Much has been made about Steven Grant’s job as a “gift shoppist” in the National Art Gallery in London in Marvel’s Moon Knight. But if you watch carefully, you’ll realize something’s amiss. People regularly touch the artifacts for one thing. Steven’s employers and colleagues seem to hate him, and in the latest episode—as he gets closer to the truth about Marc Spector—he gets fired. So what if the National Art Gallery was actually something else, something with connections to Marc Spector and his comic book history? What if the museum is really a front for or creation of SpectorCorp?
What Is SpectorCorp?
Marc Spector’s business has always been a part of the Moon Knight lore. SpectorCorp debuted in the ’90s Marc Spector: Moon Knight comics that the show seems to take some sideways inspiration from. A large corporation with its fingers in many business pies, the company was mainly a cover for Moon Knight’s crime fighting. SpectorCorp was first introduced in Marc Spector: Moon Knight #38, and by issue #39 it felt like a fully fledged megacorporation. It’s also not the only business that Marc has owned. His other corporations include Spector Enterprises and Spector International Galleries.
In a fun nod to this history, the Disney+ show filmed as “SpectorCorp Productions” in the UK.
Has Marc Spector Ever Owned an Art Gallery?
Actually, yes! In 1985’s Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu #1, Marc Spector owns a large art gallery in Paris. At this time he’s stopped operating as Moon Knight, instead focusing on his business with Spector International Galleries and his love life. He’s quickly dragged back into the superhero lifestyle following a battle at his art gallery with a mysterious man sporting a cane with the head of Anubis on it. This should immediately conjure parallels to the Disney+ series, as Ethan Hawke’s Arthur Harrow carries a cane sporting the head of his Egyptian avatar, Ammit.
Why Do We Think SpectorCorp Could Be Behind the Museum?
With SpectorCorp’s history in Moon Knight’s comic book canon it would make sense for it to appear in the show. Then there’s the evidence built into the show with its comic book influences. Now these could be Hawkeye style name drops rather than anything bigger. But the nature of Moon Knight means this definitely could hint at something more.
Two museum employees, Steven’s boss Donna and security guard J.B., have counterparts in Moon Knight comics from the SpectorCorp era. Donna— first introduced at the Latverian Consulate in Marc Spector: Moon Knight #39—rises through the ranks of SpectorCorp in the early ’90s comics. Donna happens to be the former college rival of Marlene Alraune, longtime lover of Marc/Steven. Together, the two women take control of the SpectorCorp business at the end of the Marc Spector: Moon Knight series.
J.B. is Junior Birdman, a.k.a. computer hacker Warren Tork. He’s a member of Moon Knight’s Shadow Cabinet. They’re a collective of informants and agents who supply intel to the avatar of Khonshu. Jeremy Slater recently said they named J.B. to thank a writing assistant on the show. We love those shout-outs to the people who made the Marvel shows possible. But we think it could have a double meaning as the comic book J.B.’s computer hacking ways immediately evoke the huge computer screen setup J.B. has in the show as the gallery’s security guard. It has big “man behind the screen” energy, which is totally J.B.’s role in the comic.
If SpectorCorp Is Involved, What Does It Mean for Moon Knight?
First off, Marc is far more powerful than we thought. It would also confirm that Marc has long been the primary alter and has had enough time to establish a safety net for Steven in case he ever gains control. It’s also likely that we could see the members of SpectorCorp in other roles in the show. Not only would that fit with the narrative, but would also reflect Marc and Steven’s dueling nature. And perhaps if the National Art Gallery isn’t what it seems, then it could be a hint that the rest of the world Steven inhabits is questionable too. That’s something many Moon Knight comics have played with and could become a part of Moon Knight’s show too.
Featured Image: Marvel Studios