Review by Ian Keogh
The Last Days of Moon Knight opens with an extended story drawn by three different artists. During Road to Ruin Moon Knight was targetted by a succession of old enemies, one of whom eventually revealed Black Spectre was behind the attacks. Except he’s supposed to be dead. More correctly, Jed McKay provides three separate stories, each of which has a bearing on the others, where in the present Moon Knight’s life is under threat as the old enemies keep coming.
It’s clever, but unsatisfying, as eighty pages is a hell of lot of reading with artists depending on Rachelle Rosenberg to fill in the depth with colour. No matter how impressive their designs, it’s too long without backgrounds.
Federico Sabbatini (sample art) is equally dependent on the colouring on most of the remainder, but is more inclined to supply the occasional bit of scenery. As we’ve seen in previous volumes, he’s also one hell of an artist.
Where the art works is style obfuscating Black Spectre’s masterplan as it’s revealed bit by bit, which is straight from the megalomaniac’s handbook, and not at all impressive if given any consideration. Yes, it’s an innovative writer who’ll have a super villain’s plan dependent on combining the possibilities of other villains, but that doesn’t disguise the anticlimactic nature of MacKay ending this portion of Moon Knight’s career. The hero been taken on one hell of journey, but it grinds to a halt here.
However, right at the final knockings MacKay surprises by pulling a rabbit from the hat. Black Spectre’s identity is unexpected, and while their plan may be nuts, the chaotic motivations behind it are different and viable. Furthermore, the danger to Moon Knight is real because, unlike previous deaths, it’s already been established that should he die, he won’t be returning this time.
A desperate final chapter isn’t enough to ensure The Last Days of Moon Knight is anything more than average overall, but it’s a reminder that MacKay has been excellent on the series until now. All things considered it’s a good thing that he’s still around as the cast kick off a new arc on Vengeance of the Moon Knight.
