Jonathan Hickman has remained tight-lipped about Midnight X-Men, but his fellow Midnight Universe architects are starting to offer some intriguing clues about what he’s building.
During my recent AIPT Comics podcast conversation with Midnight Fantastic Four writer Benjamin Percy and Midnight Spider-Man writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Johnson described Hickman’s series as a sprawling collision of mutant and vampire mythology.
“Jonathan’s X-Men is the, you know, the mutant, the vampire epic,” Johnson said.
That alone sounds pretty enticing, but Johnson went considerably further. He pointed to the sheer amount of history Hickman is apparently constructing for his corner of the Midnight Universe, even comparing its scope and weight to that of the Catholic Church.
Johnson said Hickman’s lore is “so beautifully built” around that concept, before making a particularly striking comparison.
“It’s almost just the Catholic Church,” Johnson said. “Like, if you look at the stuff that he’s building in there, it’s really got that kind of gravitas that that kind of stuff has.”
That comparison becomes even more interesting when you factor in the other ingredients Hickman is pulling together. Johnson specifically pointed to “the vampire lore and the mutant stuff that he built in the Krakoa era,” adding that “it all fits together so beautifully.”
Johnson said Midnight X-Men combines “the vampire lore and the mutant stuff that he built in the Krakoa era,” adding that “it all fits together so beautifully.”
Exactly what that means remains unclear. The Midnight Universe is its own reimagining of Marvel’s characters, so Johnson’s comments don’t necessarily mean this is directly connected to the Krakoa continuity. They do suggest Hickman is revisiting and reworking some of the mutant concepts and worldbuilding that defined his previous X-Men work.
Johnson offered another tantalizing comparison when describing the sheer depth of the fictional history Hickman has created.
“It has that kind of depth and age to it that you would, as if you’re reading the apocrypha, but with the added comic book…” Johnson said, with Percy cutting in adding, “kind of neo-biblical.”
That should come as little surprise given Hickman’s reputation for dense worldbuilding. Earlier in the conversation, Johnson called Hickman “the consummate world builder” and specifically praised his focus on back matter and backstory while the three writers construct the Midnight Universe together.
Don’t expect Percy or Johnson to give away much more, though. When the conversation started getting deeper into what Hickman has planned, they quickly acknowledged that his book is being kept particularly secret.
“We can’t spoil his book at all,” Johnson said.
What we do know is that the three writers are actively coordinating their respective corners of the universe. Percy revealed that they meet over Zoom once or twice a month, have participated in story summits with Marvel editorial, and communicate through a shared Slack. The books are being kept distinct early on, but Percy confirmed the larger plan is for the Midnight Universe to eventually grow and interconnect.
Johnson even revealed that he’s keeping Hickman’s plans in mind while developing Midnight Spider-Man. If something in his story could potentially benefit Midnight X-Men, he’ll bring it to the group.
“Whenever there’s any kind of an element that might be of use in Jonathan’s or Ben’s stories, I try to bring it up in the meetings,” Johnson said, specifically mentioning potential mutant and off-world elements.
For now, though, Hickman’s vampire epic remains one of the more mysterious pieces of Marvel’s new universe.
Midnight X-Men #1 by Jonathan Hickman and Matteo Della Fonte launches October 7 alongside Midnight Fantastic Four #1 andMidnight Spider-Man #1.
For more on the Midnight Universe, listen to the full chat wherever you get your podcasts or stream it below!
Vault reveals ‘One Zero Zero One Saves the World’ from Jeremy Robinson and Tiago Palma
WWE Raw preview, full card: August 24, 2026
Full November 2026 Marvel Comics solicitations: Predator vs. Punisher, Jean Grey, X-Orcists and more
Comic Books
Full November 2026 DC Comics solicitations: Big changes for Superman and Batman
Comic Books
<img src="https://comicvibe.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/gandr-collage-22.jpg" alt="Marvel’s November 2026 solicitations reveal the post -‘ Avengers: Armageddon’ era”>
Marvel’s November 2026 solicitations reveal the post -‘ Avengers: Armageddon’ era
Comic Books
EXCLUSIVE: Benjamin Percy and Raúl Fernández launch sci-fi horror series ‘Egg Hunt’
