All-American Comics #25
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeAll-American Comics #25 (cover date April 1941, on sale February 19, 1941) is one of the most consequential single issues in DC's Golden Age catalogue, because it introduces Doctor Mid-Nite — widely recognized as the first superhero in comics history to have a permanent physical disability, predating Marvel's Daredevil by more than twenty years. The character's concept of a surgeon blinded by a mob grenade who discovers he can see only in darkness was genuinely novel for 1941: it built heroism around impairment rather than around it, a storytelling choice that proved durable enough to sustain the character through every subsequent issue of the series until its conclusion in 1948 and into a rich JSA legacy. The same issue also marks Hop Harrigan's brief but notable transformation into a costumed hero called the Guardian Angel, capturing the moment when superhero fashion was sweeping even the title's non-powered features. Together, those two events make issue #25 a precise snapshot of the Golden Age's creative ferment inside a single anthology package.
In "Sabotage at the Steel Mills," Dr. McNider—once a blinded physician after a mobster’s bomb—finds a new purpose when an owl’s crash through his window awakens his ability to see in the dark. Armed with self-made infra-red goggles, he takes up the mantle of Dr. Mid-Nite to fight crime, launching his first mission at the steel mills. Written by Charles Reizenstein and illustrated by Stan Asch, with a striking cover by Howard Purcell, this 1941 issue marks a pivotal moment in the early days of DC’s superhero legacy.
In "Sabotage at the Steel Mills," reporter Irene Miller investigates industrial sabotage at the Sterling Steel Mill, uncovering a web of deceit that leads Green Lantern Alan Scott to expose a hidden mastermind. The man behind the chaos isn't a common criminal, but the very representative meant to protect the mill's interests—driven by a ruthless scheme to profit from the chaos.
In "The Hunt for Earl Evans," Al and Mary spot a group of fleeing criminals breaking away from the police, setting off a high-speed chase that quickly turns personal when Mary pursues them in her own car. After the crooks cause a flat tire, they abandon their vehicle and kidnap Mary, vanishing into the night with her—leaving Al to pick up the trail.
In this 1941 origin tale from All-American Comics #25, Dr. McNider—once a healer now blinded by a mobster’s bomb—finds a new purpose when an owl’s crash through his window reveals his unexpected ability to see in the dark. Armed with self-made infrared goggles and a resolve forged in loss, he takes up the mantle of Dr. Mid-Nite to hunt down the criminal known as "Killer" and bring him to justice.
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All-American Comics was the flagship of All-American Publications, launched in 1939 by Maxwell C. Gaines and Jack Liebowitz, with M.C. Gaines serving as managing editor and Sheldon Mayer as assistant editor — the same editorial team that oversaw issue #25. The Doctor Mid-Nite debut story, titled 'How He Began,' was written by Charles Reizenstein (who would later co-create Mister Terrific) and drawn by Stanley Josephs Aschmeier (credited on some issues as Stan Asch), who had previously co-created Johnny Thunder for the same publisher. Both creators departed the feature relatively quickly after its launch, yet the character they built ran uninterrupted in the title for seven years. The cover of issue #25 was drawn by Howard Purcell, a prolific All-American artist who would go on to co-create Sargon the Sorcerer in the very next issue; Martin Nodell, creator of Green Lantern, is credited in this issue under his pseudonym 'Mart Dellon.'
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance and complete origin of Doctor Mid-Nite (Dr. Charles McNider), a surgeon blinded by a mob grenade thrown during an operation; he later discovers he can see perfectly in the dark and constructs infrared goggles to function in daylight.
- Doctor Mid-Nite is widely recognized as the first superhero in comics to have a permanent physical disability (blindness), a distinction that predates Marvel's Daredevil by more than two decades.
- The issue also introduces McNider's nurse and companion Myra Mason, and his pet owl Hooty — both recurring supporting cast members throughout the Golden Age run.
- Hop Harrigan, the series' aviation-hero regular since issue #1, adopts a costumed superhero identity called the Guardian Angel in this issue, a role he held only briefly (through issue #28) before the concept was dropped.
- The Dr. Mid-Nite debut story — 'How He Began' — was written by Charles Reizenstein and drawn by Stanley Josephs Aschmeier; the cover was by Howard Purcell; M.C. Gaines was managing editor and Sheldon Mayer assistant editor.
- Martin Nodell, creator of Green Lantern, contributed art to this issue but is credited under his pseudonym 'Mart Dellon.'
- The Dr. Mid-Nite origin story has been reprinted in Justice League of America Vol. 1 #95 (a 1970s Bronze Age reprint issue) and collected in the hardcover JSA All Stars Archives Volume 1; the Green Lantern story was reprinted in the Golden Age Green Lantern Archives Vol. 1.
- Doctor Mid-Nite's feature ran in every issue of All-American Comics from #25 through the series' final issue, #102 (October 1948), making him one of the title's longest-tenured solo features.
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Reprinted in Justice League of America #95 (1971), Golden Age Green Lantern Archives #1 (1999), The JSA All Stars Archives #1 (2007)
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