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Doctor Occult

Doctor Occult
Doctor Occult as depicted in Constantine #17 (October 2014).
Art by Edgar Salazar and Jay Leisten.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceNew Fun #6 (October 1935)
Created byJerry Siegel
Joe Shuster
In-story information
Alter egoRichard Occult
Team affiliationsJustice Society of America
All-Star Squadron
Sentinels of Magic
The Trenchcoat Brigade
Justice League
Notable aliasesDoctor Mystic
Abilities
  • Expert user of magic
  • Spell casting
  • Summoning
  • Scrying
  • Power siphoning
  • Conjuration
  • Magical amplification
  • Magical channeling
  • Eldritch blasts
  • Energy transference
  • Force field generation
  • Extensive knowledge of the occult
  • Expert tactician
  • Expert detective
  • Exorcism
  • Enchantments
  • Elemental control
  • Atmokinesis
  • Chronokinesis
  • Matter transmutation
  • Necromancy
  • Teleportation
  • Astral projection
  • Hypnosis
  • Illusion creation
  • Telepathy
  • Telekinesis

Doctor Occult (sometimes nicknamed the Ghost Detective, and one time referred to as Doctor Mystic) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster (the creators of Superman), Doctor Occult is an occult detective, private investigator and magic user who specializes in cases involving the supernatural.[1] Doctor Occult first appeared in 1935 during the Platinum Age of Comic Books. He was published by National Comics Publications and Centaur Publications within anthology titles. He is the earliest recurring, originally featured fictional character still used in the DC Universe. He is sometimes affiliated with the All-Star Squadron and has appeared in paranormal-related stories by DC and Vertigo Comics titles.[2]

Publication history

Mainstream version

Golden Age titles

Doctor Occult first appeared in the sixth issue of the anthology comic books series New Fun in October 1935.[3] (New Fun was retitled More Fun beginning with issue #7 and again to More Fun Comics with issue #20.) The character was credited to "Leger and Reuths" — partial anagrams of Siegel and Shuster's surnames.[4] Later, Siegel and Shuster left the character for the more popular Superman.[1]

Occult was depicted as a supernatural detective whose detecting style was in the style of Sam Spade, but with supernatural abilities. Supporting characters in the strip included Rose Psychic and Occult's butler.[5] Writers such as Les Daniels have cited the character as a prototype of Superman.[6]

Renamed to "Dr. Mystic", Occult also appeared in Centaur Publications' The Comics Magazine #1 (May 1936), with that story continuing in DC's More Fun Comics #14-17. In this story, he travels to a mystic realm where he flies and wears a cape, making him the first caped comic book superhero.[7] Doctor Occult's last Golden Age appearance was in More Fun Comics #32 in 1938.

Bronze Age revival

After years of obscurity, the character was revived in the 1980s, appearing in issues of All-Star Squadron,[1][8] Swamp Thing,[9] and Crisis on Infinite Earths.[10][11]

Modern Age revivals

The character had a featured origin story in Secret Origins #17 (1987).[1] He later appeared in comics such as Neil Gaiman's The Books of Magic (1991),[12] The Trenchcoat Brigade (alongside Mister E, the Phantom Stranger, and John Constantine) (1999),[13] and "Day of Judgement" (1999) as part of the Sentinels of Magic.[14][15]

Reboot

In The New 52 continuity reboot, Doctor Occult appears in Justice League Dark, Constantine, Secret Six, and The Books of Magic series.

Other versions

Doctor Occult appears in comic books outside of the mainstream DC Universe in what is referred to as the multiverse. Many are adaptation tie-ins, including Justice League Unlimited #14, Batman: The Brave and the Bold #9, and Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year 3 Annual #1.

Occult also appears in issue #2 of the Elseworlds comic series Superman & Batman: Generations II.

Fictional character biography

The fictional character's origin was revealed in Secret Origins (vol. 2) #17. (August 1987) by E. Nelson Bridewell and Roy Thomas. They depicted him and his partner Rose Psychic being slated as human sacrifices at the hands of a demonic cult, but were rescued by a shadowy group called "The Seven". The two were later trained in the use of occult magics themselves. Thirty-six years later, Doctor Occult establishes a detective agency and joins the All-Star Squadron during World War II. After Occult sacrifices his soul to defeat the Stalker entity, Rose fuses with him to save his life.[11] Doctor Occult has used sorcery to halt his aging, so that he appears in modern comics to still be a man in his late thirties or early forties, even though he was born in the late 1800s.[1][16]

In 1991, Neil Gaiman brought the character back into the spotlight with a prominent supporting role in The Books of Magic. He, Mister E, the Phantom Stranger, and John Constantine act as Tim Hunter's mentor and guide him to become a powerful magician.[17]

In Day of Judgment, Occult appears as a member of the Sentinels of Magic, a group created to prevent artifacts such as the Spear of Destiny falling into the wrong hands.[11]

Occult appears as a main character in the backup story by Keith Giffen in the Reign in Hell mini-series where he enters Hell to find Rose Psychic.[11]

In The New 52 continuity reboot, Occult is depicted as the keeper of the House of Secrets.[18]

Powers and abilities

Doctor Occult has the powers of astral projection, hypnosis, illusion creating, and telekinesis. He wields a powerful talisman, a sphere or disc with a black and white pattern, called the Mystic Symbol of the Seven. It grants him the powers of clairvoyance, fighting exorcism, deflection, and force field projection.

In other media

Reception

Bill Reed of Comic Book Resources praised the character saying that DC Comics could portray more of him despite him not having the staying power as other supernatural heroes such as Phantom Stranger or John Constantine.[20]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wallace, Dan (2008). "Doctor Occult". In Dougall, Alastair (ed.). The DC Comics Encyclopedia. New York: Dorling Kindersley. p. 105. ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1. OCLC 213309017.
  2. ^ Walton, Michael (2019). The Horror Comic Never Dies: A Grisly History. McFarland & Co. pp. 25–26. ISBN 9781476635125.
  3. ^ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 344. ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
  4. ^ Wolk, Douglas (5 July 2010). "75 Years of the First Comic Book Superhero (It's Not Who You Think)". Time. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  5. ^ Nevins, Jess (2013). Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes. High Rock Press. p. 84. ISBN 978-1-61318-023-5.
  6. ^ "New Book Reveals Secret History of Comic Heroes | CBR". Comic Book Resources. 23 November 2007. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  7. ^ Thomas, Roy (2006). The All-Star Companion: Vol 2. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 81. ISBN 978-1893905375.
  8. ^ All-Star Squadron #49, 50, 53, 54, 57, 59 and 60
  9. ^ Swamp Thing #49 and 50
  10. ^ Crisis on Infinite Earths #11 and 12
  11. ^ a b c d Wilson, John (16 December 2019). "10 Things Everyone Forgets About DC's Dr. Occult". CBR. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  12. ^ Books of Magic #1-4
  13. ^ Trenchcoat Brigade #1-4
  14. ^ Day of Judgment #1-5
  15. ^ "Dr. Occult". Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  16. ^ "Doctor Occult of Earth-Two appearances". www.mikesamazingworld.com. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  17. ^ Irvine, Alex (2008). "The Books of Magic". In Dougall, Alastair (ed.). The Vertigo Encyclopedia. New York: Dorling Kindersley. pp. 38–41. ISBN 978-0-7566-4122-1. OCLC 213309015.
  18. ^ Justice League Dark #12
  19. ^ Eisen, Andrew (October 2, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
  20. ^ "365 Reasons to Love Comics #84 | CBR". www.cbr.com. 25 March 2007. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
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