Issue Description

Doctor Fate stops by the Trylon, to tell his origin to the Tarantula. An archaeologist, Doctor Sven Nelson, had been hired, by the British Museum, to excavate an Egyptian pyramid, in the ancient Mesopotamian city of Ur. Upon discovering an entrance into the pyramid, Nelson found that the locals would not accompany him inside. Nelson, and his son, Kent, began to explore the pyramid. With Nelson engrossed in hieroglyphics, Kent wandered off on his own. In another chamber, Kent discovered the body of Nabu, in suspended animation.

At Nabu's behest, Kent through a lever that flooded the chamber with gas, reviving Nabu. The gas, however, was poisonous. While Nabu protected Kent, Nelson was dead. Kent lashed out angrily at Nabu, then tried to flee the pyramid. Nabu imprisoned Kent within the pyramid. After allowing Kent time to grieve for his father, Nabu took the boy under his wing, and trained him in the mystic arts. Upon reaching adulthood, Kent's anger towards Nabu was reawakened. Kent lashed out, with his newfound mystic powers, and destroyed Nabu's physical body, revealing him to be a being of pure energy.

Nabu revealed his origins, on the planet, Cilia. An exiled Lord Of Order, Nabu, came to Earth, where he ruled, and protected, the Egyptians. Nabu warned Kent of the coming war between the Lords of Order, and their age-old enemies, the Lords of Chaos. Nabu declared his intention to continue the war, with Kent as his human host. The raiments, cloak, amulet, and helmet of Nabu appeared on Kent, transforming Nabu's apprentice into Doctor Fate. Nabu bade Doctor Fate to journey to Alexandria. There, Doctor Fate became aware of the abduction of Inza Cramer, at the hands of Wotan.

Doctor Fate mystically tracked Cramer to Wotan's stronghold, a featureless tower rising up out of the desert. Doctor Fate confronted Wotan. With base temptation, Wotan attempted to sway Doctor Fate to his side. Failing that, Wotan attacked Doctor Fate. Wotan fled the tower, with Cramer as his hostage. Doctor Fate pursued, engaging Wotan in a mystic battle, one the inexperienced hero lost. Cramer ran to Doctor Fate, and after removing the Helmet of Nabu, was surprised to find out how young her defender was. A single tear of compassion restored Doctor Fate to his full fighting strength.

Doctor Fate, seemingly, destroyed Wotan, before doing the same to Wotan's tower. Doctor Fate forged a friendship with Cramer, that eventually grew into love. Years later, feeling that Nabu was exerting too much control over Kent's life, Kent abandoned the Helmet Of Nabu. Though this act cost him the majority of his mystic power, Kent continued to operate as Doctor Fate. At the end of Doctor Fate's tale, the Hourman enters the room. The Prime Minister of Great Britain, Winston Churchill, has personally requested that Doctor Fate accompany the All-Star Squadron to England.

All-Star Squadron

Publisher

DC Comics

Volume Description

"Come with us now to Earth-Two, and the awesome origin of the All-Star Squadron!"

Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler, Jerry Ordway (credited here as Jeremiah Ordway!) along with editor Len Wein, letterer John Costanza and colorist Carl Gafford begin the wartime adventures of the Golden-Age heroes of the DC Universe. Writer Roy Thomas is no stranger to World War II, or wartime comic book super-heroes having come off Marvel's WWII super-team, The Invaders.

The world of Earth -2 was at war. In a dimension not unlike that of the Justice League on Earth - 1, the greatest heroes of the 1940s had banded together to form the Justice Society of America, but even that wasn't enough to battle the Axis powers plaguing their society. So, at the behest of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, a new, larger team was created to help unite the war torn country. The massive All-Star Squadron was formed, setting up their headquarters in the Perisphere at the heart of New York's World's Fair.

The creative team of writer Roy Thomas and artist Rich Buckler on "All-Star Squadron" offered readers a nostalgic glimpse back in time, albeit through the slightly distorted lens of Earth-2's history. In this popular series that ran for 67 issues, readers were treated not only to the adventures of the more familiar Justice Society, but also to every other mystery man of the time and dozens of minor heroes from DC's Golden Age, including the speedster Johnny Quick, the patriotic Liberty Belle, power houses Robotman and Commander Steel, and the 1940s versions of Batman and Robin.

With Thomas'comprehensive knowledge of the heroes and history of World War II era Americana, the All-Star Squadron was a certifiable hit, even if the Earth - 2 shattering events of DC's tumultuous "Crisis on Infinite Earths" maxi series of the mid-1980s took a toll on the book's continuity.

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