The Midnight Monster

History: A rich, handsome, but totally evil scientist created an immortality serum and drank it; he was instantly transformed into an ugly, monstrous, gray-skinned hulk. Seeking revenge upon the world, he went on a path of destruction until he was tricked by the Army into falling down the world's deepest hole.

Height: 6 ft. 6 in.
Demonstrated Power: The immortality serum gave Victor Avery great strength; he was strong enough to tear apart tanks. His tough, elephant-like hide allowed him to shrug off machine gun and bazooka fire. Despite the transformation, he still retained his normal intelligence and could still speak.
Since no trace of Victor Avery has been seen since his fall, it is uncertain if the immortality serum truly did work.

Comment: Scientist Calvin Zabo would later use a similar chemical formula to transform himself into Mister Hyde and fight the mighty Thor in Journey Into Mystery # 99.

Comment: “El Professor” would also use a similar serum to transform himself into The Crusher in Tales of Suspense # 91.

For another entry on the Midnight Monster, click HERE.

The rich, arrogant Victor Avery become the Midnight Monster because he lost his girlfriend to a penniless engineer named Bill Cooper.

The 'Unofficial Marvel Universe” web site's entry on Bill Cooper is quite a hoot. Check it out!

Avery's resemblance to the Hulk (the Bruce Banner Hulk, that is) is obvious. Perhaps that is what inspired Warren Ellis to lift the ending of this story for the first Planetary story, “Nuclear Spring” (published in the Planetary preview story on the back of Gen-13 #33). In it, we learn that the transformed David Paine, a Hulk-equivalent, was dropped into a deep pit and left to starve to death … which took some twenty-one years.

Then again its possible he ran across the waters of Lethe that the Moleman once used and has spent that time being bouced around, now as the slave of Tyraannus, now as the slave of Moleman, now as the slave of Kala. I dont think hes in the Hulks class, but hed make a tough battle for several characters if he returned. A kind of nasty version of cap waking up from the ice….

I agree, it would be fun to have the Midnight Monster turn up among the various subterranean cultures. He might, for instance, be teamed with my favorite never-revived Timely Golden Age hero, Rockman.

The Midnight Monster might be old, but has probably aquired some post-modern connotations over the years. I remember him quite well, aven after 20 years… a darker shade of Hulk, or even the Jungian 'Shadow' of the Hulk… not an anti-heroe, a true villain, and one of most terrifying scientists invented by the Atlas Gang… he's not even mad, but a ice cold sociopath… Maybe he will one day climb out of that hole… and maybe he's already hatching other vile plans somewhere else…

When I was a kid I bought what must have been Fear #6 containing the delightful saga of the Midnight Monster. What a goof he is! I still remember one explanatory panel showing a bunch of disembodied faces all making comments about how ugly and dangerous he was (and heading west!), all except one tiny face, who says nothing and looks like he has just woken up - He was probably too small for a speech balloon, poor sap.

The Grinner(Mystic Comics vol.1#7) is a scientist who takes a potion that turns him into a killing brute (enemy of the Black Marvel).

just re-read my issue of FEAR#6,always did like this story,though its obvious why marvel hasnt reprinted this as often as ''FIN FANG FOOM'',since well,you tell me.anyway,MARVEL TALES #118 has a story called ''A WORLD GOES MAD'' about a mad(what else)scientist who develops an immortality serum,but his assistant along with several other greedy souls,steals it,and kills the scientist out in a foreign country(on the cover,he is tied up)he then takes the serum and becomes immortal,then turns into a hideous,drooling monster,not much like his cover appearence,the dying scientist then tells him that was the side effect he was improving on…the torch wielding mob arrives,and captures the villain,and burns him at the stake alive!!!,of course,nothing can kill him so…they decide(NO,NO he thinks)theyll behead him!!……..what a world of merriment these ATLAS horror comics were!!,im surprised thy forgot him when they created the HEADMEN,but the scariest thing about the midnight monster,and ''doug''the assistant isnt their evil,or possible hero/villain connotations….but the fact that my butt-hole gym teacher looks JUST like avery does in the first 3 pages of this story(journey into mystery,not''tales'')and has a son named victor!!!someone call ullysees bloodstone!!!!!.P.S:WHAT DID THE GRINNER LOOK LIKE?.

john………no i didnt see this in a reprint,and i cant scan it,since i have no scanner,but i CAN say the art was by tony diperta,and that the story reminded me a lot of FANTASTIC FOUR#30,and that this story was redone a million times by atlas/timely,the only connections i can make are that the un-named doctor resembles an early version of DIABLO from ff,so maybe the country was where diablo lives(transylvania)and the scientist got his formula from diablo,or maybe theyre related,or considering what a disatrous effect his formula had………maybe he was diablo himself!!!!!those old atlas stories never really did depict the characters or situations very accurately,did they?but im sure if you go to the marvel universe appendix on obscure characters youll,find similar stories to this one……

............. TURRRRRRRRD THE THING THAT COULD NOT DIE!!!!!!!! :: 22 November 2006

I wish I knew what the Grinner and Gary Gaunt's creature looked like,you could ask Jess Nevins(Guide to Marvel's Golden Age Characters;www.marvunapp.com/bibliography—-appendix—links)or Mikel Midnight Golden Age Directory(www.comixfan.com—-type “golden age heroes).

Mr.Hyde shouldn't be confused with Dr.Hyde the eye theif(Marvel Mystery Comics#24(10/41)Angel story);he steals eyes from victims and ransoms them back for $100,000.

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