Issue(s): Moon Knight #34
Cover Date: Jan 92
Title: "The grudge"
Credits:
Chuck Dixon - Writer
J.J. Birch - Penciler
J.J. Birch - Inker
Eric Fein - Assistant Editor
Danny Fingeroth - Editor

Review/plot:
Chuck Dixon returns for a final issue on Moon Knight, quite a while after the last issue of his regular run. This story picks up on an element from his run and is otherwise very standalone (in fact, it's kind of interrupting the fact that Moon Knight's brother was seen lurking around his property last issue). So maybe it was an issue that was going to be part of Dixon's run but got delayed, maybe because it was given to J.J. Birch, who has only done special projects and fill-ins for Marvel so far.

In any event, this issue gives closure to Frenchie after the injuries he took from Killer Shrike during Acts of Vengeance. Unfortunately, that (by necessity) comes at the expense of Killer Shrike. My opinion of Shrike shot up dramatically after his showing in Moon Knight's Acts of Vengeance issue. He turned out to be pretty powerful. But this issue has Frenchie beating him single-handedly, and having a non-super powered sidekick beat a villain is no way to build up that villain's rep.

Of course Frenchie doesn't see himself as a sidekick. Frenchie was originally depicted as just being Moon Knight's pilot, as Moon Knight's series went on, it became clear that both had been mercenaries, so why should Moon Knight get all the billing? The answer is, of course, that only Moon Knight died and was resurrected by an Egyptian god and outfitted with all sorts of gadgets, but, again, Frenchie (who doesn't even like that name) is not hearing that. So he's used Moon Knight's access to Avengers files to research Killer Shrike and learn his weaknesses.

Moon Knight gets wind of Frenchie's vengeance scheme, but allows him to attack Killer Shrike while he and Marlene deal with Shrike's goons.

Frenchie's preparations pay off, and he's able to defeat Shrike with a gadget that disrupts his neural connection to his flying powers.

It seems to me that should be it for Killer Shrike, unless he gets an upgrade from Justin Hammer or someone. Otherwise, Moon Knight ought to get the info back to the Avengers that the Shrike can be taken out this way, and Tony Stark can distribute the neural disruptor to Code: Blue and the Guardsman and SHIELD and whoever else, and there's really no way the villain should be able to menace anyone again.

I think Dixon does a good job depicting the story from Frenchie's point of view, showing his determination and grit. So it's a decent read from that perspective. And while i am disappointed to see Shrike defeated by a non-super, i have to admit that it's only Killer Shrike, who i didn't think much of before Dixon made him cool in the first place.

Quality Rating: C+

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References:

• Killer Shrike injured Frenchie in Moon Knight #10.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A