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.