Doctor Occult

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Doctor Occult (Richard 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.<ref name="dc-ency">Template:Cite book</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> (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.<ref name="Time">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Later, Siegel and Shuster left the character for the more popular Superman.<ref name="dc-ency" />

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.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Writers such as Les Daniels have cited the character as a prototype of Superman.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> 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,<ref name="dc-ency" /><ref>All-Star Squadron #49, 50, 53, 54, 57, 59 and 60</ref> Swamp Thing,<ref>Swamp Thing #49 and 50</ref> and Crisis on Infinite Earths.<ref>Crisis on Infinite Earths #11 and 12</ref><ref name="CBR" />

Modern Age revivals

The character had a featured origin story in Secret Origins #17 (1987).<ref name="dc-ency"/> He later appeared in comics such as Neil Gaiman's The Books of Magic (1991),<ref>Books of Magic #1-4</ref> The Trenchcoat Brigade (alongside Mister E, the Phantom Stranger, and John Constantine) (1999),<ref>Trenchcoat Brigade #1-4</ref> and "Day of Judgement" (1999) as part of the Sentinels of Magic.<ref>Day of Judgment #1-5</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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 (vol. 1) #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, Rose fuses with him to save his life.<ref name="CBR" /> Occult has used sorcery to halt his aging, causing him to appear middle-aged despite being born in the late 1800s.<ref name="dc-ency" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 1991, Occult appeared in The Books of Magic, written by Neil Gaiman. He, Mister E, the Phantom Stranger, and John Constantine mentor Timothy Hunter and guide him to become a powerful magician.<ref name="vert-ency">Template:Cite book</ref>

In Day of Judgment, Occult joins the Sentinels of Magic, a group created to prevent artifacts such as the Spear of Destiny from falling into the wrong hands.<ref name="CBR">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Occult appears as a main character in Reign in Hell, where he enters Hell to find Rose Psychic.<ref name="CBR" />

In The New 52, Occult is depicted as the keeper of the House of Secrets.<ref>Justice League Dark #12</ref> In the DC All In series Justice League Unlimited (vol. 2), he joins the expanded Justice League.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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, exorcism, deflection, and force field projection.

In other media

• Doctor Occult appears as a non-playable character in DC Universe Online.
• Doctor Occult appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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.<ref name="Reed">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>