First Issue Special: Dr. Fate #9 (DC, 1975)

This is a comic that I believe was the best solo Dr. Fate story during the Bronze Age called, "The Mummy That Time Forgot"! Appearing in DC First Issue #9, this story was written by Martin Pasko with the amazingly cool pencils of Walt Simonson.

The story begins as Dr. Fate is alerted to trouble in the Boston Museum of Egyptology:

Dr. Fate arrives to find two dead professors and is greeted by the Mummy Khalis, servant of Anubis...

...and easily overpowered as his own magic turns against him.

Khalis takes the Amulet of Anubis from an unconscious Dr. Fate but does not kill him. Dr. Fate awakens hours later and returns to his tower in Salem to recover.

There he studies old archeology books until he stumbles upon an ancient legend:

Dr. Fate learns the history behind the Amulet of Anubis, and why Khalis was after it. There is also a quick flashback to the origin of Dr. Fate:

Armed with knowledge, Dr. Fate heads out to stop Khalis once and for all:

Khalis survives Dr. Fate's attack, and erects Egyptian temples in the city in an attempt to awake Anubis.

It works, but the Lord of Darkness apparently woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

Anubis is not impressed by Khalis' actions, but is annoyed by the presence of Dr. Fate even more. He tells the mummy Khalis he will consider his offer if he can destroy Dr. Fate.

Khalis unleashes the claws of Anubis on Dr. Fate, but Fate breaks the sarcophagus seal, allowing him to speak the words of an ancient spell that is destined to defeat Khalis once and for all.

Dr. Fate feels the essence of the Sun-God Amon-Ra fill his body as Khalis crumbles into ashes. Exhausted, Fate retakes the Amulet of Anubis. He wonders if this was the test Nabu had intended for him long ago.

Walt Simonson's layouts were just spectacular in this issue. The story was interesting as well, and revealed more about Fate's amulet then I had previously known. I wish Pasko and Simonson had stuck together for a Dr. Fate series during this time period, as I easily would have eaten up anything they would have had to offer.