Midway City
Encyclopedia
Midway City is a fictional city in the DC Universe
, the shared universe of comic book titles published by DC Comics
. Midway is always shown to be a midwestern city based loosely on the real world city of Chicago, Illinois (though Chicago also exists in the DCU). In an "Ask the Answer Man" column printed in Detective Comics #470 (June 1977), writer Bob Rozakis
stated that Midway City was in Michigan
, near Sault Ste. Marie
. This statement has since been reasserted in assorted official and licensed publications. Previously, some writers stated it's in Illinois.
, in his secret identity of Carter Hall, used to be the curator of the Midway City Museum. Along with the current Hawkgirl, the duo currently reside in St. Roch, Louisiana. One of the many incarnations of the superhero team Doom Patrol
spent much time working out of a Midway City brownstone. They rarely met Hawkman and Hawkwoman.
Midway City was also the original home of the Doom Patrol
. They moved to Kansas City, Missouri
, early in volume 2 of their eponymous series during Paul Kupperberg's tenure as its writer.
Midway is described as hosting a "division" of the Science Police
.
During the event known as Final Crisis
, Midway City is depopulated and wrecked. Later, Midway City is cleaning up. The efforts are stopped when Rising Sun
, a Japanese superhero, shows up. He is not in his right mind and kills many of the restoration volunteers.
ian police officers Katar and Shayera Hol the opportunity to take his place. Assuming the anglicised
names Carter and Shiera Hall, they became the museum's new curators. One of the Museum's most famed matrons was the naturalist Mavis Trent
. Upon meeting Carter, Mavis became instantly smitten with him and persistently tried to seduce him despite the fact that he's married. Mavis' press agent was Joe Tracy, who was secretly in love with her, and frequently visited the museum on Mavis' behalf.
.
The Midway City Museum is the site of a battle between Hawkman
, Hawkgirl, Vixen
, and the Shadow Thief, in the Justice League Unlimited
episode "Ancient History".
Midway City was mentioned in The Batman
episode "What Goes Up...".
Midway City's connection to Chicago is loosely referenced by Chicago based hip-hop group The Cool Kids
on "One Two" from their second album The Bake Sale
: "Midway City is the city where wind blows".
when Master Splinter, transformed into a giant bat, is spotted. Here Leonardo encounters the Knight Watchman
.
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
, the shared universe of comic book titles published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
. Midway is always shown to be a midwestern city based loosely on the real world city of Chicago, Illinois (though Chicago also exists in the DCU). In an "Ask the Answer Man" column printed in Detective Comics #470 (June 1977), writer Bob Rozakis
Bob Rozakis
Robert "Bob" Rozakis is a comic book writer and editor known mainly for his work in the 1970s and 1980s at DC Comics, as the writer of Mazing Man and in his capacity as DC's "Answer Man".-Biography:...
stated that Midway City was in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, near Sault Ste. Marie
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Sault Ste. Marie is a city in and the county seat of Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is in the north-eastern end of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, on the Canadian border, separated from its twin city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, by the St. Marys River...
. This statement has since been reasserted in assorted official and licensed publications. Previously, some writers stated it's in Illinois.
Fictional history
Midway City is most famous for once being the home of the Silver Age Hawkman and Hawkgirl. In current continuity, the Golden Age HawkmanCarter Hall (comics)
Carter Hall is a DC Comics superhero, the original Hawkman. Created by Gardner Fox and Dennis Neville, he first appeared in Flash Comics # 1 . The history of this character is somewhat confusing, due mainly to the fact that his origins were retroactively changed with the Crisis on Infinite Earths...
, in his secret identity of Carter Hall, used to be the curator of the Midway City Museum. Along with the current Hawkgirl, the duo currently reside in St. Roch, Louisiana. One of the many incarnations of the superhero team Doom Patrol
Doom Patrol
The Doom Patrol is a superhero team appearing in publications from DC Comics. The original Doom Patrol first appeared in My Greatest Adventure #80...
spent much time working out of a Midway City brownstone. They rarely met Hawkman and Hawkwoman.
Midway City was also the original home of the Doom Patrol
Doom Patrol
The Doom Patrol is a superhero team appearing in publications from DC Comics. The original Doom Patrol first appeared in My Greatest Adventure #80...
. They moved to Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, early in volume 2 of their eponymous series during Paul Kupperberg's tenure as its writer.
Midway is described as hosting a "division" of the Science Police
Science Police
Science Police is a fictional law enforcement agency in the . They were referred to as "World-Wide Police" in their first appearance in the 30th century. They were featured in a four issue limited series titled Legion Science Police. In the 30th and 31st centuries, the Science Police serves the...
.
During the event known as Final Crisis
Final Crisis
Final Crisis is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely by J. G. Jones; artists Carlos Pacheco, Marco Rudy and...
, Midway City is depopulated and wrecked. Later, Midway City is cleaning up. The efforts are stopped when Rising Sun
Rising Sun (comics)
Rising Sun is a fictional Japanese superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared solo in Super Friends #8 , and as a member of the Global Guardians in DC Comics Presents #46, . He was created by E...
, a Japanese superhero, shows up. He is not in his right mind and kills many of the restoration volunteers.
Points of interest
- Bi-State Tunnel
- The Graphic
- Grinder's Bluff
- Hawk Valley
- Mount Tobar Observatory
- Channelview
- Doom Patrol Headquarters
- Downtown Business District
- Hyathis Corporation
- Industrial District
- Police Headquarters
- Slumville
Midway City Museum
The Midway City Museum is one of the nation's largest museums of natural history. It is particularly noted for its extensive collection of Egyptian artifacts and medieval weaponry. One of the museum's earlier curators was Ed Emmet, the brother of Midway City police commissioner George Emmet. When Ed retired, George used his influence to allow ThanagarThanagar
Thanagar is a fictional planet in the . Thanagar is the original home of the humanoid Thanagarian race, noted for the discovery of gravity-defying Nth metal...
ian police officers Katar and Shayera Hol the opportunity to take his place. Assuming the anglicised
Anglicisation
Anglicisation, or anglicization , is the process of converting verbal or written elements of any other language into a form that is more comprehensible to an English speaker, or, more generally, of altering something such that it becomes English in form or character.The term most often refers to...
names Carter and Shiera Hall, they became the museum's new curators. One of the Museum's most famed matrons was the naturalist Mavis Trent
Mavis (DC Comics)
Mavis is the name of two fictional characters who first appeared in the DC Comics' universe. In the Golden Age Wonder Woman series, the first character served as a Nazi provocateur...
. Upon meeting Carter, Mavis became instantly smitten with him and persistently tried to seduce him despite the fact that he's married. Mavis' press agent was Joe Tracy, who was secretly in love with her, and frequently visited the museum on Mavis' behalf.
Sports
- Midway City Chiefs: Baseball, National League, eastern division
- Midway City Cardinals: Football, National Conference, central division
- Midway City Sprints: Basketball, Eastern Conference, central division
- Midway Wolverines: Hockey, Campbell Conference, Norris division
In other media
Midway City was the setting in the 1967 Filmation Hawkman shorts of The Superman/Aquaman Hour of AdventureThe Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure
The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure is a Filmation animated series that aired on CBS from 1967 to 1968. Premiering on September 9, 1967, this 60-minute program included a series of six-minute adventures featuring various DC Comics superheroes....
.
The Midway City Museum is the site of a battle between Hawkman
Hawkman
Hawkman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics #1, published by All-American Publications in 1940....
, Hawkgirl, Vixen
Vixen (comics)
Vixen is a fictional character, a comic book superheroine published by DC Comics universe. She debuted in Action Comics #521 , and was created by Gerry Conway and Bob Oksner.-Publication history:...
, and the Shadow Thief, in the Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
episode "Ancient History".
Midway City was mentioned in The Batman
The Batman (TV series)
The Batman is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation based on the DC Comics superhero Batman. It ran from 2004 to 2008, on the Saturday morning television block Kids' WB...
episode "What Goes Up...".
Midway City's connection to Chicago is loosely referenced by Chicago based hip-hop group The Cool Kids
The Cool Kids
The Cool Kids is an American hip hop group. Consisting of rappers Antoine "Sir Michael Rocks" Reed and Evan "Chuck Inglish" Ingersoll , the group is based in Chicago, Illinois and Detroit, Michigan...
on "One Two" from their second album The Bake Sale
The Bake Sale
CD Bonus Tracks- Charts :...
: "Midway City is the city where wind blows".
In other comics
In issue 9 of volume 3 of Eastman and Laird's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book series, Midway City is also the name of a city visited by LeonardoLeonardo (TMNT)
Leonardo is a fictional character that appears in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics and all related media.In the Mirage comics all four turtles wear red bandanas, but in other versions, he wears a blue bandana. His signature weapons are two ninjaken , which are universally referred to as...
when Master Splinter, transformed into a giant bat, is spotted. Here Leonardo encounters the Knight Watchman
Knight Watchman
Knight Watchman is a fictional superhero from the Big Bang Comics universe, residing on Earth A during the Silver Age of comics...
.