By Rebecca Gault — Marvel Comics’ Black, White & Blood anthology series has skewed generally towards the most mature characters in the line and those with the greatest propensity for violence; Wolverine, Carnage, and Elektra to name a few. The decision to give Moon Knight a run at this format is a smart one, with Moon Knight - Black, White, and Blood #1, out this week. Fresh off his critically-acclaimed TV show on Disney+, the lunar vigilante is definitely a hot commodity at Marvel. 

Giving him an issue in this format is definitely one of the stronger ideas, especially with the strong genre-crossing nature of this particular anthology. To lead it off, writer Jonathan Hickman and artist Chris Bachalo offer up a hard sci-fi take, compared to the witty superhero team up in the second story by writer Murewa Ayodele and artist Dotun Akande, and the third story with its form experimentation by writer Marc Guggenheim and artist Jorge Fornés. 

Hickman and Bachalo’s “Anubis Rex” very clearly draws on seminal sci-fi texts and, despite some confusing moments throughout with regards to the art set up, the story itself has a very interesting hook. It’s perhaps a story that is too big for this format but the design for the future Moon Knight is eye-catching and Hickman’s tone is as expansive as fans of his runs on Fantastic Four and the X-Men would come to expect. It’s a fun story to read but perhaps one that would have been more suited to something that allowed it space to breathe. 

“So White. Yet, So Dark” from Ayodele and Akande is perhaps the strongest of the three stories here. It’s a fun romp with Moon Knight and Spider-Man getting a chance to team up and fits comfortably into the small space afforded by this format. The character interactions really shine here with Spider-Man’s wisecracking nature butting against the more austere take on Moon Knight. Yet, this creates a compelling dynamic that is enhanced by the clarity and crispness of Akande’s artwork. This story is one that very clearly knows how to make the constraints of the format work while still being compelling enough that I would happily pick up a mini featuring these characters from this team. 

“The End”, by Guggenheim and Fornés however is a story that could only be featured in this anthology style. The form is likely too convoluted for a story much longer than the one here but the central conceit is one that proves to be very interesting. The story here is told in reverse, opening at the very end and working backwards, panel by panel until the meeting of the two characters who make a stand together. It would be easy to find this format confusing but Guggenheim does good work in making it as clear as possible while still offering enjoyable experiences for those who re-read to notice details in a second attempt. Fornés’ artwork here is simple but arresting with a keen awareness of how to utilize the dark and light in order to create striking images.

Moon Knight - Black, White and Blood #1 does make effective use of the anthology format here. Not every story is as successful as the last but, as is often the case with collections, there is sure to be at least one story here that would please a fan of Moon Knight. With three issues still to go, there is plenty of space for more beloved creators to provide their own take on Moon Knight and, if they continue to use the format of this series to such strong effect, it will likely prove to be a popular choice for many fans of the vigilante - both new and old. 

Overall: Moon Knight - Black, White, and Blood #1 delivers a complex trio of stories that might not land for everyone but still offer a great spread of tales about Moon Knight, spanning multiple genres and different art styles. 7/10

REVIEW: Moon Knight: Black, White & Blood #1

Moon Knight: Black, White & Blood #1
Writers: Jonathan Hickman, Murewa Ayodele & Marc Guggenheim 
Artists: Chris Bachalo, Dotun Akande & Jorge Fornés
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit  
Publisher: Marvel Comics 
A BLOOD MOON RISES - AND ITS CONTENTS ARE BLACK, WHITE & RED!
A bevy of comicdom's finest creators put their mark upon the Fist of Khonshu in stories depicted in stark black, white and blood-red! Jonathan Hickman and Chris Bachalo introduce the all-different Moon Knight of the future! Marc Guggenheim and Jorge Fornés tell a Moon Knight adventure in reverse!
And Murewa Ayodele and Dotun Akande team the white-clad crusader up with the Amazing Spider-Man for a harrowing night of adventure!
Price: $4.99 
Buy It Here: Digital / Physical

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Rebecca is a literature student by day, a freelance writer by night, and a comics fan always. She is a big fan of everything superheroic and horrific. Right now, she can be found on Twitter at @phoenixfcrce.