Marvel recently stoked the fires of speculation with a mysterious announcement. A press release (which was also posted to social media) proclaimed “a terrifying new universe coming this fall.” No other details were given beyond the name of this universe: Midnight.
Astute comic fans noted that the symbol above the Midnight logo resembles a bisected version of the Midnight Sons logo. The name itself seems evocative of that team, which is made up of horror-themed superheroes like Blade, Doctor Strange, and Ghost Rider. (The same logo is also used in the related Midnight Suns video game.) Whatever the inspiration, it is believed that Midnight may be Marvel’s answer to DC‘s hit Absolute Universe line.
Why might Marvel’s Midnight be its Absolute Universe equivalent?
First introduced in October 2024, the Absolute Universe is the biggest success DC Comics has enjoyed in recent years. This dark reality was created by the villain Darkseid in a philosophical moment. The New Gods tyrant had been pondering heroism and how heroes might consequently be altered by different circumstances. To that end, he created a universe born of his own dark essence and changed the fine details of his greatest enemies’ histories. This accordingly resulted in a Batman without money, a Superman who came to Earth as a teenager, and a Wonder Woman who is more witch than warrior.
The description of Marvel’s Midnight as “a terrifying new universe” sounds suspiciously like the base concept of DC’s Absolute Universe. It is also no secret that DC has been dominating comics sales and critical acclaim thanks to the Absolute line. Given that, it makes sense that Marvel Comics would want to capture that market with something similar.
However, the line “The Light had its turn” may tie Midnight into another upcoming Marvel event. This summer’s Queen in Black storyline will involve a war between the Norse death goddess Hela and the symbiote god Knull over the Darkforce. It is possible this conflict could end in the creation of a darker reality like the teased Midnight Universe. It is also notable that the end of Queen in Black lines up with the premiere date of Midnight.
