Midnight Masses: 10/07 Comic Reviews

At last the first issues of the Marvel Midnight line have rolled out. It’s been a few months since Marvel announced their new line of books about the heroes we know, but set in a darker, horror-themed universe. The titles, as well as the creative teams attached to them, made it clear that this was not going to be some sort of side project from the House of Ideas, and to say I was excited would have been an understatement. DC has been proving for the last couple years how much potential there is in creating a new universe with new challenges to redefine some of the most long-lived heroes out there, as well as showing that a story can be “darker” without making the story too grim or sacrificing the idealism that makes these characters beloved in the first place. It felt like Marvel was onto something similar with their Ultimate Universe revival, but that sadly proved to be a short-lived line of books. It’s encouraging to see that Marvel hasn’t given up on the idea of an alternate reality dedicated to more focused, character-driven stories.

Compared to the Absolute and Ultimate Universes which are, broadly-speaking, universes in which the status quo has been shifted in favor of the villains while the heroes must start without the resources and privileges their mainstream counterparts may have enjoyed, the Midnight Universe has been explicitly presented as a “horror” line. Very little of the status quo of the universe has been shared in the time leading up to release, with even the covers being designed in a way to show partial images. It’s an interesting contrast compared to the other two universes, in which we had a broad understanding of the cosmic status quo and how that might affect some of the keystone ideas core to these stories. Even after reading the first issue of each of the three books, it’s still unclear how they connect, why the universe is so much darker (if there even is an in-universe reason), and what the broader implications of a “horror-universe” even are. Is it a world where heroes win, but everything is scarier? Does it mean we should expect the characters we typically consider paragons of virtue to be more cynical or corrupted in some way? Are there even heroes in the first place and, if so, can we expect these books to eventually come together with the creation of some sort of Avengers team? There are a lot of questions both textual and meta-textual regarding the intent and direction behind these books, and I am curious to see what answers we may glean over time. So far, each book seems to be exploring a specific sub-genre of horror, but whether that eventually plays into a broader narrative remains to be seen. Based on these first issues though, I suspect there’re going to be plenty of opportunities for genre analysis as we go. Now, the twelfth bell has rung and the world of Midnight is upon us.

Midnight X-Men #1 written by Johnathan Hickman with art by Matteo Della Fonte

The gothic horror book.

Anyone who’s talked about horror with me knows that I have a deep abiding love for gothic horror, especially around this Halloween season. I love the architecture, the churches, the well-dressed monsters, and the rugged yet dignified heroes who are just as at home in the library as they are hunting down the things that go bump in the night. As such, Midnight X-Men may have been the book I was most excited for, especially with that sliver of a cover that showed my favorite X-Man, Nightcrawler, dressed as a sword-wielding clergyman, with the face of a vampire Storm superimposed behind him. The book certainly delivered on that front, but in true Johnathan Hickman fashion, there are a hundred different moving parts to this book, and the first issues only scratches at the surface of the world he’s building.

The book opens with Cardinal Stryker paying a visit to a church in New York City run by one Bishop Kurt Wagner. Right off the bat, I already had a dozen questions. What’s the role of the Church in all of this? Are mutants persecuted the same way they are in the mainstream universe? How do people feel about a man who looks like the devil wearing the clothes of a bishop? The cardinal refers to “the new world” but is that an archaic way of referring to the US, or are the nations and history of this universe fundamentally different from our own? None of these questions are answered by the end of the first issue, but they certainly have me chomping at the bit for the next one. The cardinal has arrived in New York City to lead a hunt for vampires. More specifically, the targets are mutant vampires. From that moment, the story slams on the pedal and rockets forward. We’re presented with a group of… hackers? Vampire hunters? Both or neither? It’s a group of seeming humans who have all been recruited by something for something else. They all seem proficient in technology, but why that qualifies them to go up against vampires is still unclear. One particularly green member provides the opportunity for the book to provide some exposition. There are two kinds of blood-sucking creatures that stalk the night. The first are vampires, and the second are “empyres.” Thankfully, the very moment I had the thought of  “what’s an empyre,” someone immediately jumped in to explain that it’s a mutant vampire, as in “M-pire.” Unfortunately, the hacker group ends up stumbling on a collection of cybernetic coffins which contain what I have to assume are cybernetically-enhanced vampires. Interestingly, they’re being watched by Quicksilver who quickly reports back to the “House of X” which seems to be occupied by a group of characters that traditionally make up the “Brotherhood of Evil Mutants” in the mainstream universe. Here, they seemingly want to save these normal humans for no other reason than altruism, a far cry from their traditional stance on humanity. Unfortunately, they are bound by what’s referred to as “the compact,” a term echoed by characters throughout the book along with the phrase “the peace must hold.” Even more unfortunately, a group of empyres arrive first, led by Gambit, which leads to an all-out brawl between the vampires and empyres. Just as hope appears to be lost (this is actually really funny if you’ve read the comic), who should arrive but one Scott Summers aka Cyclops. He exchanges words with Gambit and after a quick duel, he leaves with the sole human survivor and a reminder to the empyres that he’s not to be trifled with. The book ends with a short conversation between Bishop Wagner and the empyre Storm which leaves much unsaid, but strongly hints at an impending war.

There’s so much happening in this one issue and so many terms being tossed around. I didn’t even get into the various clan names being mentioned or the fact that there seem to be different powers and rules associated with each one. There’s also characters talking about events like “Nova Roma” or an incident from ten years prior which are clearly informing the status quo and characters’ choices while still being hidden from the readers. Consider Hickman’s penchant for worldbuilding, it’s interesting to see him presenting the majority of the lore through character interactions and opaque references. I hope the lore continues to be presented in this way since it’s allowing for some compelling conversations and making it easier for the reader to be invested in the characters as much as the world. One particular point of interest for me is what the role of the “X-Men” as a team will be in this universe. It sounds like they existed ten years ago, before whatever incident occurred to break them up. At this point in the story, it’s hard to imagine anyone from these various factions coming together as some sort of team or even what role a team like that might have in this world. It doesn’t seem as if mutants are struggling any more than a non-mutant would be, but that may also be because the moral panic has shifted over the the vampires and empyres. On that topic, both seem to be pretty evil and considering that several empyres are mentioned to be former friends, it sounds like becoming a vampire or empyre has the classic corrupting effect. It will be interesting to see if that continues to hold true or if there are actually vampires or empyres that follow their better natures rather than their baser instincts.

I knew from the moment I saw the cover that this book was going to look phenomenal and Matteo Della Fonte delivered on every single panel. The book is brimming with a sinister energy even during scenes in broad daylight. The book covers a range of environments and aesthetics from the classic gothic architecture of a New York cathedral to the weird techno-dens of a cyber-vampire resting ground, Della Fonte’s art remains consistent and on-model, keeping the book coherent even as it’s bouncing around these wildly different environs. The facial expressions are also key in a book like this with so many characters as they help the reader to empathize even when we’re given little time with some of them. I was particularly taken with Nightcrawler considering how much history he was alluding to. We’re given nothing of his past, and yet we feel for him when we see the despondent look on his face as he is forced to reckon with his fallen comrades. The action scenes look incredible as well, all the more because they happen in almost total darkness with just enough detail to track the characters and the action without undercutting the terror that the innocents involved must be feeling. It’s a remarkable balancing act and really hammers home just how perfect this artist is for this book.

This book is such a fascinating blend of genres, but the core is still that gothic horror that I love so much. So many compelling characters have been introduced right out of the gate and I’m excited to see where they end up as the story unfolds. The book is full of mysteries and conflicts that we’re only barely privy to, and a world that feels vast and old despite, or maybe because of, how little we’ve seen of it. It’s a stellar first issue and I’m already hooked. If the words “gothic horror sci-fi superhero vampires” don’t do it for you, I’m afraid there may not be any helping you. On the other hand, if that sounds to you like it could be the best thing ever, I can tell you that it very well may be. This book is going to be a wild ride and something you should absolutely not miss out on.

Midnight Fantastic Four #1 written by Benjamin Percy and Kev Walker

The cosmic horror book.

My favorite Fantastic Four stories have always been the ones that embraced the weird science elements of their universe, so hearing that one of the Midnight titles was going to be a cosmic horror Fantastic Four book all but guaranteed that I was going to love this one, and issue one certainly did not disappoint. From the very first page which shows a lighthouse in the dead of night being struck by lightning as waves crash against the rocks, I knew this book was going to be for me.

The story begins with Reed Richards being fired from his position at the New York Institute of Technology for unprofessional conduct and negligence of his teaching duties. From what we see of Reed, he appears to be an astounding genius but, in classic form, completely incapable of managing any other aspect of his life. Rather than being cold-hearted, however, we’re presented with a man who feels sympathy for even a dead crow lying on the street. Unfortunately, he also appears to be plagued by hallucinations which are almost certainly caused by the pills he’s seen aggressively downing. Later that night, he breaks into his old lab in the institute for one last go at his experiment, accompanied by his aide, the enthusiastic grad student Victor. The experiment fails, leaving Victor horrifically scarred and Reed in prison. While Reed appears to accept his fault in the matter, a visit from the wealthy Sue Storm and bodyguard Ben Grimm with the promise of freedom and more pills leads to Reed being recruited to a mysterious project. They’re flown to Sue’s compound by her brother Johnny, while in Latveria what’s left of Victor is operated on by a masked figure who refers to him as their son. Reed spends several days semi-conscious and the Storm team forcibly tries to flush the toxins out of his body, seemingly to no effect. Once he wakes up, Sue presents him with footage of a rocket explosion, freezing on the briefest moment in which it appears the the explosion may have opened the door to something from what she calls the “Negative Zone.”

This book is arguably the most straightforward of the three and in some ways it hews the closest the the mainstream premise of four close-knit explorers of the unknown. Of course, these four appear to be united for far murkier reasons than familial loyalty and there are hints that whatever they are going to find won’t be as charming as the cosmic rays that gave them their original incarnations super powers. It will be interesting to see how it deviates from the mainstream book as the series continues, especially since the classic dynamic between Reed and Victor has already been shaken up quite a bit. Halfway through the book, there is an infographic page reciting what is referred to as the “Lightkeeper’s Oath.” We’re given no context for this group, but given the forces at play, they could easily be either a benevolent force guarding against the dark, or a cult that may want to call something truly monstrous to our shores. It’s these little subversions and additions to the mythos which are hinting at a unique direction for this book, and I’m desperately curious about what’s coming.

One of the most important elements of setting up a cosmic horror story is presenting the audience with a fully mundane environment before slowly subverting it as reality crumbles around the characters, and Kev Walker pulls this off masterfully. Reed gives all the appearance of an absentminded professor who wouldn’t draw a second look, but the art will pivot to grotesque horror on a dime as Reed’s hallucinations get the better of him. We still don’t know what these mystery pills are or if the hallucinations are purely driven by his chemically-addled mind or even if they’ve somehow made him privy to things not normally perceived. There’s a sense of whiplash as Reed starts to feel safe or comfortable only to have reality warp around him, and the art makes sure that the reader is being dragged into the horror with him. The more fantastical scenes, such as Reed’s lab with the big metal portal full of cables also look great and provide plenty of that weird science goodness that a book like this needs.

This book had me hooked from that first page, and the story that followed only served to pull me in deeper. This is going to be a weird one, and I cannot wait to see what this team has in store. If like me, you’ve been dying for a comic full of strange new worlds and unimaginable horrors, I suspect this is going to be the book for us.

Midnight Spider-Man #1 written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson with art by Scietronic

The body-horror book.

Hoo boy. Oh, man. Golly. So, here’s the thing. I love Spider-Man. He’s easily one of my favorite superheroes. Not only that, Phillip Kennedy Johnson has quickly become one of the those writers whose books I buy because I see his name on them. He’s done some incredible work at both DC and Marvel. Particularly, his recent Infernal Hulk series has made it clear that this is a guy who knows how to write horror. On top of all that, Scietronic is the guy when it comes to weird body-horror stories. Well, mission accomplished because this book made my skin crawl and my stomach turn. I’ve been an arachnophobe ever since an incident in my early teens and I knew from the moment I saw the cover of this book that I was going to struggle with this one. I’m going to try treating it as exposure therapy because if I can handle this, I’ll be able to handle anything. The most frustrating thing of all is that this book is really good. The story is compelling and the art is phenomenal, and I came out of this issue really resenting them for it. I will say, much of my struggle is because a lot of the imagery is geared towards my particular fears and if you don’t have the same visceral reaction to spiders that I do, you’ll probably be fine. Probably.

Despite the ominous cover, I went into this book with hope in my heart that maybe it wouldn’t be that bad. Unfortunately, those hopes were almost immediately dashed by a big-ass spider crawling out of the eye socket of a dead cat. Yep. Don’t think you’ll be able to skip past it either, because it’s a core memory of our protagonist and we’re going to see it a lot. I’m a pretty squeamish guy, so body-horror tends to be my Achilles heel when it comes to horror media. Luckily, much of the first issue is dedicated to exploring the bleak capitalist hellscape we live in instead, so I was mostly alright. Once we’re past that nightmarish flashback, we pick up in the present day with a status quo that shouldn’t be too unfamiliar to any longtime Spider-fans out there. Teenage science-blogger Peter Parker lives with his uncle Ben. On the eve of his eighteenth birthday, Peter heads to his job as a teaching assistant to Dr. Curt Connors, only to be greeted by Felicia Hardy, vice-president of talent relations with Oscorp. This is something that might concern readers, because we saw earlier that Oscorp lures in people who think they’re getting a job only to subject them to horrific experiments in an effort to unlock the next stage of human evolution. Unfortunately, downtrodden Peter sees the opportunity he’s long-since been denied and decides to ignore the advice of Ben and place his trust in the evil corporation offering him a job. He’s not without his reservations, but he feels compelled by responsibility to take the risk and try to support his family. Or at least, that’s what he tells himself. Unfortunately, he picked up a stowaway on his trip to Oscorp. That night, all it takes are two spiders bites and everything he knows changes.

Right off the bat, I liked this Peter Parker. He’s angry at the world for being cruel, but he’s also aware of his own potential and desperate to own it. He’s clearly flawed and it would have been so easy for him to veer into unlikable territory, but Johnson does an excellent job threading the needle and keeping him sympathetic throughout the book. His relationship with Ben is much of the driving force of the book, as his working-class uncle clearly feels more comfortable where he’s at than Peter does. He wants his nephew to live up to his potential and have the opportunities he deserves, but he’s also aware that many of those opportunities involved pacts with the devil and is trying to do his best to help Peter navigate this terrifying environment he’s in. There’s an interesting examination of post-humanity and transhumanism over the course of the issue which, as a fan of Kamen Rider, has me pretty excited for the coming issues. The book makes no secret of its stance as we see the rich and powerful callously toying with the lives of the vulnerable in an attempt to extend their own lives. It’s vile behavior, and it will be satisfying if we get to see them undone by a monster of their own design. It will be interesting to see if Peter’s transformation remains a horrible thing inflicted on him or if he’ll eventually take ownership of it and turn it into a force for good. Based on this issue, if it is going to become a force for good, it won’t be for a long while. We’re only presented with Peter’s transformation in this issue, so there’s still much to see as far as what form his powers will take and how he’ll be influenced by them. Interestingly, this book is the one that arguably comes closest to the classical origin story of the original incarnation, but I suspect that the similarities end there.

As mentioned earlier, Scietronic is an artist know for body-horror and he certainly lives up to his reputation in this issue. As upsetting as some of the images were, I can’t deny how well-constructed they were either. The paneling is fluid and chaotic according to the tone and there are several splash pages where the horror truly unfolds in grotesque glory. He doesn’t fall short when it comes to drawing non-mutated people either though. Much of our understanding of Peter and Ben’s dynamic comes from their expressions. Peter is slouched and scowling a lot of the time, showing his cynicism, but is unable to prevent himself from growing wide-eyed when presented with all the wonders of the public-facing side of Oscorp. Meanwhile, Ben’s expressions denote a world-weariness, but not so much that it takes away from his affection for Peter. Ben visibly softens when he’s thinking about his nephew and it helps reinforce their relationship for the reader in the limited time we’re given. That’s not even getting into the new Spider-Man design which is simultaneously one of the coolest and most upsetting iterations of the character I’ve seen. Spider-Man is no stranger to horrific mutations and it’s really cool to see that concept explored from an entirely new angle that still manages to evoke several of the classic costumes motifs.

So yeah, this book is really good. It’s bleak and full of some genuinely grotesque imagery, but it’s also really good. Seriously, I wish it wasn’t. I wish I wasn’t desperate to read the next issue despite knowing that it’s going to serve up a fresh helping of nightmares, but here we are. Great powers have been unleashed upon the world, and great power makes monsters of us all.