Black Adam
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Black Adam is a fictional comic book character, appearing in DC Comics, whose morally ambiguous nature has his character fall between the lines of heroism and villainy; as a result, he has associated himself with both superheroes and supervillains in the past.
The character was originally created in 1945 for the premiere issue of Fawcett Comics' The Marvel Family comic book by Otto Binder and C.C. Beck as an "evil" version of Fawcett's popular Captain Marvel character. Adam was later revived by DC Comics in the 1970s Shazam! comic book, becoming Captain Marvel's most powerful foe in terms of physical abilities. Originally called Teth-Adam (Mighty Adam) in ancient Egypt, Black Adam was a previous appointee of the wizard Shazam, but soon used his power for his own corrupt ends, which forced the wizard to punish him. Generally, that punishment was to remove Adam from that time, only to appear in modern times to challenge Shazam's current appointee, Billy Batson, in his Captain Marvel form.
By the early 21st century, Adam had been redefined by DC writers Jerry Ordway, Geoff Johns, and David S. Goyer as a corrupted anti-hero attempting to clear his name, but unable to fully rid himself of his evil influences. Adam's personal goal is to enforce justice; however, his ideals of justice, often involving hostile action or execution, are considered extreme by many of the heroes who have attempted to give the former supervillain a second chance. This current version of Black Adam is the ruler of Kahndaq, a fictional Middle Eastern nation in the DC Universe. Featured roles in comic books series such as JSA, Villains United, Infinite Crisis, and 52 have elevated the character to a level of prominence in DC Comics nearly surpassing that of Captain Marvel.
Adam is depicted as a powerful Arab man wearing a costume similar to Captain Marvels, except that the red portions are instead black and Adam does not usually wear a cape. Some artists, following C.C. Beck's original design, also depict Adam with pointed, elfin ears.
Fawcett Comics
The original Fawcett Comics version of Black Adam, which appeared only once during the original Fawcett run of Captain Marvel comics, was an ancient Egyptian prince named "Teth-Adam", who was chosen by the wizard Shazam to be his successor.
When Adam said the magic word "Shazam", he was transformed into a black-clad super-powered being, Mighty Adam. Possessing the stamina of Shu, the swiftness of Heru (Horus), the strength of Amon, the wisdom of Zehuti (Thoth), the power of Aton, and the courage of Mehen, Adam was soon corrupted by the vastness of his powers.
Deciding that he should rule the world, Adam overthrew the pharaoh and assumed the throne. An angry Shazam gives his errant champion a new name -- "Black Adam" -- and banishes him to the most distant star in the universe.
Adam spends the next 5000 years flying back to Earth; by the time he makes it back, in 1945, Shazam has appointed three new champions to take his place: Captain Marvel, Mary Marvel, and Captain Marvel, Jr.. Adam does battle with the trio, known as the Marvel Family, but since all are equally invulnerable, the fight goes on and on without resolution. At the suggestion of the wizard Shazam, Uncle Marvel tricks Black Adam into saying the wizard's name, transforming him back into his mortal form. Adam's natural aging process takes hold, and he withers away into a skeleton within moments.
DC Comics
Pre-Crisis and Shazam!: The New Beginning
While he was defeated in the same story in which he debuted, Adam was resurrected nearly thirty years later (by Dr. Sivana) in DC Comics' Shazam! revival of the Marvel Family characters. After several more defeats at Captain Marvel's hand, Adam joined Mister Mind's final pre-Crisis version of the Monster Society Of Evil. Adam's origin was revised for the 1987 miniseries Shazam! The New Beginning, in which the need for Captain Marvel to oppose him is made an integeral reason of why Billy Batson is recruited. Soon after that call, the corrupted champion is drawn from the netherworld by an interdimensional transport device created by Dr. Sivana, whom Adam attempts to make his slave.The Power of Shazam!
Black Adam was reintroduced to the DC Universe in The Power of Shazam! graphic novel by Jerry Ordway in 1994. In that story and the subsequent Power of Shazam! ongoing series, Adam was a deadly and evil adversary for Captain Marvel. Jerry Ordway, the writer of The Power of Shazam!, redefined Black Adam's origin for the Modern Age of comic books.
Revised origin of Mighty Adam
In this revised origin (told in Power of Shazam! #10), Teth-Adam was the son of the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Rameses II, and impressed one of the high priests, the wizard Shazam, with his good deeds. The wizard had the young prince brought before him, and ordered him to speak his name. Teth-Adam did so, and was transformed into Mighty-Adam, a superhero possessing the powers of Shu, Heru, Amon, Zehuti, Aton, and Mehen.Mighty-Adam served as Egypt's champion for many centuries, but became corrupted by the charms of a mysterious woman, revealed to be Shazam's evil daughter Blaze in disguise. Bewitched by Blaze, Adam became convinced that he and his mistress should rule the Egyptian kingdom, so he killed the Pharaoh and appointed himself ruler. Shazam was made aware of this treachery, and resultantly unleashed a powerful spell on Adam. The wizard extracted Mighty Adam's magic powers and encased them in a mystical scarab necklace, rendering Adam's depowered body, now several hundred years old, into a withered corpse.
Shazam then buried both the body and the scarab in the tomb of Rameses II, where he had planned for it to remain for all eternity. In death, the former hero was referred to as "Khem-Adam" ("Black Adam"). Disillusioned by what he perceived as Adam's betrayal, Shazam went several millennia before appointing a second champion to fight evil in his name.
Revised origin of Black Adam
The original Power of Shazam! graphic novel (which predated the publication of the series by a year) explained how Black Adam was revived and introduced into the modern world. In this story, an unscrupulous archaeological aide named Theo Adam finds himself assigned to the Malcom Expedition, an archaeological dig financed by the Sivana Foundation to excavate the tomb of Rameses II. Adam uncovers Khem-Adam's tomb in a secret passageway, and leads his superiors, C.C. Batson and his wife Marilyn, to the discovery. Upon first sight of Khem-Adam's scarab, Theo Adam became obsessed with the artifact, and killed both Batsons in order to steal it. Escaping Egypt, Theo Adam soon made his way back to America.The Batsons' son, Billy, had been left behind in the United States, and was soon appointed to become Captain Marvel, the second champion of the wizard Shazam. When Theo Adam first encountered Captain Marvel, he noted both Marvel's identical appearance to C.C. Batson and the lightning-bolt insignia on Marvel's chest that had also decorated Khem-Adam's tomb. Adam therefore had a revelation, and realized that he was a reincarnation of Khem-Adam. Grasping his stolen scarab, Adam spoke the wizard's Shazam's name and was transformed into the super-powered Black Adam. Black Adam revealed himself to Captain Marvel as the Batsons' killer, and the two battled. Captain Marvel emerged victorious by snatching Adam's scarab, and therefore his power, away from him. Marvel brought Theo Adam to Shazam, who wiped Adam's memory and took away his voice, so that he could not access his powers.
JSA series
Black Adam reforms
Although Adam appeared during the Power of Shazam! ongoing series' first year of publication as a villain, towards the end of the series' run, Adam returned and announced that Black Adam and Theo Adam were separate personalities. Black Adam went on trial again for the murders of the Batsons, and was acquitted when it was revealed that his fingerprints did not match those of Theo Adam's.The reformed Black Adam was still vulnerable to his murderous host's influence, and he attacked the Justice Society of America under Theo Adam's control in JSA #6 (1999). In subsequent issues, Adam joins supervillain Johnny Sorrow's Injustice Society after Sorrow removed a malignant brain tumor from Adam's brain. Adam soon betrayed Sorrow, and he and the JSA defeated the Injustice Society. Claiming to be free of Theo's evil influence again, a redemptive Black Adam requested membership in the Justice Society, and was granted a probationary membership in JSA #21 (2002).
During his tenure in JSA, writers Geoff Johns and David S. Goyer redefined Adam's personality and background, focusing on the character's old-fashioned and militant ideals of justice, and his officious and strongly opinionated attitude. Several of the other JSA members were skeptical of Adam's reformation; primary among them was Atom Smasher, who later became Adam's close friend. The writers also created added tension in the book by having Captain Marvel, who was wholly unconvinced that Adam had reformed, join the team. One JSA story arc (issues 39 through 44) features Marvel, Hawkgirl, and Mr. Terrific venturing back in time to ancient Egypt, where they meet Mighty Adam before his corruption.
Johns and Goyer used this story arc to slightly alter Adam's origin. The hero now hailed from the fictional Arabian nation of Kahndaq, not Egypt, although he served mightily for the Egyptian prince Khufu (who would later be reincarnated as JSA member Hawkman). The character of Blaze was completely removed from the origin story, and Adam's rage was described as having resulted from the conquering of Kahndaq (and the murder of his wife and children) at the hands of a magically powered supervillain named Ahk-ton. Mighty Adam killed Ahk-ton, and returned to Kahndaq to re-claim it by any means necessary, including murder. The wizard Shazam did not agree with Adam's issues, and robbed Adam of his powers and killed him.
From Black Reign to Infinite Crisis
In JSA #45 (2003), Black Adam and his teammate Atom Smasher both resigned from the Justice Society. During the next few issues, Adam formed his own organization, which would administer justice the way Adam wanted it: "an eye for an eye". His roster included a mix of DC heroes and villains, including Atom Smasher, Brainwave (who was possessed by Mister Mind), former Infinity, Inc. member Northwind and the rest of the society of Feithera, Nemesis, and the JSA's former museum curator Alex Montez, who had made himself the human host for the demon Eclipso after figuring out how to control the demon's power. Adam's collective executed Kobra, a villain who had been acquitted by the legal justice system. Adam then turned his attentions to his old homeland of Kahndaq.
Late 2003 began the publication of a JSA/Hawkman crossover story arc titled "Black Reign", written by Geoff Johns alone, which featured Adam and his militia's hostile takeover of Kahndaq (with obvious references to the United States' concurrent takeover of Iraq). A war soon broke out, with Adam, his comrades, and the Kahndaqi people on one side; and the Justice Society on the other. By the end of the arc, the JSA left Adam in control of Kahndaq, provided that he did not leave its borders. Only Northwind and Atom Smasher remained at his side (Brainwave had been saved by the JSA, Mister Mind was apprehended, and Nemesis and Alex were both killed during the war).
As Kahndaq's ruler, Adam was depicted as fiercely working to protect his people and his nation. Black Adam was featured heavily in DC's 2005 Infinite Crisis crossover, primarily in the Villains United miniseries as a member of the Secret Society of Super Villains (which he only joined to protect Kahndaq from the Society). The Society would later betray him as part of Alexander Luthor, Jr.'s plan to restore the multiverse.
Concurrently, in JSA, Atom Smasher left Adam's side to return to the JSA.
52
Black Adam currently appears as a featured character in DC's weekly 52 comic book. Depicted as the violent protector of the nation of Khandaq, Adam has killed several super-villains in public and on telelvision to demonstrate his views. As a result, he is distrusted by several of the superheroes he claims a place beside, including Power Girl and Green Lanterns John Stewart and Hal Jordan.
Recently, Black Adam has created a coalition, based on metahumans from Iran, Uzbekistan, China, Pakistan, and Russia, against the perceived metahuman supremacy of the United States of America. He is actively increaseing membership.
Powers and Abilities
When Theo Adam says the magic word "Shazam" and is transformed into Black Adam, he is granted the following powers (which are derived not from the same Greco/Roman/Biblical figures as Captain Marvel, but from more ancient Egyptian gods):
| S | for the stamina of Shu | Using Shu's endurance, Black Adam can withstand and survive most types of extreme physical assaults. Additonally, he does not need to eat or breathe and can survive unaided in space.
|
| H | for the swiftness of Heru | By channeling Heru's speed, Black Adam can fly and steadily run at a top speed of Mach 500.
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| A | for the strength of Amon | Black Adam has a phenomonal level of super strength, able to easily bend steel, punch through walls and lift massive objects. Adam's strength is enough that he can hold his own against beings such as Superman or Captain Marvel. |
| Z | for the wisdom of Zehuti | Black Adam has instant access to a vast level of scholarly knowledge. The wisdom of Zehuti also gives Adam clairvoyance and provides him with counsel and advice in times of need. |
| A | for the power of Aton | Aton's power, besides fueling the magic thunderbolt that transforms Adam, also enhances Adam's other physical abilities and allows for interdimensional travel. Adam can use the lightning bolt as a weapon by dodging it and allowing it to strike an opponent or target. (In his earliest appearance he could project lightning directly.) |
| M | for the courage of Mehen | This aspect is partly psychological, and gives Adam superhuman amounts of inner strength to draw off of, while also making him indestructable to harm like the great snake itself. |
Additionally, Adam's senses are acutely sharpened (though not to the extent of Superman's).
Saying the magic word again will change Black Adam back into Theo Adam. However, Black Adam very rarely changes back to his non-powered form. Also, as Captain Marvel shares his powers with the rest of the Marvel Family, Adam's unshared powers are often depicted as rendering him somewhat stronger than the Captain. Recently, it has been shown that saying Shazam no longer changes Black Adam back into a normal human.
Other media
Adam appeared as a regular villain in the 1981 Shazam! Saturday morning cartoon, aired as one-half of The Kid Superpower Hour with Shazam!. Although he has not appeared in any other television programs or films, he was briefly mentioned by name during a flashback in the "Ancient History" episode of Justice League Unlimited.Additional reading
- Shazam! and the Shazam Family! Annual #1 (2002). Reprints Black Adam's origin from Marvel Family #1 (1945), among other Marvel Family stories. Stories by Otto Binder; art by C.C. Beck, Pete Costanza, Mac Rayboy, Marc Swayze, Bud Thompson, and Jack Binder.
- The Power of Shazam! (1994), written and painted by Jerry Ordway. A graphic novel depicting Captain Marvel's and Black Adam's current DC Universe origin stories. (ISBN 1563891530 - paperback)
- JSA: Savage Times (2004). Trade paperback reprinting stories from JSA #38–45 (2002–2003), which feature Captain Marvel meeting Black Adam during Adam's tenure as Mighty Adam in ancient Egypt. Stories by Geoff Johns & David Goyer; art by Leonard Kirk, Patrick Gleason, Keith Champagne, and Christian Alamay. (ISBN 1401202535)
- JSA: Black Reign (2005). Trade paperback reprinting stories from JSA #56–58, and Hawkman #23-25 (2003–2004), which feature Black Adam's invasion of Kahndaq and his war with the Justice Society. Stories by Geoff Johns; art by Rags Morales, Don Kramer, Keith Champagne, and Michael Bair. (ISBN 1401204805)
- Villains United (2005). Trade paperback reprinting the Villains United miniseries. Stories by Gail Simone, art by Dale Eaglesham, Wade von Grawbadger, Val Semeiks, and Prentis Rollins. (ISBN 140120838X)
External links
- - DC Database Project
- [Marvel Family Web entry on Black Adam]
- [Cosmic Teams entry on Black Adam]
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