Thursday, November 19, 2009

Moon Knight Special Edition Covers by Bill Sienkiewicz

In the 1980s, Moon Knight gained popularity as a solo character with his back-up series in Hulk Magazine, and then a special solo outing in Marvel Preview #21.  Marvel reprinted these stories in three full color Special Editions in 1983.

Moon Knight Special Edition 1, 1983

The Moon Knight Special Editions all had terrific wraparound covers by Bill Sienkiewicz.  I think the cover to issue #1 really captures the appeal of Moon Knight, a glittering, slightly insane superhero battling bad guys when most of us are asleep.

Moon Knight Special Edition 2 cover, 1983

The second cover features Moon Knight hunched over Marlene as he faces a mad killer, while the Hulk looks on from the rear.  I really admired how Sienkiewicz (and Doug Moench) humanized the character.  At times he looked utterly beaten down, exhausted, and about to keel over at any minute.

Moon Knight Special Edition 3 cover, 1983

Special Edition #3 included the reprint of "The Mind Thieves" from Marvel Preview #21.  This story was really Moon Knight's coming out party, a giant-sized story that had Marc Spector and Co. travelling to Paris to stop "Operation Cobra".  The above scene takes place at the Tatin Museum in Cossé-le-Vivien.  Nuff said!

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