Reincarnation abilities which, upon deaths, allows him to live through various lifetimes with different experiences.
Hector Hall (also known as Hektor Hol) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Roy Thomas and Jerry Ordway, he made his first appearance in All-Star Squadron #25 (September, 1983). While having adopted various codenames, the character is frequently associated with Hawkman-related characters.
The original incarnation of the character was the son of Carter Hall and the original Hawkgirl, Shiera Sanders Hall. He served as the superhero Silver Scarab and was a known member of Infinity, Inc and a love interest of teammate Fury until he is killed by events orchestrated by the Hawk family's longstanding enemy, Hath-Set. Hall later became the third Sandman and reunites with his friends and family for a time but later returns to the realm of the deceased by the Morpheus. During his time as Sandman, Hall and Lyta bore a child, Daniel, who was conceived in the Dreaming and is fated to become Morpheus's successor as Lord of the Dreaming. Inheriting his parent's reincarnation cycle abilities, his new lifetime casts him as the biological son of Hank Hall (no relation to Carter Hall) and Dawn Granger, the duo more famously known as Hawk and Dove. Conceived from Mordru's interference within Hank during his time as Extant, Hector is aged into adulthood shortly after birth by the super-villain due to his destiny as an incarnation of Doctor Fate. Succeeding Jared Stevens, the character worked to prove himself of the heroic legacy while navigating through the complex relationship of the Hawkfamily. Hall is later killed once more but by the Spectre but in the afterlife, is reunited with Lyta by an older Daniel.
The newest incarnation of the character, Hektor Hol, is introduced in a backup of Superboy: The Man of Tomorrow. This version, known as Changeling, is depicted as being younger than other past versions, being seemingly Thanagarian in origin and possessing similar equipment often adorned by Hawkman, Hawkgirl, and Hawkwoman. This version of the character and is the son of Katar and Shayera Hol.
Hector Hall appears in the first season of the Netflix drama series The Sandman (2022), portrayed by Lloyd Everitt. This version takes inspiration from his histories concerning his lifetime as the Silver Scarab and Sandman.
Creation
Thomas spoke on the character's genesis, stating:
At any rate, in his case we decided to use a different motif identified with his parents: ancient Egypt. (The Golden Age Hawkman was the reincarnation of an Egyptian prince.) Thus Hector became the Silver Scarab--no relation to the Scarlet Scarab, an Egyptian villain I'd created five years earlier for my Invaders series at Marvel, except that both were homages to the Nile-spawned, scarab-related, first Charlton Comics incarnation of the Blue Beetle, about whom I had written my second professional comics story back in 1965.[excessivequote][1]
Hector Hall is the son of Carter and Shiera Hall, the Golden Age heroes known as Hawkman and Hawkgirl.[2] Carter and Shiera were reincarnations of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh and his wife, both of whom had been killed and cursed by their rival Hath-Set. Unbeknownst to either of them, however, Hath-Set's curse also concerned any children that might be conceived by the pair. The curse of Seketh, the Ancient Egyptian God of Death, prophesied the combination of the Silver Scarab and the Eye of Ra, which would practically mean the end of the world. As such, when Hector was born during an archaeological dig near Cairo, he was born without a soul, destined to be a vessel for the Silver Scarab, an agent of vengeance called forth by Hath-Set.[3]
To further anger Hector, his parents would frequently visit the city of Feithera and spend time with their godson Norda Cantrell (who would become Northwind). Although the two children would be playmates as well, Hector carried a grudge against Norda for his wings and the attention he got from Hector's parents. It turned out later that, as Hector had been prophesied to become an agent of Hath-Set, Norda's destiny would be to stop him.[4]
Young Hector Hall would sometimes also play with the other children of the Justice Society, such as Al Rothstein (godchild of the first Atom), Lyta Trevor (child of the first Fury, who would grow up to marry Hector) and Rick Tyler (the son of the first Hourman). During one of these meetings, the kids ended up flying a jet, and almost crashed into the White House, where they were of course stopped and reprimanded by their parents.[5]
The Silver Scarab
Hector Hall, the Silver Scarab
Feeling neglected by his crime-fighting parents, in college Hector constructed a suit out of the Nth Metal that granted his parents the power of flight, while also adding some solar improvements. Hector had enrolled at UCLA and met his childhood friend, Lyta Trevor. The two quickly fell in love and began to date. Lyta wished to follow in her mother's footsteps and become the next Fury, and Hector shared the secret of his Silver Scarab suit with her. As such, the two decided to apply for membership in the Justice Society of America, the group their parents had helped form. Inviting Al Rothstein to apply with them as well as Norda Cantrell, who would codename himself Northwind, all four were turned down due to their age and inexperience. Before the four could further plead their case, Jenny Hayden and Todd Rice, both Alan Scott's children, showed up and also applied. The six of them left, but shortly after, Henry King Jr. came to apply, using the illusion of his father, Brainwave. He quickly told them that he was the son of the original Brainwave and didn't want a fight, but the JSA attacked him regardless. Feeling pity on the youngsters, Star-Spangled Kid decided to leave the JSA with Brainwave Jr. in order to create a new group. They were joined by Power Girl and the Huntress, and called themselves Infinity, Inc.[6]
After battling their parents and mentors (who were under the influence of Koehaha, the River of Evil) the team publicly divulged their secret identities (revealing those of their parents in the process), and Hector also announced his engagement to Lyta.[7] The Ultra-Humanite had already revealed Hawkman and Hawkgirl's secret identities, and Hector chose to confirm the rumor. They had little time to enjoy their happiness as the entity that had been within Hector since his birth came forth, thanks to the manipulation of Hath-Set.[8] The reincarnated Silver Scarab fought Infinity, Inc. alongside Hath-Set and summoned the Eye of Ra. The heroes managed (largely thanks to the help of the returned Northwind) to win, but at the cost of Hector's life. As he died, he learned that Lyta was carrying his child, the one thing that was his undoing, for the child carried with him the purity and goodness of Hector Hall, resulting in the Silver Scarab being unable to fully control the Eye.[9]
The Sandman
Hector Hall cheated death like his parents before. His consciousness had been cast into the Dreaming, where it was discovered by Brute and Glob, former servants of Morpheus, Dream of the Endless. Left at a loose end following the imprisonment of Morpheus in the early 20th century, Brute and Glob had taken to recruiting mortals as surrogate "dream kings", which they hoped to use as a means to seize control of the entire Dreaming. Hector was one such pawn, and he adopted the costumed identity of the Sandman. In his new persona, Hector could only leave his "dream dimension" for one hour a day.
He increasingly made use of this time to visit Lyta in her dreams, where he discovered that she had become pregnant with his child. This pattern continued for a long time before Hector was finally "caught" by his friend Al Rothstein, who had come to visit Lyta and propose to her. He told Lyta of his new role and asked her to marry him. She agreed, and the two of them departed for the dream dimension.[10]
The "Dream Dimension" was nothing more than a part of the Dreaming inside the mind of a young boy named Jed Walker which Brute and Glob had severed.[11] Inside, Lyta slowly started to drift off, becoming less and less in touch with reality, and her pregnancy had completely halted for nearly two years. Hector became more and more obsessed with his role as the Sandman, and devolved from a serious superhero to one who fought nonsensical battles against weak villains. It was only a short time later that Morpheus escaped his captivity and set about putting the Dreaming back into order. Eventually, his attention fell on Brute and Glob. Ending their schemes, Morpheus returned Hector to the realm of the dead, and laid claim to his yet-to-be-born son, Daniel, who was destined to become the next Lord of Dreams.[12]
Infinity Frontier
In "Infinite Frontier", Hector Hall as the Silver Scarab appears in a portrait of the Infinity Inc. members.[13]
Second lifetime
Like his parents, Hector was in a reincarnation cycle. When he returned again several years later, he was chosen to adopt the vestments of Doctor Fate, a powerful sorcerer who had previously been a member of the Justice Society of America.[2] As soon as he had adopted the vestments of Fate, he was forced to fight Mordru and was able to best him, capturing him inside the Amulet, thanks to the advice of Kent Nelson, who resided in the Amulet with his wife Inza.[14]
The parents of Hector's current body are Hank Hall (no relation) and Dawn Granger, better known as the superheroes Hawk and Dove. Since they were empowered by the Lords of Chaos and Order respectively, the new Doctor Fate was, like Jared Stevens before him, an agent of balance.[15]
While acting as Fate with the Justice Society, there was still a piece missing in Hector Hall's life, his wife. He and the team had traveled inside the Amulet of Anubis to find her, where Mordru revealed she was alive, and he returned to the place where he was reborn. There he found his second mother to be comatose, but concluded that Mordru had put up a spell of deception and that this woman was in fact Lyta. Hector sought his aid in reviving his wife from her coma with the JSA, and while he left her with them, he traveled to Thanagar. He came to rescue Hawkgirl and also witnessed the resurrection of his father.[16]
Hector was unsuccessful in his attempts to wake Lyta. He learned from what he believed to be Nabu, to travel to Gemworld, where he would uncover the secret behind Mordru's spell.[17] It turned out that the Amulet had been created on Gemworld, and that Nabu had come from a world known as Cilia, with the Amulet being all that is left of the planet. Similarly, he learned that Mordru was in fact not a corporeal being, but a form of body-hopping magical energy.[18] Hector left Gemworld with this new knowledge, and took with him the skull of Lord Wrynn, a man who had been consumed by Mordru. Hector started to prepare for the ritual involving the skull, although Nabu disapproved, wanting Hector to study more.
At one point, the JSA confronted the Injustice Society, and after the elder heroes had been teleported away, the Spectre revealed himself and told them that they would have to fight a demon called Legacy. When Hector met with Nabu, he was confronted with his 'destiny': he was fated to kill Hawkgirl, after which he would be killed by his own father. Hector did not accept this destiny and instead swore that he would form his own path and fate. Hector and the rest of the JSA confronted Legacy who was revealed to be an old villain called Wizard, and they proceeded to beat him.[19]
Afterwards, Hector returned to his goal of freeing Lyta. When he had undone Mordru's spell, he found that Mordru had placed another spell, and that the woman was in fact Dawn Granger.[15] Rejoining the JSA, he became aggressive to both protestors and his own teammates. Hawkman ordered him to remove his helmet and to their shock, Mordru had managed to replace Hector under the helm of Fate.[20] Hector was now imprisoned in the cell he had created for Mordru in the Amulet.[21] The Agents of Order that had come before helped him and it was revealed that Mordru had been disguised as Nabu the entire time and that he had taken over the body of Arion, a Lord of Order. He was brought to the house of the Nelsons, where he was told his wife was dead, which he still refused to accept.[22] Hector gathered his strength and managed to return to reality to confront Mordru. After showing Mordru his future, a future of humiliation and failure, Hector imprisoned Mordru within the Rock of Eternity at the end of the universe.[23]
Hall had operated as Doctor Fate from Salem since then, with Nabu - again inhabiting the helm, but no longer controlling Fate - advising him. The Nelsons' souls still resided within the amulet, and they were occasionally able to contact the outside world (including Kent once having encountered the 1990s Starman). Hall's identity is known to a few who have figured it out, and in his secret identity, he socialized with some of the inhabitants of Salem, being on the whole more gregarious than his predecessors.
When faced with the monstrous magical might of the being known as the Curse (a being that Nabu himself had not been able to completely vanquish), Hector was killed. As his body lay dying in the streets of Salem, Hector's spirit met with Nabu inside the helmet. Nabu had been verbally abusing Hector ever since the latter had taken on the mantle (because even though Hector was stated to have the most power as Doctor Fate, he was not living up to his potential). Finally, after Nabu continued his assault, telling Hector he might as well die so another could claim the mantle, Hector finally had enough, decked Nabu and returned to his body. He was able to revive his body and ended up capable enough to beat the Curse. Now Hector was truly secure and confident in his role.[24]
Hector and Lyta's spirits depart into the Dreaming in JSA #80, art by Don Kramer.
On a later adventure to Kahndaq with the JSA, Hector and Nabu clashed again, as Nabu took control of Doctor Fate, and worked against the JSA, stating that Hector was blindly following his father while Nabu argued that Black Adam's current agenda was justified.[25] Hector, with the help of the Nelsons and the other previous incarnations of Fate, was able to trap Nabu in the Amulet and once again took control. At that same time, Hector's wife Lyta was revealed to have been imprisoned by Nabu to manipulate Hector. The couple were reunited as they appeared in Kahndaq again, just as Black Adam was defeated by the Justice Society.[26]
Lyta and Hall returned to the Tower and lived happily,[27] until they were trapped in a section of Hell by the Spectre, who was on a rampage to destroy all magic.[28] The two were stranded on a frozen mountain, where Hector was forced to fend off various demons that threatened him and Lyta.[29] Meanwhile, an unconscious Lyta was communicating with their son Daniel, Lord of the Dreaming. Daniel proposed they join him in the Dreaming and when Lyta woke up, Hector had collapsed near her, close to death. She decided to take him up on his offer. Together with Hector, they entered the portal to the Dreaming. As their physical bodies froze to death atop the mountain,their spirits joined their son.[30]
Powers, abilities, and resources
Silver Scarab's powers and abilities
As the Silver Scarab, Hector possessed no inherent superpowers; he wore a suit made up of the fictional Nth metal, allowing the wearer to defy gravity and grant them superhuman strength. Further improvement to the suit by Hector also made it solar-powered, enabling him to project blasts of solar energy from his gauntlets.[31]
Sandman's powers and abilities
As Sandman, Hector possessed the same abilities as his predecessor: superhuman strength, immortality, and flight. He could also reshape matter to his will in the Dream Dimension. Additionally, he carried cartridges of sand in his belt capable of putting people to sleep, a hypersonic whistle that creates shattering vibrations and controls nightmare creatures, and both communicates with and transports others into Earth and the Dream Dimension.[32]
Doctor Fate's powers and abilities
During his lifetime as Doctor Fate, Hector possesses some innate magical powers granted to him through his birth as the biological child of Hawk and Dove. These magical abilities are bolstered by the possession of mystical artifacts commonly associated with Doctor Fate. Unlike prior depictions of the character, Hector does not need to make use of ankhs when casting his spells.[33] Like other incarnations of the character, he is classified as a "Sorcerer", a particular class of magic practitioners that relies on enchanted objects to amplify their magical abilities and protect themselves from the inherent risks associated with magic. These enchanted objects serve a dual purpose, enhancing their magical powers while also serving as protective measures.[34]
With possession of the mystical artifacts associated with Doctor Fate, Hector is widely regarded as one of the most powerful sorcerers in the DC Universe. Unlike certain iterations of Doctor Fate who are heavily influenced by the ancient being Nabu when acting as the helm's prime spirit patron, Hector retains a greater degree of control over his mental faculties. As Doctor Fate, he stands on equal footing with other formidable magic users such as Zatanna, Tempest, Sebastian Faust, Doctor Occult, and Jason Blood/Etrigan, showcasing his prowess in the realm of magic.[35] He is widely regarded as potentially the most powerful incarnation of Doctor Fate among his predecessors, surpassing the sorcerous abilities of Eric and Linda Strauss, Jared Stevens, Inza Cramer, and Kent Nelson. This places him as a highly skilled sorcerer within the Doctor Fate lineage.[33]
Helmet of Fate: With the Helmet of Fate, Hector derives his power as Doctor Fate from the patronage of the Lord of Order, Nabu. This connection enables him to acquire knowledge of spells through Nabu's guidance and suggestion. Additionally, the helmet grants Hector the ability to wield a vast array of spells and eldritch formulae, further enhancing his magical capabilities as Doctor Fate.[33]
Amulet of Anubis: The Amulet of Anubis enhances Hector's magic and provides him with resistance against mental probing. Additionally, the amulet contains a separate universe within it.[36][37]
Cloak of Destiny: The Cloak of Destiny possesses properties that make it fireproof and capable of resisting chaos magic.[38][39]
Dream of the Endless is a fictional anthropomorphic personification who first appeared in the first issue of The Sandman, written by Neil Gaiman and published by DC Comics. One of the seven Endless, who are inconceivably powerful beings older and greater than gods, Dream is both lord and personification of all dreams and stories, and all that is not in reality. He has taken many names, including Morpheus, Oneiros, Kai'ckul, and the Sandman, and his appearance can change depending on the person who is seeing him. Dream was named the sixth-greatest comic book character by Empire. He was also named fifteenth in IGN's 100 Top Comic Book Heroes list.
The Justice Society of America (JSA) is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. It was conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox during the Golden Age of Comic Books. It first appeared in All Star Comics #3, making it the first team of superheroes in comic books. Its original members were Doctor Fate, Hourman, the Spectre, Sandman, Atom, the Flash, Green Lantern and Hawkman.
Hawkman is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics #1, published by All-American Publications in 1940. Over the course of the character's publication history, due to a series of reinventions of the character following the 1985 Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover and series, Hawkman is known as having one of the most confusing backstories of any character in DC Comics.
The Sandman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first of several DC characters to bear the name Sandman, he was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Bert Christman. Attired in a green business suit, fedora, and World War I gas mask, the Sandman used a gun emitting a sleeping gas to sedate criminals. He was originally one of the "mystery men" to appear in comic books and other types of adventure fiction in the 1930s, but later was outfitted with a unitard/cowl costume and developed into a proper superhero, acquiring a sidekick, Sandy, and founding the Justice Society of America (JSA).
The Sandman is the pseudonym of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. They have appeared in stories of various genres, including the pulp detective character Wesley Dodds, superheroes such as Garrett Sanford and Hector Hall, and mythic fantasy characters more commonly called by the name Dream. Named after the folklore character that is said to bring pleasant dreams to children, each has had some thematic connection to dreaming, and efforts have been made to tie them into a common continuity within the DC Universe.
Doctor Fate is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first version was originally created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Howard Sherman, debuting in More Fun Comics #55. Eight characters have served as incarnations of the character within the mainstream DC Universe, with each new version after the original attempting to reinvigorate the character for contemporary audiences.
Infinity, Inc. is a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.
Hawkgirl is the name of several superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The original Hawkgirl, Shiera Sanders Hall, was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, and first appeared in Flash Comics #1. Shayera Hol was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Joe Kubert, and first appeared in The Brave and the Bold #34. Kendra Saunders was created by writer David S. Goyer and artist Stephen Sadowski, and first appeared in JSA: Secret Files and Origins #1. One of DC's earliest super-heroines, Hawkgirl has appeared in many of the company's flagship team-up titles including Justice Society of America and Justice League of America.
Fury is the codename shared by three DC Comics superheroes, two of whom are mother and daughter, both of whom are directly connected with the Furies of mythology, and the third who is an altogether different character.
The Injustice Society is a group of supervillains in the DC Comics Universe. They are the main antagonists of the Justice Society of America.
Albert Rothstein is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Atom Smasher is known for his power of growth and super strength.
Northwind is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.
Hath-Set is a DC Comics supervillain created by Gardner Fox and Dennis Neville. The character is the archenemy of Hawkman and Hawkgirl.
Hourman is a fictional superhero who was created by Roy Thomas, Dann Thomas and first appeared in Infinity Inc. #20 as Rick Tyler, son of the original Hourman, who quickly joined Infinity Inc. as the second Hourman in #21 of that book.
Hawkman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is the first character to use the name Hawkman. There are two separate origins of Carter Hall; the Golden Age origin and the Post-Hawkworld origin.
Kent Nelson is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Gardner Fox and Howard Sherman, the character first appeared More Fun Comics #55 during the Golden Age of Comic Books and is the first character to use the codename Doctor Fate. At times, he is also referred to as the Golden Age Doctor Fate.
Kendra Saunders is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She was created by writers James Robinson and David S. Goyer and artist Scott Benefiel, and first appeared in JSA: Secret Files and Origins #1 .She is the third and current version of the Hawkgirl character. Saunders is depicted as a Hispanic-American being the latest in a reincarnation cycle. Saunders differs from her past incarnation with a reluctance in accepting herself as being a reincarnation of a singular being, distancing herself from reoccurring aspects of her past lives. As the heroine Hawkgirl, she is an immortal warrior who has served as a notable member of both the Justice League and Justice Society of America.
Shiera Sanders-Hall is a superheroine, the first Hawkgirl appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Shiera Sanders Hall was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, and first appeared in Flash Comics #1 as a romantic interest of Hawkman. Then later as one of DC's earliest super-heroines, she has appeared in many of the company's flagship team-up titles including the Justice Society of America.
Last Days of the Justice Society of America, a.k.a. simply Last Days of the Justice Society, is a one-shot comic book special from DC Comics, originally produced in 1986. A sequel to the maxi-series Crisis on Infinite Earths, this book's purpose was to remove the Justice Society of America from the DC universe, because the writers felt that the team of aging heroes had become irrelevant in the post-Crisis world. However, it was done in such a way that the JSA could be brought back in the future, should any writer wish.
"The New Golden Age" is a crossover event in DC Comics publications. Written by Geoff Johns, the story follows the Justice Society of America unraveling a mystery following the Golden Age heroes and villains and the untold stories that come with it. The story comprises an eponymous one-shot and the central storyline in the ongoing Justice Society of America, as well as tie-in limited series like Stargirl: The Lost Children, Alan Scott: The Green Lantern, Jay Garrick: The Flash, and Wesley Dodds: The Sandman.
↑ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Manning, Matthew K.; McAvennie, Michael; Wallace, Daniel (2019). DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle. DK Publishing. p.197. ISBN978-1-4654-8578-6.
↑ Wagner, Hank; Golden, Christopher; Bissette, Stephen R. (2008). Prince of Stories: The Many Worlds of Neil Gaiman. St. Martin's Press. p.45. ISBN9781429961783.
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