Review: Midnighter and Apollo
Quick Summary
Pros: The main storyline is unique and has plenty of exciting action. Both Midnighter and Apollo are written well and bring a lot of emotion to the book. This volume is a nice conclusion to their current adventures. The artwork looks good and compliments the story.
Cons: Not everyone will love the over-the-top violence.
Overall: This volume tells an awesome story about two powerful superheroes in love. It follows Midnighter and Apollo’s occasionally violent and occasionally emotional journey, as they prove they will do anything to save each other. This makes for an incredibly entertaining story filled with suspense, tension, and plenty of cool fight scenes. Anyone who enjoyed Midnigher’s solo series, or anyone simply interested in these characters, should check this volume out.
Story
Midnighter and Apollo is a highly satisfying combination of over-the-top violence and emotional character moments. The violence adds to the story action-packed premise and allows Midnighter and Apollo a chance to be the incredibly powerful heroes that they are. Then, the emotional character moments remind you that these powerful heroes are still real people who have their own emotions. In this collection, Steve Orlando highlights Midnighter and Apollo while also managing to tell an awesome story. Overall, this is a great collection that is sure to please fans.
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The main storyline in Midnighter and Apollo has Apollo die and details Midnighter’s attempt to descend into hell itself to save him. Right off the bat, this is a unique idea with a ton of positives going for it. It establishes high stakes right from the get-go, since both heroes are literally fighting a battle against death. It also stands out in the comic landscape by presenting such a novel story. In many ways, this ends up feeling like a more violent and adventurous version of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, which work from both an interest and an entertainment standpoint.
As the violence suggests, this is also a volume that revels in action and fighting. Midnighter gets a chance to fight terrorists, demons, and various elements of the underworld. At the same time, Apollo gets a chance to fight many of the same foes but with a more superpowered flair. The end result is a book packed to the gills with action, enough to satisfy anyone with a penchant for violence.
However, the absolute best aspect of Midnighter and Apollo is the way in which Orlando highlights the best aspects of each character. Midnighter is an unstoppable force who is determined to do what is right in the most violent way possible. Meanwhile, Apollo is a more gentle and reserved soul, who still has the power to do plenty of damage if need be. Solid characterization like this makes seeing Midnighter tear through an entire train to save some children or watching Apollo attempt a valiant rescue from hell even more satisfying than ever before. This volume truly celebrates these characters in the best way possible.
This volume also provides a nice conclusion for this chapter in these characters’ lives. By the end of the story, it really feels as if Midnighter and Apollo are closer to one another and more at peace with themselves. In an odd way, this story about hell and sin concludes with a happy ending that is in no way corny or boring. Instead, it feels as if the characters earned their reward and are now riding off into the proverbial sunset together.
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Art
The art in this volume looks good and really helps compliment the storytelling. Fernando Blanco brings a solid level of detail to the book, providing realistic character depictions and some great looking backgrounds. This can be seen on Earth, where city streets and apartments look modern and inviting, or in the underworld, where the environment is as dark and grim as one would expect it to be.
However, the best part about this collection’s visuals is the way in which the layouts contribute to the action. Blanco uses individual panels to highlight important moments of action during fight scenes. These panels are also used to highlight objects that are about to play a part in the upcoming action. By doing this, it becomes easier to focus on the story, which allows the narrative to flow without interruption. The effect makes for a better and more enjoyable reading experience.
Continuity
Midnighter and Apollo is the first and only volume in a new comic series. However, it essentially continues the story from the last Midnighter series, which ended with Midnighter Vol. 2: Hard (Review).
This series ends here and, as of right now, Midnighter and Apollo’s adventures do not seem to continue on anywhere specifically.
This volume also references stories from other comic books, detailed below:
- Characters and concepts from the previous Midnighter series are referenced in more than a few places. The complete history of these story elements is told in Midnighter Vol. 1: Out (Review) and Midnighter Vol. 2: Hard (Review).