Moondark
| Moondark | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Marvel Team-Up #12 (Aug 1973) |
| Created by | Gerry Conway, Len Wein, and Ross Andru |
| In-story information | |
| Species | Human |
| Team affiliations | Dark Beings/Gods Freaks |
| Notable aliases | Moondark the Magician, Gina Langtree |
| Abilities |
magic hypnosis teleport |
Moondark is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.
Moondark first appeared in Marvel Team-Up #12 (August 1973), and was created by Gerry Conway, Len Wein, and Ross Andru.
The character subsequently appears in Marvel Team-Up #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).
Moondark operated as a stage magician in San Francisco, and when Spider-Man 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.
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Wikipedia