Doctor Mid-Nite

Pieter Cross

A Norweigan-born physician, he is a medical prodigy with great respect for the original Doctor Mid-Nite, who saved his mother and delivered him as a infant.^[7] Differing from his predecessors, the character's connections and wealth helps provides healthcare to those outside typical medical circles and those whom unorthodox medicine has failed, has his own medical team to assist him, and runs the All-Star Clinic.^[8][9] Cross is also a devout Christian.^[8] During his appearance from the 1999 JSA series until at least 2008, the character was remarked to be in his thirties at the timeframe.^[7]

Charles M. McNider

Charles McNider is a surgeon who is enlisted to remove a bullet from a witness set to testify against mobsters. Mobster Killer Maroni throws a grenade into the room, killing the witness and blinding McNider.^[10] McNider later discovers that he can only see in darkness and develops a special visor to let him see in the light. He then becomes the superhero Doctor Mid-Nite and adopts an owl whom he names Hooty.^[11]

McNider later joins the Justice Society of America (JSA) and the All-Star Squadron. In 1942, McNider enlists in the U.S. Medical Corps as a physician during World War II,^[12] rising to the rank of captain.^{[volume & issue needed]} McNider briefly assumes the role of Starman when the original Starman, Ted Knight, has a nervous breakdown and the JSA disbands.^[13] According to Jess Nevins' Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes, "his opponents include the minstrel the Baleful Banshee, the hypnosis-wielding Doctor Light, the angling-themed Fisherman, and the gang lord Tarantula".^[14]

In 1953, McNider's lover Myra Mason is murdered by the Shadower, a foe who had learned Doctor Mid-Nite's secret identity.^[10] McNider later rescues a pregnant woman from attack in Sogndal, Norway and delivers her baby, Pieter Cross, who becomes the third Doctor Mid-Nite as an adult. McNider is among the JSA members who are captured and placed in suspended animation by Vandal Savage before being freed by the Flash.

McNider is killed by Extant during the Zero Hour: Crisis in Time! event.^[15][16] He has remained dead since, appearing as a spirit and in flashbacks.^[17][18] McNider was temporarily resurrected as a Black Lantern in the Blackest Night event.^[19]

Beth Chapel

As the aging Charles McNider spent less time in action, Beth Chapel, a medical doctor, stepped into the role of Doctor Midnight. Chapel was a native of Orangeburg, South Carolina, with a pastor father, a mother who sang in the church choir, and four brothers.^[20] During the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths, Chapel is blinded by an oxygen explosion, but is rescued by Hourman's son Rick Tyler. McNider performs emergency surgery on Chapel, and while he is unable to restore her day vision, he gives her his ability to see in the dark.^[21] Chapel and Rick assume the mantles of their predecessors as Doctor Midnight and Hourman, with her mother crafting a super hero costume from a choir robe. Along with a new Wildcat, Chapel and Tyler apply for membership in Infinity, Inc, eventually gaining admission; however, the association was short-lived, as Infinity, Inc. disbanded shortly thereafter, though Chapel and Tyler began a romantic relationship during their tenure.

Doctor Midnight and Wildcat are subsequently recruited by the U.S. government for a mission to defeat the supervillain Eclipso, only for Chapel to die on the mission along with Wildcat, Creeper, Commander Steel, Peacemaker, and Major Victory.^[22]

In Doomsday Clock, Beth Chapel is revived alongside the Justice Society when Doctor Manhattan undoes his prior erasure of the Society and the Legion of Super-Heroes from the timeline. Chapel goes on to open a metahuman medical clinic called the All-Star Clinic.^[23]

Pieter Anton Cross

Cross is the Norwegian-born son of a noted scientist, the late Theodoric Cross.^[24] Pieter was delivered as a baby by the original Doctor Mid-Nite, Charles McNider, who had just rescued his mother from vagrants. As an adult, Pieter is unable to save his mother from Chagas disease, which she catches in Brazil while visiting him.

Cross's crime-fighting career begins as he runs a free clinic in Portsmouth, Washington. His work leads him to investigate a new street drug called A39, an accidental derivative of the steroid-like Venom. The drug, he soon learns, is produced by an evil corporation named Praeda Industries, run by the Terrible Trio. Cross is drugged by company enforcers and soon involved in a car accident. After the accident, he finds that he can only see in pitch darkness. Stripped of his license to officially practice medicine, Cross takes the name Doctor Mid-Nite and resolves to fight crime.^[24] Cross joins the newest incarnation of the Justice Society of America,^[25] and has a brief romance with teammate Black Canary.

Cross is usually portrayed as being a physician first and vigilante second, setting up a clinic to help him treat patients who cannot afford conventional health care. Scanners in his cowl-lenses identify health risks as well as threats. He is a vegetarian and practices yoga (JSA). Cross carries high-tech medical equipment in addition to weapons (including blackout bombs). Some individuals whom Cross assists eventually come to aid him in his work as both crime fighter and community surgeon. Allies gained in this way include reformed street kids Nite Lite and Ice Sickle, and writer Camilla Marlowe. Mid-Nite also serves as a mentor to Jaime Reyes, the third Blue Beetle.^[26]

When the Justice Society encounters Gog, last survivor of the Third World, the benevolent being restores Cross's vision.^[27] Although initially a blessing, this works to Cross's disadvantage in the field, as he has lost his infrared vision and can no longer able see through his own dark bombs.^[28] Eventually, the full JSA mount an all-out assault on Gog, having learned from Sandman that Gog is rooting himself into the Earth. The other Society members following Gog attempt to protect him, until they see him attempt to attack a Society member. All of the followers take up the fight, and Gog punishes them by taking away his blessings, including Cross's sight.^[29]

In "The New Golden Age", Pieter Cross still operates as Doctor Mid-Nite and is currently living in Natal, Brazil. Jay Garrick brings his daughter Judy Garrick to visit him and enlists his help in finding Doctor Elemental.^[30]

Enemies

Each incarnation of Doctor Mid-Nite has fought different enemies:

• "Gallows" Gallagher - A gangster who had his brother take his place in prison with help from a corrupt prison warden.^[33]
• "Hands" Hannigan - A gangster who wanted to take advantage of Regis Morgan's telescopic vision and make him a lookout for his gang.^[34]
• "Killer" Maroni - A gangster who was responsible for the grenade that blinded Charles McNider and became Doctor Mid-Nite's first opponent.^[35]
• Banshee -^[36]
• Big Mouth - The leader of a gang who worked with Jasper to set up hallucinations to frighten Jasper's aunt Martha Yates and his uncle Ambrose Yates.^[37]
• Doctor Light - A villain who uses light technology.^[38]
• Dr. Gamwell - A man who used a home for the blind as a front for his criminal activities.^[39]
• Fisherman - Kurt Hartmann is a fisherman-themed criminal.^[40]
• Hans - A Nazi demolition diver.^[41]
• Herman Gherkin - A Nazi general.^[42]
• Ice Ingram -^[43]
• King Cobra - A hooded gangster.^[44]
• Madame Zara - A criminal who operated as a psychic.^[45]
• Malcolm Mumm - An inventor who invented a sound-nullifying device and operated as the self-proclaimed Master of Silence. He used his invention to cover up the sounds related to his bank vault robberies.^[46]
• Mister Nitro -^[47]
• Slim - A mobster that planned to sabotage the games of the Yellow Jackets football team.^[48]
• Tarantula - A crime lord whose minion Logger suspected that Charles McNider and Doctor Mid-Nite are the same people.^[49]
• Terrible Trio - The members in the aliases of Fisk, Shackley, and Volper run Praeda Industries.^[50]

Alternate universes

• In 1965, DC Comics had no plans to revive Doctor Mid-Nite. DC editor Julius Schwartz gave M.I.T. student and comic book letterhack Rick Norwood permission to publish a Dr. Midnite story in his fanzine, Five. The story written by Norwood and illustrated by Steve Sabo features a doctor named Tom Benson who is blinded in battle. He discovers that his other senses are super-sensitive and dons the Doctor Midnite costume to fight crime.^{[51][citation needed]}
• Another version of the character was shown in Dan Jolley and Tony Harris' JSA: The Liberty File as a World War II United States intelligence agent code-named the Owl. This character, though a playboy, resembles other Doctor Mid-Nite representations. Though derided for his dalliances with the ladies, McNider was trusted as a valued field operative.
• Batman: Holy Terror depicts an America ruled by a religious theocracy as a result of Oliver Cromwell living for a decade longer than he did in reality. McNider was a member of the underground resistance against the government years ago, working alongside Thomas Wayne, but they were discovered, with Thomas and his wife being killed while McNider was blinded and his own wife executed. McNider offers some advice to Thomas's son Bruce when he discovers the truth about his parents' deaths, leading Bruce on the path to begin his own resistance against the government.
• In the Tangent: Superman's Reign series, a version of Doctor Mid-Nite is briefly seen.
• In the new Earth-2 created in the wake of Infinite Crisis and 52, a version of Beth Chapel is shown to be a member of the Justice Society Infinity.^[52]

Television

• The Charles McNider incarnation of Doctor Mid-Nite appears in a painting depicted in the Smallville two-part episode "Absolute Justice".
• The Charles McNider incarnation of Doctor Mid-Nite makes non-speaking appearances in Justice League Unlimited as a member of the Justice League.
• The Charles McNider incarnation of Doctor Mid-Nite appears in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, voiced by Corey Burton.
• The Charles McNider incarnation of Doctor Mid-Nite appears in the Mad segment "That's What Super Friends Are For", voiced by Kevin Shinick.
• Pieter Cross appears in Young Justice, voiced by Bruce Greenwood.
• The Charles McNider incarnation of Doctor Mid-Nite appears in the second season of the Arrowverse series Legends of Tomorrow,^[53] portrayed by Kwesi Ameyaw.^[54]
• The Charles McNider and Beth Chapel incarnations of Doctor Mid-Nite appear in Stargirl, portrayed by Henry Thomas (season one) and Alex Collins (season two) and Anjelika Washington respectively.^[55] The latter takes up the mantle after the former is seemingly killed in battle against the Injustice Society.
  • Ahead of the series' premiere, Chapel made a cameo appearance in the Arrowverse crossover event "Crisis on Infinite Earths".

Film

• Charles McNider / Doctor Mid-Nite makes a cameo appearance in the opening credits of Justice League: The New Frontier as a member of the Justice Society of America.
• Beth Chapel / Doctor Mid-Nite appears in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths, voiced by Cynthia McWilliams.^[56]

Merchandise

• The Charles McNider incarnation of Doctor Mid-Nite and Hooty received an action figure in wave twelve of the DC Universe Classics line.
• The Charles McNider incarnation of Doctor Mid-Nite and Hooty received an action figure from DC Direct in 2001.^[57]
• The Charles McNider incarnation of Doctor Mid-Nite and Hooty received action figures in Mattel's Justice League Unlimited toy line in November 2011.^[57]