U.S. 1 #2

Name: U.S. 1 #2
Brand: Marvel
Availability: InStock

Jun 1983 · Marvel · 0.60 USD; 0.25 GBP; 0.75 CAD

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“After Midnight!”

★ 1st appearance — Taryn O'Connell

About this Issue

U.S. 1 #2, titled 'After Midnight!', is the single most character-dense issue of Marvel's peculiar 1983 trucking-superhero series, introducing three figures who would anchor the book's entire dramatic engine: the dual-identity villainess Midnight (whose real identity as short-order cook Mary McGrill, hypnotically controlled by the Highwayman, forms the series' central mystery), her rival for U.S. Archer's affections Taryn O'Connell, and the mind-controlling Hypno-Whip as a recurring plot device. The series as a whole occupies an odd but documented place in Bronze Age publishing history — according to writer Kurt Busiek, U.S. 1 is credited as the book that broke the habit of the so-called 'Marvel Zombie,' the reflexively completist reader who bought every Marvel title regardless of quality; once fans felt free to drop this book, selective buying spread across the line. Issue #2's cover by Bill Sienkiewicz, one of Marvel's most celebrated artists of the era, also stands as an aesthetic mismatch that collectors have long noted: a prestige cover on an intentionally pulpy, toy-licensed comic.

In "After Midnight!", U.S. finds himself on the run after a violent clash at Poppa and Annie's Short Stop, only to be pursued by a masked rider known as Midnight on a high-speed motorbike. The mysterious assassin claims she’s been hired by the Highwayman to eliminate him, but U.S. breaks her trance with a simple piece of gum—leaving her and her bike stranded in the dust. Written by Milgrom and brought to life by Trimpe’s dynamic art, with Esposito’s inks, Scheele’s colors, and Morelli’s lettering, this 1983 Marvel thriller delivers a gritty, pulse-pounding chase. The cover, a striking piece by Bill Sienkiewicz, captures the tension in bold, stylized lines.

writer Milgrom · artist Trimpe · inker Esposito · colorist Scheele · letterer Morelli · cover Bill Sienkiewicz

ComicBooks.com Value

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History

The U.S. 1 series originated when Tyco Toys — makers of the US-1 electric slot-racing truck line — approached Marvel about a licensed comic tie-in, and then-Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter accepted and began developing the concept alongside writer Al Milgrom. The book was among the first batch of titles overseen by editor Ralph Macchio early in his editorial career, with Herb Trimpe (a Marvel veteran known for Hulk and Godzilla) providing interior pencils for the opening issues. Issue #2 marked a change in inker, with Mike Esposito replacing Trimpe's self-inking from issue #1, and brought in Bill Sienkiewicz — then at the height of his New Mutants fame — to paint the cover, a pairing that illustrates the odd tonal gap between the series' toy-commercial origins and the genuine craft Marvel invested in its packaging.

Trivia · 8 facts

First appearance of Mary McGrill, the Short Stop Diner waitress whose hypnotically controlled alternate identity is the villainess Midnight.
First appearance of Midnight (the costumed villain persona) and her signature weapon, the Hypno-Whip, both debuting in this issue.
First appearance of Taryn O'Connell, fellow trucker and romantic rival to Mary McGrill for U.S. Archer's affections; she later becomes involved with Razorback and eventually travels to the space-based Star Stop.
Issue title is 'After Midnight!'; release date was March 1, 1983, with a June 1983 cover date.
Cover art by Bill Sienkiewicz; interior pencils by Herb Trimpe; inks by Mike Esposito; written by Al Milgrom — the same core creative team as issue #1 except for the change in inker.
The series was a licensed comic based on Tyco Toys' US-1 electric slot-racing truck line, with Jim Shooter and Al Milgrom developing the concept after Tyco approached Marvel.
Returning supporting characters Poppa Wheelie (Ed Wheeler) and Wide-Load Annie (Annie Wheeler) appear, having debuted in issue #1 as the adoptive guardians of U.S. Archer and operators of the Short Stop Diner.
The Mary McGrill / Midnight dual-identity storyline introduced here threads through the entire 12-issue run and is not resolved until the later issues, when Taryn O'Connell exposes McGrill as the real Midnight.