Marvel Rivals Have Made A Fan-Edited Moon Knight Meme Canon

It's no secret that Marc Spector / Moon Knight has resonated with comic book readers globally over the decades due to its amazing storytelling, starting with its compelling origin story and character arc, which was explored throughout his multiple comic book runs. Moon Knight has gained a massive following in the last 30 years, appearing in animated series, video games, and the Marvel Studios' limited series, which premiered two years ago.

Recently, NetEase Games' superhero team-based PvP shooter Marvel Rivals has included a codex for Moon Knight, one of the game's Duelist characters that has caught the attention of players and comic book readers. This codex was spotted by Redditor invaderark12, who posted to a subreddit on 6th December 2024 highlighting that the game's developer has indirectly referenced a fan-edited panel which canonically never occurred in the comics and seemingly has become canon through Marvel Rivals.

"The Dusk Of The New Moon" details an interaction between Khonshu and Moon Knight in which the Egyptian God of the Moon questions Moon Knight on his knowledge or experiences with vampires. Towards the end of the codex, Moon Knight states that vampires "suck" before adding that Dracula owes him money which indirectly references a fan-edited comic panel that went viral a few years ago.

The referenced fan-edited comic panel in question was originally borrowed from the Solo Avengers #3 issue published in 1988; in the original panel (h/t Beyond Anime & Comics), Moon Knight states that he shouldn't let things get to him as he's much "a creature of the night" like Werewolf By Night; however, he noted something eerie about a place he's investigating, the Castle of Shroud/Tower of Shadows, that's setting his nerves "on edge."

The fan-edited panel switched the original text for something more on-the-nose, in which Moon Knight calls Dracula a "f**king nerd" and says that he owes him money, a meme that eventually went viral in 2018 and technically may be canon as a result of this codex present in-game. It's quite a surprise to many that NetEase Games was allowed to include a little nod to one of Marvel Comics' silliest beef and non-canonical interactions in the game, which only makes one question if there are more non-canon references and Easter Eggs to find in Marvel Rivals.