This October, Marvel Comics launches its new horror-themed Midnight line, with Midnight X-Men, Midnight Fantastic Four, and Midnight Spider-Man. They'll hit stands together, arriving on October 7 as the only new Marvel comics released that day.
After the initial success of the Ultimate line, it seems Marvel Comics is hoping to recapture the level of success as DC's Absolute comics, which have dominated the charts since launching in 2024 with Absolute Batman, Absolute Superman, and Absolute Wonder Woman.
Today, the "Midnight" Fantastic Four has been revealed. Illustrated by Leinil Francis Yu, we see the Human Torch and Invisible Woman both look mostly as you'd expect. However, their powers seem to be giving off a weird energy, with black smoke billowing from Johnny Storm, for example.
The Thing has been redesigned and looks more like Rock Hard from The Boys Season 5. As for Mister Fantastic, there's something oddly sinister about this hulking take on the scientist.
In Midnight Fantastic Four, an obsessive scientist delves into the secrets of the universe, perhaps best left unknown to humankind, leaving himself and three others warped in strange and horrifying ways. What horrible secrets lie in the new dimensions they have discovered? And can humanity survive the discovery?
Talking about twisting the mythology of Marvel's original superhero team, writer Benjamin Percy said, "Let's be honest: any other circumstances, Marvel wouldn't let me write the Fantastic Four. Because I'm too mean and evil for the first family."
"But this is the dark continuity of the Midnight Universe—a fresh origin story for the characters that channels cosmic, Lovecraftian terror—which makes it a perfect match for me. Mad science and cults and hidden realities await. The pacing is patient and full of dread and mystery and rich with a mythology that will feel both familiar and uncanny."
Elaborating on his expansive vision for the project, Percy added, "I have an epic, rich storytelling blueprint for this series, and I don't know that I've ever felt so...in the zone...when writing comics."
Midnight Universe Executive Editor Dan Buckley, meanwhile, has expressed his confidence in the new line by saying, "The more we talked about Midnight, the more we realised it was far more than just the birth of another new universe—it was on an entirely different scale creatively, a doorway to something that was not only immediately exciting, but had immense long-term promise."
Dark. Unpredictable. Unmissable. The Midnight Universe draws in longtime fans and newcomers alike to enter a terrifying new world where anything can happen. Interconnected by rich lore, Marvel’s most acclaimed modern creators are given free rein to reimagine heroes with shocking twists and chilling transformations in boundary-less storytelling that will keep readers on edge issue after issue.
The X-Men no longer fight for acceptance; they hunger for blood. The Fantastic Four venture into the unknown not to save the world—but to unleash terror upon it. And Spider-Man discovers that with great power...comes something monstrous.
MIDNIGHT FANTASTIC FOUR #1
Written by BENJAMIN PERCY
Art and Cover by KEV WALKER
On Sale October 7