Doctor Midnite(Charles McNider)(1459)

The blind physician **Charles McNider** can see in the dark. He became **Doctor Mid-Nite**, a stalwart member of the Justice Society of America.

## History

In early 1941, Doctor Charles McNider and his nurse/assistant Myra Mason had been collaborating on a new anti-viral serum, when a local police officer knocked on his office door. He told McNider, that a known gangster named "Killer" Maroni had attempted to assassinate a key witness scheduled to testify against him at his trial. Although Maroni's men shot the man in the back, he was still alive, but fated to die unless McNider could save him.

Charles grabbed his medical bag and raced down to the hospital room to operate. Maroni likewise discovered that the witness was still alive, and sent a thug named Mike to finish him off. While McNider conducted his operation, Mike lobbed a hand grenade through the hospital window. The explosion killed everyone in the room except for McNider. However, shards of exploding glass flew into his eyes, permanently robbing him of his sight.

Never one to rest, McNider placed himself into an intense therapy program. He found that he developed more energy during the nighttime hours, and spent many evenings practicing gymnastics and working out. Myra Mason stayed by his side every second, and quickly began to fall in love with the strong-willed man.

Realizing that his medical career was over, Charles turned his attention towards writing. He was determined to expose the criminal underworld of the city and set about writing a magazine column, specifically targeting men like "Killer" Maroni. He often dictated his diatribes to Myra, who subsequently typed them out and mailed them to the publisher.

One evening, McNider was resting in his study contemplating his next scathing expose, when something occurred, which would change his life forever. A wood owl crashed through the window of his study, falling onto the floor. Startled by the noise, McNider tore the bandages away from his eyes. It was then that he realized he could see perfectly in the dark. Believing that his eyesight had been fully restored, he turned on a light switch, only to discover that he was blind once again. He shut out the light, allowing his night vision to focus, and took to mending the owl's wounds. McNider adopted the owl as a pet and named him Hooty.

The entire experience came as a revelation to McNider. With the aid of his secret night vision, he could now actively strike back at the criminal world that had taken his eyes from him. He developed a pair of specially modified infrared goggles that temporarily allowed him to see during the daylight. He also created a supply of Blackout Bombs that could emit clouds of inky, black smoke that only he could see through. Completing his arsenal was a black and red costume he acquired from a costume shop, and so **Doctor Mid-Nite** was born.

his first mission was to bring down "Killer" Maroni. Maroni's men had discovered that a local grocer named Schultz had failed to pay Maroni protection money, so the crime lord sent his goons down to the grocery store to take care of him. They attacked Schultz, but failed to kill him. Word of the attack reached the ears of Charles McNider, and his services were called upon to save Schultz' life despite being blind.

Maroni learned that McNider was attempting to operate on Schultz and had his men cut the power to the hospital. What they did not realize, was that Doctor Mid-Nite could operate just as easily in total darkness. He succeeded in saving Schultz, and then immediately set off to track down Maroni.

He raided Killer Maroni's townhouse and cut the power lines running through the basement. Several thugs tried to grapple with Doctor Mid-Nite, but with the aid of his Blackout Bombs, he easily overpowered them. Maroni himself even squeezed off a few bullets in Mid-Nite's direction. Doctor Mid-Nite evaded the gunshots and apprehended the mob boss. Killer Maroni was finally brought to justice.

Doctor Mid-Nite continued to focus on organized crime, and busted up several racketeering outfits run by the likes of Gallows Gallagher, Diamond Jack Gillen and Snakey Scarlatti. He quickly realized thought, that the criminal element was not isolated to mobsters and gun runners. His own medical profession was rife with ambitious scientists who were only too eager to use their advanced knowledge for their own amoral aims.

On one such occasion, Doctor Mid-Nite learned of a man named Professor Elba. Elba had developed an "Insanity Formula," that caused normal human beings to behave like animals. Elba sold his formula to several underworld rackets, and before long, prominent businessmen and politicians were falling sway to the effects of the drug. Unable to track down Professor Elba on his own, Doctor Mid-Nite (and Hooty) enlisted the aid of several other mystery men – the Justice Society of America. Together they broke up Elba's Insanity Formula ring and Mid-Nite tackled Elba directly. Although he tried to apprehend him alive, their fight accidentally led to Elba's death. However, Mid-Nite's bravery and commitment distinguished himself, and he was awarded a place on the roster of the Justice Society.

Mid-Nite continued to serve faithfully on the Justice Society,

During the 1950s, Charles McNider kept a low profile, but continued to work on his magazine articles exposing organized crime.

In 1957, the immortal villain, Vandal Savage, manipulated the American government into believing that the Justice Society was secretly aiding hostile foreign nations. A congressional meeting was called, and a Senate subcommittee ordered the Justice Society to publicly reveal their secret identities before the panel. Refusing to endanger their own careers for the sake of a false charge, the group decided to disbanded, and the individual members retired from active service but McNider and his Lover Alan Scott Refused. The two of them continued to fight crime and most of the remaining members stayed and fought as well.

Soon after McNider and Scott were killed in battle after the Public they were trying to protected turned on them due to them discovering the two of them were gay.

## Powers and Abilities

### Powers

* **Infrared Vision**: Doctor Mid-Nite could see perfectly clear in total darkness without the aid of artificial enhancements, despite the fact that he was blind.

### Abilities

* **Animal Training**: Charles aided a young owl back to health and it inspired him to become Doctor Mid-Nite.
* **Gymnastics**
* **Hand-to-Hand Combat (Basic)**
* **Jujutsu**: On Earth-Two, Charles was a jujutsu martial artist.
* **Journalism**: He was also an experienced journalist with an acute knowledge of criminal subculture.
* **Medicine**: Doctor Mid-Nite was a qualified surgeon and medical researcher.
* **Hypnosis**
* **Multilingualism**: He speaks Spanish.

### Weaknesses

* **Blindness**: Doctor Mid-Nite was blind, and could not see in daylight without the aid of special infrared goggles.

## Paraphernalia

### Equipment

* Infra-Goggles: Doctor Mid-Nite wore special infrared goggles that enabled him to see clearly despite his physical handicap. He did not require these goggles for purposes of night vision.
* **Mid-Nite Gauntlets**: Cross's gauntlets carry a wide variety of chemicals, medicines, and small-scale equipment.

### Weapons

* **Blackout Bomb**: A small bomb which releases pitch-black gas that blinds villains; these "blackout bombs" could be modified to create smokey illusions or flash-bang effects.