Doctor Fate (Khalid Nassour)

Khalid Nassour
Doctor Fate
Khalid Nassour's design as Doctor Fate. Art by Álvaro Martínez Bueno.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceConvergence: Aquaman #2 (July, 2015)
Created byPaul Levitz
Sonny Liew
In-story information
Alter egoKhalid Kent Nassour[1]
SpeciesHuman (comics)
Homo Magi (select media)
Place of originBrooklyn, New York
Team affiliationsJustice League
Justice League Dark
Justice Society of America
Lords of Order
PartnershipsStitch
Doctor Fate (Kent Nelson)
Salem the Witch Girl
Patrons: Nabu, Bastet, Hauhet
JLD Partners: Man-Bat (Kirk Langstrom, Zatanna
Notable aliasesFate, Young Fate, Son of Pharaohs, Khalid Nelson, Kent
Abilities
  • Immortality
  • Mastery in magic, spell-casting, and knowledgeable in the supernatural; mystic artifacts (Helmet of Fate, Cloak of Destiny, Amulet of Anubis) bolsters and grants various additional magical powers, including fourth wall awareness
  • Skilled physician and hand-to-hand combatant

Dr. Khalid Nassour (Arabic: نصّور خالد) is a superhero featured in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Levitz and artist Sonny Liew, the character first appeared in Aquaman: Convergence #2 (July, 2015). Being the eighth character to have adopted the Doctor Fate codename, the character was created as a reimagining of the original version with inspiration drawn from other heroes such as Spider-Man and Doctor Strange. Unlike prior versions within the main continuity, the character has profound ties to the Egyptian aspect of the character[2] and is first Muslim[3] character in DC Comics to headline a solo series.[4]

The character made his initial debut as a Brooklyn born-college graduate of Egyptian and White American heritage. While aspiring to become a physician, Khalid is chosen by ancient Egyptian deities and archangels to be the next bearer of the Helmet of Fate, making him the latest incarnation of Doctor Fate. As Doctor Fate, a legacy hero tasked with safeguarding the universe against supernatural menaces as one of DC Universe's foremost magical practitioners, he is supported by Nabu[1] and later mentored by the original Doctor Fate, Kent Nelson, who is revealed to be his great-uncle.[5] Since his debut in 2015, the character has been featured in various titles such as his Doctor Fate title and a reoccurring supporting character within the Justice League Dark and Justice Society of America, playing a pivotal role in several storylines. Overtime, the character later is depicted as a medical school graduate supported by the enigmatic Hauhet in place of Nabu, whose disappearance alongside her agenda remains a mystery.[6]

Reactions to the character has were generally mixed to positive. Some expressed the character to be a positive step towards representation in comics[4] and believed the incorporation of an Egyptian-born character to make sense.[7] Others expressed concerns of the character's age diminishing the original version's struggles[8] and the character invoking much of Egypt's past instead of modern history as well as his ultimate role in storylines.[9] Currently, he is the second longest-running incarnation of Doctor Fate to be published continuously.

Thus far, the character has made few appearances in media. He would make his first media appearance in the animated series Young Justice, voiced by Usman Ally. He would also appear as a DLC summon character in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference newsarama1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Jaffe, Alex (April 27, 2020). "10 Muslim DC Heroes to Commemorate Ramadan". Archived from the original on September 22, 2021. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Plummer, Jessica (19 March 2020). "Give This Hero a Comic Book: Khalid Nassour (Doctor Fate)". Book Riot. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Johns, Geoff (2022). The New Golden Age #1. DC Comics.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference :27 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Land, Ashley (August 14, 2023). "These DC Legacy Heroes Are Really Confusing — Why?". CBR.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference :29 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).