Moondark operated as a stage magician in San Francisco, and when Spider-Man came to town he feared that Spider-Man would interfere with his plans. While Jack Russell observed his performance at a small bijou, Moondark mesmerized the whole audience including Jack. Moondark sent the Werewolf to ambush Spider-Man at the San Francisco Bay, where he was vacationing. As the two heroes fought, Spider-Man discovered and tackled Moondark, who was killed as he fell into the water. The Dark Beings whom Moondark worshipped claimed his soul but allowed him to return to Earth to claim other souls and buy back his own. He acted as a stage performer at a carnival in New York and created a Soul-Orb to claim the souls of the other carnival performers one by one. The Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze, while working at the carnival also lost his soul to Moondark, which Moondark kept in a ring he wore. Spider-Man, as Peter Parker, went to the carnival and recognized the Ghost Rider who was now a part of Moondark's show. Parker returned as Spider-Man, but was captured by the Ghost Rider and the others under Moondark's control. When Moondark tried to steal Spider-Man's soul, he was able to destroy Moondark's ring and free the Ghost Rider, who destroyed the Soul-Orb with a burst of hellfire. Moondark's demonic master arrived to take the only soul available—Moondark's. Moondark was able to return to the living world, seeking to reclaim Blaze's valuable soul to bargain for his own. Lairing outside Las Vegas, he sent mutated vultures to attack Blaze and attract his attention. He tricked Ghost Rider into resuming human form, subdued him and bound him with magical bonds that prevented him from transforming. Hamilton Slade, then known as the Phantom Rider, was nearby and drawn to the magical conflict. When Moondark attacked Slade, his concentration weakened which allowed Blaze to break free and transform into Ghost Rider again. Ghost Rider destroyed the new Soul-Orb and Moondark fled to his other-dimensional realm. Moondark joined forces with the Water Wizard to get revenge on Blaze. Moondark enhanced the Water Wizard's power which allowed him to overpower Ghost Rider, and Moondark appeared and mocked the seemingly helpless Ghost Rider. Ghost Rider set Moondark's body on fire, and he fled back to his dimension.
Powers and abilities
Moondark is a mystic that can cast various spells, place people in a trance through magic and travel great distances with his mist of passage. Moondark can create creatures like cougars and vultures out of mystic energy to attack his enemies. Moondark can cast illusions and fire bolts of eldritch energy from his hands. Moondark created his soul orb which can rip the soul from any individual and place them under Moondark's control.
