Moon Knight introduced different costumes for the iconic supernatural hero based on the most distinctive comic book looks of the character. Like most Marvel Comics superheroes, Moon Knight wore numerous costumes throughout his nearly five decades of existence. With The Multiverse Saga unfolding in the MCU, fans can expect to see some in live-action.
The best Moon Knight costumes from Marvel Comics arguably come from the multiverse, especially the Earth X version, which seems to have had the most impact on the MCU design. Others take the classic elements from the core Moon Knight costume and turn them upside down, creating new and interesting takes that potentially inspire variants in the MCU.
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Updated November 14th, 2022, by Darby Harn:
Moon Knight made his first appearance in Marvel Comics in Werewolf By Night #32, in a costume that counts among his best. Moon Knight’s costumes evolved from the 1970s, adding and subtracting from the core look over time. In recent years, more and more divergent Moon Knight suits emerge in the comics as storylines explore his past, present, and future. They also explore the multiverse, where powerful Moon Knight variants bring their own distinctive visual stamp to the character, including Moonwing, an amalgamation of Moon Knight and Nightwing.
Silver Armor
For a brief time in the best Moon Knight comics from the 1990s, Moon Knight wore a silver armored suit. This powerful armor echoed the basic design established in earlier comics but translated it into what was then a much more practical form than the cloth costumes he had been wearing.
The armored look reinforces the concept of Marc Spector being a knight, but the suit’s primary purpose was actually to keep him alive. The Hobgoblin infected Moon Knight with a demonic virus, forcing him to wear the suit to maintain his humanity.
ArachKnight
ArachKnight combines the signature elements from Moon Knight and Spider-Man into something wholly unique and memorable. The red and white color contrast works very well, as does the exaggerated spider emblem that dominates the cuirass of the armor. This Moon Knight costume appeared in the 2018 Infinity Warps storyline that fused iconic Marvel Comics characters together.
With so many powerful Spider-Man variants populating live-action and animation in the MCU and Sony Marvel Universe, ArachKnight stands a good chance of appearing shortly.
Moonwing
The Amalgam Comics 1990s crossover between Marvel and DC Comics blended their greatest characters and Moon Knight melded with Nightwing. This created a unique Moon Knight suit that manages to leverage unexpected elements in both costumes. The golden filigree from Nightwing’s original costume fits well with Moon Knight’s Egyptian elements.
The costume also leverages more black than Moon Knight costumes to that point, creating a new visual template for the great suits that would follow in the 2000s, especially the Ultimate Comics version.
Heroes Reborn (2021)
A distinctive Moon Knight in black appears in Heroes Reborn, the 2021 crossover that imagined a world without Avengers. This costume pushes things as far from the original as possible, ditching white altogether with gold as the only accent color. The dichotomy creates a visually powerful and sinister look for the hero.
This Moon Knight variant also wields two crescent-shaped scythes. These unique weapons stand alone in the character’s arsenal in the multiverse but could easily make their way into live-action.
Moon Knight 2099 (Tabitha)
The Moon Knight in Earth-TRN590, the 2099 universe, wears a completely armored suit, with reinforced vambraces and padding that gives her a more practical look that would fit right into the aesthetic of the MCU. Tabitha wears a simple but modern suit that boils the costume down to its essence.
She wields the Soulsword, the same mystical blade that Magik does in Earth-616’s present timeline, making Tabitha extremely powerful. With the Soulsword, Magik stands with the most powerful magic users in the Marvel Universe.
Moon Knight 2099
A new 2099 Moon Knight gives the character his strangest and perhaps his most interesting suit. He wears a unique helmet, a dome that completely encloses his head, not unlike the Red Hood from DC Comics. The suit goes against the character’s usual visualization but yet it remains instantly recognizable.
His costume embodies the best elements from the classic Moon Knight design including the prominent crescent symbol on his chest and helmet. This Moon Knight variant appears in Spider-Man 2099: Exodus #3 along with other new variants.
Pirate Moon Knight
Pirate Moon Knight makes a cameo and an instant impression in Moon Knight Annual #1 from 2019. This variant takes the iconic Moon Knight style and blends it seamlessly with a conventional pirate outfit, including era-appropriate boots, belts, and gloves. The mashup results in a costume that almost tilts into a ninja look.
This Moon Knight appears with others from different eras all fighting a powerful Kang The Conqueror variant. Given Kang’s rise in The Multiverse Saga and all the possibilities he brings with him, this Moon Knight costume could appear in the MCU.
All-New, All-Different
Moon Knight got a brand suit in the All-New, All-Different era in 2015. This costume stands out by maintaining the classic elements while pushing ahead with a practical and modern sensibility in its use of modular armor. The costume also introduces a powerful dose of black, replacing the white which had been dominant in his costume for decades.
This costume also serves as a throwback to his original costume in Marvel Comics, which featured a two-tone white and black scheme that was later abandoned for all-white.
West Coast Avengers
In the 1980s, Moon Knight’s costume continued to evolve. His base costume added several Egyptian elements in the vambraces and belt that more directly linked him with Khonshu’s ancient power. Golden elements feature in the MCU version, a callback to this iteration.
Moon Knight also sometimes features a golden ankh as his emblem and used one as a weapon in some cases, especially in his earliest days with the West Coast Avengers in the late 1980s.
Ultimate Moon Knight
Ultimate Moon Knight from Earth-1610 represents a dramatic departure from the Earth-616 version. Though he maintains the crescent moon motif, he creates a strong look for the character by going all-black in the design. This early 2000s costume also utilizes much more realistic armor and armament, with a collapsible battle staff that other versions have not used.
He wore a hood like the original Moon Knight, but sparingly, giving him a more spare silhouette like Mr. Knight. If more Moon Knight personalities emerge in live-action, the Ultimate Comics version certainly could be one.
Jessica Spector (Marvel Knights)
Jessica Spector made one appearance in Marvel Comics in Marvel Knights Millennial Visions from 2001, but it was memorable. This potential variant wore a costume that took adopted a cowl similar to Raven, among the most powerful Teen Titans in DC Comics, to create a distinctive Moon Knight.
She also emphasized golden elements in her costume much more than other Moon Knights. Jessica brandished a unique sword that incorporated the ankh and crescent motifs to produce perhaps the most distinctive weapon in the character’s arsenal.
Mariama Spector
Mariama Spector offers perhaps the most technologically advanced Moon Knight in Marvel Comics. She first appeared in Avengers Forever #1 in 2021, fighting against the Black Skull. Her black and white costume echoes the standard S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform from modern comics while retaining the crescent motif.
She wears a visor that flips down over her eyes, creating a more militaristic look than any other Moon Knight costume. She also uses more conventional weapons, like standard firearms and swords.
Earth X
Moon Knight’s best costumes push him toward practicality, but the Earth X version succeeds in leaning into the impractical but obvious. This alternate-reality version wears layers of mummy bandages, a striking visual cue linking him to Ancient Egypt that the MCU version adapted for the screen.
This costume features little obvious Moon Knight iconography, but maintains the character’s classic silhouette and stands with the simplest but most effective costumes in the comics.
Mr. Knight
The Mr. Knight costume boldly abandons the classic look’s core elements. Mr. Knight wears a three-piece suit and a face mask, creating a clean and deceptively simple look. The suit keeps the all-white color from earlier suits and the crescent emblem, making him undeniably Moon Knight but in a bizarre, modern way.
The MCU series adapted this costume for Stephen Grant’s persona, with some unique embellishments for the screen, clearly reflecting the malleability in Moon Knight’s core visual style.
Classic Costume
The best Moon Knight costume in many ways remains the first. Though the style evolved, the core elements continue to feature in every medium. The all-white hooded suit dominated by crescent emblems presents a powerful and unmistakable visual recipe that worked from the beginning.
Werewolf By Night #32 established the signature design elements in the 1970s and a succession of artists over the years, including Bill Sienkiewicz, Stephen Platt, and others, continued to refine it.