REVIEW: ‘Moon Knight: Black, White & Blood,’ Issue #3

Moon Knight: Black, White & Blood #3 is an anthology series published by Marvel Comics. Like the previous two issues, this comic contains three stories featuring the lunar vigilante as well as a color scheme that lives up to its name. “Wrong Turn” is written by Erica Schultz and illustrated by David Lopez. Next, “No Empty Sky” is written by Jim Zub and illustrated by Djibril Morissette-Phan. Finally, “Astronauts” is written by Ann Nocenti, illustrated by Stefano Raffaele, and colored by Chris Sotomayor. The entire issue is lettered by VC’s Cory Petit.

The thing I love about Moon Knight is that he’s a character that doesn’t fit into entirely one genre. Due to the mix of elements within his origin, creators can tackle anything from a standard superhero tale to mind-bending journeys into madness and even mysticism. This issue of Black, White & Blood is a key example, as each story takes place within a different genre. For example, “Wrong Turn” is a heist story gone wrong as a trio of bank robbers hijacks a cab belonging to no other than Jake Lockley, one of Moon Knight’s alter egos. Lopez plays with reflections a lot here; whenever Jake looks at his reflection, he often sees Moon Knight. And Schultz gets a kick out of showcasing the various reactions the robbers have to Lockley, with Petit even obscuring certain sentences as if he isn’t paying any attention to them.

The issue’s standout is “No Empty Sky,” which pits Moon Knight against a mysterious cult before they make a sacrifice. This is where the book really lives up to its name, with Morrissette-Phan illustrating whole sequences of Moon Knight sending cultists flying with punches and kicks and spraying blood across the screen. And as if that wasn’t a big enough draw, Zub’s script tackles the most interesting aspect of the Moon Knight mythos: faith. Though he was resurrected by the moon god Khonshu, Marc Spector’s service has been tenuous at best. In this story, it’s put to the test after a shocking revelation. The ending is one of the more poignant ones I’ve read in a Moon Knight story, and it’ll stick with viewers long after they close the comic.

Conversely, “Astronauts” doesn’t quite live up to its premise. True, the idea of “Moon Knight going to the literal moon” is fun. And Raffaele gets to dive deep into the realm of sci-fi, with a spaceship constructed of pure white steel and Sotomayor coloring the consoles a fiery red. But there’s a twist that comes out of left field, and the end goal of the story is never apparent. Is it a commentary on the billionaire space race? Or the old adage that things aren’t always what they seem? Nocenti should have picked one angle and stuck with it.

Moon Knight: Black, White & Blood #3 features a trio of tales that showcase the range of stories the lunar vigilante can be a part of. With only one more issue to go, I hope the best was saved for last. And I also hope this isn’t the end of the Black, White & Blood anthologies because there are plenty of Marvel characters who fit the format.

Moon Knight: Black, White & Blood #3 is available wherever comics are sold.