Even then, that was a name probably only vaguely familiar to many in the audience. But the character — an aviator cum superhero created for radio — was famous in the 1940s.
“By the end of the 1930s there were radios in 28,700,000 homes offering a daily smorgasbord of news, information and entertainment,” observed Kurt F. Mitchell in the American Comic Book Chronicles. “Like film, radio was a national medium. The Lone Ranger, Amos 'n' Andy, The Green Hornet, Baby Snooks, Fibber Magee and Molly, Ma Perkins, Captain Midnight, Henry Aldrich and other characters born on radio became cultural touchstones, their catchphrases and theme music recognized from coast to coast.”
On radio from 1938 to 1949, Captain Midnight branched out into a movie serial, a newspaper strip, a TV show, Big Little Books and more than one comic book series.
Dell’s Funnies featured the ace aviator in issues 57-64, 1941-1942.
“The comic book series, drawn primarily by Dan Gormley, followed the program's continuity faithfully: World War I flying ace Jim Albright was chosen to head the Secret Squadron, a paramilitary air force answerable only to a high-ranking government official code-named ‘Mr. Jones,’” Mitchell noted. “Alongside his teenage ward Chuck Ramsey, Midnight and the Squadron opposed the machinations of criminal mastermind Ivan Shark and his beautiful but wicked daughter Fury.”
Fawcett Comics gave the good captain a more superheroic vibe, starring him in a title that ran for 67 issues, 1942-48. There, the intrepid inventor-aviator fought crime with the aid of a gliderchute that allowed him to sail through the air, blackout bombs, a doom-beam torch and a belt transmitter that linked him to his Secret Squadron.
Then, in 2013, Dark Horse used a freak storm to propel Captain Midnight into the 21st century for the space of 24 issues.
Captain America could commiserate with him.
Mark Staff Brandl:
ReplyDeleteOwned by Ovalmaltine, Ovaltine in America. They bruefly re-used Capt Midnight in ads and on tshirts etc. in the early 90s. Then recently abandoned the copyright and trademark to Public Domain.