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Breaking down the comics: Let's get that BREAD (WBN #32-33)

MOON KNIGHT

WEREWOLF BY NIGHT Issue #32: 'The Stalker Called Moon Knight'

Written by: Doug Moench

Art by: Don Perlin

Published 1975

Are you ready for this? You better be.

Werewolf by Night was started as a "Marvel Spotlight" in 1972.

Or did it?

In 1953, before Marvel was well...MARVEL... It was Atlas Comics. A five page short called "Werewolf by Night" came out. Later, when Marvel formed and comics had a "Comics Code Authority", they approved the use of werewolves and we got our boy Jack Russell.

Want to know something hilarious?

The original creators, Roy Thomas, Jeanie Thomas, Gerry Conway, and Mike Ploog had no idea that Jack Russell was also the name of a popular dog breed. Or if they did, they didn't think about it at the time of naming the main character. Readers started pointing it out and they all went, “Huh. So it is.”

Wanna know something else amazing?

Greer Grant Nelson, AKA: TIGRA, also got her start in Werewolf by Night in 1974, issue #1 of "Giant-Size Creatures" (later renamed Giant-Size Werewolf)

In the 1980s, Jack Russell didn't really make much of an appearance anymore until Moon Knight #29.

Our Beloved Doug Moench picked up Werewolf by Night with issue # 20-43 in 1974-1977.

Moon Knight got started officially in 1980.

He couldn't get the character out of his head after WBN and neither could the fans.

So let’s take a look at the birth of Moon Knight and see if we can’t find out why he went from one time villain to full time hero (and full time occupant to my heart).

One thing to note about Werewolf by Night, we get a lot of narration from Jack Russell himself. And sometimes it's as Jack, and sometimes it's Jack looking at the wolf and others it's the wolf peaking through Jack.

But us Moon Knight fans are used to different perspectives, aren't we?

We open on the title page:

"The tag's Russell, with a Jack in front of it. The kind of name that fits a normal 19 year old dude living out in L.A.--Not the kind of name you'd expect to find slapped on a guy who sprouted fangs, pore-to-pore fur, and wolfish howls every time the moon ballooned full. Unless that guy happened to have a father who was cursed by an arcane book called DARKHOLD --And who inherited his father's curse on his 18th birthday.

Tough, I usually ain't. But when the Full Moon pokes its ugly puss into my life, I turn into the werewolf--and nobody messes with a dude dressed in fur, claws, and pure MEAN. So why didn't somebody tell that to--

THE STALKER CALLED MOON KNIGHT"

LOL Yeah. He’s a stubborn idiot alright.

"Fast, Brutal, and Armed with everything to produce a scream, he was wasting me with no doubt about it. And every time I tried to slash back at the weirdo--My hand exploded in a fire labeled agony."

Second night of the full moon cycle. The wolf is not doing so hot.

His hand is broken and he's facing down this angry guy dressed in silver.

"Get up, you mangy freak!! Get up so I can knock you back down again!"

He lunches at the masked man only to take a punch to the face.

"It was called a cestus--as in Glove. Worn by gladiators in the arena. A cestus is spiked. These spikes were silver. Silver is hell on a werewolf."

He wrestles with Moon Knight who doesn't let up, kicking and punching.

The whole time Moon Knight yells at him.

Bystanders watch in awe.

"Man! That guy's like a tornado on a rampage!"

"I'm hip--but what's that other dude like--Lon Chaney in a mink--?!"

LOL oh 1970s...never change.

Moon Knight addresses the wolf.

"You've had it, Freak. You're half-way gone and I haven't even started!"

Moon Knight unleashes his razor blade silver scresent darts on the wolf.

"It wasn't right. The Moon was supposed to give him strength--fill him with savagery--Not stab him with glaring pain..."

"Drop Freak! Drop like the wounded beast you are!"

Moon Knight kicks him, with his Savate Kick, which is a French Boxing style that combines Boxing with kicking. It predates Kickboxing by 100 years and is quite brutal.

It sends the wolf sprawling. Especially from his silver tipped toe.

They pause and we get a flash back to the night before.

"It had started the night before, when an innocent ski-jaunt in northern California had erupted into a blizzard of horror. As the werewolf, I'd almost murdered a cute 7-year-old girl named Buttons... Fortunately, my best friend, Buck Cowan, had other ideas..."

(If you're cold, he’s cold. Bring him inside)

"So I shivered into them and prepared to wait for Buck. You see, I didn't remember the werewolf's little Blood Tussle with Buck--and since Buck was supposed to pick me up here..."

We see Buck being taken into emergency services and rushed in for immediate surgery.

"After an hour of waiting, I'd begun to worry... Where was Buck?"

We see Buck shredded and crashing on the table.

Jack hitches a ride into down, wondering if his friend is alright.

We see Buck crash in surgery and they frantically try to get his heart back.

Jack makes it back to his Stepfather's house.

"Jack! Are you all right, son?"

"Sure, Dad. As all right as I ever am the morning after a Full Moon. Why? And where's Lissa?"

We see the doctors are finished. There is nothing more they can do for Buck.

"You mean you--You don't remember, son?"

"Remember what? What?!"

"Lissa's down at Westwood Hospital, Jack. Topaz called--Said your friend Buck was hurt... Was mauled... He...He might not pull through, Jack."

Narration: The soft words slammed me, hit me like a thousand crushing mountains--But my only raction was numbness--Disbelief--

"Easy, Jack... Just take it easy, son."

"Easy? I might've killed my best friend and you want me to take it easy?!"

Jack is understandably upset.He runs to the hospital.

Buck is in a coma and "The doctors aren't sure he'll come out of it."

(Who names their kid Buttons?)

They tell the group to go home and get some rest. But they decide not to go with Jack.

"Under the circumstances, we thought it might be best if Lissa stayed with me tonight--at my room-- To keep our minds off Buck--ANd also because well..."

"Go on, Topaz, say it--Because I've got the Moon-Cooties and you don't want to be around when I sprout fangs again. Well, I don't blame you. I'd stay away from me if I could..."

Narration: And that was my exit--as petulant as a cry-baby feeling sorry for its own tears...

Feeling sorry for himself, he heads back for home to apologize to his stepdad before the moon rises and he has to run off again. His hand hurts and he's pretty sure it's broken.

But as he gets home, the door is already open and he senses something is off. Someone else is in there with his Stepdad.

"Dad?"

"In the Den, Jack. There's someone here to see you.."

Yeah! You get that bread! Delicious delicious bread!

"Hello, Russell. They told me to announce myself as The Moon Knight. Pretty stupid name--But It'll do as far as you're concerned--"

Yep. You heard it here first people.

Now, time line gets a little funky if you try to figure out if this was pre or post death and resurrection by Khonshu.

This could either be Mercenary Marc Spector for Hire that heard "werewolf" and dressed up in all silver for protection and then got the name Moon Knight and then it later stuck with him after he came back.... OR this is immediately post resurrection (which I find more likely) and it's his first gig. In a later Moon Knight issue we learn that Frenchie had acted as his contact with the group that hired him and the Moon Knight still had no idea what he was doing and still wasn't 100% on board with the 'good guy' routine. In fact, we later learn that the money he made in this job is what helped him get started in Grant Mansion.

Still doesn't explain why he's like, "Moon Knight? Who the hell picked this name?" And I have to quietly laugh that Marc indeed DID pick the name after he was brought back by Khonshu and the rest of his system was like "Marc, what the fuck? Really? That's what we're going with?"

ANYWAYS...

"His voice was muffled under the silver gauze which covered his face like ectoplasm. That was something else I didn't like..."

Moon Knight explains: Let's say I'm a WORKING Man, Russell, out to do my job and collect my bread. This particular job started down in the waterfront section... Pretty sleazy place--Lots of rats--The stink of filthy Brine--And rotting, sagging warehouses... But one of those warehouses is a lot like that Book you're not supposed to judge by it's cover --Because inside, it ain't rotting or sagging, and the only stink is the smell of money. LOTS of money. I went there on a tip--And found out it was a set-up..."

We see a bunch of businessmen at a table.

"So you're Mark Spector."

"I'm Spector. Who're you?"

"We'll get to that in time, Mr. Spector. Right now, I find your dossier immensely interesting... Soldier of fortune, mercenary, veteran of THREE African wars, FIVE south American revolutions, Brief flirtation with the C.I.A., Weapons expert, versatile practitioner of virtually all the martial arts, ex-prizefighter, marine commando for Eight years prior to beating a Lieutenant within an inch of his life...Et cetera."

"So your research department is hot stuff. So what? I was told there'd be money down here. What do I do to get it?"

Okay so... We don't ever get this dossier again guys. THIS is the dossier of Marc Spector (despite that they spell it Mark here). In fact, they never really review Marc's past in the later comics again. They just say he's well versed in combat.

That...That is a lot of combat. A lot of war and a lot of revolutions. And we know he wasn't always on the right side of the revolutions. We know he was a boxer, but the prizefighter bit is new. So is the 8 years Marine AND the beating a lieutenant part. We can assume he was discharged after that. That's interesting.

So when writers forget that MArc knows what the hell he's doing... I have to frown at them a lot. Marc is dangerous. Marc decided he was going to be worth the money and he damn well was.

Back to the gentlemen!

"I admire your directness, Mr. Spector, and shall endeavor to emulate it. First, we want you to open that compartment now rising from the table... Then don the rather unique costume you will find inside it. ANd utilize every weapon accompanying that costume..As well as your inherent abilities--To capture and deliver to us a werewolf named Jack Russell. Upon Delivery, you will receive this. Then thousand dollars."

WELP. There you have it. (But again... take this history with a grain of salt. He wasn't supposed to come back.)

"That's the story, Russell. Me, I don't believe in werewolves--But the committee's got ten grand that does--So who am I to argue?"

Ah, the COmmittee. A group of people out to capture the werewolf in some attempt to try to harness its power.

We see them come back in Moon Knight Issue #4.

Moon Knight tells Russell that he either goes easy or gets delivered as 'bruised goods'.

"My head was swimming through queasy nausea as he stalked forward. Was it the pain in my hand or had the Moon festered into a darkening sky?

My Stepfather decided the issue."

His stepfather tackles the Moon Knight and tells Jack to run.

Jack makes a run and starts to feel the Wolf taking over.

Above him he hears a Helicopter giving chase, tracking him.

"That's our man up ahead, Frenchie..." We see Moon Knight and Frenchie in the chapter. (Even back then we got the pair and this makes me happy.) "ANd he's just made me a believer in werewolves."

For once, the werewolf cares not about the scattering humans in the street. He knows the chopter is the target of his distress.

Moon Knight climbs down the ladder in pursuit.

I mean... How many people will go, "WOW .Werewolves are real?!" and then proceed to get into a fight with said werewolf?

AND WIN THE FIGHT.

One of the spectators decides that enough is enough and he calls the police before these crazy things decide to eat them or something (Moon Knight included. Dude just tackled a wolf creature and got into a fight with it on purpose).

The police take a moment to digest this info.

"Some comic book weirdo is sluggin' it out with a werewolf on a street corner in Westwood."

Yeah, that sounds about right.

They try to call in the local expert, but he's on vacation.

At this point we start to head into Werewolf by Night lore and back story. I'll admit... I've never actually READ werewolf by night. So all of this is very new to me and I have no explanation for who these people are or what's happening. So I'm going to skip a bit of what I'm SURE is important to the long run of the story but will not come up as important to these two key issues we're focusing on. (But you can bet your buppie that I'm going to start reading it. This hat is in my bag. ...This 1970s talk is getting to me.)

Meanwhile, the two girls from before, Lissa and Topaz, are worrying about Buck and Jack. A helicopter lands and ....Frenchie....what are you doing? Did you learn this from watching Marc? Don't bust through windows!

(I’m not counting this. But I should.)

Back with Moon Knight and the Wolf.

"I slashed, still favoring my broken hand--and growled in fury as he deftly evaded my raking talons. He'd produced a new weapon now. It looked like a Truncheon. And it was definitely silver."

(No don’t chew it! Someone put the cone of shame on him!)

And there’s Moon Knight, getting to know the ground. He and the ground are gonna be best friends in future runs.

Moon Knight uses his truncheon to beat the beast and finally the wolf goes down. On cue, Frenchie arrives in the chopper with both girls.

This issue comes to an end with Moon Knight GETTING THAT BREAD.

Moon Knight is also about to have what I lovingly call: A BAD DAY. But that’s in the next issue.

Werewolf By Night Issue #33: ' Wolf-Beast vs Moon Knight'

Written by: Doug Moench

Art by: Don Perlin

Published 1975

You guys. I can’t wait to show you that Moon Knight’s bad decision skills dates back to his first appearance. You have no idea.

TITLE PAGE!

I love how they get the names of the people involved in this comic and they put it into the pictures.

Also... We witness the first of many bad decisions.

The chopper continues to rise and the police open fire.

He’s doing fine.

We got more exposition that I'm going to skip because it has more to do with the overall arch of the WBN story and nothing that will come into play in this two part story.

Now we come to the helicopter flying out over the dock and water.

Welcome to part 1 of Moon Knight's bad day.

“No, you stupid idiot! We’re five-hundred feet up!!”

Buddy.... Pal... Bestie...

Narration: But the werewolf didn't care. He was mad. So mad that he'd even forgotten about his broken hand...

They splash down into the water.

"Mangy Freak! The Committee's payin' me ten grand to bring you in alive--And you almost drown us both before I even--"

Narration: The fight wasn't out of the werewolf yet... In fact, I was just beginning to roar.

"Crazy fur coat with fangs--! I musta told you a dozen times--The committee wants you alive! And if you can't get that through your hairy head--I'm gonna have to pound it in!!"

Narration: And in the pounding there was pain--Pain caused by Moon Knight's arsenal of silver weapons...His studded cestus, punching at me...Even the crescent darts, still embedded in my bristling skin... But even if the werewolf had understood the threat silver posed to him, I doubt it would've made much difference. He still remembered the beating he'd taken from this foe. The memory made him MAD...And the rage demanded revenge.

"Not again, beast-man--I'm getting tired of this!! Watch out you stupid--"

And back in the water they go.

Narration: We hit the pacific for the second time... The water shot fire through my shattered hand, made it throb like a hiccupping balloon... But what was that compared to the beast's life-and-death lust for vengeance--? Answer: Bright nothing, wrapped in pretty bows of bloody violence. So we fought, both struggling to escape hell...

Narration: ...Each determined to win that struggle... And each to leave the other behind. It was the werewolf who won, breaking free of hell with gasps and wheezes...

I hauled myself onto the rotting planks, still gasping... But triumphant.

Or so the werewolf thought.

"Hold it, mange-puss... I ain't heard no count of ten yet..."

Moon Knight no...

Narration: It was impossible. I'd slashed, clawed, mauled, and choked him--ANd he wanted more, still MORE--! I gave him more, a vicious roundhouse slash... But the Moon Knight clutched for that slash and he yanked. Hard.

And they go back into the water.

Moon Knight climbs back out a moment later.

"God, that thing's dynamite on wheels...Never fought so hard in my life... Gotta rest... Catch my breath... Before he surfaces again... ALREADY?!"

Narration: Yeah, already-And the fever was too high to quit. It was long overdue, and the werewolf had long since paid for it in pain...

It was time for the payoff--For returning favors--And for doing unto the other until what was done... COuld never be undone.

The wolf beats on Moon Knight for a bit. He’s pretty ticked off.

Moon Knight's pretty exhausted at this point and the wolf is starting to get the upper hand.

But then... Whoopse. It's morning!

The night is over and the wolf turns back into a very beat up sad Jack Russel...

You know how I know this is Marc? (Aside from the fact that this is Pre official Moon Knight and Jake and Steven haven’t been written into existence yet). THE BAD DECISIONS.

Someone yells down to them and Moon Knight thinks it might be the cops. But it turns out to just be a drunk guy heading home after a night on the town.

"Well, thank the moon for small miracles... But I still can't believe I saw this guy change like that...My darts must be hurtin' the poor freak. Might as well take 'em out.."

Frenchie arrives and Moon Knight once more carries Jack up the ladder towards that bread.

Back at the hospital, Buck woke up only briefly to call out for his friends then fell back asleep.

The doctor informs the lady that "whatever mauled Mr. Cowan inflicted extensive damage to his sacral region--His lower back--Severing oth the sciatic and femoral nerves. We've done our best, but he still might be paralyzed from the waist down... If he emerges from the coma."

Yup. Can confirm. You need those nerves. That's not good news.

Back with Moon Knight! He is now before the committee and he's brought along the two girls and Jack. Time for bread day.

"All right bozos--You've already stalled the whole day in some top secret meeting-and I ain't waitin' any longer! I brought you your pigeon. Now where's my bread?!"

"You've brought us an unconscious kid, Mr. Spector...Or should I say Mr. Moon Knight? You seem to be taking that costume rather seriously... But as I was saying, we still have no proof that you have delivered a bona fide Werewolf. Indeed, we can't even be certain that this young man is Jack Russell..."

The committee also show skepticism that one of the two girls is Jack's sister "and therefore destined to become a werewolf herself someday."

The committee decides to wait until the final full moon appears that night and they can see for themselves.

Moon Knight is displeased.

"I oughta smack that scummy nose right down your throat."

If it were me, I would not mess with this man. He just spent a whole night fighting a werewolf.

Jack wakes up to find himself still in a lot of pain and locked in a cage.

The committee tell Jack that they plan to keep the werewolf as a pet to release when they want certain people murdered.

As one might imagine, Jack is not on board with this plan.

He turns to Moon Knight :

"And YOU, crusader rabbit--Are you in the habit of getting paid for slamming people into CAGES?! That's right, I said PEOPLE! Are you shocked to hear that I'm an honest to god Person? Or have you been trying to forget it?! Well, I'm gonna give you a refresher course, Pal... I may be a werewolf--But on my nights off I'm still human! And Believe me, Fancy pants, being the werewolf is a far worse cage than these stinking bars!"

And the moon rises and he starts to change.

The committee is all shocked to see him change.

The wolf is NOT happy to be caged.

The committee members congratulate Spector "Or Moon Knight if you prefer..."

(Isn't that so interesting? Even in this early issue where he's just a one off character and no history or past drawn up yet, they still can't get his identity right? What were you planning Mr. Moench? Even back then?)

Moon Knight doesn't say anything, simply watches the wolf freak out in his cage.

Jack's sister yells at him. Accusing him of selling Jack to people who want to "turn him into the murderer he's always feared he would become! The murderer he's always fought to avoid--Even when it tore his soul in two!!"

"Don't listen to her, Marc. Sure, he's her brother... But he's still just a freak--just a beast... Why worry about a beast?"

Narration: Moon Knight took the money... And stared at me again...

"Just a beast, all right... But at least a cleaner and more honest beast than you slimy slugs! At least he's a beast with guts! A beast who fights ony to be free! And that's the kind of fight I support, Lard-Butts!!"

Moon Knight kicks open the bars! That's one hell of a kick.

The wolf is loose! And the Moon Knight has changed sides!

I gotta respect that one member in the back...

"But I... I don't even carry a gun! I'm just a businessman! You guys dragged me into this werewolf deal because you said it would be good for the economy!"

"We're ALL businessmen, Hicks!"

"Yeah--And you're all goin' outta business now!! Especially your two-ton leader.. So I'd advise him to get his lard in gear--Unless he wants it kicked from here to Monterey!" -Moon Knight.

Narration: The Silver one--The one with the PAIN. He was the one I wanted... But he ducked.

The wolf soars past Moon Knight and attacks one of the men with guns.

"Sorry, Fido--But if there's one thing I've learned, it's more fun fightin' with you than against you-- So go get 'em Tiger!"

"Holy Smokes! Almost forgot the two chicks Frenchie nabbed... With allthe lead flyin' around here, they're liable to turn into swiss cheese."

Good job Marc. You're doing great there.

He cuts the two girls down and tells them to make a run for it.

"But what about Jack?" Jack's sister cries out.

"Just get outta here! He can take care of himself!" Moon Knight shoos them away.

"Come ON, Lissa. I don't know what turned that man from a villain into a hero, but he's right--! At this point, Jack has a far better chance than we do--"

The girls get out and Moon Knight and the Wolf keep fighting through the bad guys.

Narration: On our own or not, the committee was falling to pieces. Most ran. Others fell. The Moon Knight seemed to geta kick out of it, batling like some gayblade swashbuckler straight from Errol Flynn country...

(What)

"And Another gabardine hits the dust!"

(What?)

(I'mma play it straight with you... The 1970s language is 100% a thing. It's even better when you remember Marc is from Chicago so all this is probably said with a pretty stiff chicago accent and I'm crying cause I'm trying not to laugh so hard right now. I’ll just let you read through those lines yourself and slap a strong chicago or new york accent on that.)

ANYWAYS…..

Moon Knight punts the guy to the wolf who lets off a little steam on him.

All the bad guys are taken care of. This just leaves Moon Knight and the Wolf in the room alone.

Narration: Fatso hit the floor like rubberized Jello, and when the quivering stopped...it was just the two of us. I growled, softly...

"Now wait a minute, Pal. You 'n me just fought together. That makes us brothers of the blood where I come from... Where's your sense of camaraderie? Even Frenchie's got some o' that."

Marc...

"All right--If that's the way you feel about it, I'm going' I'm goin'! I may've fought you for ten grand--But I sure ain't gonna do it for free...!"

....he jumps out the window.

"And they used to say I was antisocial... I'll send you a bill for the cape, Pal. Ciao!"

(and they did send a Bill to fix that cape. A Bill Sienkiewicz to be exact.)

WELP. I’m sorry to tell you I don’t know if Buck will live or walk again. (I’m sure he’s fine). But this ends Moon Knight in Werewolf by Nigh!

He appears in several things before 1980 when he gets his own official run. He pops in with the Hulk (in that run we meet Randall. Then say goodbye to Randall) and he also gets a few spotlights.

The fact that he was supposed to be a one time villain and in just TWO issues, we got so much characterization and tidbits of back story (I’d love to explore that antisocial comment he made back there.) that they couldn’t help but give him more chances. I swear, in these two issues, we got a better look at Moon Knight than I’ve seen certain OTHER writers give him!

And if I hadn’t of fallen in love with him back when I did, just reading through these couple of issues would have me head over heels. His tenacity, his poor decisions, his repeated trip into the water… This man came out fighting for his life and he’s he went out fighting.

Here’s to you, Moon Knight. The only person in the whole Marvel Universe stupid enough to fight a werewolf for a solid night and then try to make friends with that werewolf.

#marc no

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