He has several incarnations who are succession of sorcerers. Those who have portrayed Doctor Fate are Kent Nelson, Eric and Linda Strauss, Inza Nelson, Jared Stevens, Hector Hall, Khalid Ben-Hassin and Kahlid Nassour.

Kent Nelson is the original Doctor Fate. His story is that in 1920 he went with his father, an archaeologist, on an expedition to the Valley of Ur. During this expedition they discovered a temple with the tomb of Nabu the Wise. Nelson revives him from suspended animation which releases a poisonous gas that kills his father.

Nabu takes Kent under his wing and teaches him the skills of a sorcerer over the next 20 years before giving him his iconic helmet, amulet and cloak.

After receiving these he comes to America and begins his career crime fighting.

He was one of the founding members of Justice Society of America (JSA) in 1940.

Kent enlists in the U.S. Army and serves as a paratrooper during World War II.

He resigned from the JSA in 1944 and follows after his father by becoming an archaeologist.

Nassour is the current Doctor Fate, having a series launched in June of 2015. Within this version he is portrayed as an Egyptian-American medical student.

His super-powers include spellcasting, flight, super-strength, invulnerability, telekinesis, telepathy, and fire and lightning manipulation. However, he is unable to counter spells that have already been cast and are in effect.

His magic manifests itself in the shape of Egyptian hieroglyphs.