Last week, the clock struck "Midnight" when, across the globe at local comic shops, fans finally got to experience the Midnight Universe. Marvel Comics' bold new publishing line reimagines its most iconic characters through a terrifying new lens and is meant to compete with DC Comics' Absolute Universe.
The launch has been described by Marvel as "an incredible success, with over a million copies ordered collectively." The excitement continued this weekend at New York Comic Con during "Marvel Comics: The Midnight Hour," a special panel featuring writers Jonathan Hickman (Midnight X-Men), Phillip Kennedy Johnson (Midnight Spider-Man) and Benjamin Percy (Midnight Fantastic Four).
Executive Editor Dan Buckley, Editor Jordan D. White, Assistant Editor Kaeden McGahey, and Editor-in-Chief Stephen Wacker were also in attendance, and the team shared new details about what's coming next. They also debuted never-before-seen artwork, including the covers for all three #4 issues, arriving in January.
While the main covers remain cloaked in mystery, it's said that readers "can look forward to meeting more Midnight incarnations of their favourite characters from A-List mutants to iconic Spidey supervillains as the Midnight Universe continues to expand."
The Midnight Universe is certainly an intriguing premise, and one that puts a unique spin on these iconic characters. Like the Absolute Universe, we expect the line to eventually expand with more characters, but for now, the focus will remain on Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, and X-Men.
Check out the new covers below, and stay tuned for more on Marvel's new Midnight Universe as we have it.
As New York City hides behind locked doors from the mysterious horror they call Spider-Man, an outcast cop is burning every bridge to find the truth behind the "Parker Incident." Meanwhile, the devil’s hands have been busy...and the world’s second synthetic mutant is born...
MIDNIGHT SPIDER-MAN #4
Written by PHILLIP KENNEDY JOHNSON
Art by SCIETRONC
Cover A by STEVE BEACH
On Sale 1/13
The Four return from the monolith in the Jornado del Muerto desert with no memory or record of their experience. Their minds and bodies are behaving strangely, which might have something to do with a cosmic artifact they encountered...
MIDNIGHT FANTASTIC FOUR #4
Written by BENJAMIN PERCY
Art by MARCELO FERREIRA
Cover A by KEV WALKER
On Sale 1/20
Two sets of letters go out. All sides are summoned. Two threats are made by both man and mutant. The one-eyed ronin finds a clue that will unravel long-laid plans. And a half-healed wound is hidden by shadow.
MIDNIGHT X-MEN #4
Written by JONATHAN HICKMAN
Art by MATTEO BUFFAGNI
Cover A by DIKE RUAN
On Sale 1/27