REVIEW: ‘Murderworld: Moon Knight,’ Issue #1

Murderworld: Moon Knight #1 is part of a crossover published by Marvel Comics, written by Jim Zub and Ray Fawkes, art by Luca Pizzari, colours by Matt Milla, and letters by Cory Petit. Four remaining survivors of Arcade’s games have broken free and are now within the inner workings of Murderworld, tracking him down from the inside. But that may put them in even more danger.

This issue should really have a sub-title of ‘false sense of security,’ as perhaps the end of the last issue carried with it a piece of hope as the characters gained an upper hand. Breaking through the walls of the game changed the perceived direction, but that does not make their road any safer. It is explosive and heartbreaking. What has changed is that these characters have been given time to show personality and draw us in, two of them having been narrators of the previous chapters, and so now their morality has more weight and I personally want them all to make it out. The action is still brutal and unflinching, the violence quick and shocking still so many issues later. There are so many surprises and changes, and the nature of this comic means that story arcs can be cut down in a second. Zub and Fawkes excellently quash any feelings of hope again, but one flicker emerges by the final page.

The characters in this book are becoming more likable and understood, but it is a dangerous game to try and get attached to anyone in the Murderworld series. It is something that those inside the challenge have fallen foul of too. It is suddenly glaringly obvious that there aren’t many bodies left in the game, so a death would really change the course of the story. The narrator and focus character has changed to Marina, a figure that’s been out of the main part for a lot of the series. She’s a figure, like Vincent, with more of a Marvel background, connected to a well-known group. It makes her extremely capable in a fight and cutthroat in her thinking, which has proven to be an advantage in Murderworld. This might be one of the more emotionally devastating chapters so far, because of how far all the characters have come.

The art in Murderworld: Moon Knight #1 is terrific. There is a matter-of-fact attitude to the violence, displaying it so brazenly. There is the addition of Marina, an athletic and focused fighter, brilliantly captured as a calculated battler. The lines seem to be thinner than in previous issues, allowing for ultra-specific facial expressions. But then blocky shadows can also be used well for gloom and ominous settings. The title character included looks phenomenal, one of the all-time great costumes taken for a spin by Pizzari. He is another figure like Wolverine whose violence is well-documented, and that blunt force is captured through his robotic decoy too. There are some fantastic pieces of imagery and playing around with panel layouts in this issue too, perhaps more than in other issues. The method of displaying explosions or Arcade’s image of what’s happening within Murderworld is fantastic.

The colours are also very well done. The past has a deep green hue to it that fits the atmosphere of the group involved. There is beauty to the lighting and the exaggerated tones included in some of the pages, which is strange when the subject matter is so horrifying. There’s a lovely use of pale blues during Moon Knight’s segment, as well as on Eden’s outfit, which matches nicely with the stark white of the caped costume. The lettering has some inventive inclusions, with creepy word balloons and some gruesome SFX.

Murderworld: Moon Knight #1 proves that this series can still pack a gut punch. After breaking out of the game, perhaps it felt like the murders may cease slightly and the participants were on the road to some form of freedom. This issue is a reality check and carries with it some of the hardest moments to read. But I would also argue it’s one of the most beautifully illustrated books of the series too. One issue remains and I don’t think the test will get any easier.

Murderworld: Moon Knight #1 is available where comics are sold.