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Doctor Mid-Nite (Beth Chapel)

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Dr. Elizabeth "Beth" Chapel is a fictional superheroine in American comic books published by DC Comics. She is the second character to adopt the Doctor Mid-Nite (or Doctor Midnight) codename and is the successor of the original, Charles McNider.[1][2][3] The character is later succeeded by Pieter Cross after her death at the hands of Eclipso. However, following the events of Doomday Clock, the character is resurrected. Similar to her predecessor, the character possesses the same abilities as Charles and primarily functions as one of the superhero community's renowned physicians. She serves as the official physician for both Infinity, Inc. and the Justice Society of America.

Doctor Mid-Nite
Beth Chapel as Doctor Mid-Nite, as depicted in Justice Society of America (vol. 4) #4 (July 2023).
Art by Yanick Paquette and Nathan Fairbairn.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceInfinity Inc. #19 (October 1985)
As Doctor Midnight:
Infinity Inc. #21 (December 1985)
Created byRoy Thomas
Todd McFarlane
In-story information
Alter egoElizabeth "Beth" Chapel
SpeciesMetahuman
Team affiliationsJustice Society of America
Infinity, Inc.
Shadow Fighters
Notable aliasesDoctor Midnight
Doctor Mid-Nite
Abilities
  • Night vision; able to see in the dark due to ocular implant.
  • Skilled physician, surgeon, and capable in hand-to-hand combat.
  • Gadgetry includes blackout bombs, which blinds opponents while letting her see them clearly.

Beth Chapel's portrayal of Doctor Mid-Nite marks her initial appearance in media within the television series Stargirl, portrayed by Anjelika Washington.[4][5]

Fictional character biography

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Beth's original costume. Art by Todd MacFarlane.

As the aging McNider spent less time in action, Beth Chapel, a medical doctor, stepped into the role of Doctor Midnight. Beth Chapel was a native of Orangeburg, South Carolina, with a pastor father, a mother who sang in the church choir, and four brothers.[6] Chapel first appeared when Jade of Infinity, Inc. was rushed to her hospital for treatment after encountering Mister Bones' cyanide touch.[7] During the onset of the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Beth was blinded by an oxygen explosion, only to be rescued by Hourman's son Rick Tyler, who had taken his father's Miraclo to enhance his strength. Dr. McNider performed emergency surgery on Beth, and while he was unable to restore her day vision, he did give her his ability to see in the dark.[8] Beth and Rick assume the mantles of their predecessors as Doctor Midnight and Hourman, with her mother crafting a super hero costume from a choir robe. Along with a new Wildcat, Chapel and Tyler applied for membership in Infinity, Inc, eventually gaining admission; however, the association was short-lived, as Infinity, Inc. disbanded shortly thereafter, though Chapel and Tyler began a romantic relationship during their tenure.

Doctor Midnight and Wildcat were subsequently recruited by the U.S. government for a mission to defeat the supervillain Eclipso, only for Chapel to die on the mission along with Wildcat, the Creeper, Commander Steel, Peacemaker, and Major Victory.[9]

During the events of the "Watchmen" sequel "Doomsday Clock", Beth Chapel was revived alongside the Justice Society when Doctor Manhattan undid his prior erasure of them and the Legion of Super-Heroes. Afterwards, she opens a metahuman medical clinic called the All-Star Clinic where Ronnie Raymond is receiving treatment.[10][11]

In "The New Golden Age", Doctor Mid-Nite is among the Justice Society members who fight Per Degaton throughout time.[12][13][14]

Power, abilities, and equipment

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Beth Chapel, like her predecessor, possesses the unique capability to see in darkness despite being blind in normal light. This extraordinary vision is made possible by an ocular implant. Furthermore, Beth excels as a highly skilled physician and displays a notable level of physical strength. Her proficiency in combat is also recognized, marking her as a skilled fighter. Beth's arsenal includes a variety of gadgets, among which are "blackout bombs." When deployed, these devices release clouds of pitch black gas, effectively blinding her adversaries. However, due to her unique vision, Beth is able to navigate and perceive her surroundings clearly within the cover of the gas, granting her a significant advantage over her opponents.[15]

Other versions

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In the new Earth-2 created in the wake of Infinite Crisis and 52, a version of Beth Chapel is shown to be a member of the Justice Society Infinity.[16]

In other media

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  • Beth Chapel appears in Stargirl, portrayed by Anjelika Washington.[17][18] This version is a socially awkward and antisocial high school student who becomes Doctor Mid-Nite and joins Stargirl's Justice Society after obtaining Charles McNider's goggles and befriending its A.I., which she nicknames "Chuck".[19] In the second season, Chapel discovers McNider was trapped in the Shadowlands and helps rescue him. She discovers her parents are getting a divorce, only for them to discover her secret identity as Doctor Mid-Nite and become her biggest supporters. In the third season, she tries to dissuade her parents from getting involved in her superheroics, but later accepts their help. 10 years later, she and Rick Tyler are revealed to be getting married.
    • Ahead of the series' premiere, Chapel and the JSA made a cameo appearance in the Arrowverse crossover event "Crisis on Infinite Earths" via archive footage from the Stargirl episode "The Justice Society".
  • Doctor Mid-Nite appears in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths - Part Three, voiced by Cynthia McWilliams.[20]

References

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  1. ^ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide pto the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 92. ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
  2. ^ Greenberger, Robert (2008), "Doctor Mid-Nite I & II", in Dougall, Alastair (ed.), The DC Comics Encyclopedia, New York: Dorling Kindersley, p. 104, ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1, OCLC 213309017
  3. ^ Nolan, Niam (18 April 2020). "Stargirl: DC Comics' Doctor Mid-Nite, Explained". CBR. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  4. ^ Ridgely, Charlie. "Everything Coming to Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu & Amazon Prime Video in November 2020". Movies. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  5. ^ Moran, Sarah (31 March 2020). "DC's Stargirl Set Photos Reveal First Look at JSA's Doctor Mid-Nite Costume". ScreenRant. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  6. ^ Infinity Inc. #21. DC Comics.
  7. ^ Infinity Inc. #19. DC Comics.
  8. ^ Infinity Inc. #20. DC Comics.
  9. ^ Eclipso #13. DC Comics.
  10. ^ Doomsday Clock #12 (December 2019). DC Comics.
  11. ^ Superman: Son of Kal-El #16 (2022). DC Comics.
  12. ^ Justice Society of America Vol. 4 #3. DC Comics.
  13. ^ Justice Society of America Vol. 4 #4. DC Comics.
  14. ^ Justice Society of America Vol. 4 #5. DC Comics.
  15. ^ Who's Who Update 1987 #2. DC Comics. 1987.
  16. ^ Justice Society of America Annual #1. Marvel Comics.
  17. ^ Agard, Chancellor (December 17, 2018). "DC Universe's Stargirl casts Haunting of Hill House star as the JSA's Dr. Mid-Nite". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
  18. ^ Clough, Rob (28 October 2020). "Things we want to see in season two of Stargirl". Looper.com. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  19. ^ Jacobs, Meredith (16 June 2020). "'Stargirl's Anjelika Washington: Get Ready for Beth 2.0 When She Becomes Dr. Mid-Nite". TV Insider. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  20. ^ Milligan, Mercedes (May 7, 2024). "WB Details Next DC Animated Chapter 'Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Three'". Animation Magazine. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
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