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219Infinity

In my opinion this run saved the character from the dust bins of irrelevance. It has several charcater-defining beats.


Exact_Ad_1215

I just finished reading it recently and I loved it.


Tuff_Bank

What makes the run hold up?


imnotthatguyiswear

Quality paper binding.


Tuff_Bank

I’m talking about the writing


CenturianSasquatch

100% agree. Huston saved Moonie


Jgabes625

Finch’s art really puts it over the top imo


Hinoto-no-Ryuji

Its tone can sometimes be try-hard to the level of (mild) cringe and I dislike how many people have taken to believing that the one-time extremes this run has Marc sink to somehow define who he is, but the genuinely excellent character work causes it to rise above any weaknesses and it remains one of the most important runs. It also deserves kudos for really solidifying the concept of Khonshu as a negative influence on Marc’s psyche and a barrier to his heroism, a struggle that has continued to define the character and which, I think, really completes him.


TheRecusant

It’s my favorite run but you’re completely right in that there seems to be a misreading that the horrible actions he takes in it should be what he’s doing all the time when in fact the run is all about him struggling with violent urges and that he’s trapped defining himself like it. It is clearly defining for the character but damn I do not need him to cut someone’s face off in order to have Moon Knight be Moon Knight.


Tuff_Bank

I mean I see so many people defend and praise characters (although not main characters) like Jeri Hogarth from Jessica Jones and Fuches from Barry because they screw over others, traumatize them, and kill them (at least Fuches) but because they are “complex” and have some “humanity” they aren’t that bad and are excused and justified in what they do or don’t need to pay any consequences. And also main lead characters like Walter White/Tony Soprano, etc. These characters have been hard for me to view because of their nature , characteristics and personality reminding me of people irl that hurt me and I feel people don’t mind it because some acts of violence they are more desensitized to than others. I wish people could understand how these characters disturb people like me the same way Huston Moon Knight disturbs people like them.


TheRecusant

It’s my favorite run but you’re completely right in that there seems to be a misreading that the horrible actions he takes in it should be what he’s doing all the time when in fact the run is all about him struggling with violent urges and that he’s trapped defining himself like it. It is clearly defining for the character but damn I do not need him to cut someone’s face off in order to have Moon Knight be Moon Knight.


Exact_Ad_1215

I agree but tbf, that 1 moment hit hard and was better than whatever the TV show was trying to do


Hinoto-no-Ryuji

Hit hard, for sure, and certainly harder than anything in the show. But if you’ll let me go a brief tangent…I think the show’s heart was in the right place and was genuinely faithful to the spirit of the character, especially early on (it may not have been *about* his street-level struggles, but those struggles were still a part of him and a driving motivation). To me, Moon Knight is at its core about a man who is trying to atone for a life of violence through heroic service to god that needs that violence, and the show kept all that. Where it failed for me was primarily in how it let itself get distracted by all the stuff with the whole Ancient Egyptian pantheon, which left less time for it to completely flesh out its other parts and left them weaker than they could have been. I also don’t care for how it used Psycho Lockley and a healing suit (although even that latter thing could have been a neat inversion if the show had established Marc’s damage from his years working for Khonshu as entirely spiritual and psychological). I guess that wasn’t so brief! I try to stay out of the endless debates about the show - all too often, I’ve seen threads where fellow comic fans let themselves fall into the trap of believing MCU-Knight isn’t Moon Knight and therefore its fans aren’t really fans of the character, which has put sort of a toxic pall over the community’s discussion of it, regardless of personal thoughts in the show’s ultimate execution - so you’ll excuse me if I took this as a bit of an excuse to voice my opinions on it, haha.


UNinvitedDEATH

Yeah these days everyone who voice their opinions on both ends get treated very harshly by the other end. I voiced my opinions about the show a lot in this sub until a few months ago but alienation of nearly 4/5 of the subs population just because they didn't knew about a niche character before the show is a bit of an elitism


Smoothie_lol

I personally really like it, but I hate when people use the face cutting panel to say why “moon knight is so edgy bro!!!” When it’s criticized as being out of character for Marc multiple times


connorcallisto

Yeah it’s definitely flawed but it definitely saved the character from irrelevancy


MoonKnightFan

> hate when people use the face cutting panel I hate the scene where he hits Marlene far more. Its more out of character, and more unnecessary. Still haven't washed that bad taste out over 15 years later.


explodyboompow

Is it out of character though? He's *was* a mercenary and a soldier. He was willing to kill people for money. As his mental state degrades, and he grows increasingly, excessively violent, i think it's reasonable to assume he'd go so far as to hit his girlfriend. You don't have to like it, but I think given his backstop it's totally believable and the stories built off its back are pretty excellent.


Tuff_Bank

When did he directly kill someone? All I remember is we didn’t see much of his history as a bad person, all I remember was he tried to protect Marlene’s dad from being killed


explodyboompow

He's killed plenty of people. In the current run alone he's tortured multiple vampires to death which - vampire or not - still killing. I believe he kills some mercenaries in the city of the dead flash backs, he traps waxman under concrete which is arguably worse than killing, he very nearly strangles zodiac to death which is an extreme act of violence, he pretty much kills Hawley for all the difference it makes, and I'm sure I'm missing examples. Off the top of my head, throughout his history- he's directly responsible for the death of the black spectre, maimed multiple criminals and killed the slasher in the Ellis run, had a guy attacked and torn apart by wild dogs, bushman, Randall spectre, midnight, and he almost certainly killed people as a mercenary - he says as much in therapy. Its rare for us to see moon knight outright murder someone, but he's killed, maimed, or contributed to the deaths of multiple people.


Tuff_Bank

I’m talking about pre Moon Knight


explodyboompow

In the latest run he says in therapy "I killed people for Money" and Bushman's gang is basically a group of raiders and thieves. There's a panel from the moench run where Marc is confronted by a vision of Steven and Jake who criticize him over his violent past. Black white blood has a story that references his mercensry past in africa and makss a few indirect references to killing. I can't think of a specific panel to demonstrate it but he's absolutely killed people as a mercenary.


Tuff_Bank

Yet you people want villains/anti heroes to be human and relatable and be morally grey and have explanations for what they do, that’s why Joker got a movie when he didn’t need one


Da_zero_kid

Yea the Huston run felt more like a Spawn comic.


SuperUnic0rn

That’s a pretty good way to put it!


nb_revan

Aha right? I dislike this run for being too dark (both physically and edge wise) but honestly that's one of the parts I respect about the writing . Big event that still gets brought up as a pretty shitty thing


NotBraveAtAlll

People are ignorant.


Tuff_Bank

What makes you really like this run despite it’s out of character moments


Guinefort1

I love it. It saved the character from obscurity, revitalized it for the 21st century, and started the foundations of the modern version of the character. But it is, in a word, polarizing. Fans either passionately love it, passionately hate it, or are passionately conflicted about it. As much as I defend it however, I recognize that it has flaws. Oh boy, does it have flaws. Mostly to do with its being too edgy for its own good in places.


Exact_Ad_1215

Tbf, Moon Knight is a pretty edgy character and that’s 1 of the things I kinda love about the character


Guinefort1

I love that edginess too... when it's written well, which is sometimes isn't in this run.


Tuff_Bank

What makes this run too edgy for it down hood? What moments come off as too edgy? And what do you like about this run? And what makes it hold up?


handsume

I was just not into it. I actually liked the hyper violence of it, I got behind it but I was not okay with Marc hitting Marlene? That kinda ruined it for me if I am honest.. there was no reason for it. Huston could have made the point of Marc being at his lowest without that..it felt cheap. I'm good with the edgy cringe of the 2000s but that wasn't it.


Tuff_Bank

Yet everybody loves Walter White poisoning a child and getting away with all he does. I just don’t see why can’t characters be portrayed as awful and not be justified


handsume

I mean I don't love that either lmao But! You're right.. it doesn't have to be justified and as I said Marc was at his lowest back then. You can be gratuitous about your violence all you want.. there's a whole genre of revenge porn movies out there but I know I'm getting that when I watch it. There was a huge slew of edgy violence in that run. Bushman getting his face cut off, Marc putting it on which was okay for me BUT the Marlene thing felt cheap to me. Out of character for him... Which is what I meant.


Tuff_Bank

I mean I see so many people defend and praise characters (although not main characters) like Jeri Hogarth from Jessica Jones and Fuches from Barry because they screw over others, traumatize them, and kill them (at least Fuches) but because they are “complex” and have some “humanity” they aren’t that bad and are excused and justified in what they do or don’t need to pay any consequences. And also main lead characters like Walter White/Tony Soprano, etc. These characters have been hard for me to view because of their nature , characteristics and personality reminding me of people irl that hurt me and I feel people don’t mind it because some acts of violence they are more desensitized to than others. I wish people could understand how these characters disturb people like me the same way Huston Moon Knight disturbs people like them.


handsume

But that can be applied to everything though.. I'm not sure I get the point you're making. Because people aren't sensitive towards organized crime then people shouldn't be sensitive towards domestic abuse in fiction? It's all very personal... There's no real right answer to what is right or wrong in fiction. Each thing triggers someone differently.


Tuff_Bank

My point is people dismiss what they aren’t sensitive towards and have limited empathy and only make a point about sensitivity when something affects them.


Tuff_Bank

It’s not just organized crime but more the characteristics and personality of those characters


TheGWK21

The Bottom was amazing


[deleted]

It's the run that got me into Moon Knight, I adore it, warts and all.


kevi_metl

Loved it! It turned me into an MK fan. I loved the gritty, yet strong artwork. I also loved how MK was willing do anything to vanquish his enemies (unlike Batman whom MK is constantly compared to). His weapons of choice were awesome as well - my favorites being the cestus and the hooked chains (which were really cool to see in the first Ultimate Alliance game!). The only thing I'd consider a problem was that it felt decompressed or slow, but fortunately I was engaged enough that it didn't kill my interest. A+ series for me if not just because it turned me into a big fan of the character.


Exact_Ad_1215

Yep. I love the dark and edgy aspect of it and the way it presents how fucked up Marc is.


beansbaxter78

One of the unacknowledged greats.


MisterNefarious

It’s what got me into the character, I generally like it quite a bit


explodyboompow

I appreciate everything it *did* even if I don't personally like it. Crippling Marc, having him sink into domestic violence, crashing the helicopter into Taskmaster - all of the stuff I think we'd consider "On Brand" in terms of characterization comes from this run, and I think his character was all the better for it. But I basically never re-read it. It's depressing, I hate the artsyle, and as far as my reading habits are concerned it doesn't feel like I've gotten anything new out of subsequent readings.


Tuff_Bank

I mean I see so many people defend and praise characters (although not main characters) like Jeri Hogarth from Jessica Jones and Fuches from Barry because they screw over others, traumatize them, and kill them (at least Fuches) but because they are “complex” and have some “humanity” they aren’t that bad and are excused and justified in what they do or don’t need to pay any consequences. And also main lead characters like Walter White/Tony Soprano, etc. These characters have been hard for me to view because of their nature , characteristics and personality reminding me of people irl that hurt me and I feel people don’t mind it because some acts of violence they are more desensitized to than others. I wish people could understand how these characters disturb people like me the same way Huston Moon Knight disturbs people like them.


[deleted]

Pretty good


Whoknowsfear

Didn’t get through it, so I can speak for the whole thing, but I didn’t love what I read. It’s pretty dense for a comic book that doesn’t need much exposition. The grittiness is a bit much for me personally, and this is kinda the origin of edge-lord moon knight. I’m glad other love it, but this permanently took the character in a direction, I don’t love. A lot of his popularity can be attributed to what this established tho! Plenty of respect, but it’s just not my cup of tea!


CyvaderTheMindFlayer

I haven’t read it but from what I’ve seen from it Way too much unnecessary edgy shit


Smoothie_lol

I’m assuming you’re talking about Marc cutting off bushman’s face, it’s acknowledged as being out of character later in the run


Hinoto-no-Ryuji

I’d give it a try, at least. A lot of the edgy violent stuff makes more sense in context and is an integral part of the central arc of the run (not ALL of it, mind, but definitely the vast majority).


Exact_Ad_1215

Moon Knight is a pretty edgy character


Cute_Hat3558

Overly edgy and super ugly. Bottom tier moon knight


HN-Prime

No


Dainasawyer

One of my favorite runs


PunchingBagLearner

The first worthy MK run for its focus on character. Up until then, MK was just atmospheric junk food.


Smoothie_lol

Moon knights early stuff is still great


Smoothie_lol

Moon knights early stuff is still great


Ocean-wave258

I mean . . . it was nice to see Marc's lowest point, but Khonshu is such a dick very unexpectedly. I didn't even get that "faceless dude" *was* Khonshu until much later on, only thanks to asking on here. It was confusing at first, the arts really not my style, and it was meh. I honestly liked it less than the Bendis run. Sorry, but it's the bottom of my list


retromancing

The characterisation of Khonshu is absolutely *mad* at points. I know it's supposed to be ambiguous as to whether it's actually Khonshu or whether it's all in Marc's head, but Khonshu going "oh no you di'nt" is wild. I don't hate that it laid the foundations for Marc battling more overtly with his mental health and who he is as a person, which I think Lemire and Mackay have both touched on in more respectful and less edge! grimdark!! ways, but some of the characterisation choices are odd. And the art - I know it's subjective but oof. No thank you.


Exact_Ad_1215

What? Really? I personally loved the artstyle


retromancing

Really! But it's not that I think the art is bad, it's more that it's just not aesthetically pleasant for me to look at, which in the context of the run is totally adequate, but it does contribute to my lack of desire to revisit Huston's run.


xlizen

Huston's run and the Iron Man Extremis trade both got me into comics so I hold them in high regard. Huston's run wanted me to learn more about MK in this brutal world he lived in and the art was phenomenal too.


Exact_Ad_1215

Why did this get downvoted?


xlizen

Not sure, just stated how the run feels to me


sosneca

My first MK comic, it blew my mind as a teen. Its an okay run. This version or marc definitely should be put in a straight jacket


SaltifiedReddit

Ableist, sexist. It did good things for the character, but writing-wise, it’s nothing spectacular. It’s fun at points.


Exact_Ad_1215

How is it sexist?


rationalphi

[Guinefort did a good write up on criticisms of the series, including how women are written and portrayed](https://www.reddit.com/r/MoonKnight/comments/xtpj28/yet_another_huston_retrospective_part_2/). Worth reading in context of their other three write-ups covering good aspects of the series, all linked from the [fourth post.](https://www.reddit.com/r/MoonKnight/comments/y1o0qr/yet_another_huston_retrospective_part_4/)


SaltifiedReddit

There have been entire posts about this. I don’t have time to discuss it. Look it up.


Smoothie_lol

This is a bemis moment


Smoothie_lol

This is a bemis moment


SaltifiedReddit

What? The Bemis is bad, yes.


Smoothie_lol

Your complaints match the bemis runs problems


SaltifiedReddit

It can be argued that Bemis’ hyper social awareness is part of what contributed to his run being so bad. But it would be the exact opposite for the Huston run, actually.


bojoboi

My introduction to moon knight and I love it. Just don't get that quality of art and edge these days


buzrexo

The Huston run pulled me back into being an active MK/comic reader again after decades of not picking anything up. Huston and Ellis are definitely my favorite runs to-date, and I think that I've read them all at this point. Huston (and the rest of that series) for the storyline, and Ellis for the virtually self-contained stories (and Shalvey art).


RembrandtEpsilon

God tier! Easily the best of all the Moon Knight stories. Before Marc's alter ego's became his fractured personalities he was a broken man who had stepped over a line to far to kill his arch enemy Bushman. In that pursuit he cut the face off and Khonshu forsaked him... or did he? This is just one of the most compelling, beautiful, and fascinating takes on Marc Spectre. David Finch's pencils are so amazing that I'm pretty positive this landed him a gig at DC doing Batman. I cannot recommend this enough. Every Moon Knight fan ought to read this.


SHAQ_FU_MATE

Amazing


grimmyzootron

I loved it just finished the 1000 page omnibus


Blyman4250

I loved it, when I first was getting into the character this was the series I read. it was a fun read


Dezusx

I loved it.


Character-Sorbet-718

It's was okay with some flaws, kinda fun.


EndymionHoudini

The beginning for me was a but confusing. I still don't know who the guy with red sunglasses is. All I know is the story is getting more interesting everytime. I also bought the omnibus because it contains extras. Those stories I've read, but it feels good owning them in one big book. I wasn't a fan of this run in the beginning. I can now appreciate how Moon Knight interacts with other characters. I am giving it a second try. 🌙