Doctor Occult
Personal information
Real Name: Unknown
Residence: New York City, New York
Occupation: Supernatural Detective
First Appearance (Golden Age): New Fun Comics #6 (October 1935)
First Appearance (Post-Golden Age): All-Star Squadron #49 (September 1985)
Character History
Very little is known of the early life of the paranormal detective, Dr. Occult. He is thought to have had a prior relationship with another-dimensional group known as The Seven at some point prior to his first public appearance but the exact nature of the relationship is unknown. His primary compatriots in his work were his companion Rose and
Dr. Occult first came to public attention in the fall of 1935. In his first case, he revealed the existing of extensive cult of Vampires stalking New York. Unlike the typical undead, these could not be slain by conventional mystic weapons such as a silver bullets and are revealed the work of an undead scientist, the Vampire Master. When the city refuses his extortion, his hordes over-run the city but lead Occult back to his lair, where, when defeated, he consumes his laboratory in flames (New Fun Comics #6, More Fun Comics #7-9). A similar werewolf cult was defeated shortly thereafter (More Fun Comics #11-13).
In the fall of 1936, Occult is contacted by Zator, an old colleague allied with the Seven. The mystic group had need of Occult, who they referred to as Doctor Mystic to help with their inveterate adversary, Koth. Zator and Occult travel to the realm of the Seven but are intercepted by Koth. The Seven arrive and fend off their foe with the help of Zator and Occult. Once safe, they reveal that Koth is summoning massive forces of evil to swamp the Earth and they stand a chance to defeat him with a mystic belt secreted in an Egyptian tomb. Zator and Occult, now arrayed in a mystic costume provided by The Seven, retrieve the belt and prepare to launch a final assault against Koth. The two forces meet in an epic battle with Occult engaging Koth in direct combat. So obsessed with defeating Occult, Koth fails to see the approaching Seven who ambush the villain and banish him to an known nether-realm. Occult then returns the uniform and returns to Earth (Comics Magazine #1m, More Fun Comics #14-17).
After his return, Occult encounter monstrous corpse figures re-animated by unknown means. When Occult himself is killed and re-animated, he learns the being behind his revival is The Lord of Life, a mad scientist who compels his risen dead to obey him with threats to return them to the dead. Occult rallies his fellow corpses and defeats the Lord of Life, using his technology to restore them all to the truly living (More Fun Comics #19-23).
Most of Doctor Occult's remaining casework involves similar mystic threats. Over the next year, he defeats a scientists committing murder via transmutation (More Fun Comcs #25). a snake god's cult (More Fun Comics #27) and a pair of vampires (More Fun Comics #28). Additional work thwarts the ghost of an executed criminal (More Fun Comics #29), a possessed psychic (More Fun Comics #30) and Haitian zombie-master (More Fun Comics #31). In 1938, Occult and Rose developed a device that let them track criminals by their thoughts but whether it was fully effective when deployed is unknown (More Fun Comics #32).
Doctor Occult's next recorded case was in 1942, when he was captured the sorcerer known as Wotan, an enemy of Dr. Fate. Along with members of the All-Star Squadron, Occult help defeat Wotan and prevent his unholy alliance with Adolph Hitler (All-Star Squadron #49). As the Crisis on Infinite Earths swept across Earth-Two, Dr. Occult battled the forces of the Anti-Monitor across Earth-Two, notably joining the other sorcerers of the surviving Earths to contain the Anti-Monitor until he could be defeated (Crisis on Infinite Earths #11-12). The activities of Doctor Occult on Earth-Two after 1942 are not recorded.
Powers and Abilities
Doctor Occult possessed a wide array of magical powers, the precise origin of which were unclear. Much of this power was focused through a mystic talisman, the origins of which are not clear. Demonstrated powers include repelling force, size change, dispelling of the undead and bolts of mystic energy. Occult was also an above average hand to hand combatant even without his powers.
Weaknesses and Limitations
As the origins of his powers are murky, so are the constraints around them. It is expected that Occult could be overwhelmed by sufficient magical force and in at least one instance, was proven mortal by being killed (tho later resurected). If specific weaknesses are evident, they have not been defined on Earth-Two.
Multiversity
Prior Earth-0
The history of Doctor Occult on Earth-0 is significantly more fleshed out. In this timeline, he and Rose are captured in 1899 as children for blood sacrifice by a satanic cult until rescued by the Seven. In their realm, the two are trained as mystic detectives and are more equal partners once they return to Earth. They take the names Richard Occult and Rose Psychic and active throughout the 1940's (Secret Origins Vol. 2 #17), sometimes in conjunction with All-Star Squadron or groups of other DC mages. How much of this is paralleled in the Earth-Two timeline is unclear.
In 1945, a battle with the other-dimensional conqueror known as the Stalker required Occult to sacrifice his life but Rose interceded, fusing them into a single being in which either could be dominant ) (All-Star Comics Vol. 2, #2). Much of the activities of Occult or Rose over the ensuing decades is unknown. He appears in the later years of the 20th century and into the 21st, often as a member of magical groups such as the Trenchcoat Brigade (Trenchcoat Brigade LS) or the Sentinels of Magic (Day of Judgement LS). His eventual fate in this timeline is unknown.
Earth-38
A version of Doctor Occult exists in this timeline and helps Deadman reveal that the ghost of Dick Grayson is tormenting the mind of the Joker (Generations LS I).