Carter Hall had lived thousands of lifetimes ever since his first incarnation - Prince Khufu of ancient Egypt - came into contact with the Thangarian element Nth metal, which also gave him longevity. Reborn in the 1940s as Hall, he utilized the Nth metal to become the winged wonder Hawkman, leading the Justice Society of America in its heyday, then went on to become a valued member of the original Justice League of America.
However, Hawkman and most of his teammates were killed in the nuclear explosion, caused by the death of Captain Atom, that destroyed Coast City. But the timeline-shifting crisis called Time's Doom merged Carter's soul with Thangarina policeman Katar Hol, who adopted the Hawkman persona until the two were eventually separated, leaving Carter died again.
