DOCTOR MID-NITE II (Pieter Anton Cross)	BIOGRAPHY
Created by Matt Wagner and John K. Snyder

PERSONAL DATA

Real Name: Pieter Anton Cross
Occupation: Crime-fighter; former physician
Place of Birth: Norway, April 5th, 1962
Citizenship: Norwegian
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: Theodoric Cross (father; deceased)
Base of Operation: Portsmouth City
Group Affiliation(s): Justice Society of America
Gender: Male
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 175 lb.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Black
First Appearance: Doctor Mid-Nite #1 (1999)
Creators: Matt Wagner and John K. Snyder

To deepen the mystery, I even decided on a further anonymity, by adopting an identity from the past. So with apologies to the original say "Hello" to the new and improved Doctor Mid-Nite - Doctor Pieter Cross Quote taken from Doctor Mid-Nite #1 (1999)

HISTORY

Pieter Cross was born in Norway to Dr. Theodoric Cross, a colleague of Alfred Nobel, and his wife. Pieter was a gifted kid who quickly became interested in medicine. At an early age he went to the United States where he graduated from Harvard Medical School at age 19. He then became a gifted surgeon, who developed advanced techniques in limb grafting. At some point he became involved in a well-publicized battle over insurance fraud that led to Cross' loss of residency. Although lawsuits were threatened they were never filed. Following the scandal Cross went underground and began operating outside the realm of the established medical community. He set up a free clinic in Portsmouth City to treat those who didn't have the money to get treatment elsewhere. Every night he went to the slums of the North East Side of the city where he helped out in any way he could, such as supplying the prostitutes with condoms, and delivering fresh spikes and gallons of bleach to the Mercy Mission for its needle exchange program. His nightly prowls soon earned him the nickname "the Midnight Doctor". Although he had no direct ties to the F.D.A. he has often unofficially helped out the government in various cases, and he also unofficially helps out at some of the larger hospitals in the city.

Recently Cross got involved in a case regarding the drug A39, an accidental derivative of the Venom serum which got stolen from a government lab. When the drug suddenly turned up all over the streets Cross helped out the F.D.A. to get hold of a sample. However the heads of Preada Industries who were behind the mass-production of A39 learned of Cross' meddling in their business and became determined to get rid of him. Using one of their agents they managed to give Cross the drug which kicked in while Cross was driving home and as a result he lost control of the car and crashed. When he woke up he realized that he had lost his eyesight as a result of the blast from the crash, but he also found that the drug had interacted with some other chemicals in his bloodstream enabling his eyes to see the infrared spectrum. Cross then fashioned some special lenses that focused the other spectrums into his narrowed range. Determined to use his newfound abilities to the common good, he designed a costume for himself and adopted the identity of "Doctor Mid-Nite" out of respect for the Golden Age hero and began operating under the cover of darkness to protect Portsmouth City against sinister agencies such as Praeda Industries.

Doctor Mid-Nite is surrounded by a number of assistants, consisting of a number of persons whose eternal friendship Cross has earned by helping them out in their time of need. One of these is Camilla Marlowe, a young woman Cross came into contact with during the whole A39 affair, who has become a close confidant of the doctor and has set up the "Dr. Mid-Nite Web Site", a site that free advice for the cyber-patients among other things. Other noteworthy assistants include Nite-Lite and Ice Sickle.

Doctor Mid-Nite recently helped out the Justice Society of America on a case. Impressed with his work he was invited to join and he accepted.

POWERS AND WEAPONS

Pieter Cross is a gifted surgeon and is well versed in physics, robotics, molecular chemistry, infra red astronomy and lots of other scientific and medical stuff. Following his accident Cross was robbed of his regular eyesight but gained the ability to see the lower spectrums instead. Using a pair of special goggles he is able to focus the other spectrums into his narrowed range enabling him to see in daylight as well. Cross' has also equipped the goggles with a number of scanning features.

Doctor Mid-Nite has a vast arsenal of gadgets that he constantly adds to based on his needs on a specific mission. Among his standard arsenal is his "Black Light Bombs", which consist of a gas compound that compresses into an inky mist that blocks out all light, and a selection of rapid-injection ampoules.

CHRONOLOGY

For a definitive list of appearances of Doctor Mid-Nite in chronological order click here

PROFILE REFERENCES

JSA Secret Files #1 (August 1999)