Why Midnight Lantern?
Midnight Lantern is a small, heart-driven nonprofit initiative focused on bringing a little spooky, nerdy, imaginative wonder to kids and families who need it. The idea is simple: use the magic of horror, fantasy, sci-fi, comics, books, gaming, and geek culture to brighten the lives of those who could use a spark of joy.
The project grows out of my career as a writer in comics, horror, and genre storytelling. I’ve spent years creating worlds full of monsters, superheroes, and impossible places. I’ve seen how stories help people connect, cope, imagine, and belong.
A lot of this traces back to my own childhood. I grew up loving horror movies, sci-fi adventures, role-playing games, and reading stacks of comic books. Those stories shaped me, inspired me, got me through tough years, and helped me find my people. They made the world feel bigger and more magical.
And if there’s one thing I’ve learned from fandom over the years, it’s that fans love to share the things they’re passionate about. Whether it’s passing along a favorite comic, guiding someone into their first horror read, recommending a new game, or handing a kid their first 20-sided die, the act of sharing and building a shared community is a kind of magic in and of itself.
Midnight Lantern is built on the idea that weird, wonderful stories can mean more than just a bit of fun escapism. They can be a lifeline. We want to use creativity and fandom not just to entertain, but to give back, by inviting passionate fans to pass along books, toys, games, and gifts that might spark a kid’s imagination the same way theirs was sparked.
In its first year, Midnight Lantern will start small and personal. The initial goal is to gather a curated bundle of gifts (books, comics, games, toys, and other nerdy or horror-themed items) and deliver them to a handful of families during the 2026 holiday season.
This first project acts as both a proof of concept and a way to learn what works, what’s needed, and how best to grow so we can help more families in the future.
This project doesn’t aim to be huge out of the gate. It’s meant to build slowly, deliberately, and authentically, starting with a few kids, a few gifts, and a few volunteers. Over time, Midnight Lantern can become a unique, niche, heartfelt charity for young dreamers and for kids who love the weird and wonderful.
A lantern in the dark to light someone’s way.