The origins of Negal are shrouded in antiquity and he is presumed to be an ancient entity.  He was first encountered by Doctor Fate in 1941 when, while on a date in with Inza Kramer, he witnesses a drunken man shaking and ordering more.  Approaching the man, he is told of shadows that stalk the man after night-fall, remnants of evil men that he has known.  He had made a pact with dark forces that he should outlive them, they could leech his life forces.

Sending the Inza to escort the man home, Kent Nelson donned the garb of Doctor Fate, returning just as the sun began to set.  There he found shades torturing the man and invoking the powers of Nabu, banishes them. Recoiling from Fate's presence, the fled back to the Netherworld with Fate and Inza in close pursuit.  The trail let them to the land of Charn, an carnal underworld of death and decay.  There on a throne of skulls they found Negal, ruler of Charn. 

Rising to meet the invading mage, Negal brandished a club and ceremonial skull.  Doctor Fate warns Negal that his incursions into the world of men must cease or that he and all of Charn would be destroyed.  Negal rebuffed Fate's threats but with a gesture, Fate destroyed his ceremonial skull as a show of power.  Negal agreed that he would no longer send shadows into the world of men (More Fun #67).

Whether Negal kept that promise or attacked the realm of the living in other ways is unrevealed.