DF Interview: Ethan Sacks shines the bright light of the ‘Midnight Suns’ upon the horrors of the Marvel U.

By Byron Brewer

A dark prophesy and apocalyptic new villains with horrifying powers the likes of which Earth has never faced before ordains a team of Midnight Suns to rise and tear @#$% up: Magik, Wolverine, Blade, Spirit Rider and Nico Minoru. But what does this new threat have to do with the Sorcerer Supreme's past? And why is Strange Academy student Zoe Laveau number one on the Suns' list?

From writer Ethan Sacks and artist Luigi Zagaria comes a new rise of the Midnight Suns! And, although spelled differently, my heart beat a little bit faster fueled by love for an earlier iteration of the comic. And seeing buddy Ethan Sacks’ moniker on the solicit also encouraged me to sit down with the scribe to learn wassup with the Suns!


Byron Brewer: Ethan, I understand that the comic book Midnight Suns is most likely coming about in support of the upcoming video game, even coming in line with the change of “Sons” (from the former Marvel Comics title) to “Suns”. Is there any definitive connection between the game and the comic itself (aside of use of characters and team name) or is Midnight Suns, as I hope, its own thing embedded in the Marvel 616 Universe?



Ethan Sacks: Byron, the lineup and title are definitely influenced by the video game, but the story is not an adaptation or a promotional tie-in. In fact, it’s set squarely and firmly in the 616 Universe. The switch of the team name has more to do with the fact that it’s a much more diverse lineup than the original Midnight Sons. I also particularly love the double meaning: A midnight sun is a source of light that cuts through the darkness. We’ll be playing with that conceit.



Byron: I am sure most readers know this, but for completeness, tell us please the characters that will make up this iteration of the Midnight Suns.



Ethan Sacks: The team is led by one of my all-time favorite characters, Magik, who is drawn in by her connections to Strange Academy. Wolverine, who always has her back, has been dragged in quite reluctantly to a situation in which he can’t always find something to stab. Nico, without her staff, finds herself at a crossroads going into the series. Blade brings the institutional knowledge and legacy of the original Midnight Sons. He also brings a big stick. Finally we have a Ghost Rider – or more accurately, a Spirit Rider – in Kushala. I’ve been really digging writing her. Zoe Laveau, a student at Strange Academy, plays an important role in the story.



Byron: Were you a fan of the former Midnight Sons comic from Marvel? If so, who were some of your favorite members and, if this “Suns” mag (as I hope) goes beyond just the promotional to a fan-fave regular title, which members NOT now in the coming book would you like to see join?



Ethan Sacks: I am indeed a fan of the original Midnight Sons, with my favorite member always having being Blade. To be honest, I haven’t thought too far ahead about a potential for more stories beyond this 5-issue mini-series. My hope is there’s an appetite for more. Honestly, the only character from the original lineup that I would have added is Doctor Strange, though he has a good excuse for not turning up on account of him being dead and all.



Byron: Speaking of the comic coming in September, I understand your Suns members are in keeping with the game. But did you in any way get to choose which ones you wanted of the characters utilized in the game? If so, which heroes (?) did you NOT get that you would loved to have written in this spooky supernatural team setting?



Ethan Sacks: We did briefly look at other Ghost Riders as options, too, but they were busy elsewhere in the Marvel Universe. Midnight Suns is not a video game adaptation, it is its own story with consequences in the wider 616, which is a darn good thing. So we were very conscious of where all the major supernatural heroes were on the chessboard across Marvel when this story unfolds. But I am very, very happy with this lineup. I get to play with some pretty cool toys in the most mysterious corner of the Marvel sandbox.



Byron: I know we will soon be facing “a dark prophecy and apocalyptic new villains with horrifying powers...”, but can you offer any clue at all as to who/what cause actually brings them together? I think it was mentioned it is Blade who is the catalyst, but who/what is the threat? (I’m expecting “Read the book”, but I can dream. Not Loki? LOL!)



Ethan Sacks: Your powers of prognostication are indeed strong, Master Byron…. I indeed can’t tell you much about the plot. I can reveal that Blade is NOT the catalyst. That’s all I can say. That’s probably too much. Mystery is important in a mystery book.



Byron: Can you give readers a summary, an overview of what we are about to start. What type of adventure are we embarking on when we pick up Midnight Suns in August? (No fair using solicitation copy. I am stealing that for my own purposes.)



Ethan Sacks: What if every magic user in the Marvel Universe suddenly had the same apocalyptic vision? And what if that vision suggested YOU were the one who will cause the end of the world in a few days? This Midnight Suns team are the heroes you’d want on your side—to clear your name and avert the crisis.



Byron: Wow! … Talk about the art of Luigi Zagaria.



Ethan Sacks: Luigi has hit the ball out of the park with his work on Midnight Suns, combining the big, kinetic action you’d expect from a super hero team book with little moments of intimate character beats and other moments of freakish horror. Can’t wait until you see what he’s accomplishing!



Byron: Ethan, what is getting ready to hop out of that bag of surprises you carry around with you next? What projects, in or out of comics and in which you are involved, can you tell us about?



Ethan Sacks: There are at least three projects I’m working on that should be announced in the coming months. One is a non-fiction series that taps into my journalism background. Another is a really cool tie-in to a very different kind of game. I’m in talks for a creator-owned project. But they are in the surprise bag for a reason. I don’t have permission to reveal them yet.



Dynamic Forces would like to thank Ethan Sacks for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer our questions. Midnight Suns #1 from Marvel Comics is slated to be on sale September 14th!



For more news and up-to-date announcements, join us here at Dynamic Forces, www.dynamicforces.com/htmlfiles/, “LIKE” us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/dynamicforcesinc, and follow us on Twitter, www.twitter.com/dynamicforces.

With HBO and DC Studios’ upcoming series Lanterns positioning itself as a grounded, detective‑style drama, fans are paying close attention to how the show will deploy one of the Green Lantern mythos’ most iconic figures: Sinestro. Officially confirmed to appear in the series and portrayed by Ulrich Thomsen, Sinestro’s inclusion signals that Lanterns is not just telling a crime story—it is laying the foundation for the moral and ideological conflicts at the heart of the Green Lantern universe. According to DC Studios’ official character description, Sinestro is a former Green Lantern who turned rogue after abusing his power. He is described as “ruthless yet undeniably charming,” with a manipulative obsession centered on his former mentee, Hal Jordan. Jordan is being played by Kyle Chandler. This immediately suggests that Sinestro’s role in Lanterns will be personal rather than purely antagonistic. Rather than functioning as a straightforward villain to be defeated, Sinestro is more likely to appear as a philosophical counterpoint to Hal Jordan. In the comics, Sinestro believes order must be enforced through fear, not willpower or trust. Translating that worldview into a grounded HBO drama fits perfectly with the show’s True Detective-inspired tone, where moral certainty is often elusive. Lanterns centers on Hal Jordan and John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) as intergalactic law officers investigating a murder in the American heartland. While the crime is Earth‑based, the implications are cosmic, and Sinestro’s presence may loom over the investigation rather than dominate it outright. Given Sinestro’s history as Hal Jordan’s mentor, one plausible role is that of a symbolic embodiment of Hal’s past failures. Sinestro may serve as a reminder of what happens when a Green Lantern decides the rules no longer work—or that he alone should decide how justice is delivered. This framing would reinforce Hal’s status as a seasoned Lantern nearing the end of his career, forced to confront the ideological consequences of the Corps’ authority. Production reports confirm that Sinestro is a recurring character, not necessarily the central antagonist of every episode. That opens the door for a more subtle narrative function: Sinestro as a background manipulator. Rather than openly opposing the Lanterns, Sinestro could be: Feeding Hal Jordan information to test his judgment, quietly steering events tied to the murder investigation or Serving as a warning figure for John Stewart, illustrating what a Lantern can become when certainty replaces empathy. This approach aligns with comments from Ulrich Thomsen, who hinted on social media that his time as Sinestro may not be finished, suggesting long‑term narrative relevance beyond a single season. While Lanterns is firmly Earth‑based, it exists within DC Studios’ broader DC Universe (DCU). Sinestro’s introduction here may function less as a payoff and more as setup. In DC canon, Sinestro is to the Green Lanterns what Lex Luthor is to Superman—a recurring ideological nemesis rather than a one‑time foe. By grounding Sinestro early as a calculating, persuasive presence rather than a spectacle‑driven villain, Lanterns could be positioning him as: A future architect of larger DCU conflicts, a connective figure between cosmic and Earth‑level stories or as a moral antagonist whose philosophy spreads rather than attacks. Nothing beyond Lanterns has been officially confirmed, but Sinestro’s stature in DC lore makes his appearance here feel intentional rather than incidental. Based on what is known, Sinestro’s role in Lanterns is unlikely to hinge on spectacle. Instead, he appears poised to challenge the core identity of the Green Lantern Corps—and of Hal Jordan himself. Whether he appears as a mentor‑turned‑enemy, a manipulative observer, or a philosophical provocateur, Sinestro represents the question at the heart of the series: Is justice about enforcing order—or believing people can choose to do better? In a show built around investigation, doubt, and moral consequence, Sinestro may not be the loudest presence—but he could be the most dangerous one. 

The entertainment world is mourning the loss of Nicholas Brendon, the actor best known for his role as Xander Harris on the beloved television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Brendon passed away at the age of 54, his family confirmed, stating that he died in his sleep of natural causes. News of his passing has prompted an outpouring of tributes from colleagues, friends, and fans who grew up with his work and were touched by his honesty and humanity. Born in Los Angeles in 1971, Brendon rose to international fame in 1997 when he was cast as Xander Harris, the witty, loyal, and often self‑deprecating heart of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Appearing in all seven seasons of the series from 1997 to 2003, Brendon helped shape one of television’s most enduring ensemble casts. Xander, the lone member of the group without supernatural powers, became a relatable stand‑in for audiences—grounded, flawed, brave, and deeply human. Following Buffy, Brendon continued to work steadily in television and film. His credits included recurring roles on Criminal Minds and Private Practice, as well as appearances in Kitchen Confidential, Faking It, and cult films such as Psycho Beach Party and Coherence. While none matched the cultural impact of Buffy, his performances were often praised for their sincerity and emotional openness. In later years, Brendon spoke candidly about his personal struggles. He was open about living with addiction, mental health challenges, and serious medical conditions, including a congenital heart defect and complications from spinal injuries that required multiple surgeries. His willingness to discuss these issues publicly resonated with many fans, who saw in him not just a television star, but a person navigating real and painful challenges while continuing to create. Despite these difficulties, Brendon remained creatively driven. According to his family, he found renewed passion in painting and visual art in recent years, sharing his work with friends and supporters. In their statement announcing his death, they remembered him as “passionate, sensitive, and endlessly driven to create,” and asked for privacy as they grieve and celebrate his life. 

Multiple sites, including Deadline and Variety, are reporting that one of the stars of the upcoming HBO series Lanterns will be making taking his character to the big screen. Aaron Pierre, who plays new Green Lantern John Stewart, is now set to appear in the upcoming James Gunn film Man of Tomorrow. Though not officially a Superman sequel, MoT stars David Corenswet and Nicholas Hoult reprising their roles as Superman and Lex Luthor along with other returning cast members Rachel Brosnahan, Skyler Gisondo and Sara Sampaio. This film will also introduce another popular DC Comic’s villain, Brainiac, played by German actor Lars Eidinger. Pierre joins DC’s cosmic police force along with Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan as they team up to investigate a murder in Nebraska. The tone of the Lanterns series is much darker and grounded, in the style of a True Detective season, but this move drives home that the series is connected to Gunn’s growing DC Universe that also includes Peacemaker and the animated Creature Commandos. The interesting thing to note is that while Pierre’s Stewart will appear, there is no word on whether Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner, the Green Lantern introduced in Superman, will return. Fillion is also set to appear in Lanterns, having told reporters he has sworn more in his appearance in the upcoming series than in all of his previous roles combined. This may not bode well for the ring-wielding hero or his bowl cut. Lanterns is set to debut in August on HBO Max and Man of Tomorrow is scheduled for July 2027. 

The anticipated reboot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer will not be moving forward at Hulu. The news was broken to disappointed fans by producer and returning star Sarah Michelle Gellar on her Instagram this morning. The streamer had originally ordered a pilot to be directed by Eternals director Chloé Zhao from a script written Poker Face writers by Nora and Lilla Zuckerman. Gellar wrote in her post, “I want to thank Chloé Zhao because I never thought I would find myself back in Buffy’s stylish yet affordable boots. And thanks to Chloé, I was reminded how much I love her and how much she means, not only to me, but to all of you. This doesn’t change any of that, and I promise if the apocalypse actually comes… you can still beep me.” Sources say that the initial reaction to the pilot were not good and while discussions were had about reworking the pilot, Hulu has decided not to proceed but remains excited about the Buffy IP and will likely regroup and find a new approach to move the franchise forward. 

You may have noticed that I’m not the biggest fan of ‘Industry Insiders’ who have paywalls set up to dole out rumors like… well, I couldn’t find a metaphor that wasn’t extremely insulting so we’ll just move on. Those ‘insiders’ need to have a ready supply of rumors to keep their subscribers coming back and since there is no accountability for erroneous rumors, one has to wonder if some of them are just made up out of thin air. James Gunn, co-head of DC Studios, has a times come out and addressed a batch of rumors that fans ask him about on social media. He did this again recently and here are some of the rumors he addressed along with his response. A report that the upcoming Man of Tomorrow has changed its title to Superman: Man of Tomorrow. Gunn has said before that this was more than a Superman movie and confirms the title has NOT changed by simply saying, “Nope.” Another report says that the film with begin filming in a few weeks, and while it will begin shortly, he says “by strict definition of Few, nope.” Reports say that he’s trying to rush through Matt Reeves’ The Batman Epic Crime Saga so he can then get to Brave and the Bold. That’s another ‘Nope’. Scoopers claim that Paradise Lost, the Wonder Woman prequel series was now dead or shelved. I know this will surprise you, but he said, “Nope”. And he did confirm one thing, that Superman does not believe in Santa Claus because, “He’s an adult.” Rumors can be fun to talk about and debate, but if they set unrealistic expectations that ruin the film for someone, then that’s a problem. And paying for rumors… that seems a bit crazy to me. 

Many MCU fans wonder why the events of Daredevil: Born Again won’t be even referenced in upcoming films like Spider-Man: Brand New Day. In Born Again, Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) is the new Mayor of New York and has declared martial law along with creating a taskforce to hunt down vigilantes and you would think someone like Spider-Man (Tom Holland) would be on his radar. But that’s not going to happen on the big screen, no Fisk in BND and SFX Magazine thought that would be a good thing to ask Born Again showrunner Dario Scardapane about. “I’d be into it, because I dig the comics! But no, that’s been kind of a fun and challenging thing. We know there’s a huge world out there of the MCU. This corner of it has crossovers. We’ve seen Daredevil in other shows, there are other characters that are going to be popping up in movies and stuff, and that all goes into the larger MCU of it all. The joke we make is, ‘Oh, those guys are uptown – we’re downtown!’ We kind of have a pocket that’s in this world of Hell’s Kitchen, in this world of New York. I always think that maybe these characters take a little vacation into the larger world but the story that we’re focusing on is really granular.” Let me translate that, “They can borrow our toys, but we can’t touch there’s.” A shame as we all want a real Daredevil/Spider-Man crossover.   

“You have failed this beach!” Okay, there is probably no way Stephen Amell will say that line in the new Baywatch reboot, but I can’t be the only one who thought about it. Fox announced yesterday that the former Arrow, Heels and Suits LA star would be the lead in the networks bid to recapture the popularity of their lifeguard themed drama from the 90s. Amell will be playing the role of Hobie Buchannon, a role first introduced in the OG series. Hobie’s world turns upside down when Charlie, the daughter he didn’t know he had, shows up ready to put on the red bathing suit and follow in the family business. The show got a straight-to-series 12-episode order back in September, so the network is moving quickly. An interesting note is that Amell is the right age if the network wanted to bring back David Hasselhoff to reprise the role of Hobie’s father Mitch for an episode or two. 

You may not have known this, but in 2021 a Zatanna movie was in the works. J.J. Abrams had given the project to Emerald Fennell to script as she was coming off 2020 directorial debut, A Promising Young Woman. So, what happened? According to Fennell, who recently joined the Happy Sad Confused podcast, what she had written was “probably too far away from the genre.” She was very honest about the work, saying: “I think it was demented because I was probably going through it at the time. And the thing is, I think what I can’t help but—and then, I’d just finished A Promising Young Woman, and there was this huge thing in this world I’d never operated in. And again, it was a kind of superhero movie, and I was like, ‘How do I make the version of a superhero movie that I would connect to emotionally?’ Which is sort of the woman in the middle of a nervous breakdown, so it’s a script reflective of a woman in the middle of a nervous breakdown. And in terms of what that means, I suppose it just meant that it was probably too far away from the genre.” For those of you who are not familiar with Zatanna, she was created by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson in the pages of November 1964’s Hawkman and has been a consistent magical character in the DC Universe ever since, regularly teaming up with Batman, John Constantine and was a member of the Justice League. Fennell went on to describe the script, “It was really dark. I haven’t read it for a really long time, because I found it really difficult. Because, also the thing is, I love JJ [Abrams] so much, and he took a chance offering me to do it, and I really wanted to deliver something amazing for them. And I always felt like I hadn’t quite maybe delivered the thing that they wanted. So, I haven’t read it since, and I wonder if I read it now, I’d be more generous toward myself. But I felt like, I wished I’d been able to deliver the thing they wanted. They were really lovely about it, it’s even just remembering. You’re making me remember scenes, I’m like, ‘Nobody would have made that.'” I have to admit I totally want to read that script now. 

Don’t expect to see Vincent D’Onofrio show up in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. It seems the rights to the character still precludes him from appearing in a film unless Sony wants him to. Which, yes, Brand New Day is a Sony/Marvel production… but while visiting the Bingworthy podcast, the Kingpin actor responded to the question about the current mayor of the MCU NYC showing up by saying, “No. I think I’ll just wait until they have the rights to my character and they put me in one of those movies, and then I’ll figure it all out.” This makes sense that Marvel can’t just have the character show up in any random film, like The Thunderbolts, without Sony saying okay, but he is available for television appearances. Why Sony has chosen to not let the character show up in a Sony film though seems a little odd, unless the actor is using the rights issue as a cover to keep from telling us that Wilson Fisk will not be the mayor after the events of the upcoming Daredevil: Born Again season two, which is scheduled to release in March and complete well before Brand New Day hits theaters. 

In 1989 writer/artist John Byrne was working on the West Coast Avengers title for Marvel and decided to have some fun. Since there was both an east and west coast version of the team, he decided to make a third one, in the middle of the country, and keeping with the body of water theme to the names… we got the Great Lakes Avengers. The team was made up of five founding members: Mr. Immortal, Flat Man, Big Bertha, Dinah Soar and Doorman and while the team has probably had more cease-and-desist lawsuits filed against them than real battles, they have been around for years now and have popped up a lot. The interesting thing though is that two of these members have now made appearances in the MCU. And not just blink-and-you-missed-it moments. Both Mr. Immortal and Doorman have had at least half, if not a full episode of a series dedicated to them. In She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, David Pasquesi plays Craig Hollis aka Mr. Immortal who has his immortal ability and uses it to get out a marriages, which he has a lot of. When pressured by his own attorneys, he leapt out of a high-rise window and plummeted to the street below, slamming into the roof of a car, only to pop right back up and walk away. It doesn’t end well for him though as he is forced to pay off all of his exes. Then we get to meet DeMarr Davis aka the Doorman in the new Wonder Man series. Byron Bowers plays the man with the ability to use his body as a door in and out of the dark dimension. While he is a mutant in the comics, in the MCU he gets his abilities by touching toxic waste from Roxxon, similar to how Cloak & Dagger got their powers. DeMarr becomes a cautionary tale about chasing fortune and fame in Hollywood that may have cost the life of beloved actor Josh Gad. It also made the industry enact a law banning superpowered people from working in show business. This is a major plot point in the series. With two of the five characters both located in Southern California, could we end up getting the rest of the team at some point and them relocating for a fresh start? Sounds like the perfect idea for one of those Marvel Spotlight one-hour specials.