There has been a lot of talk about the Midnight Sons coming to the MCU. With supernatural horror-related characters like Blade and Moon Knight now in the MCU (and more to come soon), there is little doubt that they could meet up in a crossover down the line.
Based on the comics, this crossover is probably going to be the Midnight Sons, a nearly dysfunctional team of Marvel’s best demon hunters. The team has only formed a few times in the comics and is almost always male-dominated. But while the classic original lineup included Blade, the Ghost Riders, Doctor Strange, and Morbius. The roster has always been mutable, changing every time the team re-appears. So who else could be on the team in the MCU?
Brian did a great article last year titled “What a Potential ‘Midnight Sons’ Team Could Look Like”, where he speculated that the MCU’s Blade and Moon Knight could be joined by Elsa Bloodstone, Ghost Rider, Daimon Hellstrom, and even the Morbius from Sony’s universe. However, right after Brian published his article, the Marvel’s Midnight Suns game was announced for 2022. “Suns” with a “u.”
The change from Midnight Sons to Midnight Suns has been much discussed by fans, but it’s easy to see the reason for it. “Midnight Sons” was the classic comics’ name which referred to the traditional male-centric lineup – they were sons of the night. With the video game-changing the spelling to “Midnight Suns,” the name becomes more inclusive for women and non-binary team members, without really changing the name at all.
The new name still makes sense because a “midnight sun” is when the sun remains up at midnight above the polar ice caps. More than simply “sons of the night,” the new name encompasses all individuals who watch over the night from the furthest reaches of humanity. They are the midnight suns.
So thinking about a team of Midnight Suns rather than Midnight Sons, and following last month’s news that Laura Donnelly’s Elsa Bloodstone would be introduced in Werewolf by Night, I began speculating on the women who could join the MCU team, leading me to…
Women Who Could Be on the Midnight Suns
Midnight Suns: Elsa Bloodstone
Elsa is a born-and-raised monster hunter. Her first storyline involved shenanigans with Dracula and her adventures have only gone more supernatural from there. The bloodgem she wears as a choker gives her immunity to vampire bites, and in the comics, she’s been a close companion of Jack Russell’s Werewolf by Night.
Elsa’s skillset and British wit would bring a fresh new direction to the MCU, and she was even part of the comics’ Midnight Sons revival with Doctor Strange: Damnation in 2018. With our own Lizzie Hill’s exclusive news about Elsa coming to live-action this year, her place on the MCU Midnight Suns team seems all but certain.
- Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. (2006) #1-12
- Legion of Monsters (2011) #1-4
- Doctor Strange: Damnation (2018)
- Continue with the Elsa Bloodstone Reading Guide!
Midnight Suns: Clea Strange
The current Sorcerer Supreme in the comics, Clea just had her MCU introduction in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, played by A-list actor Charlize Theron. Ruler of the Dark Dimension, Clea can manipulate objects, energy, and minds, and although she appears to be a young woman, Clea is in fact centuries old!
Although comics Clea was trained by her husband Doctor Strange, it seems like MCU Clea may be the partner with far more magical experience. If she has time to spend with the Midnight Suns, Charlize Theron’s Clea would be an invaluable asset for both her powerset and her knowledge about the dangerous threats from other realms.
- Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme (1988) #1-80; Annual #2, 4
- Midnight Sons Unlimited (1993) #6
- Strange (2022) #1-6
- Continue with the Clea Reading Guide!
Midnight Suns: The Scarlet Witch aka Wanda Maximoff
The beloved star of WandaVision and the controversial villain of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff has risen to be the most established woman in the modern MCU, but her path has been a murky one. Through chaos magic, Wanda is able to bend reality to her will, even extending to alternate visions of reality that she can share with others.
Undoubtedly the strongest magic user we know of, Wanda’s hero/villain alignment remains a wild card due to the Darkhold’s corruption and her immense, unending grief. The only thing certain about the Scarlet Witch is that she is fiercely determined to get what she wants, at any cost. She could be an essential element for the Midnight Suns… or a dangerous foe.
- Avengers (1963) #185-187 (“Nights of Wundagore”)
- X-Men Annual (1970) #12
- West Coast Avengers: Darker Than Scarlet (1989)
- Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #143-144
- Midnight Sons Unlimited (1993) #8
- Darkhold: Pages from the Book of Sins (1992) #3-7
- Avengers: The Children’s Crusade (2010)
- Darkhold (2021): Alpha #1, Omega #1
- Continue with the Scarlet Witch Reading Guide!
Midnight Suns: Scarlet Scarab
May Calamawy’s Layla El-Faouly is a brand-new character in the Marvel canon. Loosely based on a one-off character from the 1980s, Marvel Studios’ Scarlet Scarab is now the avatar of the fertility goddess Taweret (Antonia Salib) and the ex-partner of Marc Spector/Moon Knight (Oscar Isaac). Layla suits up briefly in the Disney+ series Moon Knight, where she shows the ability to summon a god-powered suit on command. The suit gives her super-strength, super-speed, super-reflexes, magical weapons, and wings! Working with Moon Knight/Mr. Knight, she helps save the world from another deadly avatar (Ethan Hawke).
Being original to the MCU, Layla has almost no comics to draw from, so her future is a blank slate. She could join Moon Knight/Mr. Knight on their Midnight Suns escapades, or she could choose to forge her own path. Only time will tell!
Scarlet Scarab:
- Thor (1966) #326
- New Avengers (2005) #53
- All-New Invaders (2014) #4
Moon Knight:
- Doctor Strange: Damnation (2018)
- Continue with the Moon Knight Reading Guides!
Midnight Suns: Vampire By Night
Following Marvel Studios’ Werewolf By Night special, Vampire By Night is just one step away from appearing in the MCU alongside her uncle Jack. In fact, Nina Price has a much more interesting background in the comics, being both a werewolf and a vampire. As a result, she has super-strength, super-speed, super-senses, hypnotism, telepathy, and all the advantages of transforming into a feral Arctic wolf.
Despite her struggle to control her powers, Nina’s unique nature led to her recruitment by SHIELD’s supernatural unit, the Howling Commandos. Here she combated all kinds of monster foes, including Dracula himself. While she’s never been on the Midnight Sons in the comics, she would be a great fit for the team in the MCU.
- Amazing Fantasy (2004) #10-12 [B Stories]
- Nick Fury’s Howling Commandos (2006) #1-6
- Howling Commandos of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2015) #1-6
- Old Man Logan (2016) #14-15
- Continue with the Marvel Monsters Reading Guide!
Midnight Suns: Ghost Rider (Alejandra Jones/Genderbent Danny Ketch)
Alejandra Jones is one of the lesser-known Ghost Riders but has immense potential for the MCU. A victim of child trafficking, she was sold into a program specifically designed to raise the next Ghost Rider, and was eventually chosen to take the mantle herself. Under the shaky mentorship of Johnny Blaze, she has gone against Mephisto, Blackheart, and Carnage, and stopped the spread of Hell across Earth.
As Ghost Rider, Alejandra is able to unlock abilities the other Riders never have. Her powers include almost invincible strength, extreme super-healing, the ability to read hearts and souls, the ability to “eat” souls and sins, the ability to control hellfire, the ability to control natural elements (including weather!), and the classic penance stare. She also has a really cool scythe.
Although she’s only had a short run in the comics, Alejandra has already become one of the strongest and most versatile modern Ghost Riders. She would be an excellent addition to filling the Ghost Rider void in the MCU’s Midnight Suns lineup, as well as a fresh character wholly distinct from Nicolas Cage’s version.
But at the same time, Danny Ketch is a more important and more famous Ghost Rider, especially given his involvement during the original Midnight Sons crossovers in the 1990s. This era actually established much of the modern Ghost Rider lore, including the iconic hellfire chain.
Danny’s close bonds with Johnny Blaze and Jennifer Kale have made him a very special Rider, and he deserves his own place in the MCU. We got our strongest clue at Danny’s future in the MCU last spring when Marvel Studios registered an LLC for Richmond Street Productions. This real-world street is next to Cypress Hills Cemetery, which is the crucial location where the first Midnight Sons story began and where Danny Ketch was later reborn.
While they are both valid Ghost Riders, I think Alejandra’s skillset is more unique and has more potential for a fresh take we haven’t seen on screen before. Given the complicated comics histories of both Alejandra and Danny, I think the MCU could create a character based on Danny, but with Alejandra’s powers. One possible name? Dani Ketch.
Alejandra Jones:
- Ghost Rider (2011) #1-9
- X-Men (2010) #15.1
- Venom (2011) #13, 13.1-13.4, 14
- Absolute Carnage: Symbiote Of Vengeance (2019) #1
Danny Ketch:
- Ghost Rider (1990) #1-94, Annual #1-2
- Ghost Rider and Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance (1992) #1-18
- Spider-Man (1990) #93
- Ghost Rider (2006) #5, 22-34
- Ghost Rider: Trail of Tears (2007) #1
- Ghost Riders: Heaven’s on Fire (2009) #2-6
Continue with the Ghost Rider Reading Guide!
Midnight Suns: Jennifer Kale
Jennifer Kale was born into a family of cults and magic and raised as a sorcerer’s apprentice. Although she’d much rather live a normal life, she is intrinsically linked to the magical elements of the Marvel universe, which has brought her into the orbit of both Man-Thing and Doctor Strange many a time. As an adult, she even discovered that she was cousins with Danny Ketch and Johnny Blaze. During the Marvel Zombies outbreak, she was recruited into a monster version of the Midnight Sons, working alongside Morbius, Werewolf By Night and Daimon Hellstrom.
Jennifer naturally uses her magic to attack and defend, but she can also open portals, teleport, and control minds and memories. Besides her close connection to Man-Thing and his Nexus of All Realities, she also has the powerful Tome of Zhered-Na, which holds some of the darkest secrets of demon magic outside of the Darkhold. If the MCU’s Midnight Suns can’t contain the Scarlet Witch, then Jennifer Kale would be a formidable alternative.
Following the 2023 announcement that Sasheer Zamata is playing Jennifer Kale in Agatha: Darkhold Diaries, her joining the Midnight Suns seems more likely than ever.
- Fear (1970) #11, 13-19
- Man-Thing (1974) #1, 22, Giant-Size #3
- Man-Thing (1979) #10-11
- The Legion of Night (1991) #1-2
- Ghost Rider (1990) #77-85, 92
- Witches (2004) #1-4
- Marvel Zombies 4 (2009) #1-4
- X-Men: Curse of The Man-Thing (2021) #1
- Continue with the Man-Thing Reading Guide!
Midnight Suns: Topaz
A super-psychic, Topaz is one of the most powerful characters at Marvel. Like Clea, Topaz can manipulate objects, thoughts, and emotions, but she can also heal injuries, restore life energy, and amplify others’ magical abilities. Topaz uses her powers to help Jack Russell control his werewolf form, and in one of her earliest appearances even she drove Dracula insane with just her eyes.
As an assistant to Doctor Strange, Topaz has crossed paths with Clea and the more mystical elements of the Marvel universe, even headlining the Witches series with Jennifer Kale and Satana. But despite the mysterious might of her mind, modern comics have totally forgotten about Topaz.
With Werewolf by Night getting his own Halloween special later this year, we can hope to see her make an appearance in the MCU soon. [Not to be confused with another Topaz, who was the Grandmaster’s bodyguard from Thor: Ragnarok]
- Werewolf by Night (1972) #13-17, 27-43, Giant-Size #3
- Tomb of Dracula (1972) #18, 62-64
- Doctor Strange (1974) #75-81
- Strange Tales (1987) #1-3, 11 [B Stories]
- Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme (1988) #6-9, 16, 26-30, 36
- Doctor Strange (1999) #1-4
- Witches (2004) #1-4
Midnight Suns: Satana
Satana Hellstrom is the daughter of Satan and sister of Daimon Hellstrom. After being trained in Hell, she learned to control a demon Basilisk who was possessing her at the time. Satana needs to feed on souls to survive, and like a Dementor, she takes her victim’s souls with a kiss.
Also a magician, Satana can fly, astral project, control minds, and control hellfire. She also has super-strength and can gain power from touching murder weapons.
Despite her clear villainous leanings, she has worked alongside Doctor Strange, Jennifer Kale, Topaz, Blade, and Johnny Blaze. Satana would bring the MCU Midnight Suns an immediate pool of knowledge on the demonic evils they may face, as well as an interesting moral gradient.
- Vampire Tales (1973) #2-3
- Haunt of Horror (1974) #2, 4-5
- Marvel Team-Up (1972) #80-81
- Supernaturals (1998) #1-4
- Witches (2004) #1-4
- Legion of Monsters: Satana (2007) #1
- Deadpool Team-Up (2010) #892
- Doctor Strange (2015) #13-14
- Spirits of Vengeance (2017) #2-5
- Strikeforce (2019) #1-2
Midnight Suns: Doctor Voodoo (Genderbent)
In the comics, Jericho Drumm is the twin brother of Daniel Drumm, who was a minor character in both Doctor Strange movies. The boys were separated as kids, with Daniel becoming a voodoo priest in Haiti and Jericho becoming an academic psychologist in the United States. When Daniel falls prey to an evil curse, his dying wish is for Jericho to be trained in good magic.
As a new sorcerer, Jericho uses his abilities to help those in need around the world, having worked alongside heroes like Werewolf by Night, Moon Knight, Blade, Doctor Strange, Clea, Morbius, and the Ghost Riders. He commonly combats threats of the undead like Dracula, and his magic craft almost always involves zombies. Because of his immense skill and pure soul, Jericho was even chosen by Agamotto to be new Sorcerer Supreme in the late 2000s.
Doctor Voodoo is a natural fit for the supernatural team-up. He doesn’t need to be genderbent to be introduced in the MCU, but genderbending is not new for them. This would be an exciting direction if they wanted to add a character of Doctor Voodoo’s magnitude without letting the Midnight Suns be male-dominated.
- Strange Tales (1951) #169-173
- Tomb of Dracula (1972) #34-37
- Werewolf by Night (1972) #38-41
- Moon Knight (1980) #21
- Marc Spector: Moon Knight (1989) #6-7
- Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme (1988) #16-18
- Ghost Rider (1990) #82-85
- Black Panther (1998) #17-22
- New Avengers (2005) #53-60
- Doctor Voodoo: The Origin of Jericho Drumm (2010) #1
- Doctor Voodoo: Avenger of the Supernatural (2009) #1-5
Midnight Suns: Excalibur
Dr. Faiza Hussain is one of the newest heroes in Marvel comics, but she is quickly rising up the ranks in fan awareness. A member of Britain’s MI-13 special ops team, Faiza wields Excalibur, King Arthur’s indestructible sword imbued with magical properties.
Besides being a practicing medical doctor, Faiza also has the incredible ability of matter manipulation. Similar to Doctor Manhattan, she can disassemble and reassemble particles around her, which gives her the ability to fix objects and heal, or even paralyze, people she comes into contact with.
Faiza is also competent with her sword, as well as hand-to-hand combat, and has even killed Dracula using Excalibur. Although she has never been on the Midnight Sons in the comics, Faiza would be an essential asset for the team in the MCU.
Given the fact that the sword Excalibur was already introduced in Eternals, as well as her close relationship with Dane Whitman in the comics, Faiza’s potential role in the MCU, feels even more certain.
- Captain Britain and MI-13 (2008) #1-15, Annual #1
- Wolverine (2014) #6-7
- Valkyrie: Jane Foster (2019) #6-7
- Death of Doctor Strange: X-Men/Black Knight (2022) #1
Midnight Suns: Witches
In the comics, Satana, Jennifer Kale, and Topaz led their own Midnight Sons-spinoff called Witches. Although it was short-lived and run by male creatives, I think the idea is fun and I would love to see a similar series from a women-led creative team on Disney+!
And just last year, Marvel published a prose follow-up, Witches Unleashed. Could they be teasing something more down the line?
- Witches (2004) #1-4
- Witches Unleashed (2021) (novel)
So there are my ideas for women that could join the Midnight Suns in the MCU! What do you think? There are still so many other fun characters who could be a great fit, like Magik, Nico Minoru, and Victoria Montesi. Who do you want to see on the team? Let me know on Twitter @vinwriteswords and remember to follow the site @MyCosmicCircus for more supernatural surprises!
Also check out our full list of comics reading guides here, including the Midnight Sons, Scarlet Witch, and Clea!
All images courtesy of Marvel Comics.
