Moon Knight: City Of The Dead #3 - Marvel Comics

MOON KNIGHT: CITY OF THE DEAD No. 3, November 2023

Whilst few fans of Marc Spector’s cowl-wearing alter-ego will surely disagree with "Marvel Worldwide" that “the First of Khonsu brings the fireworks in this action-packed new chapter”, it is similarly difficult to believe many followed the comic’s word-heavy storytelling without needing to reread certain panels, pages and even entire set-pieces. Furthermore, the executive decision to have Sean Damien Hill ‘step in’ as penciler doesn’t debatably do the publication any favours either, with the Alexandria-born illustrator’s style seemingly struggling to convey much of eye-catching spectacle needed for a story set in the Egyptian City of the Dead.

Indeed, despite the American artist doing a stellar job of imbuing Moon Knight’s dastardly brother with all the dynamic villainy a bibliophile might expect from a despot bitterly twisted by his ghastly demise in the real world – including being able to instantaneously summon a veritable army of green-hued ghostly minions, the “character designer” frustratingly draws Ammut the Devourer as simply an unimpressive-looking crocodile with a mane of dark green hair. This lack of deity-like detail for the giant Sphinx arguably fails to sell much of the demon-beast’s menace, especially when the creature’s surprisingly thin, somewhat floundering figure is repeatedly sketched up against a boring, disappointingly bare background.

Perhaps what makes this mini-series’ instalment most disheartening though is David Pepose’s decision to populate every situation with numerous thought-boxes containing Spector’s plans, feelings and the history of whoever the costumed crime-fighter is currently confronting. Ordinarily, this technique would probably have landed rather well. But because the smart-mouthed vigilante, as well as the rest of the cast, are also all persistently talking and hurling wisecracks, it soon becomes frustratingly unclear as to which balloon or bubble the audience needs to read so as to follow the correct flow of the action; “Because if there’s one thing I’m good at… It’s coming up with bad ideas.”

Despite all these criticisms and complaints however, there is still plenty to enjoy with the former “Newsrama” editor’s penmanship. The way Spector and his beloved Layla El-Faouly outwit the Jackal Night’s numerous henchmen is quite convincing, as is the revelation that everything is going sour within the City of the Dead because Osiris has decided to once again pay a visit to the Land of the Living. Indeed, even the schizophrenic entrepreneur’s sacrifice at the end of the comic makes perfect sense as a last gamble to ensure his mission is an overall a success. Yet sadly, much of the book’s impact is ultimately lost through the aforementioned gripes and groans.

Writer: David Pepose, Penciler: Sean Damien Hill, and Inker: Jay Leisten