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Doctor Fate (1987) #1-4
Doctor Fate by J.M. DeMatteis
In the late 1980s, a brand new Doctor Fate was introduced to the DC Universe! Legendary writer JM DeMatteis pens a magical epic about chaos, order, and family.
Kent Nelson, the first Doctor Fate, has died, and not one but two people have stepped in to take his place! Chosen by the Lords of Order come Eric and Linda Strauss, who find themselves able to combine into a singular mystical force – the new Doctor Fate! Guided by the Lord of Order, Nabu, Eric and Linda face their own sets of complicated challenges, both mystical and otherwise, as they navigate the strange new circumstances in which they’ve found themselves in this series by legendary writer JM DeMatteis and Keith Giffen.
This complete collection of DeMatteis's run collects the original 1987 miniseries illustrated by Keith Giffen, plus the ongoing series drawn by Shawn McManus.
Collects DOCTOR FATE (1987) #1-4, DR. FATE (VOL. 2) #1-24, and DR. FATE ANNUAL #1.
Kent Nelson, the first Doctor Fate, has died, and not one but two people have stepped in to take his place! Chosen by the Lords of Order come Eric and Linda Strauss, who find themselves able to combine into a singular mystical force – the new Doctor Fate! Guided by the Lord of Order, Nabu, Eric and Linda face their own sets of complicated challenges, both mystical and otherwise, as they navigate the strange new circumstances in which they’ve found themselves in this series by legendary writer JM DeMatteis and Keith Giffen.
This complete collection of DeMatteis's run collects the original 1987 miniseries illustrated by Keith Giffen, plus the ongoing series drawn by Shawn McManus.
Collects DOCTOR FATE (1987) #1-4, DR. FATE (VOL. 2) #1-24, and DR. FATE ANNUAL #1.
776 pages, Paperback
Published May 20, 2025
14 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
About the author
J.M. DeMatteis
1,912 books234 followersAlso Credited As:
DeMatteis, John Marc
Ellis, Michael
Lombego, Wally
Bio:
J.M. DeMatteis was a professional musician/singer and rock music journalist before entering comics in the late 70's.
Credits include Spider-Man, Moonshadow, Brooklyn Dreams, Justice League, Abadazad, Hero Squared, the Life and Times of Savior 28.
Created I, Vampire , Creature Commandos, Moonshadow, Hero Squared (co-creator), Abadazad, Stardust Kid, Savior 28 and more.
DeMatteis, John Marc
Ellis, Michael
Lombego, Wally
Bio:
J.M. DeMatteis was a professional musician/singer and rock music journalist before entering comics in the late 70's.
Credits include Spider-Man, Moonshadow, Brooklyn Dreams, Justice League, Abadazad, Hero Squared, the Life and Times of Savior 28.
Created I, Vampire , Creature Commandos, Moonshadow, Hero Squared (co-creator), Abadazad, Stardust Kid, Savior 28 and more.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 15, 2025
Mostly long and tedious, but some interesting moments and fun characters.
This was recommended by a friend who LOVED it, but he and I have very different opinions.
I think the main appeal of this one is that there are just not a lot of Dr Fate stories out there. This was a nice hefty run from DeMatteis, but it focuses on his own new version of Fate, rather than Kent Nelson. Kent's there, but he's taking the backseat as the cranky mentor here.
First and foremost, I had a problem with the new incarnation of Fate. This time around, Fate is two people, whose love allows them to bond and be stronger together. The relationship between the two was too weird for me, so I found their love more disturbing than powerful.
Then there's also the fact that they actually don't work well together. They're constantly bickering and mess things up because they can't agree on how to control Fate. Everything about their relationship feels forced and uncomfortable.
But!
There are some great supporting characters, by which I mean Petey, the demon-dog. Without him, my rating would be generous at one star. He is the main reason I was able to stick with it and get through the whole 700+ pages. Kent also was entertaining, as were some of the villains.
For the most part, I found the whole thing tiresome and odd. When non-Jesus showed up, I basically lost all respect.
This is a hefty slog that will really only appeal to those desperate for a solo Dr Fate tale. It takes a lot of work to get through, and while there are some entertaining moments almost none of them revolve around what Dr Fate is doing.
Ultimately, this was a disappointment that I wouldn't recommend unless you're specifically after a Dr Fate solo outing.
This was recommended by a friend who LOVED it, but he and I have very different opinions.
I think the main appeal of this one is that there are just not a lot of Dr Fate stories out there. This was a nice hefty run from DeMatteis, but it focuses on his own new version of Fate, rather than Kent Nelson. Kent's there, but he's taking the backseat as the cranky mentor here.
First and foremost, I had a problem with the new incarnation of Fate. This time around, Fate is two people, whose love allows them to bond and be stronger together. The relationship between the two was too weird for me, so I found their love more disturbing than powerful.
Then there's also the fact that they actually don't work well together. They're constantly bickering and mess things up because they can't agree on how to control Fate. Everything about their relationship feels forced and uncomfortable.
But!
There are some great supporting characters, by which I mean Petey, the demon-dog. Without him, my rating would be generous at one star. He is the main reason I was able to stick with it and get through the whole 700+ pages. Kent also was entertaining, as were some of the villains.
For the most part, I found the whole thing tiresome and odd. When non-Jesus showed up, I basically lost all respect.
This is a hefty slog that will really only appeal to those desperate for a solo Dr Fate tale. It takes a lot of work to get through, and while there are some entertaining moments almost none of them revolve around what Dr Fate is doing.
Ultimately, this was a disappointment that I wouldn't recommend unless you're specifically after a Dr Fate solo outing.
June 15, 2025
I so, so, so wish Goodreads would allow half points, because this story (and yes, these 19 issues collected indeed are on big story) is as close to perfect as it gets, but there are two details close to the end (no spoilers) that make it a half point less impressive. One story line goes on a little too much and a philosophical point get hammered maybe a little too hard if you don't subscribe 100% to it. Other than that, still interesting, relevant work from DeMatteis, McManus, Giffen and the rest of the collaborators, 30+ years on.
February 8, 2026
Doctor Fate by JM DeMatteis came across my Amazon profile as a book I may like. My only scant knowledge of Doctor Fate before reading this was owning his Super Powers action figure from 1985. Curiosity led me to give this a try.
DeMatteis uses these characters to give a dissertation how God, love, eternal existence and free will seem to intertwine with one another. This is an ambitious undertaking for a superhero book. DeMatteis falls a bit short of scaling these heights, but this still wound up being an decent read.
DeMatteis shows he can be a good storyteller. The shifting alliances play well into the events as they unfold. Petey is an oddly charming character, probably my favorite in the series. The reanimated Kent Nelson had me laughing more than once, particularly when accusing Eric Strauss of being a book banner due to his dismissal of "Bambi Does Dallas." This book's version of God and the avatar/Christ is, frankly, more appealing than what modern religion conjures up. I also thought DeMatteis did very well in capturing love through the relationships between the real Kent Nelson and Inza, Eugene and Wendy DiBella, the DiBellas' love for their daughter, and even Petey's love for his adopted earth family.
The central relationship in this book, that of Eric and Linda Strauss, is the weakest one, thus knocking stars off my rating. Their introduction in the mini-series is devoid of any emotion, and their unfolding saga never captures a deep connection, even though we're told it exists. I could not buy into a stepmom in love with her 10-year old stepson who magically turned into a grown man who she's been connected with over the course of millions of years.
A slight recommendation if you want a different sort of superhero comic.
DeMatteis uses these characters to give a dissertation how God, love, eternal existence and free will seem to intertwine with one another. This is an ambitious undertaking for a superhero book. DeMatteis falls a bit short of scaling these heights, but this still wound up being an decent read.
DeMatteis shows he can be a good storyteller. The shifting alliances play well into the events as they unfold. Petey is an oddly charming character, probably my favorite in the series. The reanimated Kent Nelson had me laughing more than once, particularly when accusing Eric Strauss of being a book banner due to his dismissal of "Bambi Does Dallas." This book's version of God and the avatar/Christ is, frankly, more appealing than what modern religion conjures up. I also thought DeMatteis did very well in capturing love through the relationships between the real Kent Nelson and Inza, Eugene and Wendy DiBella, the DiBellas' love for their daughter, and even Petey's love for his adopted earth family.
The central relationship in this book, that of Eric and Linda Strauss, is the weakest one, thus knocking stars off my rating. Their introduction in the mini-series is devoid of any emotion, and their unfolding saga never captures a deep connection, even though we're told it exists. I could not buy into a stepmom in love with her 10-year old stepson who magically turned into a grown man who she's been connected with over the course of millions of years.
A slight recommendation if you want a different sort of superhero comic.
October 2, 2025
I was riding high after completing the mini-series which was also written by DeMatteis, and directly precedes this 24 issue run of Doctor Fate. Overall I'm pretty disappointed. There are points where the book shines out, either with fantastic art, or interesting concepts, but overall the book is too muddled and trapped by it's own attempt to tell a metaphysical story of spiritual significance, and completely uncapable of doing so with the sit-com characters we're given.
As a story sketch, the book might look good as events are mapped out, but the connection between plot points and events can be murky, and requires a lot of work on the part of the reader, who is constantly being distracted with either unnecessary, or over written comic relief. At the end of the run the book did pick up a bit again with a soul-swapping, making way for a better world storyline that might have been heart warming under other circumstances but came off more like a weird spiritual swinger's party to me.
I was satisfied with how the book ends and finally put out of it's misery several plot points that ranged from boring, to worrying. The writership of the last third of this series will be taken over by a different crew, and I'm hoping they can use the good bits and capitalize on the new foundation.
For me the highlight of this book was the fact that the guide to the afterlife looks like Frank Zappa, which is on par with my expectations.
As a story sketch, the book might look good as events are mapped out, but the connection between plot points and events can be murky, and requires a lot of work on the part of the reader, who is constantly being distracted with either unnecessary, or over written comic relief. At the end of the run the book did pick up a bit again with a soul-swapping, making way for a better world storyline that might have been heart warming under other circumstances but came off more like a weird spiritual swinger's party to me.
I was satisfied with how the book ends and finally put out of it's misery several plot points that ranged from boring, to worrying. The writership of the last third of this series will be taken over by a different crew, and I'm hoping they can use the good bits and capitalize on the new foundation.
For me the highlight of this book was the fact that the guide to the afterlife looks like Frank Zappa, which is on par with my expectations.
July 1, 2025
Sheesh this is some esoteric stuff.
This volume starts with a mini series, where the mantle of Dr. Fate is transferred to another character and it involves a twist. The mini series is basically just setting up a new status quo, because the 24 issue ongoing series is continuing directly, from where it left off.
The ongoing series starts like a regular super hero ongoing. A healthy cast of supporting characters, an impressive superhero transformation and a clear antagonist.
Very quickly though, the pattern shifts and there's less action, while there's supernatural elements being introduced. The balance between the two shifts more and more towards the supernatural and philosophical elements, to the point that the finale is told without any fighting. This doesn't have to be a bad thing, but it did catch me unawares.
I do appreciate that this story is told with a very clear beginning and ending, even though the ending sure is strange. There's also quite a bit of slapstick humor sprinkled into these pages, which I thought did work quite well for the most part.
Here's the thing:
It is as close to Sandman as a comic book gets. I do love Sandman, but I think this Dr. Fate run doesn't pull off the world building in such an impressive way as Sandman does. The comparison is probably ill justified, but I can't see myself rereading this book, when I can get scratch the same itch in a better comic book run.
The artwork is impressive, especially for a comic in the late 80s/early 90s. I love the way Dr. Fate is drawn and how his/her appearance changes depending on the circumstances. And the artist is amazing in portraying expressions, even though the helmet has eyelids only.
In the end, I have to acknowledge that this is an impressive comic book run, even though it didn't fully win me over.
This volume starts with a mini series, where the mantle of Dr. Fate is transferred to another character and it involves a twist. The mini series is basically just setting up a new status quo, because the 24 issue ongoing series is continuing directly, from where it left off.
The ongoing series starts like a regular super hero ongoing. A healthy cast of supporting characters, an impressive superhero transformation and a clear antagonist.
Very quickly though, the pattern shifts and there's less action, while there's supernatural elements being introduced. The balance between the two shifts more and more towards the supernatural and philosophical elements, to the point that the finale is told without any fighting. This doesn't have to be a bad thing, but it did catch me unawares.
I do appreciate that this story is told with a very clear beginning and ending, even though the ending sure is strange. There's also quite a bit of slapstick humor sprinkled into these pages, which I thought did work quite well for the most part.
Here's the thing:
It is as close to Sandman as a comic book gets. I do love Sandman, but I think this Dr. Fate run doesn't pull off the world building in such an impressive way as Sandman does. The comparison is probably ill justified, but I can't see myself rereading this book, when I can get scratch the same itch in a better comic book run.
The artwork is impressive, especially for a comic in the late 80s/early 90s. I love the way Dr. Fate is drawn and how his/her appearance changes depending on the circumstances. And the artist is amazing in portraying expressions, even though the helmet has eyelids only.
In the end, I have to acknowledge that this is an impressive comic book run, even though it didn't fully win me over.
June 27, 2025
DeMatteis es uno de los grandes, y en esta etapa del Doctor Fate, nos ofrece un puñado de historias excelentes, junto a otras que, sin ser malas nunca, sí que resultan un tanto fallidas. En el apartado artístico, tenemos, en la miniserie inaugural, a un magnífico Keith Giffen que emula al argentino José Muñoz hasta el punto del plagio (cosa que molestó no poco al bonaerense, por cierto), para después pasar a un Shawn McManus que... bueno, es un pelín caricaturesco para mi gusto. La serie mezcla el drama y la comedia con la habilidad típica del guionista, pero la tragedia se lleva finalmente la parte del león, aunque la esperanza siempre nos acompañará durante esta singladura en la que el hechicero combatirá a sus enemigos principalmente mediante el amor y la compasión. La filosofía oriental impregna cada una de las historias, pero DeMatteis no intenta meterla con calzador, sino hacer de ella el leit motiv de la serie.
Lo cierto es que, aunque la etapa está muy bien en su conjunto, tiene el severo hándicap de no poder nunca superar los magníficos primeros episodios, en los que el vampiro por excelencia del universo DC, Andrew Bennet, intenta acabar con su existencia. Ahí, DeMatteis y McManus lo dan todo, dando a luz una historia conmovedora, profunda y maravillosa sobre lo humano y lo divino, pero, en definitiva, se trata de un volumen que, sin ser redondo, resulta una lectura interesante y muy alejada de los tópicos del medio, que bien merece una atención de la que careció en su momento.
Lo cierto es que, aunque la etapa está muy bien en su conjunto, tiene el severo hándicap de no poder nunca superar los magníficos primeros episodios, en los que el vampiro por excelencia del universo DC, Andrew Bennet, intenta acabar con su existencia. Ahí, DeMatteis y McManus lo dan todo, dando a luz una historia conmovedora, profunda y maravillosa sobre lo humano y lo divino, pero, en definitiva, se trata de un volumen que, sin ser redondo, resulta una lectura interesante y muy alejada de los tópicos del medio, que bien merece una atención de la que careció en su momento.
July 11, 2025
DeMatteis tends to be strongly concerned with Christian themes, and this book is an example of that just not working, because all he has to say about Christianity is superficial sappy stuff about love and reincarnation and loving the same person through a thousand lifetimes. This is not the kind of love for humanity which leads a superhero to rescues a kitten from a tree because every life matters; this is love as in "You represent Chaos, but I represent Love, and Love will always triumph over Chaos because love is more powerful than anything." It's the theological equivalent of Hulk beating M.O.D.O.K. because "Hulk is strongest one there is!", only Hulk stories tend to have more variety, and Hulk actually helping people once in a while.
The dialogue also reeks, it's on the level of an embodied Lord of Order cracking lame jokes and being so contradictory and useless that even the people he's supposed to be mentoring are constantly remarking on it, a demon with a Russian accent that everyone imitates for no reason, none of it is actually funny, it's just cover for a lack of thoughtfulness. Bleah.
The dialogue also reeks, it's on the level of an embodied Lord of Order cracking lame jokes and being so contradictory and useless that even the people he's supposed to be mentoring are constantly remarking on it, a demon with a Russian accent that everyone imitates for no reason, none of it is actually funny, it's just cover for a lack of thoughtfulness. Bleah.
September 23, 2025
I really liked the miniseries from 1987. It's all about setting up a new status quo for Dr. Fate with two different people merging to become Fate. Keith Giffen's art is terrific. I'd forgotten how much I liked his style in the 80s. The series should be great. It's more of the same plus they have a demon that talks with a German accent as the family dog. It should be fun. Instead it's really esoteric. It's all about reincarnation, which would be fine if the original premise wasn't that these two people who are fated to be together is a stepmom and her 10 year old son who Nabu has aged up. It's just weird with a certain ick factor behind it. It's like this mystical story that has the main character marrying his cousin. No thank you. Shawn McManus's art is good at first. It start's getting really cartoony as it goes along though. Some of those faces in the last few issues? Yikes. I am very curious what William Messner-Loebs brings in the back half of this series.
September 29, 2025
I was incredibly excited when I first came across this collection, and though there are moments I definitely enjoyed, the book is consistently held back by a plot-line that involves Doctor Fate’s mantle being passed onto two characters whose bodies fuse together to become the Doctor Fate entity. One is a woman in love with her step-son and the other is her step-son. The narrative tries to justify the romance by claiming the two are reincarnated lovers spread across time but this does not age well and contributes to tonal whiplash present in other aspects of the book.Such a let-down as an adaptation for a character who belongs to the original super comic book super team.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2025
This is a really mixed bag of material, but all of it is eminently readable.
There were interesting parts of the plot that drew me inc such as the vampire who desperately wants to die. However, the long stretches of attempted esoteric exploration of existence fell very flat and didn’t make the point that the author thought it was making.
The art in the first miniseries had some individual panels that looked incredible, but the sequential storytelling was horrendous and I couldn’t follow what was happening. The main run had art that was way more followable, but was very much a house style.
In hindsight I should have sampled the run before buying an omnibus.
There were interesting parts of the plot that drew me inc such as the vampire who desperately wants to die. However, the long stretches of attempted esoteric exploration of existence fell very flat and didn’t make the point that the author thought it was making.
The art in the first miniseries had some individual panels that looked incredible, but the sequential storytelling was horrendous and I couldn’t follow what was happening. The main run had art that was way more followable, but was very much a house style.
In hindsight I should have sampled the run before buying an omnibus.
June 23, 2025
DC comics in the late 80s... when anything could happen. Rare as it is in comics, this volume tells a complete story with a definite beginning, middle and end - and a worthwhile one it is. DeMatteis' usual flare of mysticism is prevalent here but I found the story much more moving and the characters much more engaging than in, say, Moonshadow. The art is spectacular, to boot. It is impossible that a series like this one, based on an established character (even a relatively obscure one) would be published today, so savour it all the more for it.
July 3, 2025
DeMatteis' writing is a bit hit and miss for me personally. Often it goes too far over to the spiritual/mystical side of things and loses my interest.
And that tendency is just perfect for Doctor Fate. DeMatteis presents a great character study and a great arc of a story over 29 episodes. There's mysticism, yes, but it's entirely in keeping with the comic, and DeMatteis maintains some of the same ideas overall, making it a nice foundation.
A fun read: I loved meeting Eric and Linda even if DeMatteis stumbles a bit over their relationship early on.
And that tendency is just perfect for Doctor Fate. DeMatteis presents a great character study and a great arc of a story over 29 episodes. There's mysticism, yes, but it's entirely in keeping with the comic, and DeMatteis maintains some of the same ideas overall, making it a nice foundation.
A fun read: I loved meeting Eric and Linda even if DeMatteis stumbles a bit over their relationship early on.
June 24, 2025
It was a unique journey for sure! None of Nabu, Eric or Linda are particularly likeable but the persistent conflict keeps things interesting enough. This was very much not what I expected from a Lord of Order. Surprisingly, Petey was the most enjoyable character. Less superheroing and more philosophy and spiritualism. The art was serviceable, but I didn't love it.
I enjoyed it enough, but I don't think I'll want to reread it in the future.
I enjoyed it enough, but I don't think I'll want to reread it in the future.
July 30, 2025
I’m glad I heard this book through to the end. Very weird, very spiritual, a little heavy-handed, but I really loved it. I’ll reread this eventually, maybe around winter, and I think I’ll gain a new level to it. I love the way this story explores love and spirituality in a unique way. Barely a superhero book if we’re being honest.
July 23, 2025
4.5/5
August 11, 2025
*3.5
this was confusing and weird but also so captivating? I think the color scheme on the graphics gave me a headache whenever I picked this up
this was confusing and weird but also so captivating? I think the color scheme on the graphics gave me a headache whenever I picked this up
October 31, 2025
Cómo me costó terminarlo, se pone hiper denso. Lo mejor es la mini con Giffen definitivamente. Y McManus siempre genial
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews