Black Adam

Black Adam
Artwork for the cover of 52 Week 45 (Mar 14, 2007). Art by J. G. Jones.
Publication information
Publisher	Fawcett Comics (1945) DC Comics (1973–present)
First appearance	The Marvel Family # 1 (December 1945)
Created by	Otto Binder C. C. Beck
In-story information
Alter ego	Teth-Adam (original form) Theo Adam (reincarnated form)
Team affiliations	Kahndaq Justice Society of America Injustice Society The Society Suicide Squad Monster Society of Evil Black Marvel Family
Notable aliases	Mighty Adam, Khem-Adam
Abilities	The Stamina of Shu: Superhuman Stamina and Invulnerability The Speed of Haru: Superhuman Speed and Flight The Strength of Amon: Superhuman Strength The Wisdom of Zehuti: Genius Level-Intellect and Elite Judgement The Power of Aton: Full Control and Emission of the Magical Lightning The Courage of Mehen: Unlimited Courage and Proficient Hand-to-Hand Combatant Immortality New 52 Magical lightning bestows: Superhuman strength, speed, stamina and courage Physical and magical near-invulnerability Flight Genius-level intellect Immortality Control over and emission of magic lightning as weapon or for casting spells

New 52

Black Adam is a fictional DC Comics supervillain, occasional antihero, and the archenemy of the superhero formerly known as Captain Marvel, Shazam. Black Adam was created by Otto Binder and C. C. Beck in 1945 as a one-shot villain for the first issue of Fawcett Comics' The Marvel Family comic book; however, Black Adam was revived as a recurring character after DC Comics first licensed and then acquired the Fawcett characters and began publishing Captain Marvel/Marvel Family stories under the title Shazam! in the 1970s.

As originally depicted, Black Adam was a corrupted, ancient Egyptian predecessor of Captain Marvel, who fought his way to modern times to challenge the hero and his Marvel Family associates. Since the turn of the 21st century, however, Black Adam has been re-defined by DC Comics writers Jerry Ordway, Geoff Johns, and David S. Goyer as a corrupted antihero attempting to "clear his name". Featured roles in such comic book series as Justice Society of America (JSA), Villains United, Infinite Crisis, and 52 have elevated the character to an unprecedented level of prominence in the overall "universe" of DC Comics characters.

In 2009, Black Adam was ranked as IGN's 16th Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time.Dwayne Johnson has been cast as Black Adam in a planned feature adaptation of Shazam! from New Line Cinema and Warner Bros., which will be set in the DC Extended Universe film franchise.