Midnight Feature: pt. 2 (Smash Comics #44)

Last week we left Midnight & company in shock after Johnny Peters (brother of the late Jinny Peters-Baloney) confessed to his sister's murder!  For his part, Midnight doesn't believe it--though he can't fathom why Johnny's so eager to play the fall guy.  Before our he can get any answers, however, the earth around Jinny's grave gives way, sending Sniffer Snoop and Hotfoot plunging into darkness.  Johnny seizes the moment and flees, blaming Midnight for having "made a mess of everything!"

About this time, Bull overhears Johnny's claim and in a rage lays a slug into the young man's back.

Severely wounded, Johnny leaps into the gaping maw where Jinny's grave had been. 

Meanwhile in the caverns below the island, Sniffer Snoop is shocked to witness the supposedly dead Jinny rising from her coffin like some nosferatu.  

After Midnight arrives in the subterranean caverns (suspiciously-quickly, it should be noted) Sniffer hysterically relays the facts of his "ghostly" encounter.

Johnny, who's also suddenly re-materialized, continues blaming Midnight for having, "messed things up," shortly before passing out from his gunshot wound.  At this point, Jinny finally breaks down and explains what's going on.

By the time Jinny is finished untangling this unlikely web of deception, Bull has shown up. Having overheard how he himself was manipulated, Baloney is none to pleased.

Though Midnight bravely hurls himself at Bull and his forces, the latter's advantage in numbers and firepower eventually dictates retreat as the better part of valor.

Forced ever deeper into the caverns, Midnight and company eventually come to a dead end.  Trapped between boiling hot springs and an enraged killer, Midnight is ready to give the last full measure.

Tapping into his inner realist, Gabby is less sanguine.  The Mighty Monkey calls upon Doc to supply this month's deus ex machina, which the latter naturally produces courtesy of a previously foreshadowed mystery invention.

While Doc is getting ready for the big reveal, Sniffer Snoop actually makes himself useful (for the first time in recorded Midnight lore) by laying down a smoke screen.

What's unclear is whether we're to understand Sniffer as having fired: (A) some sort of 'smoke bomb shell', or (B) standard shot from a superlatively smokey long gun.

Under the safety of Sniffer's cover, Wackey paddles his friends to safety in...an air canoe?!

Beyond the obvious question of why anyone would need a self-propelled air canoe, what's even more curious is why Wackey is paddling said air canoe. 

And if the weirdo last-minute irrational invention escape isn't enough deus ex machina for you...

It's really impressive how Midnight's been able to examine the slug pulled from Johnny's back not that long ago (y'know...when everyone was running for their lives!) and has also been able to definitively match it to the slug that killed the warehouse watchman a week ago?!

And that's pretty much it.  Man...even for the Golden Age this is some startling last-minute plot wrap-up desperation. 

Midnight Feature: pt. 1 (Smash Comics #44)

Smash Comics # 44 (July 1943)

Untitled Midnight Feature

The splash page for this untitled Midnight feature opened with the ostentatious (though ultimately empty) vow that Midnight would "get rid" of Sniffer Snoop and Hotfoot by the end of this issue.  (If only, my friends...if only.)

The story proper opens with Midnight musing (one would presume in his "secret" lair) over the case of a murdered warehouse watchman, when his concentration is shattered by the sound of gunfire.  A moment later, Sniffer Snoop barrels into the room, knocking Midnight over and begging to be saved!

Before Sniffer can even relate what he needs saving from, a rough-looking duo with smoking handguns enter the room.    Though Sniffer immediately surrenders, the lead thug replies that he was never really after Sniffer in the first place, but just needed him to lead the way to Midnight!

It turns out that the thugs are in the employ of the unfortunately named Bull Baloney (how often do you think he was made fun of as a kid?) who's previously sent Midnight a telegram expressing his desire to meet.

For his part, Midnight makes clear that he "wouldn't go to [the crooked Baloney's] funeral!"  When the second thug enters the scene with Doc and Gabby at gunpoint, however, Midnight changes his tune--if only out of a desire to keep his friends safe.

The reader may wish to note that this panel introduces yet another of Wackey's inventions that will end up playing a major role in the story. 

Maybe it's just me, but...does the dialogue between Midnight and Sniffer seem a bit awkward?

 Within minutes, Midnight and entourage are on a speed boat heading for Devil's Rock, "hideout and stronghold of...dread underworld killer Bull Baloney."  Once the boat docks, we get about six panels of squabbling between Wackey/Gabby and Sniffer/Hotfoot.

Apparently the gun-toting thus are suddenly, inexplicably not in a hurry to deliver Midnight to their homicidal boss?!

When our contentious little company finally comes face to face with Bull Baloney himself, we learn that the reason he's "summoned" Midnight is to investigate the murder of Baloney's erstwhile bride, Jinny Peters.  And--being an underworld crime boss--naturally he threatens Midnight and friends with death if they don't successfully identify the murderer.

After threatening Midnight and friends with imminent death, our hero asks if Baloney has any clues with which one might begin an investigation.  Seems like a reasonable--and rather gracious response--but I guess Baloney didn't see it that way.

Ah yes...well, Mr. Luncheonmeat, I'm a bit befuddled as to why you summoned me if you're not interested in being any more helpful than that.

Fortunately for Midnight he occupied the insanely-convenient world of Golden Age comic books.  No sooner do he and his entourage step outside than they stumble across the grave of the dearly departed Mrs. Baloney (nee Peters).

Midnight opines that's odd she would be buried out here since the island ground is, "...only a shell about six feet thick above a mess of caverns."  (One wonders where a radio-announcing, detective-crime-fighter acquired this intimate knowledge of the local geology.)

There isn't much time for discussion, however, as gunfire suddenly pours forth at our heroes!  After he determines it's coming from some nearby bushes, Midnight fires the vacuum gun into the foliage and reels in his assailant by the forehead!  (That's an impressive marksman who can dead center his target without even knowing where it is.)

Just imagine Midnight's surprise to learn that the person taking pot-shots at him is none other than the dead girl's brother!

Understandably put-out, Midnight demands to know why in the world Johnny is trying to take him out.  The young responds that it's the crime-fighter's due for "sticking your nose into something that's none of your business!"

In vain, Midnight attempts to explain that he's only here because Johnny's brother-in-law was forcing Midnight to investigate Jinny's death...and that's when the story takes its next major twist:

Ace Spy Smasher (Black Cobra Comics #1)

Character Intro

This version of the Black Cobra (published for only three issues in October through November of 1954) was a reworking by Ajax-Ferrell of an earlier Chesler hero.  In this version, the Black Cobra was secretly FBI agent Steve Drake.  Like his namesake, the Drake/Cobra had no superpowers of his own, but fought crime with his wits, brawn, and a variety of cutting edge tools and weapons.

So, without further ado...let's dig into the first appearance of Ajax-Ferrell's Black Cobra!

Black Cobra #1 (October 1954)

Ace Spy Smasher

I'm glad the Cobra is there fighting tyrants and standing up for justice and what-not but...ummm...do you really want to describe your hero as having "even greater guile" than "the red tyrants"?

The story opens on young (marginally nerdy) FBI agent Steve Drake working away in a surprisingly gender-integrated office.  When a hot tip comes in on the teletype that "the Reds" have a spy embedded in the Voice of America broadcast, sending coded information back to Russia, Drake is assigned to work on the case.  True to the standard superhero plot, this means he must cancel a date with his co-worker/girlfriend, Debbie.

On the next page, readers get their first peek at the Black Cobra's "Super Racer," as well as learning the name of the supposed Soviet plant on the Voice of America staff--Adam Cleve!

The Cobra speeds off, intent on teaching the traitor a lesson--and feeding some of his own false information back to Moscow.  Upon entering Cleve's home, however, the story takes a surprising twist.

Wasting no time, the Cobra hops back into the Super Racer and speeds off to the Voice of America broadcasting station.  After smashing critical components in the equipment room (as well as having to rough up some well-meaning workers who try to stop him), the Cobra hurtles up the building's stairwell to the broadcast booth, only to find Adam Cleve announcing...or, at least someone made up to look like him!

Yes, that's right friends...the Black Cobra has a plastic suit (he's not big on breathability, I guess) that can't even be dented by anything less than a machine gun!  Naturally, his head is left completely unprotected.😕  #somebodyneedstoconsultednamode

The Soviet spy's no fool, though.  Once he realizes bullets can't pierce the Cobra's suit, he goes old school by seizing a lovely blonde hostage.  The spy issues the standard "don't move or I'll blow her brains out" shtick, but of course that's only a viable threat until the moment he has to climb a ladder.

So ya got lucky this time Cobra...but seriously, the Soviet Union was a biiiiiiiiiiiiiiig place.  I'm bettin' they had a better marksman somewhere.  You should really re-think your wardrobe priorities.

The spy makes it to the roof and threatens the Cobra if that if he comes any closer the spy will jump.  (Yes you read that right.)

The Cobra calls B.S. on this threat, and tosses in a sweet little dig at the Soviet "justice" system.

As it turns out, the Russians have apparently planned for this sort of contingency having equipped their operative with a quick-opening parachute.  (Seriously, what scenarios do these international spy organizations not anticipate, am I right?)

However, since good ole' American ingenuity was every bit the match for our Cold War counterparts,  it will not surprise you to learn that the Black Cobra himself has some gadgetry designed for just this sort of occasion--suction boots!

Now, I'm no physicist...but I've got some reservations about how well just slappin' a few suction cups onto the bottom of a boot is gonna help you run hundreds of feet down the vertical face of a building--especially when your feet aren't even in contact with the building's surface!

First to the ground, the spy finds Black Cobra's Super Racer unattended and decides that he'll add shame to defeat by escaping in our hero's ride.

A beat cop passing by sees what's happening and rushes up to aid Black Cobra, but our hero informs the officer there's no need.

Well shucks, Black Cobra!  Can't I at least pull out my nightstick and rough him up a little bit?

This is because, as it turns out our hero has another invention designed for--you guessed it--just such situations. (Man!  The Black Cobra would absolutely kill it as a disaster planner, wouldn't he?)

Pretty ingenious there, Black Cobra!  I, too, have a special process invention for preventing car theft--I don't leave my keys in the ignition.

And, since this was Steve Drake in the fifties--rather than Peter Parker in the sixties--even the hero's love life woes are nicely wrapped up on the last page.