The Doktor’s Prescription for Midnighter
**WARNING: THERE ARE SPOILERS BELOW**
This iteration of Midnighter has been brought to you by the inventive Steve Orlando and his collaborators the artistically gifted Stephen Mooney, Aco, Romulo Fajardo Jr, David Messina, and Hugo Petrus.
What separates this version from previous versions (Ennis and Cornell) is, Midnighter feels like a real person instead of a bruiser cliche with creative kills. He possesses a close-knit group of friends who are his support during the rough patches in his life. He proves himself to be more than a killing machine in his dealing with Marina in Issue No. 2 and his continued dealings with her. I also appreciate that he is comfortable with the cards life gave in terms of Bendix’s role in his enhancement & the loss of his past. I am personally tired of artificially created posthumans complaining about their circumstances, so Midnighter’s attitude is refreshing.
The sci-fi nerd in me dug the technology bits peppered throughout the series such as the God Garden, using Martian DNA to create bootleg creatures of the night, the return of radiotelepathy and Carrier Doors, the urban cell material, and the creation of the Unified.
The comic nerd in me was thrilled with the return (and possible survival) of Prometheus, the Suicide Squad and B’wana Beast guest appearances, and the return of Harry Bendix. Prometheus is my favorite Grant Morrison villain and he is the perfect foil. I am hoping that he somehow survived in the ghost zone.
The action junkie in me dug the creative way he took out Parasite, the speedsters, and Prometheus. This series makes me wish Orlando was the writer for the original New 52 reintroduction of Midnighter & his Authority Cohorts. Next to Warren Ellis, Orlando has provided the most well-rounded version of the character.
