So, what do you get when you cross Batman with the Mooninites? Why, you get Marc Spector, the Moon Knight! Okay, okay, that is not at all accurate, but we are finally getting a classic Marvel Legends Moon Knight thanks to the continued teamwork of Hasbro and Walgreens, so needless to say, I am quite pleased.
I am pleased because I have always been a fan of Moon Knight, for one, even though Daredevil has always been my more preferred “street level” Marvel hero. I am also pleased because Moon Knight continues the recent trend of Hasbro delivering more classic/iconic looks of characters in the ML line, generally after a more modern take has been given the chance to be released. I am not necessarily always beholden to all characters being represented in a “CLASSIC” look (I mean, that can be really tough to nail down as it is), but I AM big on iconography, so I generally skew that way when it comes to how I want my superheroes represented in the toy lines I collect.
Don’t mistake me though, I actually quite enjoy the previously-released modern Moon Knight ML figure, and while it kinda looks like his costume was coopted and designed by Nike or Under Armor, it is striking but still classically-homaged compared to a lot of other superhero costume redesigns. That said, while that modern figure has stood fine on my shelf up until now, he has already gotten swiftly replaced by this version, even though I have only had the figure for a few days. There might be some slight details to nitpick in terms of whether or not they are traditional Moon Knight enough, but for all intents and purposes, this is the MK I want standing with my classic Daredevil, Retro Punisher, new Retro Spider-Man, and so on.
My biggest gripe with the modern look (even though I do not mind it all) is the fact that there is really too much black in the design because for me, Moon Knight’s costume has always been, and supposed to be all white. You have to admit, it take some bravery to combat evildoers in full lily-white regalia, but Spector is loaded so he can afford the dry cleaning bill. I know we can go round and round and round about whether or not the face covering is white, or black, or really just white with shadows and thus looks black on the page (it is like the reverse Jim Lee Storm thing), but the good news is that you get to pick the version you like best because Hasbro has included both of them, so kudos all around on that choice.
As this is an exclusive to Walgreens (so you are only going to find it in-store or online via their website), there are some new pieces here and there, but for the most part, this figure makes good use of the existing ML parts library. The base is the Sunfire body, which is find appropriate, and the cape, heads, and accessories are carried over from the first MK. All of this works, though, and the costume details and coloring match what my preferred look for Moon Knight is, so I am most definitely good with all of it here. I do want to call out that the paint work is very well done here (yes, I know he is about as monochromatic as it gets) but there is some nice shading around the two hoods, and the masks have some creative printed stippling that produces a nice gradient detail around the eyes. ML is constantly evolving, and the painting/print work continues to get better and better.
This Moon Knight would have been right at home in one of the popular “Retro Card” ML series, but having him land a Walgreens accomplishes the same effect, and gets them another winning store exclusive. I have had trouble keeping up over the last few months, so I cannot remember who is on-tap next for them, but I am sure it will be another good one. If you are a Moon Knight fan, or simply more fond of the classic/iconic looks for your Marvel heroes, you will not want to pass this figure up. He is starting to trickle out at stores now, but I don’t believe that online orders are processing yet, so we are right at the front of the release curve, and patience (a hard thing to come by with action figure collectors) might be needed for the next few weeks. Trust me, this guy is worth it, though.
