300 follows King Leonidas as he takes on the Persian threat facing his home, while Marvel's Moon Knight is always on a mission to protect those who travel at night, with an inspired new cosplay mashing the two together to create a crossover character of the likes fans have never seen before!
Shared on social media via Instagram, Derek Shackleton (@kreedcosplay) is a creative talent who cosplays as more than a few fan-favorite characters, with much of his focus coming in the form of embodying one of his favorite heroes in the comic book medium, the Fist of Khonshu himself, Moon Knight.
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Dressing as various comic-accurate versions of Moon Knight as well as the more supernatural MCU iteration of the hero, Derek has also dreamed up a few remixed looks for Moonie by merging his iconic all-white costume with the dark and gloomy design of DC Comics' Batman and even the futuristic-looking suit of Star Wars' Mandalorian, resulting in a handful of unique cosplays exclusive to Derek's brand of nerdiness.
Related: Moon Knight Cosplay Recreates His Scariest Costume (& Deadly Brother)
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A main character from the 1998 graphic novel by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley, 300's Leonidas isn't a ruler to be trifled with, let alone taken lightly as a member of the Spartan army. From his bare-chested machismo to his penchant for yelling things super loudly (at least in the movie) to his abilities to murder and maim efficiently on the field of battle, Leonidas is more similar to Moon Knight than fans might think, as his dedication to his craft of war is something Marc Spector is intimately acquainted with, just on a smaller scale. Known for being overly brutal in his tactics against the criminal element, Moon Knight dresses in white so that his enemies can see him coming, a very Spartan-like mindset to have as warriors from this time craved the battlefield above everything else, a place that Moon Knight and his other personalities always seem to find their way back to.
Looking as if Derek based his cosplay on an old 300 x Marvel crossover character that somehow slipped past fans into comic obscurity, Derek's attention to detail regarding Moon Knight and Leonidas' unique visual designs makes it hard to believe that he was able to develop, create, and wear this crossover costume all by his lonesome. Donning a beat-up Spartan helmet worn under a white hood and cape, Derek's muscular build, Moon Knight-accented gauntlets, shin guards, trunks, and deadly short swords give off a fierce vibe that fits in well with Moonie and Leonidas' attitudes, to say nothing about the savagery they can inflict when going all out. Meanwhile, in the second post, Derek and fellow Moon Knight cosplayer @invadermercedes stand under Egyptian statues, giving fans a better full-body look at King Moon Knight in all his fan-redesigned glory.
So while the Fist of Khonshu and the King of Sparta won't officially be crossing paths anytime soon in the comic or Hollywood space, getting to see a talented cosplayer like Derek bring the two together to form a never-before-seen character is an impressive sight for fans of both heroes to see. Moon Knight and King Leonidas just got the genius joint costume they deserve, so be sure to put a follow on Derek Shackleton's (@kreedcosplay) page for more inventive cosplay designs!
Source: @kreedcosplay