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.