For the longest time, Black Adam wasn’t exactly a known name in the DCEU. But Dwayne Johnson hopes to change that by bringing the unapologetic anti-hero to life.
In the press going around, Johnson even claimed that Black Adam was strong enough to defeat Superman. So, what exactly are his powers? Is there any difference between the film and the comic book versions?
In the comics as well as the film, Black Adam’s abilities include super strength, invulnerability, super speed, wisdom, lightning powers, and courage, all granted to him by a plethora of Egyptian gods.
You may have noticed that Black Adam also transforms into his superhero form by invoking the word “Shazam!” The similarities with the Shazam family don’t end there.
Black Adam’s Powers in the Comics
In the comics, Black Adam’s powers are bestowed upon him by the Wizard Shazam, who also gave Billy Batson and his family their powers. Like Billy, the Wizard was looking for a champion worthy of those powers who could protect the fictional Egyptian-esque nation of Kahndaq.
He found Prince Thet-Adam to be worthy and gave him the powers of Shazam.
Keeping up with the parallel, Black Adam calls upon his powers from the Egyptian gods (like Billy does with Greek gods). Here is the complete list of Black Adam’s strengths:
- Invulnerability granted by Shu
- Super speed granted by Heru (Which he can use to fly as well. Although his speed matches Superman, it’s nowhere close to the Flash.)
- Super strength granted by Amon
- Wisdom and knowledge granted by Zehuti
- Power (usually related to lightning) granted by Aton
- Courage granted by Menthu
As you can make out, Black Adam is quite possibly one of DC’s most powerful characters. Although he gained his powers in a process similar to Billy, he is said to be stronger than him. (This is sometimes attributed to the fact that Billy has to share his Shazam powers with his family, while Black Adam has them all to himself.)
He is also often compared to Superman, and in some instances, has even outdone the Man of Steel.
So how did he “lose” his powers? When Kahndaq is destroyed by Vandal Savage and Akh-Ton, Thet-Adam goes berserk. Noting his dangerous rage, the Wizard traps Thet-Adam in a scarab and buries it in a tomb.
Centuries later, Billy Batson’s parents (who were archeologists) would unearth this scarab and unknowingly awaken Black Adam once again.
Are Black Adam’s powers different in the movie?
Black Adam’s powers in the movie are not different from his comic book counterpart’s. He wields the same type of powers bestowed by the Egyptian gods in the film as well.
But there is a change in the origin story of how he got them. In the film, Black Adam is a slave in Kahndaq who leads a rebellion against the tyrannical king Anh-Kot. This is also where the audience is made to believe he’s chosen by the Wizard to become a Shazam champion.
Later it is revealed that it was Black Adam’s son, Huruk, who was given Shazam’s powers. When the king tried to kill Hurut’s parents as a way of torturing him, he transferred his powers to his father, Black Adam, in order to save him.
Sadly, Hurut did not make it out alive. This then drove Black Adam into a murderous rage, killing all of the king’s soldiers. He was only stopped in time by the Wizard, who deemed him unworthy of the powers and put him into a deep slumber.
The film also does away with the connection to the Batsons, and instead, it is Adrianna Tomaz who awakens him.
So, in contrast to the comics, the movie is a lot about how Black Adam wasn’t someone born worthy of heroic powers, but rather had the responsibility thrust onto him.
About Black Adam
Black Adam is an upcoming American superhero film based on the DC Comics fictional supervillain, directed by Jaume Collett-Serra. It is a spinoff of the 2019 movie Shazam!, and the 11th film in the DCEU franchise.
Black Adam is the antihero to Shazam and possesses the same powers as the white-caped superhero. But after being imprisoned for 5000 years, he is finally free, and now, the Justice Society of America, a team of superheroes, must stop him before he fulfills his mission to wreak havoc on the world that rejected him.
The film stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Black Adam, and joining him are cast members Noah Centineo, Aldis Hodge, Sarah Shahi, Marwan Kenzari, Quintessa Swindell, Pierce Brosnan, and Viola Davis.
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