"Whatever Happened To Dr. Mid-Nite?" in DC Comics Presents #29 (January, 1981)

Dr. Mid-Nite was wrestling with would-be narcotics dealer Alvin Miller in Memorial Hospital's medical supply room, even though his infra-red goggles now did little to help his fading eyesight. Applying a blackout bomb to a situation that once would have been a cakewalk, Mid-Nite found "It's far worse than I feared! I'm becoming totally blind-- even in the dark!" Dr. Mid-Nite had to rely on his experience and hearing to knock Miller out, right before the cops showed. "Luckily, I know the layout of this hospital well enough to get back [to his office] without revealing Dr. Mid-Nite can't see! Having a blind super-hero and a blind doctor would be too much of a coincidence!"

Dr. Charles McNider contacted his old friend and ophthalmologist Dr. Gordon Ogilvy in hopes of saving his super-hero career. Ogilvy had developed glasses that worked like sonar, and was testing them a young man named Tim when McNider rang his telephone. Gordy explained to an insistent Tim the glasses still needed work, but told McNider over the phone they were coming along great. Tim beat Ogilvy to death with his cane, leading Dr. Mid-Nite to rush to the scene. Mid-Nite's vision returned intermittently, so he combined it with his detective skill in search of Tim. Luckily, two toughs on the seedier side of town just happened to discuss a $1,000 bet that blind Timmy couldn't swipe one of Senator B.J. Potter's collection of sculptures in McNider's earshot.

Dr. Mid-Nite caught up with Tim inside the senator's mansion, but the former's night-sight was again fading fast, so the latter slugged him easily. "A blackout bomb will blind him-- What am I thinking about?! This guy is able to see in the dark-- better than I can!" Worse, Mid-Nite's night-vision finally conked out!

Mid-Nite's only advantage was that he knew Tim's glasses only drew shapes through movement. The Doctor hugged a wall, leading Tim on. The murderous thief decided "this time I'm doublin' up my fist-power" and punched a statue draped with Mid-Nite's cape with both his now broken hands. The big ball of stupidity wrapped with the senator investigating via lit candelabra, as though the story took place during the late 19th century.

Alvin Miller, dude raiding the hospital supply room, was provided a surname for two pages of work. Tim should be so lucky, as he was sent up, and his victim put in the ground. Millions lost out because of a "foolish wager," though Mid-Nite hoped to adapt Ogilvy's glasses for his own problem. "Combined with my infra-red goggles, Gordy's seeing-eye-glasses will enable Dr. Mid-Nite to continue his fight for justice!"

This silly back-up story from DC Comics Presents #29 was bungled by Bob Rozakis, Alex Saviuk and Joe Giella.

"Whatever Happened To Johnny Thunder?" (December, 1980)

Johnny Thunder was "DC's longest running and most durable western character." After John Tane made a deathbed promise to his mother to "become a school master and teach your pupils that books are more powerful than bullets," he couldn't follow in the footsteps of his sheriff father. However, the old man couldn't keep up with the lawless, so John assumed the identity of Thunder to help keep the peace. He'd color his blond hair black, disguise his voice... even ride a different horse!

This was all well and good, until John came to suspect blond Jeanne Walker to be the strawberry bandit Madame .44, and she was on to him as well. While .44 was a self-proclaimed "Robin Hood," Silk Black was pure outlaw, as his gang robbed the local bank. Tane and Walker ducked for cover separately, while their alter egos emerged to give chase.

Johnny Thunder was winged in the shoulder and briefly blacked out. Sheriff Tane drew on Madame .44. Silk Black made his getaway, followed by Madame .44, followed by the sheriff, and finally the recovered Thunder on his horse, Black Lightning.

As rain fell, Sheriff Tane lost the trail, but his son caught sight of Silk laying in wait for the madame, and offered cover fire. A rock slide ensued, sending Thunder, .44, and their horses over a cliffside leap into the river below. Madame .44 broke her arm in the fall, and would have drowned if not for Johnny.

Silk Black continued to fire on the pair from above, so while the madame offered left-handed cover fire, Johnny Thunder waited for a lightning flash to reveal the outlaw's position. "Silk Black's limp body falls where it can never be found..."

The storm had washed away Tane and Walker's disguises, and their injuries insured the sheriff would know who Johnny Thunder and Madame .44 really were. Though they had an amiable ride to the sheriff's office, John had to turn Jeanne in. However, John saw to it his father arranged for a full pardon from the governor, and the sheriff was proud to see his son had been his secret "deputy" all that time.

Johnny Thunder and Madame .44 continued to patrol Mesa City as a couple, while in their real lives they settled down with their two children, Becky and Chuck, to whom they were open about their adventures.

This back-up story from DC Comics Presents #28 was crafted by Mike Tiefenbacher and Gil Kane.

"Whatever Happened To Congorilla?" (November, 1980)

Congo Bill started his adventures in "Darkest Africa," but "civilization has arrived and lit up the place." Bill's young white protégé Janu the Jungle Boy was now the grown-up VP of a large industrial firm. Janu was dismissive of natives reacting superstitiously to a comet in the night sky, even though Congo Bill had gained the ability to become Congorilla while the pair still ran about in the bush. Regardless, Janu reported the activity to company president Bill, who was also dismayed that in post-industrial Africa people still believed the fireball heralded the coming of a silver gorilla "which will bestow power, wealth, and long life on all who bring it raw diamonds..." Bill had his aid Okantu call a meeting of the company's staff to quash these rumors, but too many of his staff were unwilling to let go of the native legend.

Congo Bill, Janu, and Okantu made their way to an assembly where Banaka, the Gorilla God, through his representative K'bani, asked "Who will be first to receive his blessing?" Bill felt the best way to expose the scam was to confront this silver gorilla with a golden one, as he prepared to switch his mind with the Congorilla.

Congorilla spied Fred Cantrell, "a crook who was jailed in Nigeria for trying to steal the oil rights to tribal lands," dressed as the silver gorilla. Cantrell and K'bani used fireworks to simulate the mythological fireball, and were quite pleased with the diamonds their racket was raking in. Congorilla decided to fight fire with fire, appearing before the "silver gorilla" and the villagers from out of an incendiary flare. This golden gorilla was also perceived as "the gorilla god of my ancestral tribe," leading to a brawl between the simian "deities." Cantrell had been a pro wrestler, which allowed him an initial advantage over Congorilla, but the crook lacked the strength to finish the job. Congorilla unmasked Cantrell, then allowed the angry mob to carry the false god and K'bani off for some jungle justice, while Bill "appropriated" those raw diamonds to turn over to the authorities.

Later, Okantu congratulated Congo Bill. "You not only exposed those diamond-cheaters, you made our people realize ancient beliefs were superstitious nonsense!" Way to suck up to the rich white oppressor! Besides, Congo Bill was more than capable of applauding himself. "If those swindlers had done their homework, they'd have realized there isn't room for two intelligent gorillas in this land! Besides, gold beats silver every time!"

This back-up story from DC Comics Presents #27 was crafted by Bob Rozakis, Romeo Tanghal, and Frank Chiaramonte. The lead story, "The Key That Unlocked Chaos!", starred Superman & Martian Manhunter.