As one of Marvel Comics' edgiest characters, Moon Knight has been on and off teams like the Avengers for a while, but has mostly settled into solo work. He became a solitary hero who thinks he works best alone, which is true only in some cases. However, one team of quirky heroes became an odd fit for Marc Spector and welcomed him into their unique, fun-loving lineup.
The West Coast Avengers are known for having a very different feel from the usual Avengers, as their lineup often included heroes that not many fans would expect to work together. Their adventures and missions were zany and fun compared to the grim, world-threatening battles the Avengers often faced. Led by Hawkeye, the West Coasters enjoyed a life on the beach, so it was rather surprising when Moon Knight was taken out of his grim city to enjoy a life in paradise.
Moon Knight's time on the team began in 1987's West Coast Avengers #21 by Steve Englehart, Al Milgrom, Joe Sinnott, and Paul Becton. He flew out to California due to a vision from Khonshu and ended up helping the team locate their missing . While he didn't officially the team yet, he fell into their ranks quite naturally until he actually made the decision to them. Marc helped them through their trouble and in return they helped him with his struggles by saving a religious sect of Khonshu. He very quickly formed different relationships with team , and even finds a romantic spark with one teammate.
Moon Knight Thrived With The West Coast Avengers
Moon Knight's romantic life picked up when he ed the West Coast Avengers. After a love life full of bad luck and brutal horrors, the team provided him with a very nice and happy relationship with Tigra in West Coast Avengers #27. Tigra was absolutely infatuated with Marc, as was Marc with Tigra, and the two became good friends and lovers. They both had a mutual understanding and respect for the other hero, and while their relationship was founded on it, the two also realized that they didn't belong together as romantic partners. It was the healthiest end to a relationship that Marc has ever had, and the two mutually parted ways from one another to pursue different goals in life. They even remained friends, too, as seen in the latest Moon Knight run by Jed MacKay, Alessandro Cappuccio, and Rachelle Rosenberg.
His love life wasn't the only thing that benefited from this team and Moon Knight left with a new take on life. His grim dark mission with Khonshu had a nice break on the sunny beaches of California where he made tons of friends with quirks and bright personalities of their own. He was able to let loose, and it was a nice twist on his character that really surprised fans who were used to his bold standing as a vigilante of the night. Moon Knight fit in with this group of people because they were very accepting of him. He even gave Hawkeye some of his most iconic weapons when the team helped out Khonshu. Even if Khonshu didn't approve of his romantic relationship with Tigra, Moon Knight's time in the team was undeniably beneficial as he literally saved some of their lost teammates.
The West Coast Avengers were a wacky found family that helped each other work on personal issues that would ultimately help them grow as a team. The series developed Tigra more than she had been before, gave Hawkeye and Mockingbird a chance to shine as leaders, and gave Marc a place among them. Moon Knight works best in only one team in Marvel, the West Coast Avengers.
