Marvel’s Midnight Universe imprint saw the fusion of its most iconic superheroes with horror genres. What are usually incredibly positive and hopeful figures are immersed in a dark and terrifying new world. The Fantastic Four became a cosmic horror story. Spider-Man’s origin becomes a gruesome body horror comic. And the X-Men are all vampires.
It’s an unpredictable, unashamed selection of stories where the horror comes first and the superheroes far behind. So far, only three books have been released, but the success and spectacle surrounding that triumvirate surely mean there could be more. Below is a list of ways some of Marvel’s best heroes and characters could be transformed in a horror setting should the Midnight Universe continue.
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Ant-Man
Shrinking down to the size of an insect would be incredibly daunting, and Ant-Man comics have explored this since the early 1960’s. But does it really tap into how terrifying the experience could be? Whether it’s Hank Pym, Scott Lang, or even Eric O’Grady, experimenting with Pym Particles can be a harrowing experience. As the hero gets smaller, the world gets bigger, and the slightest things become potentially fatal. You can get even smaller and delve into the Microverse, but also highlight how some of the most horrifying organisms on Earth are the smallest.
A Midnight Universe Ant-Man comic could easily adapt Kafka’s The Metamorphosis and its existentialism. And Hank Pym’s mental state throughout the mainstream comics has been troubled, to say the least, and could become a psychological thriller when amplified.
Captain America
The horrors of war are some of the most devastating to interpret, because there is a realism to it. Since All Quiet on the Western Front was first released in 1929, we’ve come to understand what war does to the human psyche, the human body, and more. A horror-first approach to Captain America could show just how awful war is. Steve Rogers has served as a figure of inspiration and hope, but he’s also on the battlefield, where lives are torn apart.
There have also been several Captain America stories that tap into the occult nature of Nazi warfare, including beasts from other worlds and mystical weapons. That can take the war story to another level while still embracing the psychological effects of conflict on a person.
Iron Man
Of all the Marvel Heroes, Iron Man is the character who strays furthest from horror. Which is why throwing him into the deep end may be the best option. Tony Stark has always got to be in control. His genius allows him to create systems and weapons he can control. But we have already seen this with AI, which is starting to function in ways even its creators can’t explain.
Turning the story of Iron Man into a techno-horror comic could go in so many avenues, especially in an age where conversations about what’s real are being had. The Demon in a Bottle concept, where Tony turns to drink, is always on the table, but the idea of wrestling for control over the suit is also well worth exploring. And that’s a road that can lead to Ultron very quickly too.
Thor
Ancient gods are weird. Very weird. When the Asgardians are introduced in the Marvel Universe, they are arrogant, party hard, and go to war. But there are many strange stories in the myths and legends. Bringing Thor into the Midnight Universe may be the best way to adventure through it. Utilize classic legends that portray the gods as merciless and cruel.
The biblical horror story that could follow could take place across the Ten Realms, using a figure like Jane Foster, Rick Jones, or even Donald Blake to cross the boundaries into hard fantasy. Even in a more grounded concept, a series exploring cults who worship the ancient gods could also be worthwhile.
Namor
The ocean is the scariest place on Earth—the vastness, the darkness, and the creatures that lie within. And the further you dip below the surface, the freakier the animals get. Namor is the king of Atlantis, but the rest of the ocean is full of surprises and scares. A comic set almost exclusively underwater could open into a new world while also showcasing the horrors that lie in the darkness.
Creators could utilize thalassophobia and megalophobia with pages that are as wide as possible, basking in the emptiness. Namor being half-human could also be a pivotal part of the story’s beginning on land, before slowly taking him to the lowest possible point, and the blackness at the bottom could contain almost anything.
Doctor Strange
The inspiration for Doctor Strange‘s adaptation into a horror context is all due to one man: Steve Ditko. That man’s visuals in establishing what Doctor Strange would encounter were extraordinary, and they can absolutely be turned into the stuff of nightmares. Artists like Javier Rodríguez, and especially Christian Ward, could break through dimensions and expose a former man of medicine to beings that defy comprehension.
Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness revealed how Doctor Strange can be immersed in horror and thrive because there are just so many possibilities. But the prerequisite is that Ditko’s art style is honored and heightened.
The Hood
Deals with the Devil never end well. For someone like Parker Robbins, it began with him killing a creature in a warehouse robbery and stealing its cloak. It gave him the power of invisibility and guns that could shoot hellfire. But in a universe where the horror is amplified, the possession could be taken so much further. Parker’s shift from a small-time crook to a demonically controlled mob boss blends the supernatural with a gangster movie. His grip on his abilities and his relationship with the demon who owns the cloak can rapidly spiral into the most extreme circumstances.
Iron Fist
The journey to becoming an Iron Fist is spiritual and takes place in the mystical city of K’un-L’un. But this can also be applied to a monster-hunting context, especially when the Hand is involved. There have been several people who have wielded the Iron Fist, from Orson Randall to Danny Rand to the more recent Lie Lin. And the magical element could get much darker. What they are being trained to fight again could become demonic in nature, perhaps even with the introduction of The Hand in the Midnight Universe.
The monks and residents of the city of K’un-L’un also have the potential to be unsettling figures, having spent their entire history isolated and so ideologically obsessed with one idea: the dragon that lives within the cave.
Luke Cage
So many of these ideas have taken place in the far reaches of the Earth and beyond. But a Midnight Universe Luke Cage comic could bring it back to the streets of Harlem. There are so many possibilities for the man with unbreakable skin to have his life transition into a horror story. Cage being falsely imprisoned can be a superb prison horror comic, leaning into the claustrophobia, institutionalism, and the racist, societal elements that have turned American prisons into a nightmare for millions of Black people.
You could have Luke on the streets of Harlem, battling a selection of monsters that are moving in and threatening a community he has sworn to protect. Or you could even progress to the point where Luke is the Mayor, with the whole city under his control. A mixture of three could hit all of these points.
Guardians of the Galaxy
Midnight: Fantastic Four already explores the cosmic-horror side of the Marvel Universe, but it leans toward Galactus. Guardians of the Galaxy could take a human character to the furthest reaches of the universe. The Guardians have become comedy-adjacent, but they weren’t always. That’s just stepped in following James Gunn’s intervention, and a horror-comedy could be great for reducing the bleakness within the Midnight Universe.
Star-Lord is the obvious choice, but Cammi or Richard Rider could also helm a comic set in a world where Earth has been left far behind. These would be places where the laws of Earth aren’t even comprehended, let alone followed. Part of what the Midnight Universe is about is taking off the shackles.
There’s a reason Spider-Man was the most extreme comic of the three: the shock value. So the light-hearted nature of Quill, Groot and Rocket can be completely flipped on its head as they witness the very worst the universe has to offer.
Captain Marvel
In a slightly different approach to the Guardians, Captain Marvel can be treated as a space cop as opposed to a civilian within the lawlessness of the universe. But Captain Marvel could expose readers to extreme versions of the Kree-Skrull War. The Skrulls’ shapeshifting can be stomach-churning in the hands of the right artists, and the Kree have their own insidious methods.
There are also the possibilities of Annihilus, the Brood, and other aliens that bring nightmares. Carol is the best heroine to be used in what could be a gory, grotesque display because of her strength, but a strength that is tested through the most intense of intergalactic adversity.
Nick Fury
In a universe exploding with the most disturbing events, someone has to notice. That should be Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. as a whole; the comics already released are hyper-specific, focused on the characters themselves. This series could provide a broader view of the emergence of monsters, powers, and the chaos that follows. A spy thriller could also emerge as HYDRA makes itself known, seeping through the fabric of S.H.I.E.L.D.; with the gloves off, the experiments and weapons HYDRA unleashes can reach sickening levels of depravity, and Nick Fury’s years of experience create a ruthless protagonist.
Black Widow
In a similar vein, Black Widow is a character whose origin can be exaggerated and explored to a much more uncomfortable degree. The Red Room did unspeakably awful things to create the Widows, and the Widows then did unspeakable things to other people. This series could expose the horrific things Natasha, Yelena and other Widows are capable of doing whilst also delving into the brainwashing and grooming that crafted the weapons themselves. It’s a psychological horror that gives a spy thriller a bloodier coat of paint.
Sentry
What the Midnight Universe currently lacks is a true hero. Reed Richards, Peter Parker, and others already introduced are far less effective at saving lives. That hero could be Robert Reynolds, also known as the Sentry. He’s an extremely powerful and respected hero, but shares a body with the Void. This Jekyll-and-Hyde story is perfect for a comic that is a horror/superhero hybrid.
The questions around whether the Void is an entity all on its own or part of Robert’s severe schizophrenia and agoraphobia. The Void could be unleashed in truly sadistic ways because of the lack of restraint within the Midnight Universe, all while The Sentry is a rare beacon of light, trying to fight himself.
Ka-Zar
Ka-Zar is a blatant steal from Tarzan, but he is the best entry point to the Savage Land. Ka-Zar is an outsider who becomes the protector of the Savage Land, an island teeming with dinosaurs. Not only would a comic set here allow Marvel to run a take on Jurassic Park, but it could also bring several characters together in the same book.
Ka-Zar could be the T-800 figure, a protector of the true hero of the comic: Moon Girl, and then you can turn Devil Dinosaur into an even more fearsome figure. Moon Girl brings her own T-Rex to the dinosaur party, and there’s an island of them just pleading to be utilized in an extreme horror context.
Black Panther
All the comics released as part of the initial Midnight Universe wave had an American flavor. While that’s understandable, Black Panther would offer the opportunity to do something truly original. The Black Panther mythos can be fused with the most terrifying African folklore, providing an opportunity for African creators or those with African heritage to tell stories. From the jungle to the wildlife to the gods, Black Panther has the potential to connect with the gut-wrenching stories that have a different tone from standard American storytelling.
The Midnight Universe exists to allow creators to tell stories as brave as they dare. There are no limits to the depravity, the death, and the disgust they can reach. The three comics already released have proven how brazen they can be in turning heroes’ lives into nightmares. All of these ideas are simply playing with how some characters that aren’t typically immersed in horror could potentially be transferred into a more terrifying setting.
All current Midnight Universe comics are available now wherever comics are sold.
