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Doctor Occult
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceNew Fun #6 (October 1935)
Created byJerry Siegel (writer)
Joe Shuster (artist)
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

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] Doctor Occult also has appeared in one DC-based video game set within DC's multiverse canon.

Publication history

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Mainstream version

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Golden Age titles

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Doctor Occult first appeared 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]

Occult was depicted as a supernatural detective whose detecting style was very much 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

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

Modern Age revivals

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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),[11] The Trenchcoat Brigade (alongside Mister E, the Phantom Stranger, and John Constantine) (1999)[12] and "Day of Judgement" (1999) as part of the Sentinels of Magic.[13][14]

Reboot

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In The New 52, a 2011 reboot of the DC Comics universe, Doctor Occult appears in Justice League Dark, Constantine, Secret Six and The Books of Magic comic book issues.

Other versions

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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 such as:

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

Depiction

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The character was portrayed by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in many anthology pages as the "Ghost Detective", a private investigator who specializes in cases involving the supernatural. Siegel and Shuster then left the character for the more popular Superman.[1]

The character was then revised in September 1985 in the All-Star Squadron series comic books by Roy Thomas and was utilized many times by the author as affiliated by the superhero team.[1]

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 opened up his own detective agency, specializing in crimes of a mystical nature and during World War II he joined the All-Star Squadron. At some point, he and Rose become fused into one being. Doctor Occult has used sorcery to halt or greatly slow the aging process, so that he appears in modern comics to still be a man in his late thirties or early forties, even though he was born at the end of the 19th century.[1][15]

He also appeared within the crossover storyline, Crisis on Infinite Earths.[16]

In 1991, Neil Gaiman brought the character back into the spotlight with a prominent supporting role in The Books of Magic. In the third issue he acts as Tim Hunter's guide to otherworlds. When visiting Faerie, he transforms into Rose. Tim learns many important things from Dr. Occult, while nearly being trapped in the realm of the fae. This journey is meant to guide Timothy on the role to his becoming the most powerful magician of the current era. The other guides on this mission are Mister E, the Phantom Stranger, and John Constantine, the last of whom sarcastically nicknames the group the Trenchcoat Brigade. The four would return later at a summons from Timothy, who, having lost everything at that point, needs a new direction in life.[17]

Later stories would continue the idea of Occult and Rose Psychic being one with two different origin stories given to explain how they became one person.[16]

Dr. Occult/Rose plays a vital role in the Day of Judgement series and storyline as told by Geoff Johns, he is depicted as one of the Sentinels of Magic, a group created to prevent artifacts such as the Spear of Destiny falling into the wrong hands.[16]

The fictional character then appears as a main character in the backup story by Keith Giffin in the Reign in Hell mini-series where he enters Hell to find Rose Psychic.[16]

The New 52

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In the reboot he is depicted as the keeper of the House of Secrets and was killed off in Justice League Dark #12.[18]

Powers and abilities

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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

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Video game

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Reception

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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.[19]

References

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  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. ^ Books of Magic #1-4
  12. ^ Trenchcoat Brigade #1-4
  13. ^ Day of Judgment #1-5
  14. ^ "Dr. Occult". Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  15. ^ "Doctor Occult of Earth-Two appearances". www.mikesamazingworld.com. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  16. ^ a b c d Wilson, John (16 December 2019). "10 Things Everyone Forgets About DC's Dr. Occult". CBR. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  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. ^ "365 Reasons to Love Comics #84 | CBR". www.cbr.com. 25 March 2007. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
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