Review: MIDNIGHTER #1

MIDNIGHTER #1
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Steve Orlando
PENCILS: Aco
INKS: Aco with Hugo Petrus
COLORS: Romulo Fajardo, Jr.
LETTERS: Jarek K. Fletcher
COVER: Aco with Romulo Fajardo, Jr.
VARIANT COVER: Bryan Hitch with Alex Sinclair
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (August 2015)

Rated “T+” for “Teen Plus”

“Midnighter”

Midnighter is a superhero created by writer Warren Ellis and artist Bryan Hitch.  The character first appeared in Stormwatch (Vol. 2) #4 and later became a member of the superhero team, The Authority.  Midnighter has superhuman abilities and is known for killing his opponents and is Batman-like, although Warren Ellis apparently based him on The Shadow.  The Midnighter is also gay.

As part of the “DCYou,” Midnighter stars in his first solo comic book series since his 2007 Wildstorm series.  The new Midnighter is written by Steve Orlando; drawn by Aco with Hugo Petrus assisting on inks; colored by Romulo Fajardo, Jr., and lettered by Jared K. Fletcher.

Midnighter #1 (“Midnighter”) opens with an attack on “The God Garden,” some kind of orbiting platform, and the attacker wants its secrets and “toys” (biotech weapons).  Meanwhile, terrorists from the country(?) of Modora attack the restaurant where Midnighter is entertaining a guest.  This is a time of transition for the hero, but duty calls even when he is on a booty call.  Who is Lucas Trent?

Writer Steve Orlando is so cryptic in Midnighter #1.  Either he assumes that there are a lot of Midnighter fans who just want a book featuring the character or he plans on mostly starting from scratch with the character.  I hope its the latter.

Series artist Aco is talented; I must admit that he draws pretty pictures, but in Midnighter #1, his storytelling is only average.  He litters the page with a smattering of tiny panels.  I think that Aco does this to depict Midnighter's tactical ability to see multiple points of view and to predict his opponent's every move.  In terms of storytelling, splattering panels across the page creates static that disrupts the ability of a series of static images to tell a story.

My prediction is that this new Midnighter comic book series is a short-timer.  I would be surprised if it lasts a year.

C

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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