Who the Clix? is a series of articles featuring information on comic book characters that have been made into figures for the popular tabletop game Heroclix. These articles are meant to help Heroclix players learn more about the characters behind their favorite pieces.

Today we look at the protector of night travelers: Moon Knight

Appearances in Heroclix: Superior Foes of Spider-Man, Defenders OP Kit, Amazing Spider-Man, Avengers, Critical Mass

First Appearance: Werewolf by Night #32

Team Affiliations: Secret Avengers, Avengers, West Coast Avengers, Defenders, Marvel Knights, Heroes for Hire

Created By: Doug Moench and Don Perlin

Marc Spector is the son of an American Rabbi from Chicago, Illinois. After becoming an adult, Spector spends some of his time as a heavyweight boxer, a US Marine and a mercenary. While working as a mercenary with Jean-Paul DuChamp for Raol Bushman in Egypt, the group stumbles an excavation of an ancient temple to the Egyptian moon god Khonshu. Bushman kills the head archaeologist, intent on looting the temple. Angered, Spector challenges and defeats Bushman but is ultimately wounded and left to die in the sub-zero temperatures of the desert night.

Found by nomadic worshippers of the Egyptian gods find Spector and carry him to their temple, placing him before the statue of Khonshu. Spector’s heart stops and in that moment, Khonshu offers him a second chance at life. The cost is only that he must become Khonshu’s avatar on Earth. Spector agrees and awakens, wrapping himself in the silver shroud that covers Khonshu’s statue. He confronts and defeats Bushman before returning to America. Using his new connection to the Egyptian god, he decides to become a crime fighter and calls himself Moon Knight.

Spector uses his mercenary funds to amass a small fortune and create the cover identies of millionarie entrepreneur Steven Grant and taxi cab driver Jake Lockley. Moon Knight’s early career is spent battling the Werewolf by Night, Jack Russell, the Committee, Midnight Man, Morpheus, Conquer Lord, Cyclone, and the Jester as well as others. He also teams up with Daredevil, Spider-Man, X-Men and the Fantastic Four. He is also bitten by Russell and gains strength based on the cycle of werewolves for a short time.

He briefly abandons his life of crime-fighting to begin opening art galleries around the world. This is short lived, however, and he soon returns to being Moon Knight. He returns to Egypt and is supplied with new weapons by the cult of Khonshu before the god enters Spector’s god and returns to him some lunar based powers. He then goes on to aid and eventually join the West Coast Avengers as well as aiding the Avengers. During this time, Khonshu’s rival Seth attemps to invade Asgard. Khonshu abandons Moon Knight to battle his rival and informs Moon Knight that he, not Spector, wanted to join the team. Marc eventually dies and is resurrected by Khonshu.

Moon Knight returns to a more conventional and solo crime-fighting career. He battles the Midnight Man, ULTIMATUM, Killer Shrike, Coachwhip, the Secret Empire and others. During this time he teams up with the Punisher, Silver Sable, Sandman and Paladin. He eventually begins to wear adamantium armor to hold his body together while the Demogoblin tries to possess him, tearing his body apart. Dr. Strange and Mister Fantastic help remove the demonic parasite and save Moon Knight’s life. Moon Knight renounces his Avengers membership after they attempt to punish him for acting against Dr. Doom. Moon Knight is again killed violently, sacrificing himself to save his loved ones.

Moon Knight is resurrected by Khonshu again and helps Black Panther through the Kingdom of the Dead. He also helps Spider-Man, Daredevil and the Punisher in other adventures. At an unknown time, Marc Spector decides to self-impose an exile. Though he finally reigns victorious over Bushman, Spector seems to be more mentally unstable than ever. He seems to receive guidance from Khonshu through a spectral vision of a faceless Bushman. He also comes into conflict with his former sidekick Midnight, the son of the Midnight Man. Midnight has committed a series of murders and when Moon Knight confronts him, Spector seems to kill him.

Spector eventually registers under the Superhuman Registration Act at the prodding of Khonshu. After submitting to psychiatric evaluation, Spector is found to have multiple repressed personalities. However, he seems to speak to his psychiatrist with the voice of Khonshu and is amazingly approved. Though he continues to act as a hero he runs into obstacles from Tony Stark, head of the Initiative and one of Spector’s largest detractors. Spector is then hunted by Norman Osborn and the Thunderbolts as well as coming into conflict with Khonshu. Spector eventually fakes his own death and hides in Mexico, though the Jake Lockley personality has now assumed control.

With Lockley in control, Moon Knight defeats many foes and is a target of Norman Osborn, new commander of HAMMER. The Hood, under Osborn’s orders, resurrects Bushman. Bushman joins with the Scarecrow to recruit an army of the criminally insane. They confront Moon Knight and though Khonshu demands vengeance, the Lockley personality is strong enough to resist and spares Bushman’s life. Though Bushman is defeated, he is left in police custody with Lockley trying to forge a new life with Moon Knight’s on again off again love, Marlene.

Lockley Moon Knight is eventually recruited by Steve Rogers onto the Secret Avengers. Though he is a pivotal member, Hawkeye eventually removes him from the team. When Daredevil takes control of the Hand and builds Shadowland, he sends Profile to battle Moon Knight. Moon Knight learns that the second avatar of Khonshu working with Profile is Randall Spector, brother of Moon Knight and now calling himself Shadow Knight. Moon Knight defeats his brother but it causes the Marc Spector personality to return.

Moon Knight seems to have a further psychotic break and moves to Los Angeles. He creates a TV show called Legends of Khonshu based on his adventures. He also develops three new personalities modeled after Spider-Man, Wolverine and Captain America. He intercepts an Ultron head and battles Count Nefaria, who has set himself up as the criminal kingpin of LA. He eventually proves victorious, losing the Captain America and Spider-Man personalities along the way while developing two new personalities: Echo and Iron Man.

Moon Knight returns to New York City and seems to have stabilized his personlities. Marc Spector remains his civilian persona and Moon Knight is still his super-persona. However, there is now a second crime-fighting persona: Mr. Knight. Mr. Knight deals with common criminals and thugs while working with the police; Moon Knight fights super crime and terrorism. Both personas also begin using drones and other more advanced technology under the guidance of Khonshu as a protector of night travelers. During this period, Spector is again abandoned as an avatar of Khonshu. However, even without the god’s aid, he is able to best the pretender and regain Khonshu’s favor. However, he also begins to discover some troubling secrets that Khonshu is hiding from him.

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