On October 21, Black Adam will finally appear on television after over 80 years since his debut in comic books. He will be portrayed by none other than Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, whose casting was ultimately revealed in 2014 after years of speculation. It was originally planned for Black Adam to make his film debut in the 2019 “Shazam!” film, but DC announced in January 2017 that he would instead be getting a solo movie, which only fueled fans’ anticipation for the character’s long-awaited entry into the DC cinematic universe.
The “Black Adam” movie has previously been teased in a number of trailers and teaser videos. The Justice Society of America will face Black Adam in the film, according to the second teaser, which was released on September 8. If you’re not aware with Black Adam’s comic book history, you might be doubting whether the character is truly a villain. Let’s explain why the answer is very complicated.
Black Adam: Who Is He?
In the comic books, Black Adam is an ancient Egyptian by the name of Teth-Adam was born in the African nation of Kahndaq. He grew up in an impoverished slave family and was frequently beaten by the leaders of the country, who also sent him to work in the mines. Adam hated his leaders because of the injustices that afflicted him, yet he was always full of courage and bravery to handle situations that called for it. After some time, Adam wed Shiruta, who later gave birth to a son named Hurut. Despite Hurut’s efforts to make their world safer, Adam instilled in his kid a sense of risk from a young age.
He receives magical abilities from a wizard by the name of Shazam with the intention of using them to battle evil. Instead, Black Adam is overcome by his abilities and kills Shazam. Black Adam spends the next 5000 years going back to Earth after being exiled to a faraway star as punishment for his treachery. When he comes back, he discovers that Shazam has selected other successors, notably Billy Batson (as seen in “Shazam!”), who turns out to be his constant foe.
The “Black Adam” teaser, on the other hand, suggests that the character may have a different backstory. In the movie version, Black Adam is born a slave and put to death, but he has revived thanks to his son giving up his life to save that of his father. Black Adam makes a comeback with unique talents that he refers to as a “curse.” Black Adam appears to have conflicted sentiments regarding his skills in the movie, in contrast to the comic books where he revels in his newly discovered powers.
What Are the Powers of Black Adam?
To transform into Black Adam and summon the power of the six Egyptian gods, Teth-Adam must utter the word “Shazam.” He gains endurance from Shu, quickness from Heru, strength from Amon, intelligence from Zehuti, strength from Aton, and bravery from Mehen. In case you missed it, the gods’ names all spell out Shazam.
Black Adam: Hero or Villain?
In DC comics, Black Adam has alternated between villain and hero roles; however, the film looks to be recasting him as more of an antihero. In the trailers, the Justice Society of America member Hawkman addresses Black Adam as, “There are both heroes and criminals in our planet. Heroes don’t commit murder.” Then, Black Adam says, “Well, I do,” Johnson has referred to the character as an antihero on social media, despite the fact that it is simple to categorize him as a villain.
The second “Black Adam” trailer’s YouTube description also includes the phrase “There are heroes, there are villains, and there is Black Adam,” which alludes to the fact that the protagonist is more antihero than the hero, lacking in heroic traits. This might hint that Black Adam will make some dubious choices in the movie. Although it’s very possible that DC will formally designate Black Adam as a villain by the end of the film, it appears that he is only an antihero right now.
