Fanboys Anonymous

What's up? It's me again, back to talk about yet another outstanding issue of Warren Ellis, Declan Shalvey, and Jordie Bellaire's blockbusting comic book epic, Moon Knight. If you've yet to pick up an issue after my last four reviews, you're sorely missing out on one of Marvel's best titles. Seriously, just read the series. It's not your run-of-the-mill superhero comic.


Issue #5 is aptly titled "Scarlet." To seasoned Moon Knight fans, the name immediately conjures up fond memories of Moon Knight's classic femme fatale, Stained Glass Scarlet. Sadly, this issue has nothing to do with her. Luckily, that doesn't matter, as the book still stands on its own feet without relying on Moon Knight's history. This issue, as the creative team has giddily reiterated time and again via social media, is heavily influenced by such films as The Raid (an Indonesian flick whose plot was borrowed by 2012's Dredd) and Oldboy. If you ever watch those movies, you'll definitely see the similarities.

Moon Knight—drawing on the mythology of Khonshu in his role as the protector of night travelers—scales a six-story building fraught with armed thugs to save a young girl who was kidnapped at night. As he says to the first thug he encounters, the gang's motivation for the kidnapping doesn't matter; this is a pretty straightforward tale of the hero rescuing the damsel in distress and looking badass as he does. Context really means nothing to Moon Knight or this creative team, and that's what sets the book apart from other Marvel titles.

Yet another classic added to Ellis' Moon Knight one-liners.

There are too many great action scenes to talk about, and I'd rather leave them for you to see for yourself. When Marvel and Diamond release their art previews of the books, they really do a disservice to the book and its team; each story is so self-contained that showing any one piece of a 21- to 24-page issues would prove too huge of a spoiler. I generally ignore the previews so I can get the full effect of the book when I first open it, and I suggest that you do the same.

Every member of the creative team is kicking major tush with this issue. I could go on praising everyone like I always do, but let's be honest: what else is there to say that I haven't already said? It's definitely a bittersweet feeling, though, knowing that this is their penultimate issue before Ellis and Shalvey leave the book to allow Brian Wood and Greg Smallwood their chance to shine. I'm still looking forward to their finale, though, and I know that whatever it will be, it shall be their swan song for the series.

Really? You can afford a mansion and all your tech, and you're worried about one truncheon?

Moon Knight #5 gets 5 stars out of 5 for both writing and art. This issue is practically flawless, and a definite gem in the series. Don't waste any time; pick this book up now at your local comic book shop, or read it digitally with Comixology. Let me know your thoughts and feelings about this book and its epic series in the comments section below, and keep following Fanboys Anonymous for more Moon Knight reviews!