Comic Book Review: Midnighter Vol 1: Out by Steve Orlando

Midnighter Vol 1: Out by Steve Orlando and ACO (illustrations)
Series: Midnighter #1-7
Published: February 17th, 2016
Publisher: DC Comics
144 pages
Acquired this book: Via the publisher in exchange for honest consideration
Warning: May contain spoilers
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Spinning out of GRAYSON comes a solo series starring the man who can predict your every move...but no one will be able to predict what he’ll do next! A theft at the God Garden has unleashed a wave of dangerous biotech weapons on the world, and Midnighter intends to put that genie back in the bottle by any means necessary. But something else was stolen from the Garden as well...the secret history of Lucas Trent, the man Midnighter once was!

I have a confession to make: until a few days ago, I was a comic book virgin. I know, I know, don’t revoke my Nerd Card just yet. As much as I love superheroes, I never got around to reading comic books, mostly because I had no idea where to begin (and partly because my BFF knows way more about superheroes than I do and I was worried if I started, I'd bombard her with never-ending questions and drive her nuts). Imagine my shock and pleasure when I was contacted by a member of Women Write About Comics and asked to review Midnighter for Midnighter Week. Apparently word of my nerdiness and my support of all things LGBTQ spread (yay!), and within a few days I had a lovely, shiny package of comic books for review from DC Comics.

Being almost completely unfamiliar with Midnighter and with Grayson, the story it spun from, I was worried I’d be lost, but I had no trouble getting into the story. I was instantly intrigued by Midnighter, a man who knows little about his own past before he was bioengineered to have enhanced abilities, superpowered healing, and a computer-like brain that allows him to see every possible way an opponent might attack, thereby rendering him pretty much unbeatable in a fight.

I love that Midnighter is who he is, whether he’s kicking ass or being a normal guy, sitting in a bar having a drink, talking to friends, dating, etc. I didn’t know what to expect when I started reading - he was so brutal and lethal, I thought I might have trouble separating his superhero persona from the ‘real guy’ but I ended up really liking him and sympathizing with him. There was a nice mixture of him being badass Midnighter and being a regular guy, which I appreciated. He was confident, competent, cocky, smart, and had a dark sense of humour. The detailed artwork did a good job of reflecting his personality, and there were some pretty epic fight scenes. I liked how the artist gave snippets of what was happening within the big picture, so the reader could see things from different perspectives, and see certain things in sharper detail.

Overall, I think Midnighter was the perfect comic book for this newbie. It was fast-paced, had tons of action, great twists, humour, and more depth than I expected. I won’t lie, ‘gay superhero’ is what drew me to the story initially, but I ended up enjoying it much more than I anticipated. When I saw that I only had a few pages left, I was so into the story I was disappointed there wasn’t more. I can’t wait for the next installment!

Do you read comic books? Are you familiar with Midnighter? What are some of your favourite comics and/or superheroes?

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