Wikipedia

Doctor Mid-Nite (Beth Chapel)

(Redirected fromBeth Chapel)

Dr. Elizabeth "Beth" Chapelis a fictionalsuperheroineinAmerican comic bookspublished byDC Comics.She is the second character to adopt theDoctor Mid-Nite(orDoctor 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 ofEclipso.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 bothInfinity, Inc.and theJustice Society of America.

Doctor Mid-Nite
Beth Chapel as Doctor Mid-Nite, as depicted inJustice 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 seriesStargirl,portrayed byAnjelika Washington.[4][5]

Fictional character biography

edit
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 ofDoctor Midnight.Beth Chapel was a native ofOrangeburg,South Carolina,with apastorfather, a mother who sang in the church choir, and four brothers.[6]Chapel first appeared whenJadeofInfinity, Inc.was rushed to her hospital for treatment after encounteringMister Bones' cyanide touch.[7]During the onset of theCrisis on Infinite Earths,Beth was blinded by an oxygen explosion, only to be rescued byHourman's sonRick 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 newWildcat,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 thesupervillainEclipso,only for Chapel to die on the mission along with Wildcat, theCreeper,Commander Steel,Peacemaker,and Major Victory.[9]

InDoomsday Clock,Beth Chapel was revived alongside the Justice Society whenDoctor Manhattanundid his prior erasure of them and theLegion of Super-Heroes.Afterwards, she opens ametahumanmedical clinic called the All-Star Clinic whereRonnie Raymondis receiving treatment.[10][11]

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

Power, abilities, and equipment

edit

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

edit

In the newEarth-2created in the wake ofInfinite Crisisand52,a version of Beth Chapel is shown to be a member of theJustice Society Infinity.[16]

In other media

edit
  • Beth Chapel appears inStargirl,portrayed byAnjelika Washington.[17][18]This version is a socially awkward and antisocial high school student who becomes Doctor Mid-Nite and joinsStargirl's Justice Society after obtainingCharles 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 theArrowversecrossover event "Crisis on Infinite Earths"via archive footage from theStargirlepisode "The Justice Society".
  • Doctor Mid-Nite appears inJustice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths,voiced byCynthia McWilliams.[20]

References

edit
  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.ISBN978-1-4654-5357-0.
  2. ^Greenberger, Robert(2008), "Doctor Mid-Nite I & II", in Dougall, Alastair (ed.),The DC Comics Encyclopedia,New York:Dorling Kindersley,p. 104,ISBN978-0-7566-4119-1,OCLC213309017
  3. ^Nolan, Niam (18 April 2020)."Stargirl: DC Comics' Doctor Mid-Nite, Explained".CBR.Retrieved30 October2020.
  4. ^Ridgely, Charlie."Everything Coming to Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu & Amazon Prime Video in November 2020".Movies.Retrieved30 October2020.
  5. ^Moran, Sarah (31 March 2020)."DC's Stargirl Set Photos Reveal First Look at JSA's Doctor Mid-Nite Costume".ScreenRant.Retrieved30 October2020.
  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 AmericaVol. 4 #3. DC Comics.
  13. ^Justice Society of AmericaVol. 4 #4. DC Comics.
  14. ^Justice Society of AmericaVol. 4 #5. DC Comics.
  15. ^Who's Who Update 1987 #2.DC Comics.1987.
  16. ^Justice Society of AmericaAnnual #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.RetrievedDecember 17,2018.
  18. ^Clough, Rob (28 October 2020)."Things we want to see in season two of Stargirl".Looper.Retrieved30 October2020.
  19. ^Jacobs, Meredith (16 June 2020)."'Stargirl's Anjelika Washington: Get Ready for Beth 2.0 When She Becomes Dr. Mid-Nite ".TV Insider.Retrieved30 October2020.
  20. ^Milligan, Mercedes (May 7, 2024)."WB Details Next DC Animated ChapterJustice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Three".Animation Magazine.RetrievedJuly 21,2024.
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Doctor_Mid-Nite_(Beth_Chapel)&oldid=1269004846"