Sunday, January 3, 2010
Making A Splash: Bill Sienkiewicz's Early Moon Knight
When Teen Groove flipped through the pages of The Hulk! magazine #13 (December 1978), I have to admit I went a little ga-ga when I got to the Moon Knight feature. Had Neal Adams taken over the penciling chores of this bodacious back-up feature? Nope, t'was some new fella who's name Bill-something-that-was-awfully-hard-to-spell--but the awesomeness of his art made it worth the effort to learn the correct spelling of Sienkiewicz. As you can see from the following splash pages, Sienkiewicz hit the ground running as a far-better-than-average Neal Adams imitator. You can also see his art changing in each splash page (from The Hulk! issues 13-15, 17-18), his own unique style finding itself bit by bit. By the early 80s, Sienkiewicz had become a sensation, his innovative style blazing the trail for the next "new wave" of comicbook art.
Hey Groovy One!
ReplyDeleteGotta love the Moon Knight!! I remember the first time I saw him in Werewolf By Night#32. Man I & my buddies went bonkers for him. Loved his Batman/ The Shadow persona. Cool name too Marc Spector, like Nick Fury or even Jim Steranko. Really cool catchy name & easy to remember.
I love his costume & gadets as a teen. The hood & eyes rocked. Plus his quarter moon shaped steel weapons/calling cards. Never could figure out how he could throw them with force though. I loved his back up by Bill S in the Hulk color mag.I never cared much for his supernatural origin they gave him later. Being a mercenary , who died & came back to life.
That was a bit much. I liked his earlier version, he was more of a playboy/The shadow/Batman type of hero. Man your posts keep getting better & better every day! Keep um coming!Thanks for helping us relive our youths! The 70's were far from perfect, must compared to today's screwed up world. They were like a second golden age, like the 50's were. For that generation. As a wise man from Milwaukee said. AAAAAAYYY!!! Two Big Thumbs Up!
I loved this time of Moon Knight's stuff. This was actually my first introduction to the character, and I remember just being amazed at how "edgy" the stories were. Of course, looking back on them now they look tame compared to today's stuff.
ReplyDeleteThese strips are reprinted in "Essential Moon Knight" volume 1, if you're feeling nostalgic.
I think these early MK stories were edgy because they were in a non-Comics Code Approved mag, rather than a regular comic. Remember the days when that used to make a difference?
ReplyDeleteHi Groovyone!
ReplyDeleteYou know it, when heroes were heroes and the companies had guide lines. Where it wasn't a anything goes used as a cop out. Instead of being creative & imagative. To get out of corner, they wrote themselves into, with a lame excuse. Just to have another useless mini-series, death, maiming or costume change. Just to put out a new #1 or multiple covers that many or most fans can't afford or could care less about.
When DC & Marvel had grittier characters or stories. They used to serve a purpose. They didn't over use them. Or drag out the story forever. Because these writers & artists had talent. I mean I dug Wolverine,the Punisher, Deathlok, KillRaven, & Moon Knight as much as the other heroes. But it seemed after Watchman & Dark Knight. Everything from 88-mid 90's. Had to have the Punisher,& Ghostrider in it.
Or a clone, a drunk, in other word tons of cheap selling gimmicks. No wonder the comic industry is in the toliet. Sure blame it all on the video game industry. Man am I happy i grew up in the 70's-early 80's! Thank you for this excellent website as well!
You are soooo right, Mike. On every count, man!
ReplyDeleteOn this Particular era of Moon Knight. I'd Really love to see them in a post. Here's hopin.
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