The second chapter of Moon Knight's team-up with the Punisher unfortunately confirms the peripheral nature of the story, merely using the events of the wider crossover as an unseen backdrop to provide a motivation for Flag Smasher's choice of timing. Otherwise this tale could have been told entirely on its own without the crossover triangle on the corner and virtually nothing would be needed to change.
Marc Spector: Moon Knight #9
Words: Charles Dixon
Pencils: Sal Velluto
Inks: Tom Palmer
Letters: Ken Lopez
Colours: Nel Yomtov
Edits: Danny Fingeroth
Chief: Tom DeFalco
Readers who paid more for this issue, either because of its higher cover price back in 1989 or subsequently on the back-issue market, might be understandably annoyed at being drawn in under such circumstances. (Those who've come to it via the crossover
Omnibus probably don't mind do much as it's all in one package.) This disappointment is best stated upfront as there are clear opportunities for the leading villains to send someone after either Moon Knight or the Punisher, as we'll see in issues to come. But here it doesn't happen and so one's attitude to the issue is going to be determined by the circumstances in which they're coming to it.
With all that said the issue itself is a strong action piece focused on Moon Knight and the Punisher attacking the base of Ultimatum, a group of anti-nationalist terrorists led by Flag Smasher. There’s internal narration by the Punisher which helps focus on the contrasts between his methods and Moon Knight's. The latter may not be the strictly anti-killing crusader that many heroes the Punisher has encountered are, but he has standards against cold blooded murder and this brings disagreements between them. However Moon Knight's courage, skills and tactics all stand out and justifies the Punisher's respect for him, a respect that is not often given. Neither of them is especially tied to the ideals of a country so wisely time is not spent on protracted philosophical arguments with Flag Smasher about nationalities and borders. Instead this is a group of terrorists who need to be defeated and the pair step up to the task.
This is a good, strong issue of
Marc Spector: Moon Knight that stands up well. But it must be conceded that as a chapter in the "Acts of Vengeance" crossover this story is peripheral that it could have easily appeared without the crossover banner and the only difference would have been to some people's wallets.
Marc Spector: Moon Knight #9 has been reprinted in:
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