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'Midnight Suns' #1 feels like another chapter in 'Strange Academy'
Marvel

Comic Books

‘Midnight Suns’ #1 feels like another chapter in ‘Strange Academy’

‘Midnight Suns’ #1 feels like a run-of-the-mill tie-in to the video game.

Midnight Suns is an iconic and nostalgic comics story arc from 1992 that many in their thirties will fondly remember. It’s also an upcoming video game, and out today, a new comic series. It’s a team with the selling point of using the more violent harder-edged heroes to thwart magic-wielding villains. What’s not to love with that premise? In the new series by Ethan Sacks and Luigi Zagaria, some heroes like Blade and Wolverine now need to take on some new greener members who may be in way over their heads.

Midnight Suns #1 will be enjoyed by those who have liked Strange Academy. That’s because most of this issue is set in the magic school, and it uses Zoe Laveau as its main character. If you’re unfamiliar with the character, that’s okay, as Sacks gives us the rundown on her powers, key relationships, and how she fits into the larger story rather quickly. It makes sense to use a character like this as casual fans can quickly connect with her as she’s young and new, but also because she’s in the dark like all of us.

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Fans looking for a harder-edged story like in 1992 might be slightly disappointed with what they get here. Given Zoe is the main character, the story reads like it’s for a younger audience. There’s no blood or ultra-violence, but there are some scary-looking demons. Likely, Marvel wanted to tie into the general audiences that’d be picking up the video game, but if you’re like me reading this to get a bit of ’90s nostalgia, you won’t find a heck of a lot.

Midnight Suns #1

So Magik is just going to look at that spill?
Credit: Marvel

There is a good representation of characters, like Blade, who enters this story as a guest teacher for the students. Sacks writes a great Magik, who is a teacher at the school and ends up recruiting Wolverine. The stand-out character might be Spirit Rider, who Zagaria draws very well. The flames look great under Antonio Fabela’s colors. She might be the most entertaining character of the bunch since she’s a wildcard who isn’t as interested in playing nice.

The stakes are high–it’s the end of the world, after all–but it’s not very clear how the heroes stop it. That’s a bit of a problem at the end of the issue, which leans on Dr. Doom as the cliffhanger more than anything else. At this point, the villains are rather nondescript and like any other threat in an MCU movie.

The art, in general, is good and tells the story efficiently. Splashy pages are just so-so – one full page splash in particular has the team looking more like each character was pasted into an orange background with speed lines. Nobody looks awkward in this book, but there are a lot of panels where characters are standing around looking bored. I was hoping for more, be it edgy adult-themed art or bigger superhero splashiness.

At the end of the day, Midnight Suns #1 is just okay. It will not win over those looking for an edgy return for the team. It plays it safe, establishes the key characters, and moves things along. For many, though, that’s all they’ll need to go for another ride with the Midnight Suns.

'Midnight Suns' #1 feels like another chapter in 'Strange Academy'
‘Midnight Suns’ #1 feels like another chapter in ‘Strange Academy’
Midnight Suns #1
At the end of the day, Midnight Suns #1 is just okay. It will not win over those looking for an edgy return for the team. It plays it safe, establishes the key characters, and moves things along. For many, though, that's all they'll need to go for another ride with the Midnight Suns.
Reader Rating0 Votes
0
Spirit Rider steals the show as one of the most badass characters in the bunch
Easy for casual fans to dive in
If you like Strange Academy you'll like how this first issue approaches its story
The threat is rather vague and uninteresting
Not edgy, dark, or violent like one might expect
Art gets the job done, but is rarely splashy or highly entertaining
5.5
Average
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