Vengeance of the Moon Knight #6: ‘Light up the night / There is a city that this darkness can’t hide’

The panic attack has become a trope in recent media, popping up in the newest Puss in Boots film, Inside Out 2, and even providing the premise for a Spider-Verse tie-in short film. Like any trope, it can be a boon or detriment to the storytelling in a work, chasing a trend or being used as a shortcut rather than a specific choice. A good piece can use the panic attack as a moment that matches the night of the soul or all is lost moment in the hero’s journey. As the villain, antagonist, or dramatic force overwhelms the hero, anxiety can spike and all hope can be lost. That sense of panic is present in the most recent tie-in into the big Marvel event, Blood Hunt.  

Vengeance of the Moon Knight #6 – written by Jed MacKay with art from Devmalya Pramanik, coloring by Rachelle Rosenberg, and lettering from VC’s Cory Petit – offers another tie-in issue to Blood Hunt, the massive summer event from MacKay and Pepe Larraz. While Blade and his hordes of vampires wreak havoc on Earth, the Midnight Mission is split apart in their attempts to repeal the nightstalker forces. In the event title, Tigra and Hunter’s Moon are on a mission to Asgard for reinforcements while in this issue, Reese, Soldier, and 8-Ball are on the ground, fighting to defend their flock (travelers in the night).  

The trio attempts to evacuate anyone and everyone possible from their homes and back to the mission, fighting through legions of vampires. Reese is met with resistance, as a hold-out man with a gun is unwilling to trust a vampire like her. They manage to get their first group back to the mystical building, passing over the people to Dr. Sterman, who appears to be coordinating the survivors. Reese, Soldier, and 8-Ball immediately depart, ready to continue their fight in the streets and alleyways. The fallout of the carnage triggers a panic attack in Reese just as Yulan, the Chinese vampire/ganglord appears, unwilling to align herself with the mission. The moment inspires Reese in how to help with the hold-out survivor. 

MacKay’s scripting for this issue is the perfect mirror to the events of Blood Hunt, finding its protagonist and its framing as the other side of the same coin. While Blood Hunt is the big, bombastic spectacle dealing with lore and capital-P Plot, Vengeance of the Moon Knight gets to be the more intimate story of what the event is doing to the people on the ground. Reese has been consistently established as a point-of-view character for the MacKay/Cappuccio run, allowing new readers to empathize and learn more about the mystical world of New York with her. Even as she’s learned to embrace her affliction and use it to help others she’s worked to manage her grief about Marc’s death and continue his mission. 

Choosing to frame the story around her, and employ an emotional reaction like the panic attack is an intimately human moment when set against the backdrop of the event, and it makes this issue stand out. While recent media has had mixed results with using the panic attack as a dramatic moment, here it is a perfect beat in the flow of the issue and large story. MacKay previously established the guilt and hurt that Reese is living through, first from being turned into a vampire and then losing Marc. This feels like the most natural point for this reaction to occur, as the stress and weight of her experiences have compounded to a tenfold level. 

The moment is a reminder of MacKay’s ability to tell a long-form story, weaving in plot beats from across 40 issues or so. MacKay’s strength as a writer is compounded as more issues are added under his belt for a series, allowing for a constant refining and organic flow of narrative from the time put in. It’s the storytelling of being a marathon runner versus a sprinter that thrives in the miniseries. Without laying the track for this moment throughout Reese’s appearances, it wouldn’t be surprising for the panic attack to come off as cheesy or tone-deaf. Instead, all of that time feeds into the rich perspective Reese brings as the lead of the issue. 

Equally important to maintaining that sense of organic reaction is Pramanik’s art, filling in for regular artist Alessandro Cappuccio. The style used in the issue strikes a balance of feeling in line with the visual aesthetic established by Cappuchio while feeling unique. It features softer lines and fewer abstractions of anatomy and action but matches the focus on amplifying the emotions on the page. Pramanik captures the pain, fear, and anxiety roiling under Reese’s face in vivid detail. Those feelings are clear and signal both her resolve and willingness to help and become a dedicated bridge to help others by the end of the issue. 

Just because the dialogue and emotional linework are strong in the issue doesn’t mean the action is slacking. Pramanik propels the gritty action in every possible panel, offering clear, concise choreography and blocking across easy-to-read panels. Each sequence flows into the next, allowing the sword slashing, shotgun blasts, and vampiric powers to shine. Even 8–Ball gets a moment to shine during the action, Pramanik continuing the work Cappuccio’s done to make the d-list villain a formidable foe. The action also manages to evoke the carnal sense of blood and violence that Larraz is utilizing in the main Blood Hunt title. A standout moment is Reese slashing through a vampire with an Egyptian sword and creating a gushing arc of blood from the foe. 

A key to selling that action beat, and the overall cohesive look of the issue, comes from Rosenberg’s coloring. The rich crimson of the spraying blood plays as exaggerated on the page, much like a squib in a movie. The fact that it doesn’t result in a tepid, fabricated feeling is a testament to Rosenberg’s craft, displaying an ability to enrich the artifice for maximum effect. Rosenberg’s coloring not only elevates the material in those action beats with the harsh reds and yellows of the artificial nights but also manages to maintain visual continuity with the series. With the sun blocked out and no moon due to the energies of the Darkforce, the look of New York feels off. 

Rosenberg brings in rich, vibrant, and most importantly, ethereal colorings to align the look of this issue to the larger series. Deep pinks of light and heavy darkness and shadows litter the pages, and even the unnatural glow of Reese and Soldier’s suits evoke the classic palette of the series, speaking to the distinct elements that make this an original work. There’s a spectacular panel that features Reese staring into the distance and soaking up the carnage from the vampire invasion, and Rosenberg’s coloring creates a distressing emotional reaction. The shades of pink and orange of the street lights illuminate mounds of black, with just enough detail to signal bodies in silhouette. It’s striking and horrific but Rosenberg’s coloring beckons the eye, making it impossible to look away, putting the reader in the shoes of Reese.