Midnighter

Midnighter
Cover of Midnighter and Apollo #4 (2016), drawn by Aco.
Publication information
Publisher	Wildstorm (DC Comics)
First appearance	Stormwatch (vol. 2) No. 4 (February 1998)
Created by	Warren Ellis Bryan Hitch
In-story information
Alter ego	Lucas Trent (presumed)
Species	Human with artificial enhancements
Team affiliations	The Authority Stormwatch Spyral
Notable aliases	Lucas Trent
Abilities	Enhanced physical attributes Temporary pain suppression Auxiliary heart Enhanced reflexes.

Midnighter is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by WildStorm, which later became an imprint of DC Comics. The character was created by writer Warren Ellis and artist Bryan Hitch. The character made his first appearance in Stormwatch (vol. 2) #4, titled "A Finer World (Part 1 of 3)" (February 1998), eventually appearing in various Authority books and other series, as well as his own eponymous ongoing series.

Midnighter is best known as a member of the rogue superhero team, The Authority. He and his husband, Apollo, have also been interpreted as a parallel of the Batman/Superman World's Finest partnership. Unlike Batman, Midnighter has certain enhanced abilities, and generally kills his opponents.

In an interview for Comic Values Annual (1999), edited by Alex G. Malloy, Warren Ellis described Midnighter as "The Shadow by way of John Woo". Midnighter is rarely seen without his costume and mask. Recurring themes in Midnighter's adventures are his love of violence and killing, as well as comments on his sexuality. In 2013, ComicsAlliance ranked Midnighter as #17 on their list of the "50 Sexiest Male Characters in Comics".

Warren Ellis created and introduced the character in 1998, soon after his appointment as writer on the Stormwatch title. Stormwatch volume 2, issue 4, introduced Midnighter and Apollo as former Stormwatch agents from a secret "black ops" team known only to the first Weatherman, Henry Bendix. In the first issue of the arc, collected in trade paperback as A Finer World, Christine Trelane had cracked the files of the recently deposed Bendix and discovered Apollo and Midnighter's existence. The new Weatherman, Jackson King, intercepted them on a mission to seize weapons made in the "Nevada Garden", a bioengineering facility created by the first Engineer. Flashback sequences showed Midnighter and Apollo, the sole survivors of their seven-member team's sinister first mission, escaping Bendix and going rogue to spend five years fighting crime on the streets of America. Midnighter and Apollo initially resisted their capture, believing Stormwatch still to be under Bendix's command; on learning of his death they ended their opposition and accepted a mission from King to destroy the Nevada Garden. To repay their assistance Trelane granted Midnighter and Apollo new civilian identities and lives away from Stormwatch. This story arc introduced Midnighter's trademark enhancements, his superpowered healing and ability to anticipate an opponent's moves so quickly as to win any fight, as the product of bioengineering commissioned by Bendix.