The mastermind behind X-Men’s standout reboot is set to reinvent the Marvel team once more.

Marvel Comics has unveiled the details of its new horror-themed comic line, the Marvel Midnight Universe, which promises to take a chilling twist on beloved characters. This separate series will explore darker interpretations of iconic heroes, kicking off with the X-Men, Spider-Man, and the Fantastic Four.

Editor-in-chief C.B. Cebulski expressed excitement about the project, stating, “With the new Midnight line, we’ve given some of our most outstanding creators the opportunity to delve into the darkest corners of their imaginations and birth some of the creepiest, most terrifying takes on the Marvel Universe you’ve ever seen.”

In Midnight X-Men, writer Jonathan Hickman returns to the classic team he revitalized during the Krakoan Age reboot in 2019. This new storyline will see the mutants facing off against vampires in the streets of New York City. Hickman noted, “The conceit of Midnight X-Men aligns perfectly with the kind of stories I like to tell. It has a rich, open-ended mythology that equally mixes old and new ideas into something that feels both familiar and original.” He collaborates with artist Matteo Della Fonte, while Dike Ruan provides the cover art for the first issue.

Midnight Fantastic Four introduces an “obsessive scientist” (presumably Reed Richards) who ventures into forbidden territory, resulting in him and three others being “warped in strange and horrifying ways.” Benjamin Percy is on writing duties, with Kev Walker illustrating the series. Percy humorously recounted, “When Hickman called me, it was from a landline in the basement of an abandoned house with the wires cut. Blood poured from the receiver into my ear. I said yes.” He aims to reimagine Marvel’s First Family through a lens of cosmic, Lovecraftian dread.

Lastly, Midnight Spider-Man appears to draw inspiration from the Man-Spider tales and the ’90s animated series. This story follows Peter Parker after he becomes a “hideous spider hybrid” due to an Oscorp experiment, as he strives to prevent the company from creating more monstrosities. Phillip Kennedy Johnson will write this series, with artist Scie Tronc making his Marvel debut.

Johnson emphasized the commitment to the project, stating, “You don’t take on a job like reinventing Spider-Man to go halfway. I’m leaving it all in the ring with Midnight Spider-Man and I know Jonathan and Ben are doing the same.”

Midnight X-Men #1 is set to hit shelves on August 5, followed by Midnight Fantastic Four and Midnight Spider-Man in September and October, respectively. Aside from the debut issues, the main covers for the Midnight series will feature “Cloaked Covers” that partially obscure the artwork, only revealing themselves to those brave enough to pick them up. Sounds intriguing!