Full Moon Of Rage — Reviewing ‘Moon Knight: Fist Of Khonshu’ #4

There is a saying out there about what happens when one corners a rat. Naturally they become terrified, lashing out. Claws and teeth slashing away at whatever they can reach as they search for an escape. Possibly the only thing more dangerous is a cornered Moon Knight, looking to unleash upon those who took everything from him.

It’s a solo affair as the aforementioned Moon Knight reaches a breaking point and pushes back against those who cornered him. Jed MacKay, Devmalya Pramanik, Rachelle Rosenberg, and Cory Petit pull no punches with Moon Knight: Fist Of Khonshu #4.

Here we are, over three years into this overall run for Moon Knight, and it still is pretty damn good.

While Alessandro Cappuccio has moved over to bring hard life to Ultimate Wolverine, the series hasn’t lost a visual beat. Pramanik is no stranger to this corner of Marvel, after tapping in to cover the final issues of the previous Vengeance Of The Moon Knight series. One of the hallmarks of the series has been art that really hits the roughness of Marc Spector’s world- Dark and rough and very fluid at the same time leaning into more exaggeration in some cases.

Pramanik nails all of that. There is a heaviness present in all things that grounds the work. While the overall visuals are fluid and dynamic, with so much baked in roughness. We have a whole sequence of Moon Knight losing it as he takes on a whole army of Vermin clones in the underground. It’s a brutal, vicious, deadly fight scene where we feel every single bit of that. Not a moment feels less than frantic and like someone truly fighting for their very life.

Another element that Pramanik specifically brings to the table is a dash of exaggeration. Some poses and focuses really shift and change, like one where Moon Knight is almost smushed and stretched (for lack of a better term currently) in a way that feels otherworldly but still threatening. Other panels take advantage of this to a degree, playing into the fantastical nature behind this godly powered character.

Rosenberg is still here to bring a dense and mixed color palette to play. Lots of filter like colors that really pop in particular scenes. Such as how Jake, Marc, and Steven all have different overall color schemes to their panels, as the personalities clash. Each issue there is the right balance between street level grittiness and out of this world weirdness. Mixing those two distinct but similar color palettes together to create something really eye-catching.

One of the ways is just how much Moon Knight radiates and glows with the almost blinding white costume. Leaning into the Moon aesthetic really hard in the best way. This is a character that wants you to see him coming because you should be terrified if he is after you.

A large aspect of that comes down to what MacKay has accomplished in the years since this story began.

There is a power felt in this moment as Marc Spector reaches a low level. A man that was forcing himself to be alone at the start, who opened himself to allies who became a family. Opening himself to the love found with Tigra. Now as they are all being targeted and having crimes pinned on them because of their connection to him, he’s breaking and returning to the past and a desire to go it alone, to end this fight face to face with the foe he underestimated.

Such rich development and time is spent with character, which is a trademark of MacKay’s writing. He finds the way to get the most out of any character no matter their status or time spent in the Marvel spotlight previously. Never thought I’d be not only reading a Moon Knight book this long but being in love with every issue that comes out.

There is an introductory moment with Dr. Sterman…and it’s so damn good.

Marc (as well as Steven and Jake) goes through the wringer here. Reaching a variety of levels of emotional lows and highs. Petit makes all of that felt so much with each word on the page. Making little changes here or there to really boost the volume or tone. Letting all the emotional resonance pour from each letter across the page. Matching the rest of the artwork in the sense of depth and placement, mirroring the intriguing paneling choices with how the lettering flows.

Moon Knight: Fist Of Khonshu #4 is now available from Marvel Comics.