Moon Knight: City of the Dead Review

Follow Marc Spector as he travels to the City of the Dead on a journey of reflection, guilt, and redemption. This mini-series takes place during the countdown to the end of the Moon Knight. With some surprising characters, stunning art, and an action-packed story, this is one that’s worth checking out.

Sights of the City

As many a Moon Knight tale takes us through different worlds, it gives the artists the ability to create something beautiful. And City of the Dead is no different. Marcelo Ferreira pencilled 4 out of the 5 issues and created a stunning world. Both Ferreira and Sean Hill pull you in to this otherworldly story. When you first get a glimpse of the City of the Dead, it’s mysterious and vast, and Ferreira’s take on the afterlife is gritty but beautiful.

It contrasts the brightness of Moon Knight’s striking white costume. But as the story progresses the world around him becomes clearer and blends with him. As Marc Spector slowly becomes more and more entrenched in the mind-bending world, the city is less unknown to him, and this appears to be reflected in the artwork.

But it’s not just the scenery that we were all waiting to see. Ferreira and Hill do the action well, and while there’s plenty of blood (as we would expect) it’s not over the top. Ferreira has a beautiful way of still creating action without smacking you in the face with the gore.

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Tales of the Dead

David Pepose creates an exciting story that takes Marc Spector through the darkest parts of his past. Set after the events of Moon Knight #25, he sets off in search of salvation and redemption. When a young boy is attacked outside the Midnight Mission and left barely alive, Moon Knight won’t leave him to die. But the City of the Dead is a mysterious and complicated realm, and it’s easy to lose yourself along the way.

While Marc Spector is searching to save the young boy, he’s also battling his own demons – sometimes literally! He carries a lot of guilt, and this feeds the greater conflict inside him. The City of the Dead is the perfect setting for Pepose to explore this, as he has to come face to face with his past. It’s a beautiful exploration of grief, guilt, and finally, acceptance of every part.

The friends and foes of the story work really well. As Marc Spector faces some of the biggest names from his past, there’s a shining star to help him. Layla El-Faouly, now The Scarlet Scarab, is by his side throughout (almost) all of his trials, and has a great sense of how well they work together. One of the best parts of the story is the main villain. It’s perfect for this story, and one that really makes Marc Spector search his soul.

While the story is action-packed and beautiful, it suffers in the way that some mini-series do. The ending is a brilliant climax, but there are a couple of moments that feel a little rushed and forced. However, these moments don’t overshadow the story. It has a neat ending that is still beautifully done and feels complete.

Long Live the Knight

Moon Knight: City of the Dead is an exciting story that takes us on a fantastic journey, and really captures the uncertain foundations of both the city and the character. We also get to see more of Marc Spector and his struggle to be better. This is made all the better by Scarlet Scarab being along for the ride and helping Moon Knight find his way. We really get to see more of how Layla El-Faouly and Marc Spector work together. It’s a bittersweet reunion, that’s full of humour and heartbreak that adds something special to the story.

Overall, this is a mini-series that’s worth picking up. It’s a brilliant stand-alone story that adds to the mythos of the Knight. It’s a beautifully written and drawn story that will have you hooked all the way through and a beautiful exploration of the character of Marc Spector. If you’re looking for a little more Moon Knight in your life, then this is definitely one to pick up!

Moon Knight: City of the Dead #1-5 is available in print now.