15 Comic Book 'Firsts' You Didn't Know
14. Doctor Mid-Nite - The First Disabled Superhero
Charles McNider made his first appearance as Doctor Mid-Nite in All-American Comics #25 in 1941. McNider was a surgeon who was called into the hospital to remove a bullet from a witness set to testify against mobsters. A gangster burst into the room and lobbed a grenade at McNider, blinding him. However, his eyesight was affected in a way so he could see perfectly in the dark. After developing a visor which allowed him to see in the day, McNider became the superhero, Doctor Mid-Nite.
His primary weapon is the Blackout Bomb. When hurled at the ground, the bomb emits black smoke which only McNider can see through.
Because animal sidekicks were all the rage in the 1940s, McNider regularly teamed-up with his pet owl, Hooty, during his adventures. (His debut comic states that owls are blind in the day which is totally not true... somebody should have probably double-checked that.)
Years later, McNider delivered a baby called Pieter Cross, who went on to become the new Doctor Mid-Nite. Cross can't see conventionally but has perfect night-vision, infrared vision, and ultrasonic vision. He is now seen as the official Doctor Mid-Nite.