Recalling the Midnight Sun

While re-reading through some of my old comics, I ran across yet another obscure character I'd kind of forgotten.  The final story in Silver Surfer Annual #4 (JUL 1991) introduced me to this odd-looking chap with what appeared to be compact discs plastered to his hands and feet.

In that particular story, however, MS didn't fight the Silver Surfer (that, had apparently already happened).  Rather in the Annual, I learned that this seeming hybrid of the Black Panther and the Shroud was some sort of revivified zombie, brought back to life by Kree scientists.  In this story one of the Kree scientists, Kar-Sagg, intends to "fix" Midnight Sun so as to turn him into a more compliant (and therefore, "better") weapon for Kree power.  Unfortunately for the Kree--and me--Midnight Sun did not truly remember who he was.  (This meant I was left to speculate about him on the basis of the random panels depicting images of Midnight Sun fighting Shang Chi.) This tale ended with Midnight Sun asserting his right to self-determination as he fought off the cream of the Kree elite military and then flew off to a solitary moon or asteroid or something to begin his journey of self-discovery.

Reviewing the Annual story piqued my interest enough to look up Comicvine's entry on Midnight Sun.  This confirmed that he'd initially been a rather sympathetic character, sort of an adopted brother to Shang Chi, and that he had--as the flashback in SS Annual #4 confirmed--reluctantly fought Shang Chi in a battle resulting in Midnight Sun's accidental death. 

After that, it sounds like MS's story went kind of bonkers...but in an interesting way.  The Kree somehow seize his corpse and all of a sudden this guy who was a street-level kung-fu fighter is thrust into being a cosmic-level player when he's sent to fight off the Silver Surfer.  Despite the fact that Midnight Sun was ultimately defeated, I just think that's an interesting transition.   Additionally, the whole idea of Midnight Sun having lost his vocal cords and being unable to speak added pathos to his tale (and, honestly, reminded me a lot of Snake Eyes from G.I. Joe.)

Since I got into comics after the hey day of Master of Kung-Fu, I'm curious how those who read that title in its Bronze Age prime reacted to Midnight Sun.  Did you consider him hopelessly derivative, or did you think he was a compelling character?  Also, can someone clue me in on what the deal is with the Kree gluing CDs to his hands and feet?

I Came Here to Get Married and Go Spearfishing: the 8th appearance of Marvel's Leir

The Mighty Thor #423 (SEP 1990)

The primary story of The Mighty Thor #423 takes place in the latter half of an arc called "The Black Galaxy Saga."  Leir's makes another cameo as part of the ongoing storyline in which he has proposed marriage to the Lady Sif--a proposal she has accepted contingent upon one condition, which is where we pick up: 

Having secured Sif's engagement, Leir has made good on his pledge to transport her to Earth.  Aside from knowing how to get to Earth, however, it seems that our favorite hot-headed Celt is largely in the dark about the modern world.

Obviously this is a less-than-auspicious beginning to their trip, so Sif comes up with the reasonable idea that they disguise themselves.

Next Sif leads her companions in the ongoing search for Thor.  In what is one of the most comically weird scenes I can recall in the pages of Thor, the trio show up at the apartment of Eric Masterson (who was, at that time, merged with Thor)

Everything you really need to know about people, you can learn from
watching Miami Vice and Tombstone. -- deep thoughts by Leir

He Who Laughs Last / No Laughing Matter-- Smash Comics #56 (DEC 1944)

Smash Comics #56 (DEC 1944)

The Midnight feature in Smash Comics #56 had a super-cool splash page.  It hearkens back to the early days of Midnight, before the character took such a comedic turn.  We open with a Big City couple settling down for the night who're awakened by the sounds of murder and hideous laughter just outside their window.  The body outside is the latest victim of the mysterious, "Laughing Killer."  (Of course, this is another of the Joker-esque villains that populated the Golden Age)

Despite the promise of the opening, Gustavson doesn't move too far from the comedic; thus we're treated to a boilerplate instance of Sniffer boasting he could catch the murderer with no problem, while Gabby and Wackey respond that he's utterly incompetent.  When Midnight shows up, Sniffer asks why he hasn't been doing anything to capture the Laughing Killer.  Midnight replies that he has...and that Sniffer will see it if he tunes into Dave's next broadcast.

That night on the airwaves, Dave announces that his "good friend" Midnight is "on the trail" of the killer so Big City citizens can relax.  A mysterious pudgy fellow ambles out of the auditorium near the end of the broadcast and places an anonymous call to Dave.  The man says Dave should call him One O'Clock, "because I'm after Midnight"!  Dave immediately calls for a trace and learns the call came from within the building!

Meanwhile our mysterious portly prank caller strolls out of the auditorium chuckling to himself.  Nearby, the woman whose screams opened the story is standing with her husband.  As soon as she hears the man's laugh, she identifies him as the Killer! Exhibiting psychopathic coolness, the stranger laughs off the woman's accusation; but when she persists he takes...further steps.

Arriving moments after the couple's deaths, Midnight races outside to find the killer in the driver's seat of a nearby car.  Midnight questions the man who claims an individual emerged from the auditorium moments ago laughing maniacally, before disappearing around a street corner.

Midnight (apparently) hops into the car to be chauffeured by the killer, who initially doesn't seem to recognize that has happened.  In fact, it's not util Midnight asks the chuckling psychopath, "What's so funny" that the latter seems to notice our hero.  Midnight explains that the next time he lies, he ought not direct our hero down a dead end street.

Though the jig would seem to be up, the killer manages to escape by putting Midnight into an impossible situation.  After pulling out and driving a way, the killer bails out of the moving car.  If Midnight pursues, the car will careen into innocent bystanders; but if he seizes the wheel to bring the car to safe stop, the killer will escape.

Gabby, Sniffer, and Wackey come running up as Midnight exits the car. (Are you really surprised our hero chose to save the citizens?)  Shortly behind them are two uniformed officers.  They inform Midnight that a call was just placed into the station reporting this car as stolen.

Midnight casually exits a "stolen" car, and the cops just say, 
"Guess we were scammed...see ya later, Midnight"?!

Despite his temporary defeat, Midnight announces to his chums as they walk away that he's figured out how to nail the giggling ghoul.

Much as it pains me to say it, I gotta say I'd share Sniffer's skepticism. 

Midnight tests his theory by crank calling one of Big City's wealthiest citizens (Amos Golden III) and just laughing maniacally into the receiver.  Naturally, the old robber baron flips out and says he's already got the money together and was just leaving to deliver it.

Maintaining his undercover impersonation, Midnight tells Golden to repeat his drop-off instructions, "...so I'm sure you have them straight."  Once he learns of the appointed rendezvous site, Midnight heads out for the old mill on Saw Creek.

Lest the reader worry that the terrified Mr. Golden might be caught in a cross-fire, we see the old man's wheels suffer a double blow-out en route to the mill.  (Though it's not explicitly stated, the fact that Midnight's aware of Golden's misfortune implies that he's responsible for having spread tacks in the road or whatever.)

When Midnight reaches the mill, he rolls down his window--ostensibly to hand over the cash to the shadowy figure standing near the road--only to find:

We then cut away to a scene of the real Laughing Killer yucking it up at having bested Midnight, yet again.  By way of self-narration, the killer explains that he, "figured Midnight would try to horn in"  (what foresight!)

But before you can be too impressed with this criminal mastermind (or ask too many questions) in good Princess Bride fashion we learn that:

As it turns out Midnight the Mastermind, had sent Doc Wackey to make the drop-off!  A couple of anticlimactic panels close out the story, with cops noting that it should be easy to get a conviction of the Laughing Killer (who, incidentally heads off to his cell laughing maniacally).

The same question I have about this story.

Leir Stands Around, as Plot Holes are Poorly Patched: (Marvel) part 7

 

The Mighty Thor #418 (JUN 1990)

The seventh appearance of Leir in Marvel lore is yet another back-up feature.  This time it's from The Mighty Thor #418, and it picks up from the previous month.  Leir, smitten with love (or is it merely lust?) for the Lady Sif has traveled to Asgard to "claim" her as his bride.  To everyone's astonishment, the previously Thor-enamored Sif agrees to marry Leir...on one (as yet unmentioned) condition.

Since I don't own this comic myself, I can only rely on what I can find out on the web.  As it turns out, this splash page (courtesy of SuperMegaMonkey's Marvel Comics Chronology) is basically all the Leir-related material I could find.  As SMM puts it, basically what we have here is the attempt to plug a rather gaping plot hole.

The Tales of Asgard back-up continues the "visit" from the Celtic gods, with Sif having agreed to marry Leir in return for getting out of Asgard. The question, which feels like a response to questions posed by fans, is why is it that other people can enter and leave Asgard, such as the Celtics and, for example, the New Mutants, but not the Asgardians. The answer at this point is basically, "It's magic!".

Otherwise, we learn that Odin has apparently been possessed or something, as he shockingly attacks the Grand Vizier.

Midnight Throws that Twerk -- Smash Comics #55 (OCT 1944)

Smash Comics #55 (OCT 1944)

This week's Midnight tale again comes to us courtesy of Paul Gustavson.  Again, it's another example of the comic-heroic combination that became signature for the Golden Age Midnight.

In this instance, the comedic elements have actually enhanced over time, almost certainly in ways not anticipated by Gustavson.  Take, for example, the title of our hero's principal antagonist this time:  psychologist Adoniram P. Twerk, "B.S., F.O.B., P.F.T." (This little dig at the pomposity of some academic credentialing sounds like it could be made today!)

We're told Twerk is trying to research the effects of trouble upon the, "cervical android cortex of the redundant clavicle."  He is, unfortunately, meeting with some frustration in his attempt to find suitable test subjects.  His landlady, Miss Lobelia proves less-than-willing to respond as Twerk had hoped, despite his best efforts to be a terrible renter.

An ironic reaction, indeed, for one named Twerk.

 
Barrelling onto the streets of Big City, Twerk searches high and low for "trouble," and despite finding it in a number of places deems all such examples, "ordinary."  (One wonders, then, why Twerk ever expected Miss Lobelia to supply his observational needs simply because he was a crappy tenant...but whatever.)

After seeing a newspaper announcing the release of the notorious "Killer" Klaw, and the latter's vow to "get Midnight" for sending him up the river, Twerk believes he's found just the combination of unusual people and unusual trouble for which he's been looking.

Apparently, everyone in Big City knows Dave Clark is chummy with
Midnight...but no one can put two and two together.

Having earlier smashed some gum into Doc Wackey's beard on the street, Twerk (who somehow knows that Wackey will in the near vicinity of Dave Clark), randomly shows up at the door of Dave's house and offers Sniffer Snoop a match to light his tobacco pipe.  This is an issue because Wackey is, at that very moment, soaking his beard in a highly inflammable solution in order to remove the gum Twerk deposited there.  (What's the deal?  Does Twerk have cognitive premonition powers or something?) Anyhoo, this has the predictable result.

Against all logic, despite the fact that Sniffer is doofus who strikes a match in a room full of inflammable gases, the "world's greatest detective" successfully shifts the blame for the explosion onto Twerk.  No sooner does Sniffer blame Twerk, than Gabby, Wackey, and Hotfoot proceed an attempted pummeling of the bespectacled interloper.  (You'd think they wouldn't have too much trouble either, since they fight toughened thugs on the regular...but it doesn't appear so.)

Midnight breaks up the row, and inquires about Twerk's identity and intentions.  The self-proclaimed "leading psychologist" replies that he's here to help Midnight, "take care of Killer Klaw once and for all."  Twerk claims to have studied the criminal psyche to such a degree that he, "understands Klaw as well as I do myself."  Twerk tells Midnight that the key to stopping Klaw will be using the latter's rage against Midnight as a bait to draw the criminal out.  As it turns out, however, Twerk has himself led Klaw directly to Midnight's doorstep.  After sending a secret signal, the gun-toting brute bursts into the scene!

Caught dead to rights on the business end of a gatt, Midnight and pals allows themselves to be trussed up.  Klaw and his immediate crony leave entrust their quarry to the watchful eyes of their newfound chum, Twerk, while they "figger out a way to get rid of 'em dat ain't got no kickbacks."  (Remember, dear reader, this is all taking place on the premises of Dave's house in the city which has very recently experienced a fiery explosion.  I guess neighborliness and the tendency to call law enforcement when explosions happened in the city wasn't quite as prominent as I would've assumed?)  Once Klaw and his right hand are out of the picture,  Twerk seems to shift allegiances yet again.

After unloading the guns of Klaw and his accomplice (which, why would they leave their guns in the room in the first place?!) Twerk unties Midnight and pals pleading that he's done all of this as a "favor" to our crime-fighter.

You and me, both, Midnight!

When Klaw returns to finish the job, Midnight and his pals explode into action.  But speaking of exploding, this sure doesn't look like the guns were "emptied."

I guess you could explain this as there being one already chambered round,
but...

 Following the obligatory donnybrook with decent action panels like this one:

following the tussle, Midnight is shockingly magnanimous about Twerk's contribution before suddenly noticing the prof's absence.

Gabby finds Twerk hiding out under a piece of furniture.  Upon his emergence, in grand Snoopian fashion, the professor takes to self-righteousness.

Twerk finally comes clean that this was all part of his attempt to get "authentic material" for his book on trouble.  (We confirm, as well, that Twerk intentionally did not fully unload the criminals' guns.)

With Wackey's rage obviously on the rise, Twerk frantically pleads that his interrogators remember that he did help them capture Killer Klaw as promised.  Midnight replies that since it's getting so late, perhaps it'd be a bit too dangerous for the good professor to await a street car all by his lonesome.  He suggests that Wackey provide an appropriate "escort" to Twerk.