Doctor Fate

Real Name: Kent Nelson

First Appearance: More Fun Comics #55 (May 1940)

Powers: With the Helmet of Fate, Dr. Fate is given flight, telekinesis, superhuman strength, elemental and energy control, the ability to create forcefields, invulnerability, telepathy, intangibility, teleportation across dimensions, and spell-casting. Should he sustain damage, he also heals quickly and is immortal.

Affiliation: Justice League, All-Star Squadron, Justice Society of America, Lords of Order, and Justice League Dark

Did You Know? Gardner Fox and Howard Sherman created Dr. Fate.

A Little History

The origin of Doctor Fate is pretty straightforward.

Dr. Fate first appeared inside the pages of More Fun Comics #55 back in May of 1940. The duo of Gardner Fox and Howard Sherman created him.

In 1940, a 12-year-old Kent Nelson was on an archaeological dig with his father Sven. The dig took them to Mesopotamia, where the two stumbled upon a temple belonging to Nabu. Although the native people around the temple feared what was inside, Sven, a non-believer in magic, did not. As such, he and Kent entered, unknowing of what was inside.

Once inside, the two came across the sarcophagus of Nabu. Close to the sarcophagus was a lever. After pulling the lever, a poisonous gas filled the room and killed Sven but left Kent alive. Nabu felt terrible for the young child and offered to take Kent on as his apprentice. However, Kent wanted no part in Nabu’s trading and only wanted his father back. Ever so persistent, Nabu used his magical powers and erased Kent’s mind from all of his father’s memories.

Within the course of one week, Nabu aged Kent into a full man. Once full-grown, Nabu began pouring all of his magical knowledge into his apprentice. Now trained, Nabu asked that Kent use the full force of his power on him. Kent, however, was reluctant as he didn’t want to harm his master. With no other option, Nabu returned to the memory of his father. This sent Kent into a fit of rage.

With Kent at full power, Nabu told him that he was a Lord of Order and that he had been interlocked in a never-ending battle of Order against Chaos. As a gift, Nabu presented Kent with a few mystical items and bestowed all of his power onto him.