Phase 10: Less Wolverine / More Deadpool

​Issues 8-13, 17 (May - Aug. 2016, Feb. 2017): Writer Jeff Lemire casts a future incarnation of Moon Knight in the role of one of Apocalypse's four horsemen (alongside Deadpool!). An interesting concept, but unfortunately his appearances are infinitesimally small. The horsemen are used very little and aren't ever in the forefront. After showing up for just the last page in #8, they only show up in small glimpses--sometimes only on the cover or in a drawing. Very disappointing, considering its potential, but at the time I applauded Lemire's efforts: between this and the new series (below), he certainly did his best to try to make MK more of a major player in the Marvel universe.

​Issues 1-14 (Jun. 2016 - Jul. 2017): Jeff Lemire brings an entirely unique take to this volume (although it actually resembles a concept pitched by Huston back in 2006!), bringing back MK's original side characters, some of which haven't been seen for years: Frenchie, Crawley, Gina, and even Marlene! Marc must contend with Khonshu himself, as he tries to decide whether the god's enemy--or the god himself--is manipulating his reality, and for what purpose.

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Bemis's 2018 series (see Jan. 2018 below) is technically considered to be part of this volume, even though it was presented as a new series at the time (there was even a five-month gap in between) and does not have the look of this one (new title logo, creative team, and storyline).

​Issues 14-16 (Aug. - Dec. 2016): Peter David includes the 2099 Moon Knight (Tabitha) teased back in 1998's 2099: Manifest Destiny.

Issue 2 (Sep. 2016): Brandon Thomas, Declan Shalvey, and Jeremy Whitley wrote the Civil War II tales in this issue, but without spoiling anything I will just say that this is NOT an actual MK appearance.

Issue 8 (Sep. 2016): Jeff Lemire includes his star from his other series once again, but only to be taken down before he can even participate. Fighting alongside She Hulk and Daredevil, MK is in two panels but brought down by Electro and eliminated from the story before he even gets a chance to matter to it. Also, there is a good chance that this is not him after all but the impostor from Civil War II: Choosing Sides.

Issues 1-3 (Sep. - Oct. 2017): Cullen Bunn includes MK in a team investigating the grisly deaths Deadpool seems to be leaving behind. I was actually impressed with how he was well used here, although I shouldn't have been surprised, given that Bunn has rarely disappointed before. MK does have an interesting team assigned under him: Punisher, Cable, Misty Knight, Kate Bishop, and Jessica Jones. And I like that MK is able to "take" Deadpool (at least for the most part), harkening back to their last battle (anyone remember this from Vengeance of the Moon Knight, issues 7 & 8?).

Issues 188-200 (Jan. 2018 - Dec. 2018): Max Bemis is the writer, and he introduces a new villain for MK to tackle right from the start. In fact, MK doesn't even play much of a part in the premiere issue, except in how his character relates to others. The issue numbers are determined by adding up all previous series (not counting Moench's two miniseries but including the six-issue Fist of Khonshu one).

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I was especially impressed with issue 194, so much so that I felt compelled to write in and tell them how it came across as something Moench himself would have written in the very first series. (My letter and their thanks are printed on the Editorial page of #196.)

​Issue 10 (Apr. 2018): Moon Knight is included in a two-page spread at the end showing an assortment of characters; meant to be some salutory tribute to its writer, Brian Michael Bendis, as he leaves Marvel to work at DC.

Issues 1-4 (Apr. - June 2018): Nick Spencer and Donny Cates include MK among their "Midnight Sons" (which, yes, include a woman) assembled by Wong to save Doctor Strange and L.A., as well as "Ghost-Rider-ified" Avengers Falcon, Thor, Black Panther, Captain Marvel, and Hawkeye. His teammates are Ghost Rider, Blade, Iron Fist, Brother Voodoo, Man-Thing, and Elsa Bloodstone, with an assist by the Scarlet Spider. Naturally, in issue 1 he only appears in one panel at the end. Actually, Moon Knight turns down the offer to join Wong's team, but "Mister Knight" steps up and accepts. Keeping in tone with the current series, MK is not as serious and almost there for comic relief (believe it or not)!

Issues 599-602 (Apr. - Jul.  2018): Writer Charles Soule includes MK as part of an all-star cast of New York-based heroes attempting to take down Mayor Fisk (Kingpin), but MK's appearances are few (which is only natural when you have that many characters involved), making his involvement minimal. He does have one great line, telling Daredevil "You're insane" (obviously intended as irony, coming from MK). Except for #600, where all the action takes place, the rest are just one-panel appearances for him, even though it is a full-page one in #599.

Issues 387-388 (May - June 2018): Donny Cates penned this Damnation tie-in showing what is happening to the Doc while Wong's team tries to save him from Mephisto. MK and his fellow Midnight Sons are briefly shown in basically a recap of what is happening in the main series. Only necessary if you're dying to know what's happening with Doctor Strange "on the inside."

Issues 15-17 (May - June 2018): Peter David is the writer for this Damnation series tie-in, but the only scenes showing Wong's new Midnight Sons (including MK) are a revisiting of the scene where Reilly meets the team in the main series. MK is on one page at the end of issue #15 and one at the beginning of #16. His appearance is slightly larger in #17; in addition to a one-page image of all the Midnight Sons in action, MK is on the final page too, where he is saved by Reilly as he joins them in their battle.

Issue 3 (Nov. 2018): Writer Donny Cates includes Moon Knight (or at least his head flying through the air) in this tale, which seems another in the style of "so-and-so versus the Marvel Universe."

Issues 3-6 (Nov. 2018 - Feb. 2019): Writer Gerry Duggan elevates MK to the big leagues by merging him with Spider-Man to become Arachknight. Issue 3 includes another funny bit for MK, who's almost being handled in a Deadpoolish way lately with the humor. From issue 4 on, it is simply the Arachknight persona that appears (and not all that much either).

Issue 1 (Dec. 2018): Written by Chad Bowers and Chris Sims, MK's appearance here is simply a rehash of his merging with Spidey.

​Issues 1, 2 (Dec. 2018, Jan. 2019): Writer Dennis Hopeless spins a yarn that combines the Spidey/Green Goblin rivalry with that of MK and his original adversary, the Werewolf by Night. Intriguing concept, but only lasts the two issues.

Issue 10 (Jan. 2019): MK appears on a splash page with other heroes that is also used as a variant cover.

​Issue 47 (May 2019): Writer Robbie Thompson includes MK as one of the heroes to fall to some new catastrophe that claims the entire Marvel universe--he literally falls into a lake of fire along with numerous other heroes.

​Issue 4 (Jun. 2019): Writer Benjamin Percy brings back the "Mister Knight" look for a short, simple, dark tale, which isn't bad. It is just hard to justify paying the extra buck when the MK segment fills only a third of the issue.

Annual 1 (Sep. 2019): Written by Al Ewing, this takes place in the "warped" reality that involved Arachnight.

Annual 1 (Sep. 2019): Written by Al Ewing, this takes place in the "warped" reality that involved Arachnight.

Annual 1 (Sep. 2019): Written by Al Ewing, this takes place in the "warped" reality that involved Arachnight. It seems he has merged further with the Captain America/Doctor Strange amalgam to become Spider Supreme. There is one panel that shows all the merged heroes in their true form.

Issues 14-16 (Oct. - Dec. 2019): Written by Matthew Rosenberg, the Punisher is joined by Moon Knight, Night Thrasher (both of whom teamed up with him back in the early 90's [see The Amazing Spider-Man's six-part "Round Robin: The Sidekick's Revenge" storyline on the Phase 4: Ex-Avenger, Ex-Fist page]), Black Widow, Ghost Rider, and Rachel Cole-Alves.

Finally, MK (and not an alternate version of him) is included in a story deserving of his presence and participation. Rosenberg uses him appropriately enough, and naturally his introduction in #14 is filled with a humorous tête-à-tête with Punisher involving the usual "insanity" gag routine that seems to be accompanying him in all his guest appearances at this point in time.

Annual 1 (Nov. 2019): An annual to a series that isn't even running? Whatever! Just glad to have a Moon Knight title out there, even if it is only for one issue. Cullen Bunn is back writing MK in an interesting tale where our hero is the only one Kang hasn't erased from existence, thanks to Khonshu. Tasked with restoring the timeline, MK is aided by Moon Knights from different eras as he grapples with Kang throughout time.

Issue 1 (Dec. 2019): In the wake of DC's cancellation of MAD, Marvel brings this old competitor back with an issue full of its heroes, albeit used for comedic purposes of course. Mister Knight makes a one-panel appearance where he is described as being "five times the man" as someone else. Clever.

Issues 3-5 (Dec. 2019): Writer Ed Brisson brings MK into this five-parter at the end of issue 3, and his face in close-up fills the cover of #4, hinting at his prominence in the issue. It also shows him being infected, so there was the fear that he would simply be there simply to become part of the contagious ones. However, this was not the case, and he instead becomes the most important character in the story. That's right, MK fans--he plays "the" pivotal role in this miniseries (with an assist from Pei), unlike so many other ones that have included him! 

Issues 4, 5 (Dec. 2019 - Jan. 2020): Moon Knight makes his debut appearance in this series detailing the history of Marvel, with writer Mark Waid giving a summary of MK's entry into the pantheon of Marvel heroes. In #4, there is a brief mention accompanied by a picture on one page and then an encapsulated segment in the latter half of the book. Issue 5 only has a shot of him with his Secret Avengers team.