Doctor Fate has been around since the Golden Age, and in the comics, his reach spans from ancient times all the way into the distant future. This concept has been explored from a variety of angles of the years, and with a new version recently teased on Twitter, it seems that Doctor Fate will receive yet another futuristic make-over!
Legion of Superheroes artist Michel Fiffe recently took to Twitter to unveil the latest version of Doctor Fate, appearing in the ninth issue of the futuristic super-team's comic, written by Brian Michael Bendis. The black and white image shows an alien, multi-armed Doctor Fate levitating while wearing an updated version of helmet, complete with a more distinctive looking armor. To his left and right are scrolling s of images which this new Fate's hands seem to be entering and interacting with, perhaps representing different timelines or realities. Whatever the situation, it's an intriguing image to say the least.
Related: The Justice Leagues Most Powerful Member Just Met His Match
Doctor Fate first appeared in More Fun Comics #55 way back in 1940. Since then, several iterations of the character have appeared, with most possessing the signature helmet of the wizard Nabu. The helmet gives the wearer a variety of magical abilities, including force fields, flight, superhuman strength along with numerous magical spells. The character is often depicted as the foremost magical expert in the DC Universe, mostly due to the sheer depth of Nabu's training and knowledge.
Because of the helmet's powers and history, future iterations of Doctor Fate have appeared over the years. In Mark Waid and Alex Ross' Kingdom Come, Nabu has gained the power to live on without the need of a host, and simply appears as a floating cape and helmet. Allied with Batman's crew of younger heroes, this version - simply titled Fate - proved instrumental in helping to shield the remaining heroes from the nuclear blast at the book's climax.
Nabu took on a far darker context in war between Order and Chaos, this version of Nabu is one of the most bleak images of the book for both readers and young Timothy Hunter, the book's protagonist.
Little is known about the newest iteration of Doctor Fate, but given the character's longevity, it's no wonder Nabu has survived far in the 31st century. One interesting detail, however, is the character's likely alien identity. This could make for a very interesting character, as Nabu's knowledge and training might take on a different context for a decidedly non-human host. How this as-of-yet-unnamed alien will stack up to the previous hosts of Doctor Fate remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure - Doctor Fate's future has yet to unfold.
Source: Twitter
