Midnighter is also openly Gay.

Origins

Midnighter was a member of an secret experimental academy team created by the insane former Stormwatch Weatherman, Henry Bendix. While the details of his life before the alleged "volunteering" for this project are shrouded in mystery (even to himself), it has been hinted at since then that his implant procedure was both painful and dehumanizing for him. Midnighter, alongside Apollo,

Midnighter

Jackson King

The Authority

However, it was not to be. Less than a year after Apollo and Midnighter's retirement, nearly the entire Stormwatch team was slaughtered in an Aliens/Stormwatch Crossover. Jenny Sparks would develop her vision for a new team, known as Authority, The, and she approached Apollo and Midnighter about joining. Reluctantly (and because of Apollo), Midnighter agreed. It was then that he would take his place as "Night's Bringer of War," on a team consisting of Apollo, Swift, Jack Hawksmoor, Engineer, Doctor, and Jenny Sparks. His relationship with Apollo would only be hinted at until the Regis Story Arc, in which it was confirmed they were a couple.

Of the many foes Midnighter faced with Authority, The, perhaps the most life-altering was the very governments they sought to improve. At one point, the political powers of Earth attempted to

Union Jack

Midnighter is notable for being one of the few gay superheroes in print. After his near death at the hands of government creation Seth (where even his backup heart was ripped from his chest), he married his longtime partner, Apollo, in a civil service on the The Carrier. Together, they adopted the reincarnation of Jenny Sparks, Jenny Quantum, as their daughter.

Recently, even this happiness has been short lived. Midnighter was manipulated into believing that an Apollo from the future contacted him to tell him how the Authority, The would ultimately become the very world oppressors they sought to overcome. This information prompted Midnighter to leave the team, as well as his husband and daughter, and to work alone for a time. However, it was discovered he was being controlled by a still-living Henry Bendix, who then set him in battle against his previous team members after getting on board The Carrier. Fortunately, Bendix's control over Midnighter was broken by the combined efforts of Jenny Quantum and Engineer, freeing him to once again join the team and be with Apollo.

Solo Series

Midnighter currently has his own series in which he works apart from The Authority. In the first three issues he was kidnapped and forced to travel back in time to kill Hitler by a man named Paulus who replaced his second heart with a remote controlled bomb. A simple task that got very complicated when time police tried to stop him. He was captured by the time police, but forced their ship to crash in 1945.

Grifter

Powers

Midnighter's abilites were designed by Bendix to give him an all encompassing advantage in close-combat and tactical scenarios. He has superhuman strength, reflexes (and speed in short bursts), healing, senses, aim and various other enhancements. He is said to have multiple redundant systems to keep him fighting in the worst of conditions. One example of this is a backup heart. Midnighter can also turn his pain receptors on and off so he can keep fighting when the pain would stop a normal man. The pain is not totally cut off though, so his healing factor is also very helpful. He's fought with, and healed from, a broken neck, broken limbs, holes through his chest, having his whole body set on fire, contracting various viruses (including AIDS), and other things. He can also function perfectly in anaerobic environments when necessary. Midnighter's body has been altered to give him inhuman balance as well as faster nerve endings so he can move and react quicker than any human and many superhumans. He normally moves at slightly above human speed but can move so fast that enemies with super speed can't see him, though he can't stay at that speed for long. Midnighter's senses allow him to detect any modifications or powers in anyone he looks at, as well as how they work, so he can defeat them. His other senses are so powerful that to trick him, his creator needed to find an alien that could not only change its appearance, but its scent and DNA. Midnighter's most famous ability is his power to predict how a battle will happen before it starts. His 'fight implants' include a 'combat computer' that allows him to run through a given combat situation millions of times in his mind, almost instantly covering nearly every possible result before the first punch is even thrown. He uses this information to predict the actions and or reactions of his foes, counteracting their moves almost before they even think to make them. According to Midnighter, his powers also work by letting him see the outcome of the battle he wants, and working backwards, following the right steps to get there.

From Midnighter #7: