The Marvel Cinematic Universe is about to introduce audiences to a brand-new hero in the Disney+ show Moon Knight. Starring Oscar Isaac, this series is the first of many Marvel shows that will completely center on a character fans haven't met yet. As expected, casual MCU fans are probably unacquainted with Moon Knight's origins.
Based on premise alone -- a masked vigilante who mostly operates at night -- the character has drawn a lot of comparison to DC's Batman. Especially considering Moon Knight releasing so soon after Matt Reeve's The Batman, there are bound to be more comparisons. So, what makes Moon Knight unique from Gotham's caped crusader?
10 Batman's Costume Vs Moon Knight's Costume
The most obvious difference between Moon Knight and Batman is their contrasting superhero outfits. Typically, Batman is depicted in darker colors like grey or black. Sometimes, his bat logo is colored in yellow, but Robert Pattinson's most recent portrayal focuses on this hero hiding in the shadows of Gotham City.
Moon Knight, on the other hand, is often seen in white and light grey. Unlike Batman, Moon Knight dresses like this to stand out during his nighttime escapades. This color scheme also helps him resemble the moon, which obviously ties heavily into his aesthetics. Moon Knight's face is also indistinguishable compared to Batman's cowl.
9 Moon Knight Serves An Egyptian God
Bruce Wayne's origins are fairly simple: a wealthy bachelor who plays vigilante as vengeance for his parents' untimely murder. Moon Knight's backstory is a little more complicated, if it can be believed. Marc Spector becomes Moon Knight after being assaulted and subsequently resurrected by the Egyptian god Khonshu.
As retribution for his second chance at life, Spector takes on the persona of Moon Knight, acting as a servant of Khonshu. This results in Spector becoming a crime fighter-by-night, much like Bruce Wayne as Batman. However, Batman has yet to dedicate his life to the service of a god, though that could always change.
8 Marc Spector Wasn't Born Into Wealth
Marc Spector's origins are far more grassroots than Bruce Wayne's. As the son of a rabbi in Chicago, Spector comes from fairly humble origins. Bruce Wayne on the other hand is the son of a wealthy Gotham City politician, inheriting a fortune after his parents are killed, which he uses to fuel his career as Batman.
While Spector spends most of his childhood struggling with mental health issues (stemming from a psychic connection with the moon god Khonshu), Bruce lives a fairly sheltered life. He even has a father figure in Alfred, his butler, while Spector often only befriends his alternate personalities. Speaking of which...
7 Marc Spector Has Dissociative Personality Disorder
Bruce Wayne is no stranger to mental health problems, but Spector's are a little more based in psychology. Early on in life, Spector shows signs of dissociative personality disorder, which forces him to unknowingly adopt several alter egos. This switch in personality actually leads Spector's parents to enroll him in a mental health facility.
Bruce's biggest mental health burden is the trauma of witnessing his parents' murder. Neither of these are better or worse than the other, but they're completely different explanations as to why these characters are the way they are. However, Spector's allows him to naturally fit in the Moon Knight persona without much adaptation.
6 Marc Spector Was Trained In The Military
Like Batman, Moon Knight doesn't have many super abilities, aside from being given foresight by Khonshu. Therefore, Marc Spector and Bruce Wayne may be on equal playing fields when it comes to fighting. However, where each of them learned to fight may be what informs their crime-stopping fighting styles.
Spector enrolls in the U.S. Marines following his father's passing, later taking up boxing when he's discharged. Briefly, Spector also works for the CIA before leaving to become a mercenary. Wayne, on the other hand, received all of his combat training as he grew up thanks to the prowess of Alfred, his butler.
5 Moon Knight Can Be Resurrected
Moon Knight stands alongside many other Marvel heroes who have the ability to be resurrected. This is particularly prevalent in Phase 4 of the MCU, which has introduced the Eternals, a race of god-like androids. Eternals also introduces Dane Whitman, who gains the power of resurrection in the comics as the hero Black Knight.
However, Spector's ability to be resurrected comes again from his connection to Khonshu. It's unknown if Khonshu's ability to resurrect Spector or not is limited. It's safe to say that, until Khonshu locates another champion to become the Moon Knight, then Spector is doomed to never die and continue to serve the Egyptian god.
4 Moon Knight Has No Sidekicks
The Batman movies like to paint the Dark Knight as a hero who works alone. However, the comics (as well as the original Adam West-led TV series) feature Batman's kid sidekick, Robin. While Robin is the most popular of Batman's companions, the caped crusader has also partnered with Catwoman, Bluebird, and Batgirl.
Moon Knight is the true lone wolf between the two nighttime vigilantes. Throughout Moon Knight's 40+ year run, the hero has rarely taken a sidekick. He has partnered with other heroes before, such as Midnight, Daredevil, and Blade, so hopefully, the MCU Moon Knight is a little more open to collaboration.
3 Moon Knight Doesn't Pull His Punches
One of Batman's key attributes as a hero is his refusal to kill. Oftentimes, Batman comes pretty close to it, but it's his self-control that prevents him from finishing the job. This hard rule also usually leads Batman's enemies, such as the Joker or the Riddler, to return after breaking out of Arkham Asylum and torment him.
Moon Knight, however, is a lot more brutal in his fighting style. Not only does he have experience in various forms of martial arts, but he also has a high tolerance for pain. Even Moon Knight producer Kevin Feige has described the character's new Disney+ series as more brutal than any other MCU installment when it comes to combat.
2 Moon Knight Can See Into The Future
As mentioned previously, Moon Knight doesn't have any superpowers. However, his connection to the moon god Khonshu grants him a few supernatural privileges. Aside from the ability to be resurrected, Moon Knight also has foresight, allowing him to see into the future. Some of this manifested in Spector's childhood as his D.I.D.
Bruce Wayne, however, still possesses no supernatural abilities in the comics. He does sometimes inject himself with adrenaline to temporarily make himself a better fighter. However, Batman's skillset is more based in his fighting style and various equipment rather than any assistance from an Egyptian moon god.
1 Moon Knight Debuted As A Villain
Batman famously originated in Detective Comics #27 in 1939. Here, Bruce Wayne debuts as the crime-fighting vigilante in an anthology series before going to receive his own solo series. Even though he's appeared in comics and movies as an antagonist of heroes like Superman, Batman's initial appearance was as a heroic detective.
Moon Knight has quite different origins than that. The character's first appearance was Werewolf By Night #32, initially designed to antagonize this werewolf character, with moon imagery and silver weapons. However, Moon Knight finds redemption by the end of this comic run, and later received his own heroic solo series.
Moon Knight will stream exclusive on Disney+ beginning March 30.