Marvel’s Midnight Universe is one of the biggest superhero launches of 2026, and the biggest Marvel line launch since the Ultimate 2niverse. Marvel announced the new horror-focused alternate Marvel reality with three launch titles, Midnight X-Men, Midnight Spider-Man, and Midnight Fantastic Four, all releasing in comic shops on the same day: October 7th, 2026 (allegedly at midnight, but if you think I’m staying up past my bedtime at this age, you haven’t experienced true horror!).
Apart from the titles and the creative teams – including Jonathan Hickman’s return to writing X-Men (more on that below!) – Marvel isn’t saying a whole lot about Midnight beyond buzzwords like “horror” and “dark” and “please buy this.” Ok, to be fair, they’re actually saying:
“For over 80 years, Marvel heroes have inspired hope. This October, that hope dies in the shadows of the MIDNIGHT UNIVERSE, a new publishing line where top creators unleash haunting new visions of Marvel’s greatest icons. “
Marvel’s either being cagey with details because A) Jonathan Hickman hates the way solicits spoil the magic of comics (a position I endorse!) or B) they don’t actually know how to explain it in a way that isn’t “Uh, we wanted some of that DC Absolute Universe sales?” (very possible!). Either way, Marvel’s been missing a creator-centric, visionary approach to their comics for the entire decade (if not longer), and this is undoubtedly one of the main reasons DC has surpassed them in sales for the first time in decades (DC’s Black Label and Absolute Universe being the types of creator driven playgrounds Marvel should be chasing).
So, glass half full (and I’m a Cubs/Bears/Bulls fan, that does not come easily!), these are the Marvel comics we’ve been looking for. Below you’ll find a guide to the Midnight Comics Universe, and a reading order updated as new comics are released!
Related:
Marvel’s Ultimate Universe 2.0
The Road to Marvel Midnight
Since the Midnight comics line is launching with no lead-in, and is building a new universe, there’s no direct continuity lead-in (a la DC’s 2024 All-In Saga #1). Launching a fresh line of – ideally – great books with zero lore baggage is a big part of the appeal.
That said, this is comics. There’s always lore baggage! Here’s what I think would be the most helpful to understand or read in anticipation of Midnight.
Midnight X-Men
The Creators: Jonathan Hickman, Matteo Della Fonte
For Marvel fans, the main creative hook of Midnight is Jonathan Hickman’s return to X-Men, after setting the comics world ablaze with possibility during 2019’s X-cellent House of X / Powers of X. Hickman’s “Age of Krakoa” began as the most exciting X-Men comics moment I ever expect to experience, and combined with his iconic runs on Fantastic Four and Avengers building to 2015’s Secret Wars (aka the best comic book event in comics history), Hickman is the biggest name in Marvel’s current roster of comic book makers.
That said, Hickman’s 2020s back at Marvel have been uneven. For every success (House of X, Ultimate Spider-Man, Aliens vs. Avengers), there has been a corresponding dud (Not finishing the Age of Krakoa, USM ending with a big wet fart, Wolverine: Revenge, G.O.D.S.). There are many longtime fans (it me!) who thank Hickman for the good times, but are beginning to think he’s simply past his – legendary – prime. Midnight X-Men could properly put the nail in the coffin.
That said, arguably Hickman’s greatest work – the still unfinished Black Monday Murders – does play extensively with magical horror, and obviously when he was cooking, Hickman’s X-Men had all the promise I hope for in Marvel Comics. There’s still that glimmer of hope here, even if the last two times Hickman was lined up for marvelous moments (Krakoa and Ultimate), Marvel seemingly Lucy’d the football out from under his kicking foot.
On the other side, Matteo Della Fonte is an Italian newcomer to Marvel with a bibliography about as long as yours and mine. That’s a lot of pressure, so fingers crossed.
The X-Men’s Horror History:
It’s not like the X-Men don’t have an extensive history with both classic Marvel horror (Dracula and Storm, sittin’ in a tree…) and just straight up horrifying acts of bigotry. Below, I’ve listed some of the best “horror” moments in X-Men history, with an emphasis on the classics!
Uncanny X-Men #159 / X-Men Annual #6 – The aforementioned meet cute between Storm and Dracula, where she is quite nearly turned into A Bride. The classics have enough staying power that in 1998’s Mutant X, the alternate reality includes Bloodstorm, a version of Storm that was completely turned.
The Demon Bear Saga – This was my pick for the “One Horrifying Moment” Youtube collaboration, as Chris Claremont and Bill Sienkiewicz leveled up New Mutants and set the tone for the type of horror and damage possible in their run.
What If? (1989 – 1998) #87 – A nice off the beaten path pick is from Dan Abnett/Andy Lanning and Frank Teran doing a workable 90’s Sienkiewicz impression. Based on Scott Lobdell and John Romita Jr’s 1994 Uncanny X-Men #311, This is the classic “Young woman alone in the mansion when Sabretooth gets loose” as popularized via Claremont and company with Psylocke during the Mutant Massacre, and in the X-Men animated series (not to mention the Byrne/Claremont classic Uncanny X-Men #143, with Kitty chased by a demon in the mansion!). This What If? issue is particularly dark and nasty, with more in common with Nightmare on Elm Street or The Shining than your typical X-Men comic book.
Midnight Spider-Man
The Creators: Phillip Kennedy Johnson, ScieTronc
For my money, Phillip Kennedy Johnson is the most important creator for the success of the Midnight line. Fans expect Hickman to be excellent, and I expect Benjamin Percy to throw a 91 MPH fastball straight down the zone. But PKJ is the wild card. His superhero work has found some very exciting, interesting angles, such as on the Superman Warworld Saga, or now on Marvel’s Infernal Hulk. From what I’ve read, though, he doesn’t quite have that knockout, breakthrough superhero hit that elevates him to the next level of a Zdarsky, King, Hickman, Snyder, North, etc. Midnight Spider-Man could easily be that book if it’s great. Here’s hoping!
On the other side, ScieTronc is a French newcomer to Marvel with a bibliography exactly as long as yours and mine. That’s a lot of pressure, so fingers crossed.
Spider-Man’s Horror History:
Spider-Man’s certainly not a regular in the horror genre, although as MCU fans saw this year with the whole Brand New Day / Tom Holland “I’m turning into a literal spider!” angle, there’s always a side of body horror right around the corner!
The Six Arm Saga – Right at the end of the first, glorious 100 issues of The Amazing Spider-Man by Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, and John Romita, Stanly the Manly finally jumps the shark and says “WHAT IF EIGHT LIMBS THO?!” Appropriately, the (not at all scary) premise of body horror runs face-first into the debut of Morbius the Living Vampire. Limbs popping out of your ribs and new Marvel vampires! A horror extravaganza!
Marvel Zombies – Likely Marvel’s leading modern horror What-If, Robert Kirkman and Sean Phillips’ Marvel Zombies holds the record for horror moment that has stayed with me. Sandman. Spider-Man. If you know, you know!
Kraven’s Last Hunt – My favorite non-60s Spider-Man story is also full of wonderfully executed horror, from endless rooms full of spiders to Peter Parker buried alive. This is a must-read or read-again for a wide variety of reasons!
Midnight Fantastic Four
The Creators: Benjamin Percy, Kev Walker
This is the book I have the least confidence in succeeding, and I will be the first to admit, I hope to be proven wrong. I have liked plenty of Benjamin Percy’s superhero comics, but I have not loved any. I hope this is the first! Truly! I’m happier when Marvel has great comics. But I’m also heading into the line with realistic expectations, which means Midnight Fantastic Four is at the bottom of my list.
Kev Walker is – almost comically – far and away the most experienced artist in the Midnight launch lineup, with a comics career dating back to 2000AD work in 1987 (I wasn’t even born in such ancient times!). Walker’s worked with Hickman on Fantastic Four and Avengers, and I just so happened to re-read his horror infused zombie artwork in the Secret Wars Marvel Zombies tie-in from 2015 (what’s up My Marvelous Year reading!). He’s tremendously qualified, and hopefully more than ready to show these young whippersnappers how it’s done!
The Fantastic Four’s Horror History:
The Fantastic Four are the least acclimated to horror of the launch titles, with very little foundational material that could be considered scary.
Ultimate Fantastic Four – A minor cheat since we already have Marvel Zombies listed in the Spider-Man section, but this is actually where that Zombie saga begins!
Fantastic Four (2022 – 2025) #26 – While the excellent Ryan North written run of Fantastic Four could hardly be considered scary, the genre-hopping one-and-done approach does find members of the FF running facefirst into various aspects of the occult. This is easily observable in Alex Ross’s instantly iconic cover to Fantastic Four #22 – a Blood Hunt tie-in with Reed getting his face bitten by vampires! – and for my money, peaks with “Blood Brothers.” Told by North and Ivan Fiorelli (with Brian Reber colors), it’s an excellent story of Reed and Johnny home alone and their curiosity accidentally uncovering hordes of ghosts and a skull that vomits infinite blood. Ya know, horror stuff!
Fantastic Four: 1234 – There’s a real unsettling, psychological horror aspect to Grant Morrison and Jae Lee’s Marvel Knights take on the FF, with the creators really stretching the limits – with Reed sometimes physically! – of how far the team can be pushed. I found this quite unnerving!
Marvel Midnight Reading Order
Midnight X-Men #1
Midnight Spider-Man #1
Midnight Fantastic Four #1
Heroically Support Comic Book Herald!
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
If you like Comic Book Herald, and are able to donate, any small contribution will help keep CBH alive and full of new comics guides and content. Donate here! Or, support CBH’s My Marvelous Year on Patreon for exclusive rewards! Thank you for reading!
Leave a Reply