanced strength, can see the future, and can even drain the life force of people.
4. Parental/Religious Issues: Bruce Wayne has nothing on Marc Spector! Marc rejected his Jewish upbringing causing a rift between him and Elias, his rabbi father. He thought his father weak for worshipping a god who put mankind through suffering. But after getting resurrected by Khonshu, he realizes that he was the weak one. Elias would never forsake his unseen god for one that he could see. Marc surrendered whatever beliefs he had left to save his life.
