Moondark
Encyclopedia
Moondark is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe
.
#12 (August 1973), and was created by Gerry Conway
, Len Wein
, and Ross Andru
.
The character subsequently appears in Marvel Team-Up #12 (August 1973), #91 (March 1980), Ghost Rider #56 (May 1981), #59 (August 1981), and Web of Spider-Man Annual #3 (1987).
Moondark received an entry in the All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z: Update #2 (2007).
came to town he feared that Spider-Man would interfere with his plans. While Jack Russell
observed his performance at a small bijou, Moondark mesmerized the whole audience including Jack (also known as the Werewolf). Moondark sent the Werewolf to ambush Spider-Man at the San Francisco Bay, where he was vacationing. As the two heroes fought, Spider-Man discovered and tackled Moondark, who was killed as he fell into the water.
The Dark Beings whom Moondark worshipped claimed his soul but allowed him to return to Earth to claim other souls and buy back his own. He acted as a stage performer at a carnival in New York and created a Soul-Orb to claim the souls of the other carnival performers one by one. The Ghost Rider
, Johnny Blaze, while working at the carnival also lost his soul to Moondark, which Moondark kept in a ring he wore. Spider-Man, as Peter Parker, went to the carnival and recognized the Ghost Rider who was now a part of Moondark's show. Parker returned as Spider-Man, but was captured by the Ghost Rider and the others under Moondark's control. When Moondark tried to steal Spider-Man's soul, he was able to destroy Moondark's ring and free the Ghost Rider, who destroyed the Soul-Orb with a burst of hellfire. Moondark's demonic master arrived to take the only soul available—Moondark's.
Moondark was able to return to the living world, seeking to reclaim Blaze's valuable soul to bargain for his own. Lairing outside Las Vegas, he sent mutated vultures to attack Blaze and attract his attention. He tricked Ghost Rider into resuming human form, subdued him and bound him with magical bonds that prevented him from transforming. Hamilton Slade
, then known as the Phantom Rider
, was nearby and drawn to the magical conflict. When Moondark attacked Slade, his concentration weakened which allowed Blaze to break free and transform into Ghost Rider again. Ghost Rider destroyed the new Soul-Orb and Moondark fled to his other-dimensional realm.
Moondark joined forces with the Water Wizard
to get revenge on Blaze. Moondark enhanced the Water Wizard's power which allowed him to overpower Ghost Rider, and Moondark appeared and mocked the seemingly helpless Ghost Rider. Ghost Rider set Moondark's body on fire, and he fled back to his dimension.
that can cast various spells, place people in a trance through magic
and travel great distances with his mist of passage. Moondark can create creatures like cougars and vulture
s out of mystic energy to attack his enemies. Moondark can cast illusions and fire bolts of eldritch energy from his hands. Moondark created his soul orb which can rip the soul from any individual and place them under Moondark's control.
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
.
Publication history
Moondark first appeared in Marvel Team-UpMarvel Team-Up
Marvel Team-Up is the name of several American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series featured two or more Marvel characters in one story...
#12 (August 1973), and was created by Gerry Conway
Gerry Conway
Gerard F. "Gerry" Conway is an American writer of comic books and television shows. He is known for co-creating the Marvel Comics vigilante The Punisher and scripting the death of the character Gwen Stacy during his long run on The Amazing Spider-Man...
, Len Wein
Len Wein
Len Wein is an American comic book writer and editor best known for co-creating DC Comics' Swamp Thing and Marvel Comics' Wolverine, and for helping revive the Marvel superhero team the X-Men...
, and Ross Andru
Ross Andru
Ross Andru was an American comic book artist and editor. He is best known for his work on Amazing Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, Flash and Metal Men....
.
The character subsequently appears in Marvel Team-Up #12 (August 1973), #91 (March 1980), Ghost Rider #56 (May 1981), #59 (August 1981), and Web of Spider-Man Annual #3 (1987).
Moondark received an entry in the All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z: Update #2 (2007).
Fictional character biography
Moondark operated as a stage magician in San Francisco, and when Spider-ManSpider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
came to town he feared that Spider-Man would interfere with his plans. While Jack Russell
Werewolf by Night
Werewolf by Night is a fictional character, an antiheroic werewolf in the Marvel Comics universe. The Werewolf by Night first appeared in Marvel Spotlight vol...
observed his performance at a small bijou, Moondark mesmerized the whole audience including Jack (also known as the Werewolf). Moondark sent the Werewolf to ambush Spider-Man at the San Francisco Bay, where he was vacationing. As the two heroes fought, Spider-Man discovered and tackled Moondark, who was killed as he fell into the water.
The Dark Beings whom Moondark worshipped claimed his soul but allowed him to return to Earth to claim other souls and buy back his own. He acted as a stage performer at a carnival in New York and created a Soul-Orb to claim the souls of the other carnival performers one by one. The Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze)
Ghost Rider is a fictional character, an antihero in the Marvel Comics Universe. He is the second Marvel character to use the name Ghost Rider, following the Western hero later known as the Phantom Rider, and preceding Daniel Ketch.Johnny Blaze was portrayed both in the 2007 film Ghost Rider and...
, Johnny Blaze, while working at the carnival also lost his soul to Moondark, which Moondark kept in a ring he wore. Spider-Man, as Peter Parker, went to the carnival and recognized the Ghost Rider who was now a part of Moondark's show. Parker returned as Spider-Man, but was captured by the Ghost Rider and the others under Moondark's control. When Moondark tried to steal Spider-Man's soul, he was able to destroy Moondark's ring and free the Ghost Rider, who destroyed the Soul-Orb with a burst of hellfire. Moondark's demonic master arrived to take the only soul available—Moondark's.
Moondark was able to return to the living world, seeking to reclaim Blaze's valuable soul to bargain for his own. Lairing outside Las Vegas, he sent mutated vultures to attack Blaze and attract his attention. He tricked Ghost Rider into resuming human form, subdued him and bound him with magical bonds that prevented him from transforming. Hamilton Slade
Hamilton Slade (Rangers)
Hamilton Slade is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. He first appeared in issue #56 of the supernatural-motorcyclist series Ghost Rider.-Fictional character biography:...
, then known as the Phantom Rider
Phantom Rider
The Phantom Rider is the name of several fictional characters, Old West heroic gunfighters appearing in comic books in the Marvel Comics universe...
, was nearby and drawn to the magical conflict. When Moondark attacked Slade, his concentration weakened which allowed Blaze to break free and transform into Ghost Rider again. Ghost Rider destroyed the new Soul-Orb and Moondark fled to his other-dimensional realm.
Moondark joined forces with the Water Wizard
Aqueduct (comics)
Aqueduct , originally known as Water Wizard, is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Jim Shooter and Don Heck and first appeared in Ghost Rider #23 .-Fictional character biography:Peter van Zante enlists in the U.S...
to get revenge on Blaze. Moondark enhanced the Water Wizard's power which allowed him to overpower Ghost Rider, and Moondark appeared and mocked the seemingly helpless Ghost Rider. Ghost Rider set Moondark's body on fire, and he fled back to his dimension.
Powers and abilities
Moondark is a mysticMysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
that can cast various spells, place people in a trance through magic
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
and travel great distances with his mist of passage. Moondark can create creatures like cougars and vulture
Vulture
Vulture is the name given to two groups of convergently evolved scavenging birds, the New World Vultures including the well-known Californian and Andean Condors, and the Old World Vultures including the birds which are seen scavenging on carcasses of dead animals on African plains...
s out of mystic energy to attack his enemies. Moondark can cast illusions and fire bolts of eldritch energy from his hands. Moondark created his soul orb which can rip the soul from any individual and place them under Moondark's control.