The upcoming films that make up the slate of the DC Extended Universe include the introduction of a fan-favorite rogue in the form of Black Adam. The character’s self-titled movie will release during the summer of 2022 and further expand the corner of the DCEU first established in Shazam!
Teth-Adam, as is Black Adam’s given name, is briefly hinted at in Shazam! as the two characters share a thunderous history in DC Comics. Serving as a caution against the dangers of power and rage, Adam is a stark contrast to Billy Batson’s innocence. Over the years of Billy attempting to harness the great power bestowed on him, Black Adam has consistently interrupted his journey to destroy the rival chosen wunderkind.
10 Black Adam’s Various Origin Stories
Black Adam has had his origin retold several times, notably in Roy Thomas, Dann Thomas, and Tom Mandrake’s Shazam! A New Beginning as well as Marvel Family #1, written by Otto Binder and drawn by C.C. Beck. The outline for his creation largely remains the same: in Ancient Egypt, a man named Teth-Adam was chosen as the Champion of Shazam – a wizard with the power of the gods. He turns out to be power-hungry and rageful, employing his powers in the service of these pursuits. As a result, he’s imprisoned until modern times when he’s set free and seeks out the wizard’s modern champion, Billy Batson. The two characters’ origins, intertwined as they are, implore the champions to confront one another and set the tone for all of their future interactions.
9 Black Adam Reborn! (New Earth)
According to Jerry Ordway and Peter Krause’s The Power of Shazam! #1-9, Black Adam is imprisoned by Shazam in an amulet and buried in the tomb of Rameses II. He wouldn’t return until millennia later when his descendant, Theo, finds the excavated amulet in the hands of the Batson’s and proceeds to murder them, thereby rendering Billy an orphan.
Theo later glimpses Billy as the Champion and says the magic word: “Shazam!” Black Adam is reborn in Theo’s body, granting him all the abilities (and fury) that characterized his ancestor so long ago. Billy manages to best Adam by destroying the enchanted amulet and rendering the villain mute. Adam went on to serve four years in prison.
8 Adam’s Killing Spree
Adam brings about World War III and Shazam attempts to end it in 52 #50 (with contributions by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid, Keith Giffen, and Justiniano). The villain begins a rampage across the planet at the urging of Isis on her deathbed. The event only lasts a week but the Earth is shaken to its core by the deliriously angry antihero. Billy faces him early on in the war and returns to finish the job by channeling his lightning into Adam. He accomplishes this by flying downward towards his opponent, demonstrating the hero’s courage in the face of immense strength. To add insult to injury, Billy works with Zatanna to change the magic word from the famed “Shazam!” to “Chocolate Egg Cream,” and avoids revealing this to Teth-Adam as he transforms back, thereby preventing the Black Adam from returning.
7 Capturing The Rock Of Eternity
The conflict returns to the source of their power when Black Adam seeks out the Rock of Eternity, only to find it guarded by his old rival Billy Batson. Accompanied by a resurrected Isis, Adam utilizes the very amulet that had kept him prisoner so long to strip Billy of his abilities.
The battle, first depicted in Geoff Johns and Jerry Ordway’s Justice Society Of America #23, quickly becomes overblown with Mary Marvel, the titular Justice Society, the wizard Shazam, AND the people of Kahndaq getting involved. The gargantuan conflict ends with the wizard reclaiming his powers from his chosen champions, disappointed with their squandering. Adam gives up voluntarily to save Isis from the corruption that is plaguing the people of Kahndaq and is rewarded for this honorable act by being turned into a statue.
6 Hunting The New Champion (Prime Earth)
Geoff Johns and Gary Frank put together the framework for 2019’s Shazam! with the titular hero’s showdowns with Black Adam, as shown in Justice League #15-16. The events of the film largely draw from those of this comic, although the former substitutes Doctor Thaddeus Sivana for Black Adam. Seeking out the new modern champion, Adam confronts him amongst a crowd of onlookers and easily bests him. Billy transforms and blends in with the fleeing crowd, barely escaping with his life. With the dawn of Prime Earth, this is the first meeting of the two in the continuity established by the Flashpoint event.
5 The Dawn Of The Shazam! Family
The narrative continues in Johns and Frank’s Justice League #19-21, further proving that the 2019 film drew heavily from this run. Following his near-destruction at the hands of Black Adam, Billy tries to give up his powers and convince the wizard to give them to someone else.
Adam isn’t willing to wait for his opponent to discover his nerve and takes a family hostage to draw the Champion out. It works but a wild card presents itself: Billy shares his power with his foster family, consequently creating the modern Shazam! Family. As epic as this development is, the conflict ends on a relative stinker. Billy resolves that he’s not able to defeat Black Adam, so he reverts to his human form and somehow convinces his foe to do the same. As a result of his old age, Adam crumbles to dust… the end?
4 The Return Of Black Adam (Earth-S)
Billy Batson faces a double-header with Doctor Sivana convincing Black Adam to seek revenge on the wizard Shazam. The events of Shazam #28, penned by E. Nelson Bridwell and illustrated by Kurt Schaffenberger, tell of Adam’s confronting Billy in Boston. The fight is so intense that Billy literally throws Adam through time… ending up in the colonial era in 1773. The subsequent happenings become extremely convoluted but the highlights include Billy being tossed by Adam into Boston Harbor and being rescued by Paul Revere, as well as the two titans traveling forward to 1976. Shazam ends things with a punch, rendering Adam unable to remember his dual identity.
3 Two Heroes With One Adam
Black Adam is eventually able to recall his more destructive self as he aids the sorcerer Karmang in inducing a battle between Shazam and Superman. Gerry Conway and Rich Buckler tell the story in All-New Collectors’ Edition #C-58, which sets the stage for several more defeats for Black Adam at the hands of Billy Batson. Whether assisted by many villains or even the forces of the supernatural, Adam continuously struggles to defeat the Big Cheese. This would also add fuel to the fire of rivalry burning between the three “Supermen” (aka Black Adam, Shazam, and Superman).
2 The Monster Society
The understated mastermind behind the evil antics that Shazam faces is appropriately strange for this corner of the DC Universe: a supremely intelligent caterpillar called Mister Mind. Recruiting Black Adam, Doctor Sivana, and Oggar the Accursed, among others, Mister Mind reforms the Monster Society of Evil.
The group’s first target is Billy Batson, retold in the pages of World’s Finest #264 by E. Nelson Bridwell and Don Newton. The hero faces the Black Adam and Oggar the Accursed in Egypt and winds up muted by the magic of Adam. However, the pseudo-victory doesn’t last long and the Monster Society is defeated and driven out of Egypt.
1 Destroying All Heroes (Elseworlds)
The villains launch a coordinated assault on the heroes in Justice – an Elseworlds story by Jim Krueger, Alex Ross, and Doug Braithwaite. Black Adam is among these archenemies, luring Billy Batson away from his strike team and subduing him using a brainwashed Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr.
Billy is subsequently mind-controlled using the same methods as his Marvel compatriots and the Justice League resolve to defeat the uppity villains in response. Ross’ gorgeous artwork brings a divine quality to each character, imbuing them with an otherworldly essence so properly realized in the stories of superheroes.
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