Moon Knight: From the Dead Omnibus

Moon Knight (2014) (Collected Editions) #1-3

by Warren Ellis, Brian Wood, Cullen Bunn

Marc Spector is Moon Knight!...Or is he? It's hard to tell these days, especially when New York's wildest vigilante protects the street with two-fisted justice and three-that's right, count 'em-different personalities! But even with the mystical force of Khonshu fueling his crusade, how does the night's greatest detective save a city that's as twisted as he is? The road to victory is going to hurt. A lot. Marvel's most mind-bending adventure begins NOW as Moon Knight sleuths his way to the rotten core of New York's most bizarre mysteries! Collecting: MOON KNIGHT (2014) #1-17

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Graphic Novels

368 pages, Paperback

First published July 15, 2015

About the author

Warren Ellis is the award-winning writer of graphic novels like TRANSMETROPOLITAN, FELL, MINISTRY OF SPACE and PLANETARY, and the author of the NYT-bestselling GUN MACHINE and the “underground classic” novel CROOKED LITTLE VEIN, as well as the digital short-story single DEAD PIG COLLECTOR. His newest book is the novella NORMAL, from FSG Originals, listed as one of Amazon’s Best 100 Books Of 2016.

The movie RED is based on his graphic novel of the same name, its sequel having been released in summer 2013. IRON MAN 3 is based on his Marvel Comics graphic novel IRON MAN: EXTREMIS. He is currently developing his graphic novel sequence with Jason Howard, TREES, for television, in concert with HardySonBaker and NBCU, and continues to work as a screenwriter and producer in film and television, represented by Angela Cheng Caplan and Cheng Caplan Company. He is the creator, writer and co-producer of the Netflix series CASTLEVANIA, recently renewed for its third season, and of the recently-announced Netflix series HEAVEN’S FOREST.

He’s written extensively for VICE, WIRED UK and Reuters on technological and cultural matters, and given keynote speeches and lectures at events like dConstruct, ThingsCon, Improving Reality, SxSW, How The Light Gets In, Haunted Machines and Cognitive Cities.

Warren Ellis has recently developed and curated the revival of the Wildstorm creative library for DC Entertainment with the series THE WILD STORM, and is currently working on the serialising of new graphic novel works TREES: THREE FATES and INJECTION at Image Comics, and the serialised graphic novel THE BATMAN’S GRAVE for DC Comics, while working as a Consulting Producer on another television series.

A documentary about his work, CAPTURED GHOSTS, was released in 2012.

Recognitions include the NUIG Literary and Debating Society’s President’s Medal for service to freedom of speech, the EAGLE AWARDS Roll Of Honour for lifetime achievement in the field of comics & graphic novels, the Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire 2010, the Sidewise Award for Alternate History and the International Horror Guild Award for illustrated narrative. He is a Patron of Humanists UK. He holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Essex.

Warren Ellis lives outside London, on the south-east coast of England, in case he needs to make a quick getaway.

Reviews

[dizzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

im lowkey biased towards this run in particular cuz it was with the mr. knight suit that i realised i was nonbinary. aside from that, really refreshing read and is actually a good starting point for modern moon knight.

[Akshay · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌙 SIX BULLETS, PURE WHITE SUITS, AND PEAK MINIMALISM 🌙








In just six self-contained masterclasses, Warren Ellis, Declan Shalvey, and Jordie Bellaire did not just revitalize Marc Spector—they completely redefined the visual and conceptual DNA of Moon Knight for the 21st century.



“I don't wear white to hide. I wear white so they see me coming.”









🩸 The Vibe Check:

If the brutal, floor-by-floor close-quarters choreography of The Raid and John Wick met the ultra-sleek, atmospheric supernatural noir of Hellblazer, punctuated by the sharpest minimalist panel design in modern comics, you would get From the Dead. It is clinical, effortlessly cool, and razor-sharp.















📖 The Deep-Dive:

Departing completely from the sprawling, continuity-heavy events of mainstream Marvel, Ellis took a radical approach: six single-issue, standalone urban ghost stories and procedural cases.



Returning to New York City with a renewed mission as Khonshu’s "protector of those who travel by night," Marc Spector is streamlined into a lethal, modern problem solver. Ellis introduces the now-iconic Mr. Knight persona—a crisp, all-white bespoke three-piece suit and mask worn to consult with NYPD detectives—alongside ancient bone armor for hunting ethereal entities and high-tech tactical gear for counter-terrorism.









Over the course of six distinct chapters, Spector faces down a subterranean scalpel-wielding serial killer, dispels weaponized ghosts terrorizing punk youth, infiltrates a psychedelic dreamscape, and wages a legendary one-man assault up an abandoned stairwell to rescue an abducted girl.









🔥 Why This Run Is Absolute God-Tier:


Declan Shalvey & Jordie Bellaire’s Visual Wizardry: The artistic synergy here is peerless. Shalvey’s bold, clean linework paired with Bellaire’s stark coloring makes Moon Knight leap off every page. Spector is rendered in unshaded, blinding negative white space, cutting through murky urban palettes like a surgical blade.









Issue #5 (The High-Water Mark): Chapter five presents one of the greatest single-issue action sequences in comic history. Paying visual homage to The Raid, it is a vertical, panel-by-panel masterclass in hand-to-hand fight choreography as Mr. Knight dismantles an entire gang floor by floor without a single wasted stroke.















The Single-Issue Anthology Format: In an era of decompressed, six-issue story arcs designed strictly for trade paperbacks, Ellis delivers a complete, satisfying three-act story in every 20-page installment. Zero fluff, maximum momentum.










⚠️ A Note for the Collection:


The Brevity Dilemma: The creative run lasts only six issues before passing the torch. Because each issue is a modular standalone, there is very little long-form overarching serialized drama or deep ensemble character development for classic supporting cast members like Marlene or Frenchie.

Pure Style Over Lore Exposition: The narrative prioritizes mood, kinetic action, and iconic aesthetic over deep philosophical exposition of Spector’s mental health, serving more as a hyper-stylized action study than an introspective character piece.


















⭐️ THE VERDICT:

Moon Knight: From the Dead is essential modern comic reading and the definitive visual blueprint for the character. Warren Ellis stripped away the excess baggage, and Shalvey and Bellaire turned every panel into iconic poster art. Lean, vicious, and undeniably brilliant.

Final Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 Stars - The Gold Standard of Comic Modernization)

[bun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bon c'était mon premier vrai comic, j'ai encore un peu de mal avec le format mais c'est passager. Le côté compilation m'a un peu dérangé, j'ai du mal à apprécier un personnage quand on développe aussi peu son histoire et ses relations avec les autres personnages. L'action et les illustrations comblent le manque de fil conducteur et dans l'ensemble le livre remplit très bien sa fonction première : nous donner envie de plonger dans l'univers Moonknight tête la première !!

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a comic book. More action filled pages than words. Definitely showed a different side of Moon knight than what Disney decided to make him into.

[Reece · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been a minute since Marvel published anything this artistically driven. The visual of Marc/Jake/Moon Knight's monochrome visage set against the blood and guts of New York street fights is up there with any kind of Kirby crackle or Sale silhouette.

The book also strikes a classic comic balance between classic one-shot adventures and more modern interlinked issues. I don't want to reduce the character of Moon Knight, but he really does run around like a more unhinged Batman.

The book really sells a crisis of faith, which I daresay many people have faced but seeing a God genuinely walk out of Marc's life and cause true physical and emotional pain goes all the way out past metaphor and all the way back to gritty realism.

Part of this crisis is seeing your ex move in with someone new, as Khonshu takes on a new champion. At this point, you really have to trust the process of Ellis's writing because it really does look like Marc is definitely wrong, and Khonshu is right. But you soon learn the power of psychology and how multiple personalities can result in revisionist history that obscures even a God's judgement. It shows how far you can be from yourself and your past.

I'd say there is a drop off towards the end of the graphic, where the big bad has been defeated, and we kind of mill about for a little bit. We end with a whimper more than a bang. Regardless of this, I was left with a hunger for more Moon Knight after reading this.

[Lain · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty fantastic, brief series that definitely loses steam by the end. The original 6 issues are stellar, some of the best the character has to provide with the Wood issues also being very good with a steady emphasis on a growing arc over the more fragmented, minimalist moments of the first few issues. The strongest to note from both the Ellis and Wood runs is that both are drenched in undeniable vibes, from the panel work to the lack of dialogue in page long sprints. It is undeniably stylistic and gives Moon Knight a unique sort of flare to his character; with the Wood run not only continuing this sense of personality but also utilizing Smallwood's artistic style fantastically, in an undeniable precursor to his later masterpiece with Lemire. The Bunn run, on the other hand, lacks the same sort of praise id give to the first two. While it doesn't necessarily nose dive in quality, it lacks the emphasis of the vibe and style of the first two runs and in comparison almost feels like its from a different series completely (though, the change of creative heads between each run is almost enough to stunt it as completely seperate entities). While it's not in anway a "bad" portion of the series, it lacks the indulgence in vibe that makes the first two so refresshing, even if it does allow for some fantastic moments of action and excitement it doesn't quite have the artistical experimentation in the art, either. Still, as whole, it's a damn fine series and a stand out one for anyone reaching for a introduction into the character.

[Rory Quinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellis's first 6 issues are definitely the strongest. Shalvey's art is fantastically simple and detailed making each scene easy to read.
It is less an exploration of Marc Spector, The Moon Knight, Mr. Knight but more of his dedication as the fist of Khonshu and his relationship with his god.

While Wood's 6 issues are not as strong they still hold a strong connection to Ellis's stories and focus on the thought of Khonshu choosing a different priest to enact his will and quickly Khonshu is to jump in whether or not that judgement is right but just once there is a judgement being enacted.

Bunn's 5 issue run is weaker than the two previous but I do really enjoy what he chooses to focus on. The thought of Khonshu being a god of course he wont have one person who prays to him. It focuses on religion and how it can be twisted. It focuses on the darker sides of religion that a god would take part in.

Not quite how I'd like to word my thoughts but I do really enjoy this 17 issue series. While it does start to get weaker and weaker as the story goes on I still enjoy it from start to finish

[Shannon McShortall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Considering this collection was well overdue because of the hype surrounding this run and the lack of available smaller volumes because of that, of course you’ll come into it with lofty expectations, but these three writers aren’t necessarily all of the same caliber. They’re all great, but Moon Knight stories always seem to be begging for some twist in the character’s origin or nature, and this creates a sense of one-upmanship that can really be felt when it’s collected in one book. Definitely a quality run though, with some great stylistic choices and art that visually carries nicely into the Lemire run, with loving references to the past. Good for the Moon Knight fan and for the first-time Marc Spector spectator

[Rob Marney · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. The Warren Ellis run is quite good, adding more of a BPRD vibe to the character while acknowledging the past stories good and bad. The Brian Wood run has some cool ideas (it's probably closest to the TV show) but is heavily decompressed. The Cullen Bunn run is warmed over Batman. Moon Knight is a really hard character to write because previous writers have burned so many bridges, and this run deserves props for getting him back on track, but I wouldn't be excited to read it again, which is what a 4 or 5 star book means for me.

[Macqueron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trois parties différentes dans ce volume:
Une première partie aux dessins superbes, notamment avec l’usage du costume blanc et à une science du découpage impeccable, qui fait oublier un scénario léger
Une deuxième partie parfaite, à la fois par un scénario malin (qui met bien en avant la complexité de l’Afrique, malgré quelques facilités), avec des dessins stylisés et des idées de narration et de découpage vraiment originales
La troisième partie m’a semblé en revanche très faible, sans envergure

[Ellie Cripps · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this, but you could definitely tell there were different intentions behind some of the writers. Still made for an excellent selection of stories but not all as good as each other.

[Dalton Ham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty decent book. Didn’t hit as hard as I wanted it to. It’s kind of just “aura and hype moments”.
The art is fantastic though.

[Corinna · Rating 4 out of 5]

If aura farming was a book:

[valu · Rating 3 out of 5]

muy bueno me gusto mucho pero el final re anticlimatico podrian haber durado mas todas las historias Desarrollen

[Etienne Kulik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Die Stories wirken erst einmal völlig unzusammenhängend, ergeben aber im späteren Verlauf immer mehr Sinn.
Einiges holt mich nicht ab, anderes ist grandios. Daher im Gesamten leider nur mittelmäßig.