Marvel’s Moon Knight has just overcome the thing he dreaded most. He’s finally acknowledged and made peace with his Disassociative Identity Disorder. With his two alters, Jake Lockley and Steve Grant, now working together, Moon Knight is now a united front. Thanks to the combined efforts of Marc, Steve, and Jake, Moon Knight has a lead: a certain something or someone in Chinatown inspires fear in his nemesis, the Tutor, and by extension, the Structure. But is the enemy of Moon Knight’s enemy really his friend? This chapter, “Chinatown,” continues Jed McKay’s run on the series, with art by Alessandro Cappuccio, colors by Rachelle Rosenberg, and letters by VC’s Cory Petit.
With the vampiric Reese and Soldier at his side, Moon Knight discovers the real reason Tutor stays away from Chinatown. It’s already claimed by an older and more powerful vampire clan led by Lady Yulan, an ancient former assassin. For fear of the Tutor’s and her former master Yi Yang’s attention and wrath, Lady Yulan keeps to herself and stays out of trouble despite her hatred for the Structure. But the Vampire Cold War is about to end, and Tutor’s forces in the Structure may make their move before Moon Knight can even get his footing.
The last few issues have focused on Moon Knight’s internal struggles with himself and his alternate personalities as the result of his DID. This time, thanks to the shared efforts of Marc, Jake, and Steve, Moon Knight #16 is a return to form, with the newly empowered hero hitting the streets in search of evil. Like the previous issue, there is some action, but Moon Knight #16 prioritizes exposition, dialogue, and slow-burning intrigue. Moon Knight’s mission is a diplomatic rendezvous rather than a battle, though it simmers with scintillating tension.
From her first appearance, the vampire leader Lady Yulan is a compelling character, a worthy potential ally for Moon Knight, and an equal. She manages to do what many enemies and opponents have not. She manages to intimidate, choke-slam, and even reason with Marc Spector and live to tell the tale. Yulan establishes herself as his equal to take seriously. The dialogue between Moon Knight and Yulan feels natural and grounded, which makes exposition-heavy scenes easy and engaging to read.
While Moon Knight #16 consists of more barking than biting, danger is never far away for Moon Knight or Dr. Badr, a.k.a. the zealous Hunter’s Moon. Badr makes it his mission to hunt down the Tutor’s assassins, Nemean and Grand Mal, leading to the potentially game-changing last page. Like the last few issues, Moon Knight #16 is exposition-heavy, and the action is pared down, which can be frustrating considering how little action Moon Knight has seen recently.
Cappuccio’s art and Rosenberg’s colors work together to become a stunning combination of stark, film noir-like shading and sharp angles with softer pen marks, sweeping painterly effects, and an array of cyberpunk color washes. The tense diplomatic meeting in Chinatown is awash in warm yellows, golds, and oranges. Moon’s Hunter’s journey across the city rooftops consists of bold secondary colors — greens, teals, purples, and fuchsias, hinting at the supernatural forces he is doomed to encounter. Black dominates, sharply contrasting with the sharp colors, especially white, which both Moon Knight and Lady Yulan wear as the color of funerals and death in their respective cultures and backgrounds.
After much psychological torment, Moon Knight #16 is a breath of fresh air. This issue is an effective slow burner of mystery and menace and a fitting return to Moon Knight doing what he does best — besides mowing through enemies — finding allies in unlikely places and solutions in the darkest hours.
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