As Marvel’s Moon Knight gets ready to take Disney+ by storm, previews for the upcoming series have been giving off undeniably Batman-esque vibes. Oscar Isaac’s version of the character is seen leaping from rooftops, wielding a crescent moon-shaped object as a boomerang, and straight-up pounding people with his fists, which are all very Batman-like things to do. Heck, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige has even touted the Moon Knight series as the most brutal Marvel property to date, which again, invites comparisons to the DC Comics character who was recently seen in theaters being a ruthless force of vengeance in The Batman.
That said, Batman and Moon Knight could not be more different.
Setting aside the trappings of most comic book vigilantes, who often involve skulk on the rooftops (cape optional) and smash thugs into the pavement, Moon Knight has next to nothing in common with Batman. While Bruce Wayne is a millionaire playboy who uses his vast wealth to avenge his parent’s death through a one-man war on crime, Marc Spector is a former mercenary with Dissociative Identity Disorder who is either powered by the Egyptian moon god Khonshu or cursed depending on which version of the character you’re reading. Where Batman has one secret identity, Moon Knight has several identities whose actions and motives are often hidden from the others, and might not have anything to do with stopping crime. Although, again, that depends on which source material you’re reading.
Unlike Batman, Moon Knight’s origin, costume, and even his powers have been rebooted several times in the comics due to the character not being a huge hit for Marvel like Spider-Man, The Avengers, X-Men, etc. However, with the new Disney+ series bringing the character to mainstream audiences, we may see a more permanent status-quo take form for the unusual hero.
Marvel’s Moon Knight premieres March 30 on Disney+.