Creation
Nite Owl was created by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, he first appeared in Watchmen #1
Origin
Inspired by Action Comics’ character Superman, and the real life exploits of the Hooded Justice, police officer Hollis Mason took up the life of the vigilante in 1938. Calling himself Nite-Owl, he battled such colorful villains as the Screaming Skull, Captain Axis and Moloch.
Character evolution
Mason was possibly the most decent and likeable of the Minutemen (a masked adventurer league), while many of his peers had issues with regard to society, race, sexual orientation, gender, Mason was apparently free of these traits; in fact he is regarded as something of a voice of reason by many of the other heroes. Often considered a “real stand up guy” by his peers, he seems to be able to get along with the vast majority of the other heroes despite being all too aware of their shortcomings; the sole exception seems to be the Comedian, whose brutal attempted rape of the Silk Spectre Hollis never forgave him for. In his twilight years, he was notably kindly and temperate.
Mason retired in 1962 and open an auto repair shop and write his memoir called âUnder the Hood’. In the book openly spoke of certain scandals surrounding his former teammates and pointedly exposed the Comedian’s sexual assault upon the Silk Spectre.
Amidst a rekindled hatred for vigilantism as Nite-Owl II and Silk Spectre II broke Rorschach out of prison; in response Hollis Mason was brutally murdered by Derf, a top-knot gang member.
Hollis Mason’s memoir ‘Under the Hood’ was also featured in the DC comics classic “Kingdom Come”.