Khonshu and the Origin of Moon Knight in His Series Debut, at Auction

Debuting in Werewolf by Night #32 (August 1975) by writer Doug Moench and artist Don Perlin, Moon Knight’s backstory was subsequently built up gradually over time in the pages of his Hulk! Magazine backup stories and Marvel Preview #21. But the launch of the original Moon Knight series in 1980 completed the character’s origin story by introducing the god Khonshu, who plays a significant role in the Moon Knight television series on Disney+. Written by Moench and drawn by Bill Sienkiewicz, whose tenure on the character has become some of his best-remembered work, this story as told in Moon Knight #1 (Marvel, 1980) CGC NM+ 9.6 White pages is up for auction at the 2022 April 17-18 Sunday & Monday Comic Books Select Auction #122216 from Heritage Auctions.

Working as a mercenary involved in a conflict in Sudan, Marc Spector becomes involved in looting the newly-discovered tomb of Pharaoh Seti. Left for dead by his associates, he ends up being taken to that tomb, where the idol of moon god Khonshu has a strange effect on him. He explains, “I’m a ghost now, a specter of the moon, the moon’s knight of vengeance.”

The backstory as laid out in the debut of this series describes the multiple identities that the character had developed — mercenary Marc Spector, Wall Street wizard Steven Grant, and street-smart cabbie Jake Lockley — and explains that “together they are Moon Knight… continuing the mission begun in the pharaoh’s tomb,” which is a notion that is explored in the Disney+ series.

The launch of the Moon Knight title ties together the character’s complex backstory as told by the strong creative team behind his 1980 series. The addition of Khonshu as a key element in the series serves as the core of the mythology and mystery of the character. Sienkiewicz’s artwork cements this story as a classic and important moment for the character, and this Moon Knight #1 (Marvel, 1980) CGC NM+ 9.6 White pages is up for auction at the 2022 April 17-18 Sunday & Monday Comic Books Select Auction #122216 from Heritage Auctions.  There’s a nice Moon Knight #2 (Marvel, 1980) CGC NM/MT 9.8 White pages available as well.