The Marvel Rundown: The clock strikes MIDNIGHT at Marvel!

This week Marvel kicks off the Halloween season with the simultaneous debut releases of their new Midnight line of books; Midnight X-Men, Midnight Fantastic Four, and Midnight Spider-Man. The new line reframes the superhero titles firmly in a horror vein. With all of the new books coming out this week, the Rundown assembled its scary good team of reviewers, Jumpscare Jordan Jennings, Mortifying L. Marable, Terrifying Tim Rooney,andDreadful D.Morris, to take a look at what this new line has to offer.

Midnight X-Men #1

Writer: Jonathan Hickman

Artist: Matteo Della Fonte

Colorists: Arthur Hesliand Matt Hollingsworth

Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit

Cover Artist: Dike Ruan

L. Marable: It’s possible I may be in the minority on this, but I was not a fan of this book. Sure,Jonathan Hickmanis back on the X-Men and there’s great art byMatteo Della Fontewith excellent colors byArthur Hesli and Matt Hollingsworth, but I couldn’t really buy into the world as much as the story wanted me to. Unlike the other Midnight books, this one feels less like a starting entry and more like you’re in the middle of an X-event. Characters have established history, drama, loss, and more, so it felt like for a majority of it I was missing something. Especially with the consistent jumping around between characters and conversations. This book reminded me heavily of DC’s Vampire event where a lot of character traits were being consistently changed at a drop of a hat. That story didn’t end well for me, and I have a feeling this one is going to do the same. For me, this is an SKIP. 

Tim Rooney: I fear I am going to be the contrarian about the Midnight universe but I was not looking forward to this line of books and none of these first issues did much to excite or interest me. I appreciated Hickman’s approach to seeding the fractured history and character relationships throughout the story but this was lacking in a truly compelling character hook. Nightcrawler’s dilemma feels hollow without knowing more about what this “peace” he brokered with Vampire Storm was and I just don’t really care about investing in the power dynamics and internecine wars of vampiric sects. There were a few neat ideas, and making William Stryker a Catholic Cardinal is an incisive little bit of commentary. On first blush, Della Fonte and Hesli’s art is the most traditionally superhero of the three books, but their moody shadows and color gives a haunted Hammer Horror vibe that works well. But I want more character and less paranormal politics.

Jordan Jennings:I staked (pun intended) my claim on this book the moment it was announced. Now that I have taken the time to read this book, it is definitely different compared to the other Midnight titles. It is less true horror and more supernatural superheroes, a genre that the X-Men know quite well (See: Mutant X and Curse of the Mutants). Hickman is definitely doing his most Hickman thing and sets this series in a world that feels more established compared to the other titles. This is a world in a state of Cold War between vampire, mutant vampires (“empyres” in the text), humans, and other mutants. We don’t see the vampire outbreak in action, but instead we see the political theater and infighting play out. This isn’t for everyone, admittedly, but it is something I truly enjoy. Even though the book is far lighter on the horror than the other Midnight titles, there are some elements such as gore and general atmosphere of dread by Della Fonte. I am weird when it comes to vampire fiction. I don’t care too much for the violence, but instead enjoy the suspense and arcane political structures. To top it off, my man Cyclops comes in and just wrecks everyone’s crap. I love it. I appreciated Hickman and Della Fonte seeding a bunch of neat nods to past continuity and lore. Things like Cardinal Stryker saying “God loves, man kills” or the statue of Exodus killing a vampire are fun for me. Verdict:BUY

D. Morris:Of all the books coming out this week, I think thatMidnight X-Men might hold the most expectations for people. It’sJonathan Hickmanreturning to the X-Men. Well kind of. He doesn’t stray too far from what he did well on the X-books. He sets up a believable world here where there’s various factions of humans, mutants, vampires, and vampire mutants. This first issue reads more like a supernatural superhero adventure and less like pure horror, though the art byMatteo Della Fonteand the colors byArthur Heslidefinitely set a particular mood. This is a first issue that sets up a world that begs to be explored, both in its present and its past. There are some really great moments here, from Cyclops showing up to that final conversation between Nightcrawler and a vampiric Storm. Honestly, this feels in line with the best parts of Hickman andEsad Ribic’sAlien Versus Avengersmini-series. I can’t wait to see where this goes. This is a definite BUY.

Midnight Fantastic Four #1

Writer: Benjamin Percy

Artist: Kev Walker

Colorist: Frank D’Armata

Letterer: VC’s Joe Sabino

Cover Artist: Leinil Francis Yu

D. Morris:As a fan of both Fantastic Four and H.P. Lovecraft, this was my most eagerly anticipated of this line. Benjamin Percy and Kev Walker reimagine the characters from ground zero with Reed Richards as a drug addicted mad scientist, Victor Von Doom as his grad student, and Sue Storm as a tech billionaire. Underneath the monsters that defy description and dimensions of horror (and also racism) in Lovecraft’s work, is a fascination with science. Percy’s script leans as hard into science fiction as it does horror. He successfully nails the vibe of mixing the Lovecraftian with the flawed heroes of the Kirby/Lee Fantastic Four. Maybe the real star of this book is Kev Walker. Walker has been one of Marvel’s secret art weapons, a reliable artist who can make any book look great with his heavy use of shadows and keen sense of storytelling. A horror book is the perfect showcase for his talents and Midnight Fantastic Four might be some of his best work to date. This is a definite BUY for me.

L. Marable: As a fan of Lovecraft and the Fantastic Four I was excited for this book, and it didn’t disappoint.Benjamin Percy and Kev Walkerdo a fantastic job of reinventing the Fantastic Four and Victor as deranged and broken pioneers of the unknown, with Reed being a pill popping maniac, Sue a hard edged billionaire, and Johnny as a legless pilot. The book does a great job of showing us how far our classic heroes have fallen in this new reality, and how much farther they’re going to fall as they obtain their more classic powers in a deranged way, all while giving us fantastic art and otherworldly visuals! I’m eagerly waiting to see just what happens next with them. For me, a definite BUY. 

Tim Rooney: Among these launch titles, I could see the bones of the characters and their themes in X-Men and Spider-Man but so far nothing in Percy and Walker’s Fantastic Four felt at all rooted in the concept to me. If I squint I can see the exploration of the unknown, but I expect a F4 title to somehow delve into the complex relationships of its characters. EvenThe Ultimates,with Reed Richards the only surviving member, found a way to root the reinvention there. There was nothing new here that we haven’t seen explored six ways to Sunday in other Lovecraftian homages. Kev Walker’s art was a highlight, though. His disheveled Reed in particular truly sells how desperate and defeated he is when we meet him in this issue. He delivers gruesome imagery without reveling in shock value, which I can’t say for Spider-Man. On the whole, this has the most compelling narrative—a bunch of broken scientists crashing against the bounds of reality—even if it is Fantastic Four in name only so far. Walker’s frumpy characters and rough lines grant a unique and cohesive sensibility to the book that’s lacking in the other titles.

Jordan Jennings:I love the Fantastic Four but I was the most unsure of this book. Obviously, the Four are no strangers to body horror or the supernatural. Just look atRuinsor all of Doom’s shtick since the ’80s. Yet, the premise was one I was most shaky about. Event Horizon meets Fantastic Four is a weird choice, but I think Percy and Walker hit it out the park. The changes to the characters are simultaneously huge but in-line with the 616. Reed is a brilliant mind that is willing to break the law for his research and gets people hurt. Sue is the strong one whose wealth bankrolls the operation. The biggest changes are with Ben and Johnny. Ben Grimm is the muscle and seems to be a fixer type and Johnny is the pilot. We don’t see too much of these two, though, as Percy focuses on Reed and the cosmic eldritch horror he is facing. The hallucinations Walker illustrates are bone chilling. Of all of the Lovecraftian inspiration in the book, it should come as no surprise that there is a realColor Out of Spacefeel here. I loved every moment of the book and I am looking forward to the next issue. Verdict: BUY.

Midnight Spider-Man #1

Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson

Artist: ScieTronc

Colorist: Neeraj Menon

Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna

Cover Artist: Steve Beach

Tim Rooney: I’m not generally a fan of the horror genre and this issue of Spider-Man really hit all of the notes that turn me off. Schlocky, gory imagery without any real narrative purpose beyond shock value, over-the-top violence, and laughably extreme melodrama. ScieTronc’s manga art style is cool and dynamic but leans toward the busy and hard to read when he’s all caught up in the rotting cadavers and monstrous spiders. Phillip Kennedy Johnson really hits you over the head with his story’s main theme, stating it over and over. Combined with the art style, it almost felt like a teen reader-centric book if not for all the gruesome imagery. That discordant tone ends up making this debut issue feel messy and unfocused. I haven’t put a verdict in any of my write-ups because it’s entirely possible this is all just a matter of personal taste rather than quality, but I think you could skip any or all of them and not be missing out on much of anything.  

L. Marable:When the concept for this book was first revealed, many traced it back to Shotaro Ishinomori‘s Kamen Rider. And now reading it, I can see some influence in how big corporations are praying on the little guy and how Peter will likely be attacking the big corporation with technology they created. From the concept and plot alonePhilip Kennedy Johnson and ScieTronchave me hooked. There’s some powerful body horror in here that teases how grotesque the series is going to get without overloading you at the start and the narrative promises a great character arc for Peter. I really enjoy ScieTronc’s rendition of classic Spider-Man characters as well. For me, this is a strong BUY. 

D. Morris: Of the three books, Spider-Man is the most disappointing for me. I’m a huge fan of the current Incredible/Infernal Hulk run by Phillip Kennedy Johnson. Every issue of that creates at least one jaw dropping scene thanks to Kennedy and artist Nic Klein. There’s some of that in this issue with the final few pages, but artist ScieTronc never nails a consistent tone with this first issue. Outside of the last few pages (which is where this comic was most effective for me), the body horror in this seems rather tame. Their heavily manga-influenced line work at the end tries to mimic that of say Junji Itoor Hitoshi Iwaaki of Parasyte fame. But Ito’s best work lies in the atmosphere and the inevitability of the horror to come and Iwaaki nails the grotesque nature of the human body, neither of which ScieTronc quite captures here. This might get better as it goes along but for now this is a SKIP for me.

Jordan Jennings:This is definitely the messiest of the launch titles but the one with the most promise. There is a pervasive message about power, corruption, and moral fortitude. From the opening scene involving Peter’s kitten to the extended sequence of HAMMER brutalizing a homeless man, you immediately understand this is a bleak world. The message of the story is as subtle as a brick but I know writers who use subtext and they are all cowards. Instead of the message, the messiness comes from the issue’s frantic pacing and art style. ScieTronc is wearing their manga influence on their sleeves. There is a level of high energy to the layouts but I often found myself lost in the art trying to keep the pages straight. It’s not the worst by any means; I just wish that the art was more visually clear. I do like the art overall, though. The body horror is easily some of the most graphic I’ve seen in ages to the point I’m surprised that this comic wasn’t a Red Band. All that said, I still think this will be the breakout hit of the line when considering a) it’s Spider-Man, b) it has a relevant message, c) it features body horror, and d) it’s manga influenced. Side note: What in the hell was with the panel framed by Felica Hardy’s cleavage? Wild for that one. Verdict:SOFT BUY.

Read past installments of the Marvel Rundown here!And check out the Beat’s other recent comics reviews!