The announced partnership between Marvel Studios and Telltale Games inevitably led to fevered speculation of what comic property The Walking Dead developers would tackle in 2017. Minds raced to some of the more obvious choices: The Punisher, Spider-Man, Daredevil. But with all due respect to Frank Castle, Peter Parker, and Matt Murdock, the under-appreciated Moon Knight would serve excellently as the subject of an episodic, dialogue-driven series while also offering new twists and possibilities for Telltale's signature storytelling formula. Allow me to explain.

Don't Call Him Batman

Introduced in 1975, Moon Knight follows ex-boxer, ex-CIA, ex-mercenary Marc Spector. Killed during a mission in Egypt, Spector regains his life when the moon god Khonsu resurrects him as his avatar on earth. Most incarnations of the hero have him gaining superpowers depending on the current phase of the moon. Taking advantage of his vast wealth, Moon Knight seeks redemption by defending travelers at night with an arsenal of gadgets and multiple alter egos. Moon Knight has traditionally functioned mostly as a C-list superhero since his introduction, but Spector’s Marvel star-power is on the rise thanks to his popular All-New Marvel NOW! reboot.

The next big thing?

Written by Warren Ellis (and later continued on by Brian Wood), the run goes to great lengths to separate Moon Knight from his brooding counterparts, namely in its striking artistic style. One of Moon Knight's signature phrases concerns his conspicuous costume.

"I don't wear white to hide myself, I wear it so they'll see me coming."

Artist Declan Shalvey and colorist Jordie Bellaire accentuate Moon Knight's deliberate intentions. Not only does the character swagger on to the panels with confidence, but he strikes a flamboyant presence with his flat, bright white coloring against the dark and dreary New York backdrops. As opposed to DC's Batman, Spector does not blend into shadows; he pops off the page and demands attention.

The book also embraces its more supernatural elements. The run took a sharp turn in its fourth issue, Sleep. Half the story takes place in a psychedelic dreamscape, overgrown with alien fauna and killer spores. When Greg Smallwood took over as lead artist after the sixth issue, the inventive comic also experimented with its form. For example, Moon Knight's foiling of a hostage situation in One World Trade Center is presented entirely through camera footage from news broadcasts, cell phones, and security feeds.

Such a modus operandi would be a relieving sight in a Telltale series. Their latest offerings have been mired by muddy visuals, most notably in Game of Thrones. Despite its shortcomings, The Wolf Among Us left an undeniable mark with its beautifully garish neon lights. Moon Knight could similarly find a balance between fantasy and grit, further experimenting within the gaming medium.

A Splintered Mind

Speaking of balance, the morally ambivalent superhero would be right at home in a Telltale narrative, exploring justice and vengeance both on the streets and in politics. Moon Knight may be Marvel's true gray midpoint. For a brief period, Spector even teamed up with Spider-Man and The Punisher, standing between Parker's mercy and Castle's sadism. Moon Knight matches periods of non-lethal vigilantism with disturbing displays of violence. In an iconic moment for the character, Moon Knight carves his original killer's face off with a crescent blade.

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Such brutality translates to his action sequences. With most Marvel heroes, the athleticism would be lost in Telltale's oft-maligned Quick Time Event sequences. The Punisher would especially feel shallow given his propensity to fill panels with lead. But Moon Knight's action has the chance to feel more methodical, more grounded.

This especially rings true in Scarlet, the fifth issue of Moon Knight NOW! The story simply tracks Spector as he fights his way up an abandoned tenement building. Like Tony Jaa rampaging through a hotel lobby in The Protector, Moon Knight fluently dispatches oncoming foes, using their momentum to his advantage while incapacitating thugs with his crescent boomerangs when needed. He seems in command and cool-headed, meeting quivering machismo with witty quips. Translating the action to a QTE sequence would require precision commands to illustrate the careful choreography at play as opposed to mindless mashing to exhibit brute strength.

But the focus of a Telltale series is in its dialogue and choices, and here Moon Knight’s potential truly shines. When Marc Spector returns to the States after becoming Khonsu's avatar in the original series, he creates two alternative personalities for himself: millionaire playboy Steve Grant and taxi driver Jake Lockley. As time goes on, Spector begins adopting more identities. The tools of his trade soon materialize into a disability: dissociative identity disorder. Moon Knight often becomes lost in his different identities, unable to wrestle himself out of the mental quagmire.

In the latest run, Khonsu’s influence splinters Spector’s brain, his mind trying to make sense of the god’s different avatars. Though early in the run he seems perfectly capable of switching between the suit-wearing Mr. Knight – a pseudo detective who openly converses and collaborates with the NYPD – and the more traditional caped-crusading Moon Knight, he starts losing his grip in later issues. He alienates himself by switching identities to dismember a criminal and losing the confidence of Khonsu, who he speaks to through hallucinations.

What Happens When You Can't Trust Your Character?

Telltale's strongest moments come with a heavy dose of ambiguity. The second episode of The Walking Dead: Season One, Starved For Help, ends with a choice to loot supplies from a still-running car. The situation feels surreal, creating a sense of impending doom no matter the choice. This heavy cloud of doubt hangs over our heads until the very end of the season.

With Marc Spector's fragile mental state, the choices would be naturally opaque. Are you speaking as Spector? Perhaps you're choosing faux dialogue. Maybe options can be locked out depending on what mask you currently wear. Telltale’s decisions primarily revolve around trusting others. The Wolf Among Us’ premiere episode is even titled Faith. Moon Knight could subvert the concept, challenging players to trust themselves.

Such a character wouldn't inherently change Telltale's formula, but his very nature would put the entire system under scrutiny. A shot in the dark for the player. A shot of adrenaline into Telltale's heart.

Matt Perez is a freelance writer who produces videos under the name strummerdood and occasionally retweets eloquent people on Twitter at @mattryanperez