Midnight Men

The official Midnightmen site has launched!!!

2009-08-24T15:46:00.000-07:00

Hey Folks,

We have officially launched www.themidnightmen.net. So this will be my last post on the google blog for now. We'll be updating our new blog over at the new site. Please check it out and post a comment over there and let us know what you think. We've posted our "Preview" issue as well as a bunch of our characters bios. We should have the "The Midnightmen Summer 2009 Special" issue available for purchase within the next 6 weeks as well.

Thanks so much for following us over here, we look forward to hearing what you have to say about the new site.

-bill

Art from the St. Cross Bio Story...and a quick update.

2009-06-25T07:01:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,

Sorry about the lack of updates the last month. We've been prepping The Midnightmen Summer 2009 issue and as well as the new website and we let the updates get away from us. We should have the site up in August and the the Summer 2009 issue up for sale shortly after.

As you've seen over the last few months I've been showing various panels of the 2 page bio stories we've had commissioned. We'll as a special treat I wanted to share a full page with you. This is page 2 of the Count St. Cross story by our good friend Scott Godlewski. Scott is one hell of a nice guy, plus a tremendous artist to boot. He not only hit a home run with this story, but it was able save our bacon and do it for us before we went to press on the book. The page is the unlettered version, as the lettered version covers over the really cool pic of Hitler he did for panel 01. I can't tell you how bad Sean felt for writing so much narration on that panel. He even tried to re-write a few times so we wouldn't cover up Scott's art, however in the end we couldn't make it work. :( So I figured we could at least showcase it here. Please click on the art to see it full screen.

The Midnightmen Ad for Mysterious Adventure Magazine.

2009-05-13T10:44:00.000-07:00

Scott Godlewski over at Mysterious Adventure Magazine has kindly offered to put an ad for The Midnightmen in their next issue. Here is the color version.

You can look for an ad for Mysterious Adventure Magazine in The Midnightmen Summer Special that should be available when the official site launches in August. If you haven't checked out MAM you need to, if you're a fan of The Midnightmen you'll LOVE Mysterious Adventure Magazine. Here is the cover to their 1st issue available now at their website.

Thule Bio Image

2009-04-28T00:57:00.000-07:00

Here is a panel from the Thule Kommando 2 page story. Pencils by Michael Penick.

He's really knocking this one out of the park. He's also working on the Jurassic Sam 2 pager as well.

Mr. Legacy Panel

2009-04-20T14:51:00.000-07:00

Here is a sneak peak at a panel from the Mr. Legacy bio story. Art by Joe Dellagatta.

Sneak Preview: "From the Shadows" page 04

2009-03-12T13:38:00.000-07:00

Here is a page from a Midnightmen short story called "From the Shadows". This page features Furia vs Noir.

One might ask "Why is Furia dressed like Jurassic Sam?"...well stay tuned kind reader, the answer might suprise you.

Card art for the Midnightmen toys

2009-02-27T16:04:00.001-08:00

Here is the card art for the upcoming Midnightmen action figures.

Image from Dax 2 page story.

2009-02-19T14:16:00.000-08:00

Here is an image from the Dax 2 page story that Gabe Hardman is working on for us. It's a young Dax Northender leaping across the rooftops of New York City.

New Midnightmen Group shot

2009-02-10T13:36:00.000-08:00

As you can see from the small thumbnail on the right Zak Plucinski updated his Midnightmen image to include ALL of our cast. Here is a larger image for you to view. This is the 1st image that includes THE TRENCHER on the right side. You won't see him again till issue 9 or so.

Page from The Midnightmen issue 01.

2009-02-06T13:52:00.000-08:00

Here is an update for the week. A page from our 1st issue.

Jurassic Sam making her BIG entrance!!!

Panel from the Gotham Saint 2 page story.

2009-01-22T17:38:00.000-08:00

Here is a quick update for this week. We'll be doing a few 2 page adventures of a few of our main characters. These will be available for free on the Midnightmen site as well as some of the more popular comics news sites.

Here is a panel from the Gotham Saint 2 page story by Dan Christensen.

Gearing up for 2009!!!

2009-01-04T08:04:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the lack of updates. Believe it or not things are moving ahead at full force with "The Midnightmen". I'll be updating the blog once a week now with various updates regarding our progress. 2009 should be a fun year!!!

Here is a little treat to start the new year off right!!!

It's the protoypes for The Midnightmen toys. That's right , they'll be action figures out in 2009. I can't got into all the details yet but they are coming.

Thanks for stopping in and I hope you have a great 2009!!!

- ProducerBill

Character Turnarounds.

2008-08-21T06:24:00.000-07:00

Here are some character turnarounds from Marc Gustavo Borstelmann.

Art - Midnight Men Faces

2008-01-24T14:36:00.001-08:00

Here are head shots for 9 of the 12 Midnight Men

Art - Max Binary

2008-01-24T14:29:00.001-08:00

Here are some designs for Max Binary.

Contact Info

2008-01-24T14:21:00.000-08:00

To view the Midnight Men proposal click Here.

To see other projects from 3rd Floor Productions click below.
www.3rdfloorprod.com

Please feel free to contact Bill Murphy at the information below for further information.

Bill Murphy
Email: billwmurphy@mac.com
Phone : 213-925-5235

Midnight Men series proposal

2008-01-24T13:46:00.000-08:00

Outlined below is the series proposal and artwork for
"The Midnight Men"

!!!!Warning Story Spoilers Ahead!!!!!

CONCEPT:

In the early months of 1940, President Roosevelt received a fateful letter delivered to his hand by a time-traveler from the future... a future where the Nazis had won WWII.

America had not yet entered the conflict, but upon reading the letter, the President summoned renowned scholar and adventurer, Dax Northender, and charged him with a top-secret mission…to assemble a team of America’s most heroic private citizens to go to Europe and begin covert operations against the Nazi threat. This team would consist of some of the most amazing people on the planet, and they would be known as ”The Midnight Men.”

According to the letter, London was set to become the first target of a Nazi secret weapons program called the “Panzerverk.s Initiative,” spearheaded by Dax’s Arch Nemesis, Count St. Cross. His grand project…a doomsday weapon known as “The Electronaut.” Worse yet, to protect Panzerverks, Hitler assigned a secret religious order of Aryan warrior-monks named the “Harbingers of Thule.” Their leader, a mysterious figure known only as the “Ultima Thule,” is said to be a man of such physical perfection that he has no equal in physical combat.

With this letter as the only key to an inevitable future, the Midnight Men have little time to penetrate the Panzerverks Initiative, out-maneuver Count St. Cross and Ultima Thule, and stop the Electronaut from sealing the doom of western civilization.

FORMAT:

Our approach to the Midnight Men is this: what if a bunch of the Golden Age heroes from comics, dime store novels and radio dramas had been recruited to fight for the Allies in WWII? We will infer that each of these heroes had a long-running solo book for many years before this series, and even reference events from those hypothetical books as we go. Sometimes there’s even a footnote at the bottom of a panel directing readers to an issue of that character’s solo series, as though it actually existed. We also plan on including a “reprinted” Golden Age Pulp cover from one of the character’s solo books in the back of each Midnight Men issue, adding to the illusion of the universe.

We see the Midnight Men being told in a sequence of 4-6 issue limited series released each year. In addition, each year would also include an Annual, which would include a few stories from some of the characters’ past solo adventures and potentially their origins.

Submitted here are 5 pages of art plus a potential cover for the Midnight Men issue 01, along with the first limited series story synopsis.

Character synopsis, a breakdown of future story arcs and story bible are also available upon request.

For further information please contact Bill Murphy.

Bill Murphy
Email: Billwmuprphy@mac.com
Phone: 213-925-5235

SAMPLE PAGES:

MIDNIGHT MEN ISSUE SYNOPSIS :

Note: Each issue begins with a 1-2 page flashback sequence.

Issue 1:
In issue 1, we begin with a flashback to 1940 when Dax Northender and Anastasia Romanov are first told about the mysterious “letter from the future,” warning of the Nazi’s complete domination of the earth. We then jump to present day, 1941 where we find Jurassic Sam, Micah, and Agent Echo as they infiltrate occupied France and do battle with the Nazis. Their mission is to retrieve the contents of a trunk buried in the basement of a house in a small village. We end as Agent Echo gets to the basement, only to find that Thule Kommandos have beaten them there.

Issue 2:
Issue 2 begins with a flashback to 2005 as Agent Echo evades his Nazi pursuers by jumping through a prototype time machine, destined for 1940. We then jump to 1940 and follow the Gotham Saint as he shakes down the city’s mob heavies for information on an assassin who recently arrived from Italy. The search takes him to the apartment of famed inventor Nikola Tesla. Though the scientist is not at home, the assassin, Furia, has obviously been there, having killed the government agents who had been tossing his place. Dax Northender arrives and recruits the Gotham Saint into the ranks of the Midnight Men.

Issue 3:
Issue 3 takes us to occupied Paris in 1941, and an evening performance by the Amazing Domino. After the show, an SS Major, convinced that Domino is an Allied spy, visits her. Using her skills as a magician, she manages to escape the theater, evade her Nazi pursuers, and rendezvous with a mysterious man known as Noir. We learn of a secret romance between the two as she recruits him to the Midnight Men. Upon returning to the theater, she finds Micah, Echo, and Sam hiding in the basement. Sam has been horribly wounded from their battle in Northern France.

Issue 4:
Issue 4 opens with a flashback to 1937, as Dax Northender is rescued from a Velocaraptor by Jurassic Sam. We then jump back to 1941 as we find Sam lying in bed back at the Midnight Manor. The rest of the team watches as Mr. Legacy tends to her wounds, and Agent Echo retells the story of their battle. Sam had been shot by the Thule, and one of the Kommandos escaped with the Tesla device from the trunk. Meanwhile, as Ace Maelstrom hits on Anastasia Romanov, Max Binary deciphers a Thule code detailing a top-secret shipment that will be flown out of France the following evening.

Issue 5:
We begin with a flashback to 14,000 BC as Micah is tortured by priests of Thule. We then jump forward to 1941 as Sam revives at the Midnight Manor. Mr. Legacy tells her that Dax has taken the rest of the team to France in order to intercept the top-secret Nazi shipment. We then go to France as Dax, Micah, and Anastasia assault the Nazi airstrip. The plane manages to take-off, but Anastasia teleports on board and orders the pilots to turn around. Outside, Ace Maelstrom, Max Binary, and the Gotham Saint dogfight with the Nazi escort planes. All seems to be going well, but the tables are turned on the last page as Anastasia is ambushed by the sinister Dr. Manticore.

Issue 6:
We begin the final issue of this story arc with a flashback to the Oval Office in 1940. Anastasia is visiting FDR and he asks her to make an introduction for him to Dax Northender. We then return to 1941 and the aerial dogfight over France. When Anastasia refuses to surrender the cargo plane, Dr. Manticore shoots her in the head, killing her. The Gotham Saint manages to commandeer the plane in the end, but not before Max Binary is shot-down and Dr. Manticore escapes via jetpack with Anastasia’s amulet. The Saint ejects the cargo from the plane as it goes down, and leaps out of the plane after it. He removes his coat in mid-air to release his parachute, and for the first time, we discover the Gotham Saint's true identity! As the heroes rendezvous on the ground, they open the cargo only to find that the plane was a diversion. Inside the empty crate is a letter to Dax Northender from his old adversary, Count St. Cross. We end the issue with a rare glimpse into the THULE stronghold as the real cargo plane is unloaded. Count St. Cross watches with Furia and Ultima Thule beside him. What they don’t know is that their secret cargo plane has a stow-away aboard. The last panel reveals that stow-away to be none other than Noir!

New pages

2007-11-27T13:48:00.000-08:00

Got some new pages from our artist Gabriel Hardman. I thought I'd share.

Art - AGENT ECHO

2007-11-16T19:32:00.000-08:00

Here are some designs for AGENT ECHO.

ART - ACE MAELSTROM

2007-11-16T19:27:00.000-08:00

Here are some designs for ACE MAELSTROM.

ART - JURASSIC SAM

2007-11-16T19:19:00.000-08:00

Here is some designs for JURASSIC SAM

ART - Agent Echo & the Midnight Guard pt 02

2007-11-14T17:46:00.000-08:00

Here is the final image of

Agent Echo & the Midnight Guard

ART - Agent Echo & the Midnight Guard

2007-11-14T17:39:00.000-08:00

Here are some designs for a spin off series called "Agent Echo & the Midnight Guard" by Sergio Curiel.

ART - Dax & the Thule Commandos

2007-11-14T17:35:00.000-08:00

Here is some art of the Dax & the Thule Commandos by Mathew Reynolds.

ART - Dax Northender

2007-11-14T16:58:00.000-08:00

Here are some designs for our hero Dax Northender

COUNT ST. CROSS - BIO

2007-11-14T16:23:00.000-08:00

From the journals of Dax Northender

COUNT ST. CROSS

How do you objectively describe the man who killed your first love?

I could fill a book detailing my hatred for Arden Saint Cross, but that wouldn't give you any idea of how dangerous he is. The man is a genius. He has multiple degrees from some of the finest universities in the world. He has a brilliance for engineering, a penchant for archeology, and is one of the planet's leading innovators in theoretical robotics. His should be a mind celebrated by the civilized world, but his greed, ego, and thirst for power overshadow all of his accomplishments.

It is of little surprise that Hitler has commissioned him to run the Panzerwerks Weapons Initiative. A lack of any ethics, and complete disregard for the rest of the human race make him the perfect choice for building a doomsday weapon. Despite all this, I know the way his mind works, and he never would have accepted this job if he didn't have an ulterior move yet to play.

He and I both know the day fast approaches when we will have our final duel. I also know that to reach him, I will have to go through Furia...a prospect I do not look forward to.

THULE KOMMANDO - BIO

2007-11-14T15:40:00.000-08:00

From the journals of Dax Northender

THULE KOMMANDO
Position: Elite Combatant
Nationality: German
Affiliation: Harbingers of THULE

We don't know much about the Harbingers of THULE, nor how many of them there are. What we do know is that they are a militarized sect of the THULE Society, and operate independently of the Nazi party. They are a religious cult to be sure, practicing a strict code of purification. Apart from the racist connotations, they seek a physical and spiritual purity, honing their bodies to a an elite state, and learning all manner of combat methodology.

The Kommando class are the only ones we've engaged so far. We've found them lethal in unarmed combat; skilled in grappling, martial arts, and acrobatics. They are also well-funded, usually armed to the teeth with state-of-the-art automatic weaponry. We assume, because of their ties to Hitler, that they've been assigned to Panzerverks, rather than hired by them.

The Harbingers of THULE are the type of killers that only religious zealotry can create, and they will not rest until Germany has won, and they've reclaimed the power of their long lost continent.

ULTIMA THULE - BIO

2007-11-14T15:30:00.000-08:00

From the journals of Dax Northender

ULTIMA THULE
Position: Thule Patriarch
Age: Unknown
Nationality: German
Birthplace: Unknown
Affiliation: Harbingers of THULE

More elusive than the the Harbingers of THULE, is the leader of their order...The ULTIMA THULE. Allied Intelligence has little information on him, but we assume his connection to Hitler goes back earlier than the formation of the Nazi party. Whatever the connection, he is undoubtedly the founder of this militarized off-shoot of the THULE Society.

Agent Echo told me that in his future, he saw footage of the Ultima Thule in combat during the siege of Washington. He described it as watching a Juggernaut...the man carried no weapon, and pressed through line after line of American soldiers, leaving nothing but bodies in his wake, never slowing his pace.

This is the man in charge of protecting Panzerverks. It goes without saying that he is obviously the kind of psychopath who leads by example, and inspires nothing short of blind obedience in his followers. The way to defeating him will not be through his followers any more than it will be by engaging him directly. We must find another strategy if we hope to thwart this man.

FURIA - BIO

2007-11-14T15:24:00.000-08:00

From the journals of Dax Northender

FURIA
Position: Assassin
Age: Unknown
Nationality: Italian
Birthplace: Unknown
Affiliation: Panzerverks

I've never met anyone who has fought Furia because no one has ever survived her. I'm told that her pedigree is Italian, having been raised in an Assassins Guild known as "The Pheonix." Though their island, and membership were all destroyed some years ago, Furia managed to survive. Because of that, the Intelligence Community sometimes refers to her as "The Last Feather."

She is proficient in the use of all firearms, but her true love is for blades. Her weapon of choice is a light-weight, easily concealed sword, and she's never to be found without a number of throwing knives on her person. She is fast, precise and ruthless, following every contract to the letter. Most recently, she has been in the exclusive employ of Dr. Nemesis, and I suspect the two may even be lovers. Would that we could exploit that as a weakness, but I doubt either one would raise a finger to save the other's life if tested.

Furia poses the utmost danger and should be eliminated at all costs.

MR. LEGACY - BIO

2007-11-14T15:22:00.002-08:00

From the journals of Dax Northender

MR. LEGACY
Position: Doctor / Advisor / Alchemist
Age: Unknown
Nationality: Unknown
Birthplace: Unknown
Code Designation: 3 o'clock

Mr. Legacy is one of those rare, behind-the-scenes figures who keeps popping-up in the corners of history. No one knows where he hails from exactly, but he speaks several European languages with an accent that hints at either German or Swiss. Adding to his mystery is the fact that he never exposes any part of his skin, and always wears an ornate mask. He claims to have a hereditary skin condition that tends to make people uneasy, thus keeping himself covered at all times.

Legacy is easily one of the smartest men I know. His knowledge of history and medicine is profound. His study of the occult is legendary, and he has an all-consuming passion for the arts. But for all his experience and wisdom, he is a self proclaimed "witness to history." He will rarely, if ever, act in a way that would influence the outcome of a situation, preferring instead to lend his knowledge over action.

He has been a friend to Sam and I for many years, and was one of my first choices for the team. I would never have embarked on an assignment such as this without the aid of his council.

TRENCHER - BIO

2007-11-14T15:22:00.001-08:00

From the journals of Dax Northender

TRENCHER
Position: Heavy Combatant / Weapon of Last Resort
Age: 43
Nationality: American
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan
Code Designation: 11 o'clock (The 11th Hour)

The Trencher was designed to be America's ultimate soldier on the fields of the Great War. He became one of their most secret disasters. Of all the young men who volunteered for the Omega Soldier procedure in 1918, only one emerged
alive. A young man named Jason Merchant had been transformed through the use of science and pharmaceuticals into a giant hercules of a man.

But as imposing as he appeared physically, the process had taken its toll. Jason became dangerously depressed and lethargic, spending most of his time crying, or muttering to himself about his childhood. He might never have been deployed had it not been for the enormous amount of money the government had spent on him.

It was in the Trenches of Western Europe that Jason found a hell unlike any other. His depression was replaced with an uncontrollable rage, as he crawled through trench after trench, killing the enemy in unspeakably violent ways. I'm told he was shot over 700 times, and stabbed almost twice that, but yet, he never died.

Mr. Legacy found him tucked away in a Colorado Sanitarium last year, and began experimenting with a new type of therapy in order to nurse his mind back to civilization. He was an addition I did not make lightly, but Mr. Legacy promised to take full responsibility for him. It goes without saying that I will not deploy Jason Merchant until he is the very last option. I fear that day may fast approach.

NOIR - BIO

2007-11-14T15:21:00.001-08:00

From the journals of Dax Northender

NOIR
Position: Infiltration / Covert Operations
Age: Unknown
Nationality: French
Birthplace: Unknown
Code Designation: 9 o'clock

Noir is the Invisible Man. He is notorious for being able to move undetected, gain access to anywhere, and leave without trace of his passing, save for the smell of Jasmine Incense. In the French underworld, it is said that if you even think Noir is in the room with you, he probably is. But although he terrifies the crime syndicates of Paris, it isn't because he's a vigilante like the Gotham Saint. On the contrary...he is the ruler of them all.

A criminal mastermind of the highest degree, his inclusion in my recruitment list drew a lot of skepticism. In the end however, I knew we would need him. His unequaled stealth and talent for invasion were necessary to our mission. He is also the only man I have ever fought in hand-to-hand combat whom I knew I couldn't beat. Likewise, his criminal empire dissolved over-night when the Nazis took France. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, and until Paris is liberated, we have a common foe.

Unofficially, I know that should the need arise, I can count on him for assassination assignments without question. He is a dangerous man to be sure, but he has let slip his weakness to me...he has a singular affection for The Amazing Domino.

MAX BINARY - BIO

2007-11-14T15:19:00.001-08:00

From the journals of Dax Northender

MAX BINARY - "Robot Killer"
Position: Robotics Specialist / Astronomer
Age: 39
Nationality: American
Birthplace: Colorado Springs, CO.
Code Designation: 5 o'clock

Max has saved the world 8 times...if you've read his dime-store novels. The true Max Binary is actually far less spectacular and a lot shorter than the covers depict him, but his cybernetic armor is entirely real.

Some years ago, Max discovered a radio signal being transmitted from Planet X, heralding a Robot Invasion of the planet. Max managed to overwhelm one of the first mechanical attackers (through some questionable means,) and reverse- engineer a suit of armor from the robot's body. He then came to the aid of myself, Ace Maelstrom, and others, as we fought against the otherworldly horde.

But for all his courageous action, Max falls short on the personal qualities a hero should have. He is egotistical, loud, and inappropriate in social settings. He perpetually feels as though his intellect should afford him more press, fame, and women than he gets, and is consistently at odds with Ace out of jealousy over the matter. Personality-wise, I was hesitant to recruit him, but his robotic armor, its weapons and capacity for aerial combat, were just too necessary to our mission.

Also, unless I miss my guess, there may be an off-world intelligence aiding our adversaries. Should that prove-out, having an astronomer like Max on hand will become invaluable

ANASTASIA - BIO

2007-11-14T15:14:00.000-08:00

From the journals of Dax Northender

ANASTASIA ROMANOV
Position: 2nd in Command / Teleporter
Age: 40
Nationality: British
Birthplace: St. Petersburg, Russia
Code Designation: 1 o'clock

Anastasia is one of the most daring women I've ever met. Originally born the daughter of Tsar Nikolas of Russia, she and her brother Alexai were the only ones to survive their family's massacre in the Revolution. Since her escape, she has taken refuge in England, and inherited a sizable estate. It is her house that we have dubbed "The Midnight Manor," and use as our base of operations.

Anastasia is a quick wit, and absolutely fearless. She's never had any trouble telling people what she thinks, and even less trouble getting out of a tight situation...Anastasia is a teleporter. Though I don't know the entire story, she came into an egyptian amulet when she was a child, and has since had the ability travel any distance in the blink of an eye. A pilgrimage to Egypt evidently enlightened her to the origin of her powers, and she has since referred to herself as "The Shadow of Ra." It's a cryptic title to be sure, but one that she wears with class, and a trademark sex-appeal.

As a teammate, Anastasia is fiercely loyal. As an opponent, she is merciless. As an intellectual she is downright scathing, and as a friend, she is nothing short of perfect.

THE AMAZING DOMINO - BIO

2007-11-14T15:10:00.000-08:00

From the journals of Dax Northender

THE AMAZING DOMINO
Position: Magician / Spy / Saboteur
Age: 30
Nationality: British
Birthplace: Sussex, England
Code Designation: 10 o'clock

The Amazing Domino is one of the most famous magicians in all of Europe. She has a knack for illusion rarely practiced by women, and continuously draws the envy of her male competition. There's no arguing that her beauty, charisma, and sex-appeal add to her show's popularity.

Before entering Europe during the middle of a war, I wanted to have someone on the team who knew the terrain...specifically, the espionage terrain. Domino has been working for British Intelligence for several years, and has became an excellent field agent. Her traveling magic show allows her to move around the continent without drawing suspicion. Her talents as a magician: slight-of-hand,
misdirection, acrobatics, contortionism, quick-change and escape, are what make her one of the best spies in the world.

Secretly, however, I wanted Domino for another purpose. It was important to add the shadowy talents of Noir to the Midnight Men roster, but the man is all but impossible to find. Domino is the only person I know who has ever led him into the open...it was for one dance, but that was enough. Every man who meets Domino falls in love with her, and Noir was no different than the rest of us.

GOTHAM SAINT - BIO

2007-11-14T15:08:00.000-08:00

From the journals of Dax Northender

GOTHAM SAINT
Position: Gunfighter / Marksman / Vigilante
Age: Unknown
Nationality: American
Birthplace: Unknown
Code Designation: 8 o'clock

The Gotham Saint wasn't my first choice for the Midnight Men, but he has since become one of the best. He originally made a name for himself during Prohibition as a vigilante crime fighter. For years, the Manhattan underworld lived in fear of this masked menace who thwarted their operations and avenged the innocents they harmed. I had little want to take New York's guardian angel out of the Big Apple, but saving the world seemed more important.

To be honest, I kept the Saint in reserve for the earlier part of our operations, until it became clear that he was absolutely unstoppable in the field. He is deadly accurate with those chrome-plated .45's, and is the only person I've ever seen able to charge a room full of armed men, flip and tumble through a rain of gunfire, and wind-up the only one standing at the end.

Before joining, I promised him that he would never be forced to reveal his face or identity to the rest of the team. Some have objected to that rule, but never with him present. It seems the reputation of the Gotham Saint is capable of intimidating even the stalwart Midnight Men.

ACE MAELSTROM - BIO

2007-11-14T15:05:00.000-08:00

From the journals of Dax Northender

ACE MAELSTROM
Position: Pilot
Age: 42
Nationality: American
Birthplace: Jersey City, NJ
Code Designation: 6 o'clock

I've known Ace for a long time. We have a similar taste for adventure, but I'd say the similarities end there. Ace is a rogue and a playboy, constantly chasing fame, women and whiskey. He is egotistical, brash, and prone to follow his heart rather than reason...which is exactly why everyone loves him. Ace has lived on the edge his entire life, and rarely have I come across a more boyishly charismatic scoundrel. It should therefore surprise no one to learn that Ace is a pilot.

He flew during the Great War, and tallied over 50 enemy kills. He even survived a one-on-one dogfight with the Red Baron. His post-war exploits put him in the employ of Howard Hughes, and together, the two built a remarkable prototype fighter plane capable of vertical take-off and landing. Ace, then of course stole it, and still flies it to this day. He's named it "The Jersey Devil."

The man is a crack shot with his Walter P-38, one of the most amazing aerial acrobats I've ever seen, and falls in love with the woman of his dreams at least once a week. If nothing else, Ace keeps us lively.

MICAH - BIO

2007-11-14T15:03:00.000-08:00

From the journals of Dax Northender

MICAH - Ambassador of AGARTHA
Position: Clairvoyant / Heavy Combatant / Prehistorian
Age: ???
Nationality: Agarthan
Birthplace: Sham-Bala
Code Designation: 2 o'clock

Never has there been a truer friend than Micah. The adventures he's shared with Sam and I have been some of the greatest of my life, and there is no one in this world I trust more. Micah comes from an ancient race of immortals who have spent the last 10,000 years hibernating at the center of the earth. Their continent of Agartha orbits the core of the planet in the hollow world of "Inner Earth." It was Sam and I who awakened him from his suspended animation, and he has been our closest friend ever since.

The Agarthans, as a people, differ from us physically in many striking ways. Their skin, most obviously, is a rich purple. They are significantly stronger than us as well, but perhaps their most defining feature is their third Eye. Though not noticeable when closed, it rests under the skin of their forehead and when opened, allows them to make use of a catalogue of psychic abilities. Micah, specifically, is capable of telepathy, some low-level psychic healing, and his most potent ability: Remote Viewing...the ability to see beyond distance and obstruction. Using this power allows him to keep track of our agents' whereabouts, no matter where in the world they go.

I have trained Micah in the use of conventional firearms, as warfare has changed a great deal from Antediluvian times. Regardless, he still uses his Agarthan pole-arm to greater affect than any other weapon. He is tight-lipped about the metal it was forged from, just as he is maddeningly silent on his own personal history and that of the Ancient World. It would seem that he edits himself out of a desire to protect us from forbidden knowledge. Despite that, he visibly harbors an enmity toward the Harbingers of THULE as though the Agarthans and ancient THULE have a dark and brutal past.

As a man, Micah is impeccable. He is courteous, brave, and loyal, with an old-world sense of right and wrong. Though he seems physically to be of middle age, he tends to speak more like a grandfather than a peer. His experience keeps me humble, and his nuances are a constant fascination to me and the rest of the team.

AGENT ECHO - BIO

2007-11-14T14:57:00.000-08:00

From the journals of Dax Northender

AGENT ECHO - "The Tomorrow Man"
Position: Time Traveler / Advanced Para-Military
Age: 22
Nationality: Japanese
Birthplace: Chicago, ACR (American Common Reich)
Code Designation: 7 o'clock

Agent Echo was the fuse that lit this powder keg. Originally from the year 2005, he has traveled back to present day 1941 bearing a letter addressed to President Roosevelt. The letter was a warning that if America didn't enter the war, the Nazis would conquer the world. Such is the future that Echo hails from.

Of the life that he led in 2005, I know very little. He's said that he belonged to a police organization whose job was to catch political dissidents. It was in this line of work that he was won over by a small rebel faction and broken of his fascist brainwashing. Why HE specifically was chosen as the messenger to go back in time, I still don't know, but something in that future has made him singularly interested in Sam. He goes to great lengths to be around her and protect her...a behavior bordering on inappropriate, as she IS a married woman.

Personality-wise, Echo has a short temper and even shorter patience. No one on this team is accustomed to following orders, but of all the people who should be, it's him. What he lacks in discipline, however, he makes-up for in combat. He's an excellent martial artist, and has the benefit of 60+ years of military history and tactical evolution to draw upon. Add to that, the 21st century equipment he's brought with him: a pair of goggles that allow him to see in the dark, (seemingly by sensing heat,) and a laser-gun that he refers to as a "Tele-forcer." It is a small, light-weight weapon, yet it's beam is capable of melting galvanized metal into slag. I have yet to see what it can do to a man, but its very existence makes me fear for that future yet to come.

JURASSIC SAM - BIO

2007-11-14T14:46:00.000-08:00

From the journals of Dax Northender

JURASSIC SAM
Position: Heavy Combatant / Tracker
Age: 31
Nationality: People of the Sapphire
Birthplace: Thalia Mountain, Inner Earth
Code Designation: 1 o'clock

Writing about Sam is not something I can do with my heart on my sleeve. She is my wife, and the love I have for her transcends any words I could put down here. Having said that, Samantha, (or Samanthia, to use the proper pronunciation,) is an important corner-stone to the team. She was born and raised in the hollows of Inner Earth, amidst dinosaur-filled jungles and by the light of the Earth's core. Her Tribe, the People of the Sapphire, are a fair-skinned race of humans who have lived in the hollow earth for thousands of years. But despite the fact that they are simple, one should not consider them primitive. They have a rich tradition of mathematics and philosophy, and are, for the most part, a peace loving folk. That is not to say that they are weak, however, as Sam is easily 3 times as strong as a normal man.

Along with her subterranean strength, she is also a brilliant Hunter and Tracker. She has spent many years of her life in treacherous environments, dodging large predators, and surviving based on her skills alone. In the field, she makes for an excellent scout, being able to read the terrain and predict and observe the movements of her enemy. In combat, she is nothing less than ferocious. She is fast, strong, and deadly accurate from a distance with either her spear or throwing knives. These traits have transitioned well to the Midnight Men agenda, and I rarely send a team into the field without her on the roster.

I am one of the few people lucky enough to have observed Sam in her natural habitat, and I can honestly say that she is the same woman up here on the surface of the world as she was in its depths. Her honesty is profound. Her laugh is enchanting, and her wrath, unforgiving. She has no care for politics or the opinions of people she doesn't care about, loving her friends completely, and doing anything to protect them. Of all the places I've seen both above and beneath the Earth, the place I will always call home is her smile.

DAX NORTHENDER - BIO

2007-11-14T12:38:00.000-08:00

From the journals of Dax Northender

DAX NORTHENDER
Position: Inventor / Gentleman Adventurer / Team Leader
Age: 36
Nationality: American
Birthplace: Manhattan, NY
Code Designation: Midnight

Though I do plan to write an autobiography some day, I will forego any self-analysis in this instance, and defer to the pen of my good friend, Mr. Legacy.

"Dax Northender does not personify the 20th century. If anything, he exists despite it. In this age where the craftsman has been replaced by the factory worker...the guild overthrown by the union...and the individual celebrated in silence, Dax Northender, having been born centuries too late to rub shoulders with the likes of DiVinci and Gallileo, stands before us, ready to thwart the conventions of our time.

Born the only son of a steel-worker and school teacher, Dax spent his childhood adventuring across the roofs of Manhattan, his mind lost in his mother's books, and his hands absently assembling bits and bobs into brilliant contraptions. You'll still find him across the roofs of Manhattan, but now it's sharing Martinis with the Rockefellers, and toasting his inventions with Kings and Teslas. He's traveled the far reaches of the globe, and seen things his dear mother, God rest her soul, could never have believed nor fished out of those textbooks. As an adventurer, he's as steady as the stars. As a physique, he is a sculptor's dream, and a woman's prayer. As a compass, he is without equal.

A more courageous man I have never met, nor a finer husband nor colleague of the human spirit. Pray, dear friends that he never finds his lost Atlantis...lest we in the twentieth will have lost him forever."

-Mr. Legacy

Excerpt taken from Dax's introduction at the Archaeological Society's Awards Banquet, Manhattan, 1937.

Welcome

2007-11-14T12:21:00.000-08:00

We're starting this blog for the Midnight Men comic book. I'll be updating with character bios and various sketches from some of the artists we've hired. We've got a lot of ground to cover so bare with us as we get there.