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Breaking Down the Comics: Disguises

Moon Knight, Issue # 19: Assault on Island Strange

We continue the fight!

And he looks a little tattered there in the cover. Which... You learn that the more beat up gets the better the fight. He fights the best when he's just obliterated.

In fact, that's a very familiar pose... Any time they want to tear him up a bit, they always rip up the knee and thigh.

The story opens with an airstrip in Lebanon where terrorist recruits are meeting up.

Moon Knight crashes the party.

He glides in, easily mistaken as a ghost (a common theme in early comics). They shoot at him, terrified.

"This is the closest I've ever come to a kamikaze glide... No doubt about that... But time was running out and I coudn't figure out any other option!" - Moon Knight demonstrating his lack of forethought into his own safety.

He is trying to figure out how to get on the plane that will take the recruits to Nimrod Strange's island so he can infiltrate it.

Now.... He could have EASILY snuck his way in as Marc Spector. A well known Merc in the field with brutal and effective tactics.... But Marc is also not careful about his 'secret' identity as Moon Knight and his name IS starting to make its way through the circles.

But then we wouldn’t have this lovely display of Moon Knight’s sense of humor/wit.

Moon Knight takes care of the last of the guards then runs to the side where he meets up with Frenchie and Marlene.

He instructs them to "give me Spector's Clothes."

Marlene tries to warn him about something but Marc snaps that he has no time and starts to change. He assumes a fake ID (with a Lockle's mustache and some glasses).

He assumes the I.D. of "Yitzak Topol". That's an interesting choice in name....

He, Marlene, and Frenchie are posing as Revolutionaries with "colorful and checkered pasts.

They gather with the other recruits in the back of a truck before the guards return.

One of the guards remarks that he didn't see a 'ghost' but a woman! That's what Marlene was trying to warn him about.

The guards are too concerned about arguing amongst themselves and get in the truck.

They eventually board a plane after having their credentials checked. They have papers given to them from the government agency that they met up with in Jerusalem in the last issue.

Meanwhile, a well armed ship stays just outside the island's patrol range. It's the government people that sent Marc and friends in.

The men wait anxiously and argue. One is upset about sending in civilians, one tries to reassure the others that Marc knows what he's doing.

The first brings up the fact that Marc Spector has worked both sides of the field, both good and bad depending on who paid the best.

The second assures them that Marc was friends with their top man, who was killed by Nimrod's men.

The first is now double worried about Marc going in full of emotions and an eye for revenge.

Back on the island, Nimrod Strange goes to greet the new recruits. He is, as always, flanked by his three lady bodyguards.

He comments again that his blond one is getting too slow and needs to be replaced.

Nimrod looks over the recruits and asks who they are and their past political affiliations.

Marlene gives her cover story and Nimrod notes that she fits the bill to be his new body guard.

He decides to test her and sicks his three ladies against her.

Now this is where respect for Marlene comes from. She's always shown skill in protecting herself. Moon Knight has never had to 'rescue' this damsel. She always ends up saving him.

She was trained with guns when she helped her father on dangerous digs. She learned self defense and then Steven insisted that she learn how to fight. She's parried with Marc countless times and she's also quite smart.

Marlene makes quick work of her attacker and passes the test. She's now a personal bodyguard for Nimrod.

One might imagine that the replaced bodyguard is quite bitter.

She notes Marc and Frenchie talking together and taking interest in Marlene. She's instantly suspicious.

Meanwhile, Nimrod reveals to Marlene that he has a new position for himself too. He has a new outfit full of weapons and the likes and calls himself "Arsenal".

He demonstrates his new killing tools. He has the sniper weapon, the throwing knives, the nunchaks, the firearms, and the garrot that all the former leaders had (see previous issues where Moon Knight kicked ass).

He is now his own slayer elite.

He reveals that in two weeks the new recruits will be ready to strike against Tokyo, Lebanon, Poland, Paris, Madrid, Rome, Buenos Aires, South Africa and Manhattan.

While the recruits are settling in, the angry former bodyguard has gotten her hands on the original recruit list.

She takes count and notes that there are three more than there should be. Not to mention that there is no woman on the list.

Frenchie and Moon Knight slip out at night, Frenchie to check out the planes and Moon Knight in search of the weapons.

Moon Knight sabotages the guns and Frenchie works on all the planes.

Moon Knight goes to check out how Marlene is doing only to find Nimrod with his tongue down her throat, celebrating her initiation.

So he kicks their plan into high gear a little early.

The ex-body guard has her own plan. She raises the alarm about there being two infiltrators and plans to take care of Marlene herself.

Yeah, she can't even win in a training fight against the other two bodyguards, how's she going to beat Marlene?

And yeah, she tries to get the drop on Marlene an Marlene kicks her ass before Nimrod notices anything strange.

Out on the base, Frenchie sets off a detonator and blows up all but one of the airplanes.

They plan to use the last plane to blow up the armory.

There's a lot going on here.

The plane takes off, Moon Knight flying.

This...this is why Moon Knight should not be allowed near anything that flies.

He can't get the plane working right so he decides to just.... crash the plane into the armory.

I'm not going to count this under the tally for 'moon copter/plane crash', but.... Maybe there should be a talley for the number of times Marc/Moon Knight has used a vehicle as a weapon by crashing it into his target.

The resulting explosion signals the government guys to move in on the island.

Meanwhile, Nimrod, now calling himself Arsenal, believes correctly that the island is under attack. He grabs his nearest bodyguard (Marlene) and makes a run for it.

Moon Knight drops in and confronts him.

"You killed my oldest friend--among other things you've done to me and mine. I'm here to avenge those things."

Not very specific there, Marc. Just there for general revenge, huh?

Blinded by revenge, Arsenal uses the opportunity to attack. He lobs a grenade and Moon Knight deflects it but still takes a major hit. He's down for the count.

Marlene is whisked away, attempting to keep up her secret identity, knowing she's the 'only link to Strange's future movements.'

In the remaining rubble, they find a map of Manhattan with major bridges and tunnels marked off, implying they plan to cut off Manhattan island from the rest of New York and hold it hostage.

End of this issue! One more to go in the saga of Nimrod Strange!

This one was action heavy and kinda bland compared to the major themes and imagery in the previous issues.

It served to show and highlight Marlene’s abilities to hold her own and her value. It also showed Marc’s temper a bit and how he can get so caught up in revenge that he loses sight of everything else around him.

It could have touched on that more, but it had a very complicated plot for Marc to carry out.

I also found it interesting that Marc’s chosen disguise had him looking a lot like a young version of his father.

He dons the disguise easily and you have to wonder if this was something he had to do a lot back in the day or something new he’s learned to do. I’d wager it’s new. Marc Spector the Mercenary was not a man of disguises and not well known enough to need disguises.

It wasn’t till Jake put on the mustache that Marc learned the value of changing his face. Now it’s very easy for him.

In fact, he’s the only one that DOES put on a disguise. Frenchie and Marlene go as they are and only change their names. While Nimrod knows about Marc Spector, he has not seen his face. And even if he had done research into him, you’d think he’d know what Frenchie and Marlene looked like too.

So the fact that Marc puts on such a disguise could be his own idea. His own way to feel more comfortable. To remind himself that he’s on a mission and can’t be Marc Spector right now. And when Marc can’t be Jake, Steven, or even Moon Knight, he has to put on a different mask.

Marc once more needed and finding any way to not be himself. To put on a mask and not deal with everything that comes with being Marc Spector.

And while in this issue, Marlene still insists on calling him Steven when she can, it’s almost half hearted. We haven’t seen Steven or Jake since the start of this particular run.

At this point, Marc has to be clinging to front. He strikes me as the type that clings onto control with a death grip. There is no identified gate-keeper in the system at this point. The system is still freshly aware in many cases. So Marc holds on.

And even if he didn’t… Jake is far from his cab and New York comfort. Steven is far too soft for the discomfort of this mission. They have stepped back and Marc is running the show.

But you have to wonder how this is going to affect them all later. Are they going to resent him for running off and resorting to his old methods? Is he causing them harm? Diving into old trauma, bad habits, self harm…

When they get the body back, will they be angry at him? Or will he be angry enough at himself? We know Marc does not like being himself. That he doesn’t like to front when at home in New York. Being front stuck for so long, how hard will Marc crash when this is over?

#Moon Knight #Moon Knight comics #Marc Spector #Marlene Alraune #Analyzing the comics #Sorry it took so long guys but things happened #It was also hard to find motivation to do this one #Nimrod is not considered a BIG Villain and you can tell they really wanted him to be #Sometimes villains just don't hold up #I think it was a design flaw #He had potential but he was no candle to Bushman #Plus his three sexy bodyguards thing made him feel like a bond villain

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