Vaguely tying in with the recent Moon Knight series on Disney+, this year Marvel published a second omnibus volume collecting the classic 1980s comics, including those written by Doug Moench with art by Bill Sienkiewicz.
Naturally, I bought the second volume to go with the first but it got it me thinking: What Price Nostalgia?
If you’d asked me “How many Moon Knight comics did you get as a kid?”, I would’ve answered “Quite a few!”. However looking through the pile of yellowed and creased comics that I bought way back then, I was amazed to only find one issue of his series along with an issue of Amazing Spider-Man with him guest-starring. So just those two comics caused me to have a massive pull of nostalgia for the character!
Nostalgia: An expensive mistress!
These mighty omnibus volumes cover:
- Volume 1: Werewolf by Night (1972) #32–33; Marvel Spotlight (1971) #28–29; Defenders (1972) #47–50; Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) #22–23; Marvel Two-in-One (1974) #52; Moon Knight (1980) #1–20; Marvel Team-Up Annual #4; material from The Hulk! magazine #11–15, 17–18, 20; Marvel Preview #21 and Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #220
- Volume 2: Moon Knight (1980) #21–38; Iron Man (1968) #161; Power Man and Iron Fist (1978) #87; Marvel Team-Up (1972) #144; Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu (1985) #1–6; Marvel Fanfare (1982) #30; material from Solo Avengers (1987) #3; Marvel Fanfare (1982) #38–39; Marvel Super-Heroes (1990) #1
An Overview
So, volume one covers Moon Knight’s first appearances as an antagonist in Werewolf by Night, his many guest appearances in the 1970s, his solo stories in the Hulk! magazine and (finally!) a good chunk of his early 1980s solo series.
Moon Knight’s stories in the Hulk! magazine are where artist Bill Sienkiewicz first started working on the character and he continued with writer, Doug Moench, on to the solo series.
Volume two covers the rest of the first solo run along with the Fist of Konshu series plus his various important appearances in other titles from the time.
All in all, these two volumes offer a very comprehensive overview from the 1970s and through the 1980s.
Part of my nostalgia is down to the great Bill Sienkiewicz art. He progresses here from being very influenced by Neal Adams to establishing his own distinct style, especially on the covers.
Moon Knight Epic Collections
Omnibus editions don’t come cheap though. If you’re a bit budget conscious and prefer chunky paperbacks, you’re in luck! Marvel has published some Epic Collections covering the same period:
- Bad Moon Rising: Werewolf by Night #32–33, Marvel Spotlight #28–29, Defenders #47–50 and material from #51, Spectacular Spider-Man #22–23, Marvel Two-in-One #52, Moon Knight #1–4 and material from The Hulk! #11–15, 17–18, 20 and Marvel Preview #21
- Shadows of the Moon: Moon Knight #5–23
- Final Rest: Moon Knight #24-38
- Butcher’s Moon: Moon Knight (1985) #1-6, Marvel Team-Up #144, Marvel Fanfare #30, Marc Spector: Moon Knight #1-7, and material from: Solo Avengers #3, Marvel Fanfare #38-39, Marvel Super-Heroes #1
The last volume, Butcher’s Moon, is currently scheduled to come out later this year and it looks like it might go further than volume two of the omnibuses (omnibi?). That Marc Spector series isn’t included there.
The Epic Collections are a great way to get the material without breaking the bank. If you’re in the UK, Speedyhen and Reed Comics are worth keeping an eye on for these books:
Marvel has reprinted the earlier volumes at least once, so if they’re out of stock at the moment check back later. You never know, another reprint might have happened!
So what price nostalgia? You decide!
