Black Adam
Black Adam is a character from DC Comics who has evolved over the years from a villain into an antihero. First introduced in 1945, Black Adam was originally the nemesis of Shazam, a superhero who gains powers by invoking the name of the wizard Shazam. Adam was granted superpowers by the wizard but succumbed to corruption after initially using his powers to liberate his people in ancient Egypt. His story is marked by themes of power and redemption, as he oscillates between villainy and attempts at reformation.
The character's origins have undergone several revisions, including being depicted as a protector of ancient Egypt who fell victim to dark forces. Over time, Black Adam has been portrayed as a complex figure who, despite his violent methods, has moments of heroism. His narrative often features intense battles with Shazam and other heroes, reflecting his contentious nature. The character was notably revived in the 1970s and has appeared in various comic series and graphic novels.
In recent years, Black Adam's popularity surged with the release of a major film in 2022, featuring Dwayne Johnson in the lead role, further cementing his place in contemporary pop culture. The character remains a compelling study of the duality between heroism and villainy within the superhero genre.
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Black Adam
Black Adam is a DC Comics character who has served as both a villain and an antihero in various incarnations since 1945. Adam was introduced as an early villain pitted against Shazam/Captain Marvel, the heroic persona adopted by teenager Billy Batson. Originally, Black Adam was granted his powers by an ancient Egyptian wizard but grew corrupt and villainous over time. In later origin stories, Adam used his powers to free his people from slavery in the ancient world, only to later fall victim to corruption. His power was sealed away for millennia before being reawakened in the modern world. Adam remained a villain in the comics for years before he attempted to reform himself and make amends for his past actions. Despite his turn to the side of good, Adam remained incredibly powerful and sometimes used violent means to dispense justice.
Brief History
Black Adam first appeared in Marvel Family #1, a comic printed in December 1945. The Marvel Family was a group of young superheroes led by Captain Marvel, a character that debuted in 1939’s Whiz Comics #2. Captain Marvel was the alter ego of Billy Batson, a twelve-year-old orphan who was granted superpowers by an ancient wizard named Shazam. Billy could access these powers by calling out the wizard’s name, which was an acronym for the mythological figures Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury.
The characters of Captain Marvel and the Marvel Family were published by Fawcett Comics, one of the most successful comic publishers of the 1940s. In the 1950s, DC Comics revived a previous copyright suit against Fawcett, claiming that Captain Marvel bore too much similarity to Superman. After an out-of-court settlement, Fawcett halted publication of the Captain Marvel comics.
In the 1960s, rival comic publisher Marvel began publishing their own title under the name Captain Marvel, but this character bore no resemblance to the original. DC Comics purchased the licensing rights to use Fawcett’s version of Captain Marvel in 1972 and brought the character back. Although still technically named Captain Marvel, the character was rebranded as Shazam to avoid copyright conflicts with Marvel Comics’ version. The character went through several revisions and reboots over the next four decades until he was officially renamed Shazam in 2011.
Overview
In Marvel Family #1, the wizard Shazam reveals to Billy that he was not the first person to receive the powers of the gods. The wizard says that five thousand years earlier, in ancient Egypt, he wanted to give his powers to a worthy person and believed he had found that person in a man named Adam. The wizard bestowed his powers upon Adam and renamed him Teth-Adam, or Mighty Adam. Teth-Adam is seemingly immortal, impervious to harm, and has the ability to fly. He becomes corrupted by this ultimate power, murders Egypt’s pharaoh, and takes the throne for himself.
The wizard Shazam renames him Khem-Adam, or Black Adam, a reference to his evil soul, and banishes him to a distant region of the universe. In the 1940s, astronomers notice a strange object headed toward Earth at the speed of light. The wizard reveals to Billy that this object is Black Adam, who has been speeding back to Earth since his banishment. Upon his arrival, Black Adam resolves to use his powers to rule the planet, but he is stopped by Billy Batson and the other members of the Marvel Family. The family tricks Black Adam into saying the name “Shazam,” which transforms him back into human form. However, since Adam is now more than five thousand years old, his body rapidly ages and turns to dust.
When DC’s version of Shazam and the Marvel Family was revived in the 1970s, so was Black Adam—literally. Adam was brought back to life by a resurrection machine created by the evil Doctor Sivana. Adam and Billy Batson/Shazam are briefly transported back in time to 1776 before renewing their battle in the present day. Billy again defeats Adam by getting him to say “Shazam,” but this time he only suffers memory loss.
The story of Billy Batson/Shazam and Black Adam was rebooted in the 1994 graphic novel The Power of Shazam! by Jerry Ordway. In this version, Teth-Adam was a heroic warrior in service of his father, the Egyptian Pharaoh Rameses II. The wizard Shazam recognized Adam’s bravery and gave him the power of the Egyptian gods Shu, Heru, Amon, Zehuti, Aton, and Mehen. Adam serves as Egypt’s protector until he is corrupted by an evil demon, stripped of his powers, and imprisoned in a scarab necklace.
In the present day, Billy Batson’s parents are leading an archeological expedition to unearth the tomb of Rameses II when they discover the magical scarab necklace. An assistant named Theo Adam becomes obsessed with the necklace and kills the Batsons, taking the scarab for himself. He eventually realizes he is a descendant of Teth-Adam and uses the necklace to become the powerful Black Adam. Shazam and Black Adam engage in a series of battles, after which Shazam is victorious. Adam is brought before the wizard, who erases his memory and steals his voice so he cannot call out the name “Shazam!” and access his power. Eventually, it is revealed that Theo Adam and Black Adam are separate entities and it was Theo who was responsible for the murder of the Batsons. Black Adam is eventually acquitted of the killings and switches sides, joining with the Justice Society of America to fight evil. Still, Adam’s methods often clash with those of the other members of the Justice Society, as he would rather kill the villains he encounters than merely stop their criminal ways.
In the 2000s, Black Adam’s story was again reimagined to place his origins in the fictional ancient kingdom of Kahndaq. In one comic arc, Kahndaq is invaded by a powerful villain who enslaves the country and kills Adam’s family. Adam returns to free his homeland and extract vengeance on the invaders, but his methods are so brutal that the wizard strips Adam of his powers and kills him. Other versions of Black Adam appear in comic and graphic novel series such as Justice Society of America, Villains United, Infinite Crisis, and 52. In 2022, Hollywood released a major motion picture called Black Adam, with actor Dwayne Johnson in the title role.
Bibliography
“Black Adam.” Comic Vine, 25 Oct. 2023, comicvine.gamespot.com/black-adam/4005-4916/. Accessed 14 Nov. 2023.
Cecchini, Mike, and Marc Buxton. “Who Is Black Adam And What Are His Powers And Weaknesses?” Den of Geek, 18 Oct. 2022, www.denofgeek.com/movies/shazam-who-is-black-adam/. Accessed 14 Nov. 2023.
Chin, Daniel. “What You Need to Know Before Seeing ‘Black Adam.’” The Ringer, 19 Oct. 2022, www.theringer.com/dc/2022/10/19/23412476/black-adam-dc-dceu-the-rock-shazam. Accessed 14 Nov. 2023.
Farley, Lloyd. “The Crazy Comic Book History of Shazam!” Collider, 27 Jan. 2023, collider.com/shazam-comic-book-history/. Accessed 14 Nov. 2023.
Marston, George. “Black Adam’s Comic Book History and Powers, Explained.” Games Radar, 17 Oct. 2022, www.gamesradar.com/who-is-black-adam-and-what-are-his-powers/. Accessed 14 Nov. 2023.
Masters, Brandon. “The Origin of Black Adam.” You Don’t Read Comics, www.youdontreadcomics.com/articles/2022/12/14/the-origin-of-black-adam-comics-101. Accessed 14 Nov. 2023.