The Mysterious Case of the Murder Mask: Midnight feature (Smash Comics #43)

Smash Comics # 43 (June 1943)

The Mysterious Case of the Murder Mask

This week's post returns our focus to that familiar Golden-Age hero, Midnight.  I have to say--despite some real weaknesses in the story-telling, I really enjoyed the visuals in this story.  Both the art and the coloring really jumped out at me...but I'm don't really know enough about artistic concepts to explain why.  I just know what my gut reaction was.  

 

In a jarring emotional lurch from the splash page, the actual story opens at Midnight's home where--for absolutely no reason--Dave has allowed the eminently annoying Sniffer Snoop to move in.  The results are predictable:  Dave, Gabby, and Wackey are ready to beat the stuffing out of the pretentious little know-it-all.

Upon trying to access Sniffer's room--where they assume he has blithely locked himself away to escape his housemates' "unenlightened" wrath--the supposedly-human Dave Clark again evidences near super-human powers when he punches through a door!

Upon entering the trio find that quarry has eluded them.  Dave explains that he can't stick around to give the interloper the boot as he's got to announce a radio mystery story, "The Mask!"

Is it just me, or didn't Dave previously work for UXAM radio?  What's this XABC business about?  Were radio announcers contract workers in the 40s?

Pleading that this is his favorite radio show, Wackey cajoles Dave into getting passes for himself and Gabby to tag along.  Dave announces that they'll toss Sniffer to the curb after the broadcast. (Oh my dear deluded David...if only this were true.)

Once in the studio, the lights are dimmed and Dave launches into his introduction when three gunshots ring out from the balcony, shattering the placid darkness.  A woman screams and a moment later, a man's body plummets to the studio floor. Suddenly, the visage of the Mask appears on stage!

Is it just me, or is the lower left panel especially good?  I feel like I can see the panic that's coming over that bystander.

Seeming to delight in the horror the audience feels, the Mask announces that five more audience members will die in similar fashion before the program ends.  Though the entire audience is unnerved, Wackey serves as the mouthpiece for what is the universal assumption at this point--that these disturbing events are part of the evening's drama. Despite the fact that his script contains nothing about anyone being shot or falling from the balcony, even our titular hero simply assumes his boss provided the wrong script.

About this time, Sniffer Snoop reenters the story, harumpfing at the timid gullibility of the audience-and dispatching the none-too-bold Hotfoot to examine the body.

I think we've got a rather glaring plot-hole here.  If Sniffer is convinced this is all part of the show (which he seems to be, since he reassures Hotfoot the body isn't real) then what does he think he's going to "study"? 

Predictably, Hotfoot discovers the "dummy" is, in fact, a real body and races off in a panic.  About this time, we see Sniffer making the surprisingly-astute observation that "the Mask" has not moved at all since his sudden appearance.  When, a moment later, the macabre host's monologue gets suspiciously repetitious, both Dave and Sniffer are convinced something is amiss.

Intent on restoring decorum to the proceedings, Dave charges up to "the Mask" only to discover the "actor" is merely a wax dummy attached to a phonograph!  At this revelation, Dave begins to suspect the "dummy" that fell from the balcony might be all-too-real.

Somebody want to explain how Sniffer deduced that the body wasn't real just because Hotfoot came back?  Anyone? Anyone?  Bueller?

About this time a chap (who apparently has more firearms than dictionaries) pulls a gun on our heroic entourage (and Sniffer).  He announces that the dead man was one "Jolly" Rogers, the man in charge of publicizing The Mask radio show.  The unnamed assailant then informs us that the evening's second victim will be the writer of the show.

We hear Anderson (the writer) cry out from off-panel, as the thug taunts our heroes that while they stand here "doin' nuthin'," the Mask is moving for his third victim.

The standoff is broken however, when the thug himself suddenly lets out a yelp of agony.  We subsequently learn that Hotfoot (and perhaps Gabby?) have slipped away unnoticed and got close enough to attack the criminal themselves. Dave decides to seize the moment and knocks the guy out cold...but only after taking a moment to don his domino mask.

Remember, this is all taking place before a "packed house."  Remember also, Dave and company charged onto the stage (presumably in at least close proximity to the spotlight) to put an end to this.  Why, exactly, does Dave think that donning his mask now is going to protect his secret identity?

Despite the swift valor of Midnight and company, however, no sooner is this assailant seeing stars than Gabby locates the body of the actor who played the Mask.  Assuming that he was the mastermind of the evening's kill-fest, Midnight ponders why this man killed Rogers and Anderson...and why he had plans to kill four more.

Just when the reader thinks the story is winding up, another gun shot rings out as Edgar Tomkins, director of "The Mask" yells out before collapsing to his own death.

Midnight then: (1) announces a rather obvious conclusion--that the dead actor was not, in fact, the murderer and (2) apparently experiences some sort of divine inspiration because he suddenly has a hunch as to the killer's identity on the basis of...I don't know.  A mystic vision?

Charging off with Sniffer in tow, Midnight announces that despite have the hunch as to the killer's identity, he has "no idea" what the maniac looks like, but thinks he can set up a trap for him.

Okaaaaaaaaay Dave, er...Midnight...buuuut this doesn't seem like the most air-tight plan.

Eager to grab some limelight for the sidekick animals of the world, Gabby comes up with the helpful notion of having Hotfoot sniff out the true killer by picking the scent from one of the dead bodies.  (As it turns out, polar bears actually do have an extremely acute sense of smell.)

When everyone's favorite little oso blanco zeroes in on a portly audience member (who appears to be sleeping), Gabby concludes his faith was misplaced.

Meanwhile, Midnight explains to Sniffer and Wackey that the story of The Mask is based on a real-life criminal "sent to prison for life."  He notices Gabby and Hotfoot loitering around the aforementioned audience member and asks them what they're doing.  At this, Gabby informs the man that his bruin companion has "accused" him of being The Mask--whereupon the bystanding Midnight springs into action to subdue the man!

I'm glad he wants to protect everyone and all, but why does Midnight only warn Doc to duck?  There's at least one other audience member there close who's probably in danger.  And what happened to Sniffer Snoop? 

So Midnight socks the guy right in the face, and he immediately admits to being the Mask and killing those associated with the radio drama for "stealing his creation," (as well as threatening to add Midnight to his execution list.)

While Midnight's busy pummeling the bad guy, Gabby reveals to Hotfoot (and the reader) that the Mask's murder weapon was a fountain-pen gun.  (Can you say deus ex machina, kids?)

1.  Remember when Midnight said the Mask was based on the story of a real-life criminal who was "sent to prison for life"?  Ummm...you'd think he might've mentioned earlier that said "notorious criminal" had escaped from his lifetime confinement, right?
2. Why does the Mask immediately admit to his identity, just because a guy in a mask with a polar and talking monkey accused him?