Vengeance of the Moon Knight #7: Moon Bound Lovers

WARNING: SPOILERS FOR VENGEANCE OF THE MOON KNIGHT & Blood Hunt #4

Outside of a few, select titles, it feels like romance in Big Two comics has been pushed to the side in recent years. Sure, longstanding couples still exist and some pairing have been allowed to flourish, but on the whole, the fleeting passion of characters has felt negligible in recent years. Maybe it’s a byproduct of shorter runs and continuous desire to reset to the status quo, or the loss of the supporting cast. When the romantic comet streaks across a title in the two’s catalog, it feels important to tune in, for nothing else than an affirmation of what makes these funny books great. 

Vengeance of the Moon Knight #7 – written by Jed MacKay with art by Alessandro Cappuccio, colors by Rachelle Rosenberg, and lettering by VC’s Cory Petit – offers the other half of the Midnight Mission’s plan to defeat the vampire invasion in Blood Hunt. The previous issue of the event saw the return of Khonshu and Marc Spector, ready to join the fight while the Avengers battle Varnae. Here, the creative team focuses on Tigra’s perspective on the jailbreak for the rogue god, working with Hunter’s Moon and the Wrecker to open the vault of Asgard. They succeed and are taken to Khonshu’s domain to regroup and recruit the army of zombie Fist of Khonshus. Marc and Tigra are given a moment to reconnect before fighting, spilling into three groups to flank the seemingly endless vampires. 

MacKay’s approach to this issue is one based on raw, pulsating nerves using the familiarity of the plot as a pathway to deeper emotion. Tigra’s perspective layers this issue with a sense of grief, desperation, and resolve. By entering into those aspects, MacKay elevates a story that plays the repeat of a story already seen into something heartbreaking, and then heartwarming. Much of that emotion underscoring is achieved through the terse, clipped narration that runs through the issue. Fragmented sentences and choppy phrases speak louder than a thousand words, radiating the tiger-themed hero’s pain.

That stripped-down language is sharply contrasted with the verbose dialogue from Khonshu. The moon god is eloquent to the point of being Shakespeare in his sentences and ideas. Each line of dialogue is like a sweeping tapestry that MacKay wrings for maximum effect. The bird head’s proclamations ring out from the page and it’s easy to imagine them in that deep, booming voice that demands respect. Each syllable is leavened to signify that atmosphere of power as Khonshu returns to full power, selling the character’s godly nature. 

As a result of these two clear voices, MacKay’s scripting for this issue shifts gears from the righteous fury and overflowing passions that have controlled both series. There’s a moment that sees Marc and Tigra running toward each other as the captions convey the harsh lessons the tiger hero has had to learn throughout her publishing history. They cut quick and deep, speaking not just to her experiences, but to those of Marc’s as well. They reinforce a rhythm to the moment that explodes when the two finally embrace, bellowing a true sense of passion from the page. It’s the type of grand, romantic beat that thrives in fiction, built out of epic obstacles and passing states of life and death. A beating heart returns to the book with Marc, as love returns to the Moon Knight title.  

What’s more fitting for this moment, and the rest of the issue, is Cappuccio’s return to art. Without him, this moment and overall issue don’t carry the same visceral, expressive beats. Due both to Cappuccio’s status as the primary artist on the run and his very specific, stylized approach to visual storytelling. The heavy shadows and exaggerated silhouettes are present in the issue but a softer approach is taken in the reunion sequence. Doing so allows for the book’s dichotomies to bubble to the forefront. The thick shadowing and haunting visuals of Khonshu loom in every panel he appears on, whether they be small close-ups or massive splashes. His figure towers and the darkness gravitates to him like his massive flock of avatars.

On the other hand, Cappuccio gets to deliver some of the most capital and lowercase romantic scenes in an issue choke with the gothic elements. The steady patter of panels as Marc and Tigra run to reunite is an excellent example, showcasing the concise action work translating into a reunion. Their embrace is an explosive counter of warmth to the harsh coolness found drenching Khonshu’s return. That contrast and sense of romanticism also drips off the depiction of Asgard, which Cappuccio interprets as a hazy, ethereal city. Instead of the more typical golden sci-fi Viking utopia of the movies and early comics, this is more like something from a watercolor painting. While no less regal than the other depictions, the difference comes down to the tone of the architecture and rendering style. At times it feels downright hostile while still containing a marvelous skyline, like some of the best gothic skylines. 

Working in tandem with Cappuccio’s linework to establish the unique feel of Asgard is Rosenberg’s coloring. The dichotomies of the issue heavily rely on her specific palettes. Asgard is presented in hazy reds and oranges, another deviation from the typical hue of metallic gold. The shift in shades allows for a new, more aggressive atmosphere to permeate the godly city. It’s a great look that could fit in perfectly for a reimagined version of Asgard in the new Ultimate universe while still feeling rooted in the main continuity’s approach. 

Rosenberg brings out the contrasting colors once Khonshu is free and transports everyone to his domain. Washed away are those harsh, romantic leaning tones in favor of icy, moonlight blues and shadow-cutting ethereal whites. The realm of Khonshu is colored in a palette more typical for the series, yet Rosenberg finds a way to ratchet it to 11. Just as the moon god’s power waxes, so too do the atmospheric tones, choking out any other colors at the moment. Only when Marc and Tigra are able to reunite do the two senses of colors, represented by her orange and his white, strike a balance. The moment circles back as a standout, stunning climax to the book that is worth celebrating on its own. The layering of the colors only makes it that much better.