Midnighter is one of the American comic books published by Wild Storm Publication and later on DC Comics. It was written and created by Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch. Interestingly, Midnighter was the first gay man superhero released in an ongoing comic series. He was known as the hero that could fight a thousand battles and a good guy that is always involved in a bloody brawl.
In 1998 comic series, Midnighter first appeared in the StormWatch Vol 2 #4, “A Finer World.’ However, DC bought WildStorm as their imprint in 1998, and since 2010, Wildstorm universe and its characters merged with the DC universe.
Midnighter Comic Origin
Midnighter was released in 1998 and first appeared on Stormwatch vol.2 #4. In this comic, he was a member of a secret experimental team created by Henry Bendix, the former Stormwatch Weatherman. Midnighter, along with Apollo, Lamplight, and the other member’s memory was erased by Bendix before giving them superpowers. The team was then sent on a mission. During the mission, when Midnighter and Apollo realized that Bendix sent then them to their deaths, they escape. The two eventually become lovers as they spend the next six years staying out of the Bendix’s watchful eyes.
However, because of the Stormwatch headquarter that is orbiting the earth, Apollo and Midnighter were discovered through the radar. Midnighter along with his lover, Apollo resisted upon capture, believing that the Stormwatch was still under Bendix’s command. Unbeknownst to the couple, Bendix was already defeated by Jenny Sparks. Upon learning that the old Weatherman, Bendix was killed by Jenny Sparks, the couple ended their opposition. The new Weatherman, Jackson King, sent the couple to a mission and was given a new civilian identity in return. Since then, Midnighter and Apollo retired from the Stormwatch.
Subsequently, in the comic series of ‘The Authority’ released in 1999, the Stormwatch team was destroyed. Midnighter and Apollo were then recruited by Jenny Sparks for The Authority, under Sparks’s leadership. The Authority consisted of Midnighter (Night’s Bringer of War), Apollo, Jack Hawksmoor, Angie Spica (The Engineer), Swift (The Doctor), and Jenny Sparks. Moreover, on the Authority comic #8, the relationship between Apollo and Midnighter was revealed. After Midnighter faced a near-death at the hands of Seth, a powerhouse monster, Midnighter, and Apollo married. The couple adopted the reincarnated version of Jenny Sparks, Jenny Quantum.
In the following years of Midnighter’s journey, another solo series emerged in November 2006. Writer, Garth Ennis, and an artist, Chris Spouse, created a spin-off from The Authority. The two released ‘Stormwatch’ as a soft reboot of Worldstorm, a part of Wildstorm Universe. The series was supposedly just six miniseries. However, it expanded to twenty issues and ran until June 28 hence the birth of the Midnighter Volume 1.
Midnighter, as issued by the DC Comics, has twelve limited comic issues that ran from June 2015 and finished in July 2016. Created by Steve Orlando, and artist, Fernando Blanco, this 2016 Midnighter series focused on Apollo and Midnighter’s relationship. The DC released ‘Midnighter,’ also known as Midnighter (Volume 2), is different from the previous series published by the Wild Storm Productions. In May 2015, Midnighter was released as a part of the DC marketing campaign during the Convergence event. During the event, DC released a sneak peek of their upcoming comics. In this regard, Midnighter preview occurred in the comic Nightwing/Oracle 2. The series was promoted through interviews with the creator, Steve Orlando, and ‘The Advocate’ magazine’s editor, Jase Peeples. The Advocate magazine was an American magazine that features LGBT-interest. Midnighter’s first issue was released in June, on the LGBT Pride Month.
Midnighter’s Superhuman Abilities
Midnighter’s abilities came from Bendix, the former Weatherman of the Stormwatch. Some of the skills given to Midnighter are his ability in close-combat and to predict how a battle will happen. He can detect the increase of the enemy’s electrical ability, hence knowing the special abilities of the enemy. He also can predict reactions and actions from his enemy, thus counteracting their moves. Furthermore, Midnighter’s one of the remarkable ability is the power to foresee the outcome of the battle.
Aside from that, Midnighter has supernatural strength and reflexes. He even has multiple redundant systems that allow him to turn on or off his pain receptors. Furthermore, aside from the pain receptors switch, he has a back-up heart and healing factor. His healing factor enables him to heal broken legs, neck, or even a hole in the heart. Besides, Midnighter’s body was designed and altered to give him a faster nerve ending and an inhuman balance. This allows him to move faster and react way quicker than an average human. He can move as fast as lighting so enemies could not see him coming. Midnighter can also detect scent and DNA and what power does an enemy have with just one look.