Alternate comic book universes are all the rage lately, with both Marvel's Ultimate Universe and DC's Absolute Universe consistently topping the sales charts. The only problem for Marvel is that they just ended the Ultimate line this summer. Where do they go from here? How do they continue that momentum? The answer, it seems, is to shift focus to another brand-new universe, but this time focused on infusing classic Marvel properties with elements of horror.
The result is the Midnight Universe, a new imprint set in a twisted version of the Marvel U where iconic characters have been given drastic makeovers. One of the three pillars of that line is Phillip Kennedy Johnson and ScieTronc's Midnight Spider-Man. What happens when your friendly neighborhood hero is given a full-fledged body horror makeover? To find out, we spoke with Johnson via email. Check out an exclusive preview of the first issue in the slideshow gallery below, and then read on to learn more about the new series and how it delivers a profoundly different take on Marvel's most popular hero:
To start off, we were curious about the mission statement of the Midnight Universe. How does this project compare to something like the Ultimate line? Is it still about letting creators take big swings in a way that aren't possible in the mainline Marvel Universe continuity?
"On that initial meeting with the three writers, senior editorial, and Marvel President Dan Buckley, the quote from Dan I remember most clearly was 'horror in the front seat, superhero very much in the back,'” Johnson tells IGN.
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