Let’s talk about a cautionary tale where a comic writer comes up with a bad idea, the editor(s) either don’t know or care enough to say ‘no,’ and how that idea leads to potentially damaging changes to continuity now and in the future.
In Moon Knight #29, writer Jed MacKay and artist Frederico Sabbatini create a scene where the serial killer named Zodiac attempts to kill one of Moon Knight’s allies, a vampire named Reese. Zodiac isn’t armed with a crucifix or any traditional object for warding off vampires. Instead, Zodiac deters Reese with… his name necklace.
The exposition Zodiac provides is that his belief in himself gives his necklace the power it needs to ward off vampires.
How Vampire Wards Work
Objects of Faith (crucifixes, a Star of David, etc.) work against vampires through the power of belief. This is true. However, faith is only half of the equation.
A believer’s faith acts as a bridge or a conduit between the object, let’s say a crucifix, and God. The holder’s belief alone doesn’t give the object power. The power ultimately comes from God or whatever higher power for good the believer ascribes to. The believer’s faith in a higher power then imbues the object with the power necessary to ward off the inherent darkness inside a vampire.
In short, the believer’s faith is a bridge between God’s power and the crucifix, and God’s goodness acts through the crucifix to make the object an effective defense.
What’s the Big Deal?
Back to Moon Knight #29, Zodiac’s ability to deter Reese with his name necklace by his belief in himself breaks how vampires work in the Marvel Universe. How? Zodiac’s “belief in himself” means that Marvel vampires can be deterred by narcissistic over-confidence, arrogance, or any inward form of belief, whether good or not.
By this thinking, a swarm of vampire hordes could be pushed back by tossing Lucky Rabbit Feet like grenades, a compact mirror someone would use to touch up their makeup, or a report with mostly As.
In effect, any object can push back a vampire, which puts Dracula, the Vampire Nation at Chornobyl, or any supernatural creature susceptible to Holy Relics at a massive disadvantage.
Is Jed MacKay To Blame?
Yes and no. MacKay wrote the darn thing, so he bears the responsibility for putting the words to paper to make this canon change possible.
Ultimately, however, the fault lies with Marvel Editorial for not seeing the implications and future consequences of this scene.
It’s an Editor’s job to vet, reject, or approve what the writer submits, so ‘yes’ it’s Jed MacKay’s fault for writing this scene, but ‘no’ Jed MacKay is not fully at fault. A Marvel Editor should have caught this scene and prevented it from ever seeing the light of day.
What’s The Lesson?
If you’re a comic creator, you MUST ensure your clever ideas don’t break anything. Every new idea can break the past and the future if you’re not careful.
If you’re an Editor, your job is more than coordinating deadlines and checking grammar and spelling. You have to know if the story is good and what new development could impact your IP for the creators who come later.
If you’re a reader, send in those letters. Don’t allow yourself to become passive when a publisher gets it wrong. Believe me. Publishers frequently make mistakes, now more than ever.
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