1, His catchphrase was, “Kneel At His Feet or Get Crushed By His Boot,” and he meant it literally.
In confirming his role in Black Adam, The Rock utilised this statement, which is fitting for an antihero of his stature. Black Adam is a Jekyll-and-Hyde hero in that he may transform into a kind person after all other alternatives have been exhausted. To be fair, who could blame him? Adam must find a way to reconcile his otherworldly abilities with his uniquely human heart after a life of bondage ruined his family and corroded his spirit.
He is a complex character, loving his nation and its people while also being willing to eliminate any danger to the Kahndaqi way of life by any means necessary. Despite his support for law and order, he has no qualms about taking the life of anybody who has wronged him. As development on the Black Adam movie begins, it will be interesting to see how the antihero fits into the larger DC Extended Universe. Who knows which characters will bow down at his feet and who will be crushed under his foot now that the Justice League is closing in and Justice League Dark is officially on the map.
He Put an End to the Psycho Pirate
A word of advice: if you try to fool Black Adam, you’ll regret it forever. Ask Psycho-Pirate, who failed in his quest to create Paradise on Earth by working with Alex Luthor. After teasing Power Girl and a few other heroes, the Psycho-Pirate assaulted Black Adam and got him to shout “Shazam” by accident, unleashing Lex Luthor’s planet-destroying weapon. After rescuing Black Adam from Psycho-clutches, Pirate’s Nightwing and Superboy thwarted Alex Luthor’s plan to destroy the cosmos.
Adam’s thoughts were focused on one thing as he basked in his newly won independence: eating. He calmly approached Psycho-Pirate, shouted out his name, and drove his fingers into the pirate’s eye sockets. Adam finished the job by shoving the villain’s head directly through the Medusa Mask and setting it off. Adam announces that there would be “no more stupid expressions,” prompting his teammates to remark, “was that necessary, Adam?” With a smug frown, he said, “Absolutely.”
He Directed an Attack on His Own City: Kahndaq
To many, Geoff Johns’ JSA: Black Reign is the best Black Adam tale ever told. Adam is aware of his instability after committing several crimes, and he makes an effort to improve. In the end, he was able to make peace with many of the superheroes, even Shazam (still known as Captain Marvel back in 2005). Just when things were beginning to look brighter, Adam’s thirst for revenge increased, and he recruited a few naive members of the JSA to help him launch an attack on his native Kahndaq. With the assistance of his new followers, Black Adam freed the slaves and turned back the hands of history.
However, the truth was revealed when the rest of Justice Society of America stepped in to help. Black Adam and his JSA followers not only overthrew the government of Kahndaq and had the ruler put to death, but they also annihilated the whole military in one single sweep. Adam planned to use Kahndaq as a springboard to attack and subvert other nations, but the JSA was able to talk him out of going global.
An Ex-Member of the Justice Society of America, Injustice Society, and Suicide Squad
Black Adam’s resume is as confusing as his character: he’s worked with both heroic and villainous groups. In issue #21 of Justice Society of America, a really modest and enthusiastic Black Adam applies to join the JSA. Everyone in the JSA was wary of him even after he joined, and Adam himself kept one foot out of the organisation. Adam also joined Johnny Sorrow’s villainous team, the Injustice Society, around this period, demonstrating his abilities by killing several foes in more ingenious ways. However, Adam quickly turned the tables on Sorrow and joined forces with the Justice Society of America to bring down the Injustice Society. It would be difficult to predict where this individual stands ideologically.
Black Adam’s service in the Suicide Squad earned him the admiration of Amanda Waller. In issue #58 of Suicide Squad, the villainous leader of Task Force X aids Adam in a daring island invasion. Even though Black Adam isn’t the most dedicated team player, he still has a lot of potential in the DCEU.
Anything for his longtime sweetheart, Isis
Once Black Adam has been charged and is ready to battle, he is unstoppable. However, you may be wondering how he does when reduced to being only Teth-Adam and without his powers. Black Adam: The Dark Age showcases Adam’s inner strength brilliantly. Despite being devoid of his godly abilities, he is still possessed with an even more potent spirit: the desire to bring back his late wife, Isis.
Adam sets out on a perilous quest to reassemble the magical amulet that would restore his dead wife to life. During his travels, he displays a level of determination that would make even Bruce Wayne blush. When Adam is hiking in the Himalayas, a yeti attacks him while he is standing on the edge of a cliff. Adam stabs the Yeti in the stomach, tears up its intestines, and uses them as rope to down the mountain. A short time later, he is so desperate for food in the arctic tundra that he murders and consumes one of the last men in his shrinking caravan. This is very Khal Drogo of you, and I love it.
In order to defeat Ultraman, he shifted the moon.
Tell your friends about the time Black Adam weakened Ultraman by relocating the moon if they ever question Black Adam’s physical strength. Ultraman is nearly unbeatable in the New 52, having destroyed dozens of heroes and even breaking Black Adam’s jaw. The villainous clone of Superman avoids direct physical contact with Black Adam in their rematch, choosing instead to focus on more vital issues. Ultraman, well aware of his own frailties, triggers an eclipse by momentarily shifting the moon in such a way that it blocks the sun. While Ultraman was busy defeating Alexander Luthor, Black Adam and Sinestro worked together to undo the planetary shift, returning the moon to its original position in the sky. This leaves Ultraman vulnerable to the sun’s rays, which will eventually lead to his downfall.
Black Adam and Sinestro are now heroes after their efforts to stop the Crime Syndicate were successful. Despite the fact that they are both offered the chance to have their criminal records sealed, neither of them takes advantage of the offer and instead flees the scene.
He Enlisted in Sinestro’s Legion
Friendship is possible even for dictators and antiheroes. Black Adam and Sinestro have created quite the dynamic combo throughout the years, but they seldom share the spotlight. Together, they have defeated the Crime Syndicate; Sinestro has helped Black Adam repair his broken jaw; and they have organised large parties in Kahndaq to celebrate their successes. Their friendship dates back to before Black Adam joined the squad, yet Sinestro nevertheless made him an honorary member of the Sinestro Corps by recruiting him to help battle The Paling.
Black Adam wearing the Yellow Lantern Ring is a terrifying idea, but that’s why Sinestro chose him for this battle. Black Adam was given more power by The Paling because of his “ability to inspire immense dread” in his foes. Sinestro, Black Adam, and the rest of the corps worked together to destroy the Paling, and Adam still wears his ring today.
He’s Gone Silent Twice
Black Adam is in deep trouble if he can’t use his voice to communicate. Without it, he is only Teth-Adam disguised in human form; it is the primary conduit via which he exerts his abilities. Silencing Black Adam has been the most effective strategy against him on rare occasions in the comics. For example, Black Adam lost his pride and his voice in a battle with Shazam, which means he can’t use his superpowers again for a while.
In an even more extreme case, Adam fought Ultraman and was nearly killed in the process. Ultraman, unaffected by Black Adam’s sorcery, leaned down and grabbed Adam’s jaw, declaring, “No more words from you.” The wicked Earth-3 version of Superman smashed Black Adam’s jaw, rendering him mute and unable to utter his final, desperate cry of “Shazam!” Although few heroes could defeat the Mighty Kahndaqi, Ultraman did so in the most humiliating fashion.
A Justification for Dwayne Johnson’s Preference for Black Adam Over Shazam
Black Adam is typical of tyrants in that he sees power as liberation. In order to get revenge on those who oppressed and murdered him and his family, he murders his nephew Aman and takes his powers. The means justified the goal, and now he reigns over Kahndaq on a throne stained with his subjects’ blood. If the narrative of Black Adam ended there, he would be impossible to defend as anything but a villain. Thankfully, he reveals a layer of depth that allows him to grow into the sort of guy Dwayne Johnson envisioned for him.
Because of his tangled history, his background as a slave, and his destiny as a confused demigod, The Rock rejected Shazam in favour of his archenemy. “I think we have to appreciate and pay regard to the actual legend and then the heroic aspect will follow down the road,” he told IGN. It appears Johnson is aware of the bleakness of Black Adam’s background, yet understands that this is what makes him such a fascinating protagonist. What he brings to the table is something we’re all really excited to witness.
He’s on Par with Superman in Every Way, Number 10.
Black Adam has battled Superman several times, and each time he has come out on top. Adam has not only proven that he can withstand Superman’s blows, but that he can land his own haymakers and force the Man of Steel to defend himself. In the midst of the struggle, a weakened Superman noted that Adam’s “punches land with the loudness of cannon explosions and the force of a tiny bomb.” Black Adam’s skill in dodging attacks is even more impressive than his combat prowess. Even though he has the power to destroy anybody, he fights Superman with a level of control that is frequently condemned of Kal-El.
Last but not least, Black Adam has one major benefit that Superman lacks. The magical abilities Adam possesses allow him to administer devastating blows to Superman in ways the Man of Steel is unprepared for. Man of Steel has always been most vulnerable to magical spells (well, second only to Kryptonite, at least), and Black Adam can take full advantage of this. You can guarantee that Black Adam’s mysterious command will be on full display in the eventual clash between Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Henry Cavill’s “Superman.”
In the process, he traumatised the Martian Manhunter.
In issue #1 of World War III, Martian Manhunter goes above and beyond to halt Black Adam’s global onslaught. The Mighty Khandaqian has killed millions, yet he shows no signs of slowing down. But when J’onn confronts him, Black Adam nearly destroys him with a bolt of lightning. Adam can easily pick up the burnt and shattered Martian Manhunter with one arm. Martian Manhunter is disturbed by what he sees as he uses his trademark telepathy to gain control of Adam’s thoughts. Adam tells him to “be cautious what you wish for” since he knows he is wishing for more violence and hatred in his head.
“Accept it. Included are men, women, and children of all ages. The souls of everyone I’ve murdered today.” While using the mind control over J’onn, Adam mocks him by saying, “I swim in an ocean of blood and do not sink under the waves.” With tears in his eyes, Martian Manhunter bolts for space, unable to handle either Black Adam’s physical might or his mental state.
He practically triggered World War III with his actions.
Black Adam is among a select group of superheroes who may say they provoked a worldwide war. An act of treachery sparked the events that eventually led to World War III. Sobek, his crocodile friend, had been by his side for many years. The snake turned out to be the assassin Famine, the fourth horseman of Apokolips sent to kill Black Adam. Adam’s family is wiped out and his beloved wife Isis is murdered by Sobek and his fellow riders. She begged Adam to take vengeance on her deathbed.
Black Adam took her words to heart and immediately began a genocide in the country of Bialya, where he killed two million people. This tragedy was the spark that ignited everything, much like the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand before World War I, but for the fact that it was obviously worse. Against the berserker Black Adam, who destroyed the world and its numerous landmarks, including the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the whole human race would unite. He fought and vanquished dozens of Chinese superheroes on his alone, including the Teen Titans, the Doom Patrol, and many others.
To put it another way, he has godlike abilities akin to the Egyptian pantheon.
Black Adam gets his abilities through using the name “Shazam,” which really calls upon the strength of the Egyptian deities Shu, Heru, Amon, Zehuti, Aton, and Mehen rather than the white-bearded magician. Black Adam’s virtually invincible strength comes from his battle cry, “Shazam!” which is powered by the bellows of his voice.
With the blessing of the god Shu, Black Adam is endowed with superhuman stamina and resistance to almost any form of assault, thus the ‘S’.
Black Adam can travel at speeds more than 2 miles per second on Earth and at the speed of light in space, thanks to Heru, represented by the letter “H.” He is so quick that he once let The Flash borrow some of Heru’s power.
Black Adam is one of the most potent heroes in the multiverse thanks to the power of the letter “A,” which represents Amon.
Black Adam’s intelligence goes above that of your typical superhero because of Zehuti’s wisdom, represented by the letter Z. In addition to his linguistic abilities, he possesses the power to mesmerise his listeners.
The letter “A” channels the power of Aton, granting Adam the ability to shoot lightning bolts, teleport to other worlds, and even morph into other forms.
The might of Mehen, represented by the letter ‘M,’ infuses Adam with limitless bravery and an inner store of strength that allows for speedy recuperation during conflict.
His New 52 origin story begins with him as a slave.
After meeting his untimely end at the hands of the Marvel Family, Black Adam mostly disappeared for several decades. Although he had a brief comeback in the 1970s, it wasn’t until Geoff Johns and David Goyer got their hands on him that he truly returned. As his new origin narrative begins in the New 52, Teth-Adam is a resentful slave in the downtrodden nation of Kahndaq. The only member of Adam’s family still alive is his sweet nephew Aman; the others have been brutally slaughtered. During the siege, Adam sacrifices himself to save his nephew from the Kahndaqi guards.
Although Aman is offered the opportunity to escape, he instead returns to save his uncle from his attackers. After escaping from their imprisonment, Aman and Adam find themselves unexpectedly whisked to the Rock of Eternity. Similar to the 1945 comic book, Adam must now face the wise wizard Shazam. This time, though, Adam isn’t the star of the show. Shazam, moved by Aman’s selflessness, decides to give the little kid his legendary abilities because he is a leader deserving of them.
Aman intends to return to Kahndaq and utilise his newfound abilities for good by helping his people start over. Adam refused, instead wanting to kill all of the tyrants responsible for his family’s deaths. Adam murdered his nephew Aman and took the abilities for himself since he knew Aman would never use them.
He is a ruthless ancient Egyptian who took the life of the pharaoh.
Black Adam was originally developed by Otto Binder and C.C. Beck for Fawcett Comics, long before he was purchased by Detective Comics. In the 1945 issue #1 of The Marvel Family, he made his debut as the Ancient Egyptian “Teth-Adam,” a noble man chosen by the wizard Shazam to become a mighty hero. All Adam had to do was pronounce the magic word, “Shazam!” A new hero named Black Adam was created, complete with a brand new black outfit and a wide range of abilities.
Adam quickly became corrupted by evil influences. He assassinated the Egyptian king and usurped his throne because his potential had corrupted him. Shazam, the wizard, is devastated that he can’t take Adam’s talents away and decides to send him to the ends of the known world until he can find a replacement for his tainted student. A futuristic version of Shazam, Captain Marvel, has arrived. After many millennia away, Black Adam finally returns home, only to be confronted by the Marvels and forced to battle until he accidentally mispronounces the phrase that bestowed his superpowers. When Black Adam mispronounces “Shazam,” he loses his superpowers and is instantly destroyed by the cumulative effects of thousands of years of premature ageing. There was no way he could have stayed dead for long.
