Nerds That Geek Comic Book Review: ‘Moon Knight’ (2017) #195

Written by Joel T. Lewis

​My first look at Paul Davidson’s artwork in issue 195 of Moon Knight inspired confusion. I recognized the characteristic pastel pallet of colorist Matt Lopes, but for the first 6 pages of the book I couldn’t be sure I had picked up an issue of Moon Knight. The sinuous hipster characters seemed better suited to a Boom Studios or Image title than Marvel and I was unsure what to expect from such a stylistic departure from the way I had seen Moon Knight Comics in the past. Fear not dear readers for I had only to turn to page 7 for this issue to cement itself as one of my favorite Moon Knight comics of all time!
           
Issue 195 sees the birth of a new Moon Knight foe in the Collective, a jumbled hive-minded behemoth formed by an unlikely group of misfits who desire to escape the shackles of individuality. This disturbing hurricane of fleshy foibles absorbs everyone it touches adding them to the tangled mass of souls that make up its sublime and grotesque body. Marc, enjoying some much needed mental and physical downtime, is alerted to this new threat’s presence while out seeing a movie with Marlene and Diatrice in reality, and fishing with Khonshu, Steven, and Jake in his mind. Despite just having voiced his contentment to leave the real freakish villains to the likes of the X-Men, Marc dons the Jet and Silver and snaps into action.
 
Marc quips and kicks his way through a short-lived battle with the vastly overpowered Collective before being absorbed into the hive mind himself (or selves if we’re being particularly cheeky) and the issue concludes with Marc, Steven, Khonshu, and Jake faced with the technicolor acid trip that make up the Collective’s collection of psyches. This new villain (which takes broad strokes inspiration from the entity of the same name made up of all the depowered mutants following M-Day) is wacky, grotesque, and perfect for facing off with Moon Knight. Bemis has fast tracked another story arc that gives mental and physical confrontation equal time and it’s brilliant. I love seeing Khonshu in fisherman’s regalia, in fact I’ve taken to referring to him in that getup as ‘Step-Dad K-Man’, I love the back and forth commentary on leaving Sun King alive between Marc and Jake, and I especially love Diatrice’s request for Sour Patch Kids as Spector leaves the theater.
 
As well-crafted and clever as this issue is written, for me this month’s installment is all about the art. From the pink haired, tattooed and mustachioed members of the Collective, to Fisherman Khonshu, and finally to the sharp fluidity of Moon Knight himself, Paul Davidson is drawing his ass off. Davidson’s Moon Knight is a sinewy, expressive design, sporting a belt that splits into two short swords and it just looks cool. The first panel we see of Davidson’s Moonie springing into action with his cape balled in his fist is stunning and a design all his own. Set in sharp contrast is the whirling pink mass of the Collective, whose towering chaotic design is revolting in the best way.
 
Watching these two figures dance from panel to panel as they fight in the Hall of Science toppling T-Rex skeletons and dodging Helicopter machine gun fire is incredible and the final image of swirling nightmare of the Collective swallowing up Moon Knight is one of my favorite images in comics. Paul Davidson will return in issue 196 before concluding his brief run on Moon Knight, and while I would love him to stay on as a regular, I’m very grateful to have another issue to read where he will be drawing our favorite lunar vigilante. Until next time, Geek On!

---