Moon Knight #14
Moon Knight #14 marks the debut of Stained Glass Scarlet (Scarlet Fasinera), one of the most psychologically complex supporting characters Doug Moench and Bill Sienkiewicz added to Marc Spector's world — a former nun turned crossbow-wielding vigilante whose origin pivots on a mother being forced to kill her own criminal son, a moral horror unusually dark for a Bronze Age Marvel ongoing. The character proved durable enough to anchor a five-part 1991 arc ('Scarlet Redemption') and resurface across multiple subsequent series, demonstrating the staying power of Moench and Sienkiewicz's street-level, character-driven approach. The issue also arrived at an editorially significant moment: it was one of the last issues distributed through the traditional newsstand system before Marvel designated the Moon Knight title a direct-market flagship starting with issue #15, making copies of this issue a literal transition-point artifact in the history of the direct-market era. Sienkiewicz's cover composition — Moon Knight prone on the floor, flanked by two contrasting visions of Scarlet — distilled the thematic tension of dual identity and moral ambiguity that defined the entire Moench/Sienkiewicz run.
In "Stained Glass Scarlet," Moon Knight tracks a recently released convict named Joe Fasinera, only to find himself entangled with a mysterious woman whose own pursuit of Joe reveals a connection deeper than mere coincidence. Written by Doug Moench and brought to life with striking, atmospheric art by Bill Sienkiewicz—both in story and on the cover—this issue blends psychological tension with the eerie, gothic tone that defines Moon Knight’s world.
ComicBooks.com Value
Show all 16 grades ▾
This exact issue on ebay
CGC 9.6 ▾ $54.99–$74.8 2 listings
Raw — VF ▾ $5.99–$10.99 4 listings
Raw — FN/VF ▾ $5.95–$6.99 2 listings
Raw / ungraded ▾ $1.74–$19.99 17 listings
More listings for this title
Read it digitally
Sell my copy
Have this issue — or a whole collection? Get a fair offer from us, skip the marketplace fees and the hassle.
We Buy Collections ▸History
The 1980 Moon Knight ongoing series was built around the partnership of writer Doug Moench and artist Bill Sienkiewicz, with Dennis O'Neil serving as editor under editor-in-chief Jim Shooter. Sienkiewicz has recalled that Moench initially provided full panel-by-panel scripts rather than plots, and that the two developed a more collaborative working method over the course of their roughly thirty-issue collaboration; Sienkiewicz also noted recurring creative friction with O'Neil, particularly over cover choices. Issue #14 falls squarely in the middle of that evolving creative relationship, and reader letters printed two issues later (in #17) specifically praised the emotional depth of 'Stained Glass Scarlet' and Sienkiewicz's artwork, confirming an immediate positive fan response. Jim Shooter is credited as a co-creator of the Stained Glass Scarlet character alongside Moench and Sienkiewicz, reflecting the editorial-collaboration model common at Marvel during this period.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance and origin of Stained Glass Scarlet (real name Scarlet Fasinera), a former nun turned vigilante who kills her own son, Joseph 'Mad Dog' Fasinera, in this issue's climax.
- Written by Doug Moench; penciled, inked, and cover-illustrated by Bill Sienkiewicz; colored by Christie Scheele; lettered by Janice Chiang; edited by Dennis O'Neil under editor-in-chief Jim Shooter.
- Stained Glass Scarlet was co-created by Doug Moench, Bill Sienkiewicz, and Jim Shooter.
- Cover date: December 1981; on-sale (release) date: September 1, 1981; published by Marvel Comics as part of the Moon Knight Vol. 1 ongoing series (1980–1984).
- The issue was published in both a Direct Edition and a Newsstand Edition; a Mark Jeweler Advertisement Insert variant also exists, featuring a Frank Miller cover.
- Stained Glass Scarlet returned as a recurring character throughout the original series and headlined a five-part 1991 storyline ('Scarlet Redemption') in Marc Spector: Moon Knight #26–30, and appeared again in the 1998 Moon Knight miniseries written by her co-creator Doug Moench.
- Issue #14 appeared just before Marvel designated the Moon Knight title a direct-market flagship starting with issue #15, placing this issue at the cusp of a landmark shift in Marvel's distribution strategy.
- The story's plot centers on Moon Knight pursuing escaped convict Joe Fasinera — who is seeking hidden money his father stashed in a South Bronx church — while his mother Scarlet races to save him; the issue provides Scarlet's full tragic backstory and origin as a vigilante.
Full credits
Reprints
↩ Reprints Moon Knight #12 (1981), [Marvel Hostess Ads] #65 (1981)
Reprinted in Månebaronen #8/1982 (1982), Super Marvel #8/1982 (1982), Moon Knight #6 (1985), Essential Moon Knight #2 (2007), Moon Knight Epic Collection #2 (2015), Moon Knight Omnibus #1 (2020), Superserien (Månriddaren) #8/1982
Key issues in Moon Knight
Variants (2)
Reviews
Reader reviews
No reader reviews yet.