Moon Knight’s Female Predecessor Is the Deadliest Fist of Khonshu

Marvel Comics has introduced Moon Knight’s female predecessor from the 1970s, and she may actually be the deadliest Fist of Khonshu yet.

Warning: Contains spoilers for “Moon Debt,” appearing in Moon Knight #20!A female predecessor of Moon Knight just might be the deadliest Fist of Khonshu yet. In the story “Moon Debt,” appearing as a backup in Moon Knight #20, a different Fist of Khonshu, whose real name is Denise, makes her debut, helping Blade fight a group of vampires. Her fighting skills, as well as her ability to make anything a weapon, show her to be on par with the current Moon Knight, Marc Spector.

In the story, written by Danny Lore, illustrated by Ray-Anthony Height, inked by Le Beau Underwood and Scott Hanna, colored by Rachelle Rosenberg and lettered by Cory Petit, Moon Knight is asking a favor of Blade in the present day. The scene then cuts to summer of 1977, and Blade is fighting Moon Knight’s predecessor. This Fist of Khonshu is a woman named Denise. Denise erroneously believes Blade to be a vampire, but when the sun rises, and he does not burn, she is forced to rethink matters. Both Blade and Moon Knight are investigating a rash of missing persons, and when Blade tells her it is connected to a group of “yuppie-ass” vampires who have moved into the neighborhood, the two decide to team up. The next night, they make their way to the vampires’ den, and are confronted by a group of them when they arrive. Moon Knight pulls a vinyl record off the turntable, and uses it to decapitate a vampire. From there, Moon Knight and Blade make short work of the vampires. Back in the present day, Blade agrees to tutor Reese, Moon Knight’s newly-minted vampire protégé, on how to control her vampiric urges.

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Moon Knight’s Predecessor Is as Brutal As He Is

Marc Spector is far from the first Moon Knight; indeed, a key feature of Jed MacKay and Alessandro Cappuccio’s run has been focused on expanding this area of Moon Knight’s mythos. Over the past two years, Marvel has introduced other Fists of Khonshu, including one appearing alongside the Stone Age Avengers; MacKay and Cappuccio have also introduced Hunter’s Moon, another Fist currently fighting alongside Marc Spector. Now, Marvel has introduced a new Moon Knight–who may be Marc’s immediate predecessor, and she might be the deadliest one yet. Denise’s fighting abilities are impressive, as she is able to take Blade, a highly skilled fighter in his own right, down to the wire. It is during the fight with the vampires that she is able to show what she’s made of. Vampires are the sworn enemies of the Fists of Khonshu, and this Fist wastes no time on her quarry. She and Blade quickly and ruthlessly dispatch the vampires; in the present day, Blade has never forgotten his team-up with Moon Knight’s predecessor, and was glad to repay his debt to the Fists of Khonshu.

This New Fist of Khonshu Has One Thing Marc Spector Does Not

Perhaps the major difference between Denise and Marc Spector is that Denise was still full of zeal for Khonshu; she took her devotion to the god seriously, and it almost led her to kill Blade as well. While Khonshu is also Marc’s patron, Marc has had a decidedly more complicated relationship with the god, and has currently rebuked Khonshu. This zeal, combined with her awesome fighting abilities, make Moon Knight’s female predecessor the deadliest Fist of Khonshu yet.

More: Moon Knight’s Secret ‘Shadow Cabinet’ is Back, And Being Killed Off By Marvel

Moon Knight #20 is on sale now from Marvel Comics!