Absolute Batman's Scott Snyder Shows Early Interest In Marvel's Midnight Universe

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Published Jun 21, 2026, 2:00 PM EDT

Jason is an award-winning journalist whose writing career dates back to when he developed the ability to use a crayon. He, most notably, worked previously as a "professional fan," as he likes to call it, at CinemaBlend, for which he wrote about anything and everything under the pop culture umbrella... especially Batman. His passion for the art of cinema began even earlier, stemming from repeat viewings of The Wizard of Oz.
This initially led him to pursue a career in filmmaking -- and even work briefly in the industry as an extra in the straight-to-video family film, Alice Upside Down -- before deciding that his talents would be better served discussing and showing appreciation for the various forms of entertainment he is passionate about.

The comic book medium has continually proven to be a fruitful source for horror in recent years. The folks at Marvel Comics appear to have taken note, based on the recent announcement of its dark, upcoming Midnight Universe.

Readers with a taste for the macabre cannot wait for this new line delivering terrifying takes on classic superheroes to launch in the fall. Among those anticipating Marvel's Midnight Universe is someone who is well-versed in both horror and superhero fiction: Absolute Batman creator Scott Snyder.

Scott Snyder Is Excited For Marvel's Midnight Universe

On June 19, Scott Snyder made a post on social media in response to Marvel's Midnight Universe launch date announcement. The acclaimed, longtime DC Comics writer quoted a tweet from the @MarvelComicsHQ account with an enthusiastic caption.

It is refreshing to see a comic book creator promote an upcoming project from his rival company completely of his own volition. However, it must be a special honor for those in charge of Marvel's Midnight Universe to receive such praise from someone like Snyder in particular.

Snyder is best known today as the creator of Absolute Batman and main overseer of the imprint where the smash-hit comic book series comes from, the Absolute Universe. The esteemed position was the culmination of years penning some of the most revered Batman comics of the 21st Century, such as the "Court of Owls" storyline.

Of course, the writer has also received much recognition for his horror comic books. For instance, he collaborated with Stephen King and artist Rafael Albuquerque on DC's American Vampire, and has penned even more spooky stories for Image Comics, most notably the terrifying limited series Wytches from 2014.

Snyder has even been known to combine his horror-centric sensibilities with his talent for superhero writing, such as with the introduction of the Dark Knight's maniacal alternate self, The Batman Who Laughs. In other words, the main idea of Marvel's Midnight Universe is right up his alley, which is something that the public has already taken notice of as well.

Fans Are Comparing Marvel's Midnight To DC's Absolute Universe

Absolute Batman jumps into the scene to take on criminals

Marvel is kicking off the Midnight line with a trio of stories that sound like a Stan Lee creation's worst nightmare. For instance, Phillip Kennedy Johnson and ScieTronc's Midnight Spider-Man takes Peter Parker's origin story in more of a Cronenbergian direction, seeing him retaliate against Oscorp for turning him into a grotesque human-animal hybrid.

Based on that synopsis alone, it appears that Marvel is aiming to reinterpret some of its most iconic characters in wildly dark ways with the Midnight Universe. Quite frankly, that sounds a lot like the goal of the Absolute line.

More specifically, the imprint's MO is stripping heroes like Superman and Martian Manhunter of their signature advantages, such as making Bruce Wayne a lower-class construction worker and seeing Wonder Woman raised in literal Hell instead of Themyscira. Similarly, Marvel's Midnight Universe appears to be reimagining their abilities as more of an inconvenience than a strength, to say the least.

Several replies to Snyder's tweet expressing his interest in the project came from readers calling it out as a direct response to the astonishing reception of the Absolute Universe, and it is hard not to argue against the theory. However, some, Snyder included, might say that the comparisons are welcome. Not to mention, who could blame Marvel for wanting their own slice of that kind of success?

Also debuting in tandem with Midnight Spider-Man are Midnight Fantastic Four and Midnight X-Men. The former, from Benjamin Percy and Kev Walker, follows four people whose fates are horrifically altered by one's dangerous scientific ambitions, and the latter is Jonathan Hickman and Matteo Della Fonte's vampiric reinterpretation of Marvel's mutant-ridden world.

Midnight Fantastic Four #1, Midnight Spider-Man #1, and Midnight X-Men #1 start haunting the shelves on Oct. 7, 2026.