BLACK ADAM versus JUSTICE SOCIETY

Thunderstruck (DC)
Where: JSA #27 When: October 2001
Why: Geoff Johns How: Rags Morales

The Story So Far...
In ancient times Teth-Adam was considered a champion, but the Black Marvel has a long road to walk if he's to undo centuries of damage and restore his reputation as a hero.

Submitting himself to the Justice Society of America, Black Adam begins probationary tenure with the heroic ensemble -- but not everyone is convinced he should be there.

As Captain Marvel pays a visit to vouch for his predecessor, tensions are boiling over with Atom Smasher, who believes Black Adam will inevitably turn on the group like every other villain who attempts to reform.

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Black Adam 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Mr. Terrific 5 (Professor)
Speed: Captain Marvel 5 (Super-Human)
Stamina: Black Adam 6 (Generator)
Agility: Sand 7 (Unlimited)
Fighting: Black Adam 7 (Living Weapon)
Energy: Stargirl 6 (Mass Destruction)
Total: Black Adam 34 (Super)

Black Adam is the ancient champion of Shazam, who gains the stamina of Shu, the swiftness of Heru, the strength of Amon, the power of Aten, and the courage of Mehen, when he speaks the wizard's name and receives his magic lightning!

The Justice Society are: Sand, Mister Terrific, Wildcat, Hawkgirl, Doctor Mid-Nite, Star-Spangled Kid, and Atom Smasher, with Captain Marvel.

The JSA have Black Adam outnumbered, but they don't particularly have him out-gunned. The Black Marvel has gone toe-to-toe with Superman and only Atom Smasher gets close to matching his incredible strength!

The enlarging strongman is generally in a lower class than Black Adam, but we saw him handle himself relatively well when Atom Smasher led the Suicide Squad against the Black Marvel Family, many years later, in 52 #34.

Fortunately for the JSA: Captain Marvel has come calling! With his own godly gifts supplied by SHAZAM, he's every bit Black Adam's equal, enduring his own battles with Superman, and besting the likes of the Seven Deadly Enemies of Man, an all-star Monster Society of Evil, and Neron corrupted Justice League.

Black Adam had the help of Brainwave when he defeated Captain Marvel some years later in Hawkman #24. This time the dynamics are very different, and it's Captain Marvel who has the entire JSA to back him up! Will it be enough?

The Tape: Justice Society & Captain Marvel Ranking: Black Adam (#22)

What Went Down...

Black Adam has Atom Smasher by the throat as Captain Marvel makes his entrance into the JSA brownstone.

"I heard you were seeking salvation, Black Adam. That you were looking to prove to the world that you've changed your ways. I came to vouch for you[,] but a bit of advice -- Don't choke potential teammates."

The Black Marvel releases his grip, blaming his impulse on the temper of the mortal Theo Adam. He apologises to his teammate, who preemptively responds in kind -- delivering a giant-sized uppercut he'll be sorry for later!

Adam explodes through the glass ceiling as he's launched into the night sky!

Atom Smasher knows he's made a bigger mess of things as Captain Marvel takes flight to pursue his fellow. He meets an enraged Black Adam in mid-flight -- cutting off his furious path back to the JSA brownstone.

The powers of SHAZAM collide in spectacular fashion as the strength of Hercules meets the might of Amon-Ra!

The Captain maneuvers himself to wrap a mighty bicep around Black Adam's throat and hold him back. He compels his comrade to reject the influence of Theo, but the anger incited by Atom Smasher's insult is great!

The Justice Society arrive on the scene just in time to see Black Adam power through Captain Marvel's hold and torpedo dive Atom Smasher!

Team chairman, Sand, draws his sleep gun and orders Atom Smasher to subdue the probate, with Hawkgirl looming in support holding a spear.

Atom Smasher leans in to Black Adam and pins an arm over his shoulder, while shoving Captain Marvel out of the way.

In the ensuing chaos, Black Adam's out reaching hand grabs Sand's gun and crushes it -- unleashing a bursting cloud of sleep gas that stuns Atom Smasher and Hawkgirl!

Wildcat darts around the room, questioning Black Adam's loyalties, as Doctor Mid-Nite looms behind the peril. The query appears to snap Adam out of his rage and pause him in introspection, but the zipping of two of Terrific's T-Spheres around his face renew his aggravation.

Sand commends the tactical potential for beaming holograms directly into Adam's eyes, but Mister Terrific finds himself unable to command his T-Spheres to execute the strategem!

He can only speculate the lightning storm and rain raging overhead is disrupting communication channels. It leaves his T-Spheres autonomously whirring around Adam as he bats Wildcat and Mid-Nite away with each hand.

With imminent threats dealt with, Adam sets his scornful sights on Sand and Mister Terrific.

Slamming his hands together -- Black Adam unleashes a shockwave that launches Sand and Terrific flying through the air!

While Stargirl spurs Captain Marvel to rejoin the fray -- Adam looms over Sand, cast in shadow by the lightning cracking behind him.

Whatever the Black Marvel's intentions for the Chairman may've been, they go unfulfilled as a spiked mace smashes into the ground at his feet, and Hawkman descends from the storming skies to declare: "This fight is over."

The Hammer...

The authoritative word of Hawkman helps bring Black Adam out of his rampage, but the intervention of the former-chairman only creates further divisions as he appears to undermine the leadership of Sand.

Inter-personal dynamics are criss-crossed all over this battle, with Hawkman returning from a night's flight after witnessing Sand kissing Hawkgirl, and Black Adam's admission to the JSA creating tensions with Atom Smasher, and his well meaning old rival Captain Marvel.

Atom Smasher echoes the expectations of readers who'd doubt the long-term viability of Black Adam as a hero, but the twist in their relationship comes when Atom Smasher actually sees things Adam's way, joining him in his attack on Kobra, and subsequent conquest of Khandaq.

To the uninitiated: JSA might've seemed like an attempt to capitalize on the late-nineties magic of JLA, but the 1999 collaboration between David Goyer and Geoff Johns had so much more to offer, laying the groundwork for significant foundational storylines that continued under Johns throughout the next decade!

Black Adam arguably became a minor sensation with his nineties revamp in Power of Shazam, and lingering appearances in various nineties DC Comics events -- but it was his return in JSA that began the ascent to breakout superstar!

Stories running through JSA, 52, and a Black Adam mini-series, minted the once obscure Captain Marvel villain into a full-fledged icon destined for the big screen, but for a while there, JSA was also the best place to find Captain Marvel himself.

DC seemed to effectively lose confidence in Captain Marvel as a viable property throughout the 2000s, leaving JSA to carry the flag in the ensemble series after Power of SHAZAM was cancelled in early '99. It was then in issues like JSA #27, and the Black Reign crossover of Hawkman #24, that fans could again see the two Marvels renew their seemingly settled rivalry.

Issues like these highlight the absurdity of emerging reports that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson blocked Captain Marvel from appearing with the Justice Society on the big screen, but there's a lot more to the JSA than was seen in the movies.

Once everyone has calmed down, the team decides to resolve their leadership issues with a vote, which installs Mister Terrific as the new Chairman.

An exciting new role for the genius successor to Terry Sloane's legacy of fairplay, which at least sidelines any issues brewing between Sand and the returned Hawkman, but comes at a time when his trademark T-Spheres have been infiltrated by a similar device controlled by Roulette!

The infiltration was the real reason Terrific's devices weren't responding during today's featured fight! The mistress of competition sent her drone to whisk the team away for more adventures in the next issue.

I very much intend to take a closer look at that adventure some time in the future. There are a few different sessions with Roulette that are surely right up our combat-loving alley, and I look back upon this period of DC Comics, and its revival of classics like JSA and Hawkman with great fondness. A time when Geoff Johns mastered intuitively fusing the old with the new alongside artists like Rags Morales.

As for today's contest: Although Hawkman brought proceedings to a relatively peaceful conclusion, you can clearly see that Black Adam had the best of the Justice Society. A majority of the team was subdued. A win's a win.

If you'd like to see more from the characters featured in today's entry you can follow links throughout this post, or dive into the Secret Archive for a complete index of featured fights in order of publisher, series, and issue number.

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured more than 700 battles and ranked well over 1,000 characters! You can help keep us in the fight by showing your support for all this content by becoming a Patreon backer. As a thank you you'll receive access to various additional updates and customizable content options at the higher tiers, including Rank & File Top 10 lists.

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Winner: Black Adam
#19 (+3) Black Adam
#40 (--) Captain Marvel
#51 (-3) Hawkgirl
#369 (-186) Wildcat
#429 (-48) Atom Smasher
#430 (-23) Sand
#653 (-108) Mister Terrific (Michael Holt)
#654 (-110) Doctor Mid-Nite (Pieter Cross)
#27 (--) Hawkman [+1 assist]
#100 (+3) Stargirl [+1 assist]

SUICIDE SQUAD versus BLACK ADAM

Suicidal Tendencies (DC)
Where: 52 #34 When: February 2007
Why: Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka & Mark Waid How: Keith Giffen, Joe Bennett & Ruy José

The Story So Far...
Black Adam's violent conquest and reign over the nation of Kahndaq has earned the ancient marvel many new enemies.

Though softened by the formation of his own Black Marvel Family; Adam's brutal public execution of would-be eco-terrorist, Terra-Man, has renewed concern and anxiety from modern world powers who do not trust or agree with his unwavering old-world brand of justice.

Amanda Waller spearheads a secret black-ops mission to sanction Black Adam during his visit to the US. Recruiting Adam's former revolutionary ally, Atom Smasher, Waller deploys the Suicide Squad to San Francisco to stage an ambush when the Black Marvels reunite with prospective Teen Titan - Osiris.

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Black Adam 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Draw 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Black Adam 5 (Super-Human)
Stamina: Black Adam 6 (Generator)
Agility: Black Adam 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Black Adam 7 (Living Weapon)
Energy: Isis 6 (Mass Destruction)
Total: Black Adam 34 (Super)

The Suicide Squad are: Plastique, Electrocutioner, Captain Boomerang, Count Vertigo, Persuader, and Atom Smasher.

A rag tag mix of new recruits and Suicide Squad regulars, but the ace in the hole is Atom Smasher. He has unique insights into their intended targets having left the Justice Society to bring Kobra to justice, and participated in the Kahndaq coup.

The Black Marvel Family are: Black Adam, Isis, Osiris, and Sobek.

Black Adam lends some of his power to Osiris in a similar fashion to Captain Marvel Jr, while Isis gains her super-human strength and influence over the natural world by wielding the magical might of the Amulet of Isis.

When Black Adam left the JSA to conquer Kahndaq he had to go through Captain Marvel, and we've also seen him challenge the likes of Superman, Superboy-Prime, and The Freedom Fighters. The Black Marvel Family is therefore well equipped to defend against most threats -- including the Suicide Squad.

Atom Smasher's familiarity and connection with Black Adam offers some hope for diplomatic resolution, but we don't review a lot of polite conversations!

The armored Persuader has gone mano-a-mano with Superman and might be able to use his Atomic Axe to knock the Marvels around, while Count Vertigo and his powers of disorientation throw them off, and make counter-attack difficult -- tactics that worked when the Squad faced Peacemaker and Major Force.

Captain Boomerang can be relied upon to hit a target if properly equipped, adding bursts of super-speed to his father's old tricks. Plastique and Electrocutioner bring their own firepower, but it remains to be seen if explosions or electricity are enough to rattle the Black Marvels! Let's get into it!

The Tape: Black Marvel Family Ranking: Black Adam (#27)

What Went Down...

Black Adam & Isis meet an ebullient Osiris carrying Sobek over the forest near Titans Tower. Their reunion is soon interrupted by a massive explosion sparked below by Electrocutioner and Plastique -- distraction for Atom Smasher!

The giant-sized Atom Smasher emerges from the forest and snatches Black Adam out of the sky while the other Black Marvels are spilled by the explosion.

The Smasher lives up to his name -- slamming Black Adam into the ground!

Black Adam punches Atom Smasher's hand away, also deflecting the insistence that he should hand himself over to a foreign US government.

Adam gains the space necessary to fly directly at Atom Smasher and deliver a knock-out blow that topples the towering figure, taking out Captain Boomerang in the woods below as his giant head hits the ground.

Adam hovers menacingly over Plastique and Electrocutioner with concern for his protege, but Osiris scrambles to his feet to plead for their lives. They repay his act of mercy with another explosion!

Isis can sense the impact of the fighting on the surrounding trees, but Persuader is unmoved by the environmental impact of his radioactive axe.

Before Isis can rectify the situation -- a sudden wave of disorientation overwhelms her. Count Vertigo makes his presence felt and sends her precious world spinning.

Persuader shoos his Suicide Squad teammate, closing in to deliver a deep gash into Isis' arm with his ultra-sharp Atomic Axe!

Osiris uses his Titans communicator to call for help as Electrocutioner is sent hurtling past him, and Isis receives yet another cut from the Atomic Axe, this time to her face!

The screams of his sister sharpen his focus as Persuader decides to disobey orders and close in for the kill. Osiris ensures the axe-man won't be successful!

The young Marvel launches himself like a flying missile and careens straight through Presuader -- cutting the axe-man's body in two!

Osiris comes to a skidding stop in the mud with Persuader's entrails still hanging from his arm.

Count Vertigo and Sobek watch in stunned disbelief as Osiris realises what has happened and falls to his hands and knees.

A downpour mixes his tears with rain as Isis comes to console him, and Black Adam directs them to a timely exit.

The Hammer...

Another bloody display of what happens when the powers of Shazam are used without caution and restraint. The violent episode pauses the players who are still conscious, allowing the Marvels to leave unopposed.

The graphic conclusion of Osiris flying through Persuader makes it almost feel like DC taking something back from Quality's cult 80s UK Kid Miracleman (aka; Kid Marvelman), but this type of extreme violence was becoming broadly commonplace at the publisher in the mid-2000s.

When Black Adam left the JSA in 2003, we saw him rip the heart from Kobra's chest, beginning a violent march that would also see him casually poke his fingers through Psycho-Pirate's head, and tear Terra-Man in two in 52 #3.

On the surface it's a lot of extreme action, but these were the actions that built a sense of anxiety & distrust about Black Adam in the public and political spheres of the DCU. The entirety of 52 is ratcheting up the tension, offering at least some examination of the consequence of choosing the brutal path.

Violence inevitably begets violence, and things will only get worse for the Black Marvel Family. The erstwhile Sobek will reveal himself as Yurrd, Horseman of Famine, who devours Osiris, and participates in an attack by the new Monster Society which will end with the death of Isis, as well.

This saga of Black Adam's journey from villain, to anti-hero, to anti-villain, and back, made him one of the most dynamic characters to track through the 2000s, and it's no surprise he's taken flight as the next live-action DC movie property. We were already talking about Dwayne Johnson's casting back in 2007!

As time marches on I have mixed feelings about the cult fandom that exploded around Black Adam, and characters like him. It's difficult to imagine redeeming a villain who resorted to the mass murder of millions, especially in these times, and as the 'Superman gone bad' concept becomes increasingly prevalent -- sometimes received without any irony -- it begins to lose its appeal.

Marvel Comics may've attached the mantra of 'with great power must come great responsibility' to Spider-Man, but it's a principle that remains fundamentally at the heart of the super-hero concept, and I appreciate stories like todays as reminders of that important principle, and as cautionary tale.

I also appreciate 52. I find myself reflecting on its effortless episodic flow, and interesting cast of somewhat disparately featured DC characters, and enjoy it all a great deal. Something I haven't found from DC Comics over the last decade.

The appearance of the Suicide Squad may be in service to the Black Adam chapters of 52, but I also enjoy that Osiris' reckless act marries well with the meta of the Squad concept. It was a mild shame to casually wipe a C-grade Superman villain from the board, but Persuader was already something of a legacy villain, so maybe the potential was still there to recover.

Atom Smasher's admission to the team feels like a deft move, as well. A nice way to continue his journey, similar in flourish to Bronze Tiger or Vixen's time with the group. Voluntary service in the name of redemption and doing good.

Once upon a time Black Adam had a similarly brief team-up with the Squad. That might be something interesting to explore sometime in the future. In the meantime, lets commit this one to the record and roll on to future endeavors!

This is officially the 700th fight featured on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths!

You can find them all by diving into the Secret Archive for a complete index of battles in order of publisher, series, and issue number. Or -- just follow links throughout posts to discover more from your favourite characters or concepts!

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Winner(s): Osiris & Black Adam (w/ Sobek & Isis)
#22 (+5) Black Adam
#218 (new) Osiris [+1 kill]
#494 (+16) Isis [+1 assist]
#654 (+54) Sobek (Yurrd) [+1 assist]
#373 (-167) Atom Smasher
#637 (-85) Plastique
#638 (-84) Captain Boomerang (Owen Mercer)
#971 (new) Electrocutioner (Lester Buchinsky)
#972 (new) Persuader (Cole Parker)
#360 (+9) Count Vertigo [+1 assist]

SUPERMAN versus BLACK ADAM

Chapter Three (DC)
Where: DC Comics Presents #49 When: September 1982 Why: Roy Thomas & Paul Kupperberg How: Rich Buckler

The Story So Far...
Superman flies the night sky over Egyptian desert, listening carefully for a broadcast that spells certain doom!

Terrorists are threatening to blow the Aswan Dam unless the government surrenders to their political demands! Fortunately, The Man of Steel intervenes to send their nuclear device into deep space, and rescue the dam from breaching, but the explosion has set off tremors that threaten the nearby Temple of Abu Simbel!

A super-human feat to lift the ancient 13th Century landmark saves it from destruction, but despite Superman's best efforts, the building sits a few inches lower once returned to its modern resting place. That slight difference aligns the entrance with the rising sun, inadvertently opening a gateway that allows entry from an inter-dimensional interloper -- Black Adam!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Draw 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Draw 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Superman 6 (Mach Speed)
Stamina: Draw 6 (Generator)
Agility: Draw 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Black Adam 7 (Living Weapon)
Energy: Superman 5 (Lasers)
Total: Black Adam 34 (Super)

Superman has challenged the power of SHAZAM many times over the years, but usually he's come up against his magic-powered equivalent: Captain Marvel!

Earth's mightiest mortal had to struggle to stand his ground against an Eclipso compromised Superman in Action Comics Annual #4 and Superman #216, but was much more in control while radicalized in Kingdom Come #4, and when sent into a tag team match alongside Hawkman, in Superman/Batman #4.

Black Adam represents a far deadlier opponent, wielding the power of Shazam as the dark-hearted ancient champion who fell from the Wizard's grace.

No example demonstrates Teth-Adam's corruption of Shazam's power greater than 52 #45. Having slaughtered the other Horsemen of Apokolips in 52 #44; Adam relentlessly pursued Azraeuz into the politically corrupt nation of Bialya, where he conducted a bloody rampage that cost the lives of millions!

Like Captain Marvel; Black Adam summons the power of a pantheon of gods & legends by speaking the Wizard's name. His magic lightning endows him with the stamina of Shu, the swiftness of Heru, the strength of Amon, the wisdom of Zehuti, the power of Aten, and the courage of Mehen.

It's debatable whether the magic of his abilities should have any real special effect on Superman. Kryptonians have no natural defenses against magic, but this should really be considered a vulnerability, rather than an innate weakness akin to Kryptonite. Black Adam was himself similarly defenseless against the vast magics of Ibis the Invincible in Power of Shazam #11.

We saw the uniquely invulnerable Superboy-Prime laugh off Black Adam's magic lightning when they came to blows in Infinite Crisis #6. Of course, the Kal-El of Earth Prime proved to be unique for a variety of reasons, matching Black Adam in his intensity and aggression while using incredible super-human strength.

We saw Black Adam earn a tactical victory against Captain Marvel in Hawkman #24, negating the stalemate of their physical strength. It might be speculated that Black Adam is the more powerful of the two, but to find out how he stacks up against Superman we should just take a look...

The Tape: Black Adam Ranking: Superman (#5)

What Went Down...
Standing atop Umpire Rock: Black Adam holds court with a car held aloft over an audience of helpless Manhattan police.

The would-be conqueror declares himself king of the world, but the destruction of effortlessly tossing the vehicle across the park draws the attention of a red-caped hero who can stop him -- Superman!

Black Adam instantly recognizes his challenger from a previous encounter and reveals the hero's unwitting hand in bringing him to this world.

The villain takes confidence from their previous battle -- and a plot to manipulate Earth's electric fields to prevent Captain Marvel following him and surviving the breach with his powers in tact. It's all Superman needs to hear to end the chit-chat and spring into action!

The Man of Steel launches himself wildly at his deadly new adversary, connecting with a stiff left to the jaw! Adam shakes it off immediately and fires back with a roundhouse punch that sends Superman hurtling through the air!

The spiteful villain uproots a nearby tree and lobs it like a spear, but Superman manages to duck and charges in to bury his fist deep in Adam's vile gut!

Superman gave his punch everything he had, but still Black Adam prevails, taking advantage of their close quarters to crack the Kryptonian with another hard right to the face!

As Superman drops to the ground, a young boy named Billy Batson rushes from the crowd of onlookers. He knows all about Black Adam's exploits from reading his Uncle's old comic books and can't stand to see him get the upper-hand.

The sudden sight of the familiar young man shocks Black Adam to distraction. For a moment he believes Captain Marvel has made it to this world, but the Billy Batson before him is too young to be the alter-ego of his arch-nemesis.

Seeing an opportunity to twist the indomitable will of his opponent, he snatches the boy by the collar and issues an ultimatum: Superman must remove himself from sight forever or the boy will suffer the consequences!

Unwilling to compromise the life of the child -- Superman leaps into the air and gives his word he won't attack in the city. Black Adam believes his conquest is all but assured. He under estimates the Man of Steel's resolve...

The Hammer...
It might look as if Black Adam has manipulated Superman into submission, but it all amounts to another inconclusive result. He may've had a slight advantage blow for blow, but both men were still in the fight when the action breaks.

Superman swings by the crowd on his way out to pick up Jimmy Olsen, keeping a watchful eye on Black Adam from afar with his x-ray vision.

Jimmy's journalistic instincts help connect Superman with the young Billy Batson, who eventually makes a break for it, and helps to inspire a plot that will bring Captain Marvel to their world using a similar method to Black Adam's!

This may be the only time Earth-One Billy Batson makes an appearance. Despite an extended dream sequence this issue, he never receives the magic lightning. Instead he'll be lost in the shuffle to various attempts by DC to utilize their Fawcett Comics acquisition. Captain Marvel persists on Earth-S for a time, but eventually joins the streamlined DC Universe and Justice League after Crisis on Infinite Earths.

It's all a little bit convoluted, but I enjoy seeing a crossover where the heroes are actually on the same page. It's become an underrated phenomenon!

Villains like Black Adam exist to be the dark shadow of their heroic counterparts. They function in dream match scenarios almost as well as two heroes who might be commonly compared -- without requiring any real compromises.

It might be fun to occasionally see what happens when Superman fights Hulk, but I think it quickly becomes much less interesting than those other, far less obvious encounters, like when Superman met Venom, or Batman met Scorpion.

The degradation of good-natured superheroes has been a real problem of the last decade or more of superhero in-fighting. It's kind of absurd. The world really doesn't need another evil version of Superman when you've got perfectly good stand-ins like General Zod or Bizarro ready to explore those ideas with lasting consequence. That's what they're there  for.

The conviction that Superman's moral fibre is somehow alienating, or in need of mitigating in a modern context, completely ignores its value as a defining character trait, and the fundamental honor of stories about good versus evil.

It might be interesting to explore characters who are morally complex, or grey, but that really shouldn't diminish our aspirations for good, or the conceivable existence of it. Superheroes remain at their core aspirational figures, and Superman should offer a blueprint to inspire us to be greater than ourselves.

Heroism doesn't have to be equal to simplicity, but obviously if, and when, you can routinely rely on characters like Superman or Captain Marvel to be pure bred heroes, it is very interesting to read about other archetypes, as well.

In DC Comics Presents #49 we see a Black Adam who is still very much a figure of villainy. His scheme is simply to rule the world: simplistic megalomania that later inspired a more nuanced take when he conquered Khandaq during Black Reign, and committed mass murder while pursing vengeance against Azraeuz.

The moral flexibility found in modern incarnations of Black Adam draws from his earliest appearance as a former champion chosen by Shazam.

Black Adam is ultimately a study in absolute power corrupting absolutely. A man of incredible means seduced to act on base desires of wrath, greed, and pride. In many ways he is the answer to what would happen if Captain Marvel went bad, but over the years he has become complicated with his own innate references, circumstances, and backstory. Which is all very interesting.

If you want to find more of Black Adam's exploits you should follow the links littered throughout this post! Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured well over 650 battles and ranked more than 950 characters! You can find 'em all indexed by publisher, series, and issue number in the Secret Archive!

If you'd like to read today's featured fight in its entirety, you can find it collected in Superman vs SHAZAM! and Shazam! A Celebration of 75 Years. Use the Amazon links provided to do your shopping and you'll not only get a good deal -- you'll also be supporting the site!

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Winner: Inconclusive (Draw)
#5 (--) Superman
#26 (+1) Black Adam
#50 (--) Billy Batson (Captain Marvel) [+1 assist]

HERO OF THE WEEK: BLACK ADAM (DC)
Real Name: Teth-Adam
First Appearance: Marvel Family #1 (December, 1945)
Fight Club Ranking: #19

Featured Fights:
- vs MARY MARVEL: Power of Shazam #11 (Jan 1996)
- vs KOBRA: JSA #51 (Oct 2003)
- vs CAPTAIN MARVEL: Hawkman #24 (Mar 2004)
- vs FREEDOM FIGHTERS: Infinite Crisis #1 (Dec 2005)
- vs PSYCHO-PIRATE: Infinite Crisis #6 (May 2006)
- vs SUPERBOY-PRIME: Infinite Crisis #6 (May 2006)
- vs MONSTER SOCIETY: 52 #44 (May 2007)
- vs AZRAEUZ: 52 #45 (May 2007)
- vs MARY MARVEL: Final Crisis #6 (Jan 2009)

It's been a slow start to 2017, but Warner Brothers finally made a significant move last week, negotiating a Black Adam feature film to star long-cast box office draw Dwayne Johnson.

It's a decision that redirects expectations away from the squinty-eyed heroics of an announced SHAZAM movie, honing in on the popular turmoil of Captain Marvel's corrupt counterpart, instead.

On the surface, it could be perceived as putting the cart before the horse. Just another example of WB fumbling toward a grim and miserable DC cinematic universe - whether anybody wants it or not.

On the other hand, this may prove to be a very shrewd decision. Exactly what's needed to earn back some much needed goodwill from a large, but souring audience.

Johnson doesn't just bring the advantage of proven "Franchise Viagra" to the DC Universe -- he's a widely embraced choice to play the fan-favourite character! That alone won't guarantee a good movie, but it does reverse a trend of negativity, and gives a film a strong pillar to build around.

While it may be conventional to expect an antagonist to appear subservient to the hero's journey; Black Adam predates Captain Marvel by thousands of years within the fiction itself. This offers interesting narrative potential in telling this story chronologically, so Black Adam's fall from grace is witnessed first-hand, rather than told to the audience when he appears in the modern era. If he later appears as a forsaken antagonist in a later Shazam movie, it could create the kind of uniquely nuanced villain these movies so often lack!

There's also the small matter of casting Captain Marvel.

A challenge posted by the big red cheese's iconic depiction as a barrel chested, square jawed titan, eyes asquint with innocence, and good nature. Hollywood used to have Captain Marvel types in abundance. Cary Grant's a popular reference, and it's said CC Beck modeled the original character on Fred MacMurray. Strong male leads that aren't so easy to find in today's Hollywood system. There's also the always difficult obstacle of finding a young actor to play Billy Batson without stinking up the screen.

By focusing their attention on a Black Adam film, casting has more time to consider the right choice for their Captain Marvel, who in turn will hopefully benefit from Johnson's established presence. Assuming, of course, Shazam goes ahead, and follows all the familiar plots. There's really no telling what will and won't happen after Justice League. I'd certainly vote for a faithful Captain Marvel movie. One that injects the wonder and colour of the comics -- a potentially unique vision for broad audiences to enjoy.

If I had to note one more positive, it would be that a Black Adam film can get ahead of any plans Disney might have for the Sub-Mariner: a similar character who was once attached to Dwayne Johnson!

Pointy ears, arched eyebrows, and widow's peak aside; the modern Black Adam has come to quite closely resemble Sub-Mariner in plot and tone. As conqueror of Khandaq, he acquired the monarch's burden shouldered by Atlantean Namor. A noble responsibility that underpins a fiery temper and penchant for vengeful action, especially of the war variety. Adam has had his issues with lost loves, but he doesn't tend to be the romantic that Sub-Mariner is. He certainly shares a lot of the pathos, arrogance, and physical power to back it all up, though.

We talked a bit about the unique screen choices Marvel could make for Sub-Mariner last year, knowing full well that Marvel films tend to rely on a simple formula that makes them all feel a little bit similar. A choice that arguably deserves more disdain than it gets, even if the worm is turning.

Black Adam should do what DC films have done best, putting forward a strong visual. It would be nice to get away from Zack Snyder's muddy nights of Dawn of Justice, to borrow more from the painterly palette of 300. It would be tempted to revert to something more naturalistic after the CG heavy films Snyder has already made, but they'll want to avoid applicable comparison to Johnson's early starring role of The Scorpion King.

I'm not entirely sure who Black Adam should be fighting in a big screen introduction, but I like the visual potential for The Deadly Sins of Man, or Azraeuz - the Horseman of Death who plagued Adam during his star-making appearances in 52. Both are stylized almost two-dimensionally, like black paintings that have leapt from ancient artefacts to attack the material world!

Establishing a threat like The Seven Deadly Sins of Man in Adam's ancient Egypt could do a lot for his return in any subsequent film. Because Adam will become corrupt and leave the ancient world behind, filmmakers could have free reign to demonstrate the danger of these villains. The loss of loved ones is obvious motivation for Adam to become corrupt. Any success he may have in stopping the threat - perfect reason to reintroduce him when The Sins return in modern Fawcett City.

It's been a SHAZAM sort of week all around. As noted Friday, I'd been hoping to talk about Power of Shazam #11 since the middle of last year, when Ibis was our Hero of the Week! It was pure coincidence that the Black Adam announcement coincided with our pre-ordained schedule! This Friday we have another battle inspired by a past Hero of the Week. Stay tuned for that!

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MARY MARVEL & IBIS versus BLACK ADAM

The Seven Deadly Enemies of Man (DC)
Where: Power of Shazam #11 When: January 1996
Why: Jerry Ordway How: Pete Krause

The Story So Far...
The Wizard Shazam has been taken captive in the depths of the Netherworld by his evil demon daughter Lady Blaze! Only a powerful magic can restore him to the Rock of Eternity -- and the talking tiger doll Tawky Tawny knows where to find it!

Mary Marvel and Uncle Dudley are in a desperate race beyond the wizard's secret subway entrance to find a hidden chamber within his lair. There, they will uncover the Tomb of Ibis -- where a special magic lies in wait to be resurrected by the reciting of a special incantation!

Unfortunately for the heroes, Blaze has ensured another Marvel will be waiting for them in the underground catacombs. An ancient champion whose mighty magic was corrupted in Egyptian times - and now waits to bring their doom!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Black Adam 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Black Adam 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Mary Marvel 5 (Super-Human)
Stamina: Black Adam 6 (Generator)
Agility: Mary Marvel 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Black Adam 7 (Living Weapon)
Energy: Ibis 7 (Cosmic)


What happens when the powers of Shazam are turned against themselves? We saw sparks fly when Captain Marvel battled his corrupt predecessor in Hawkman #24 -- but what about Cap's kid sister Mary Marvel?

Originally, Mary derived her powers from a separate set of her own patron deities: The grace of Selena, the strength of Hippolyta, the wiles of Artemis, the speed of Zephyrus, the beauty of Aphrodite, and the wisdom of Minerva.

The Power of Shazam series of the nineties recast the transformative powers as derived from a mutual source, shared by Captain Marvel himself. Essentially Mary Marvel is a chip off the old block (of big red cheese), just about as powerful and swift as any other Marvel!

We saw just how mighty Mary Marvel could be when her powers were corrupted by the evil New Gods during Final Crisis. She was powerful enough to ambush and fight Wonder Woman, defeating her with a chemical agent in Final Crisis #3. She had Supergirl on the ropes during Final Crisis #6, at least until the intervention of Captain Marvel Jr, and a weakened Black Adam!

Centuries before Billy Batson was blessed with the power to become Captain Marvel, the champion of Wizard Shazam was an Egyptian named Teth-Adam.

His powers were derived from the Egyptian pantheon: The stamina of Shu, the swiftness of Heru, the strength of Amon, the wisdom of Zehuti, power of Alon, and the courage of Mehen. Adam eventually allowed his powers to corrupt him and he turned to the side of darkness, becoming the Black Marvel.

Black Adam's conquests in the modern age have been swift and brutal. We've seen him effortlessly destroy: Kobra [JSA #51], Psycho-Pirate [Infinite Crisis #6], The Monster Society [52 #44], and Azraeuz [52 #45]. He defeated Uncle Sam while serving The Society [Infinite Crisis #1], but showed vulnerability when his strength was matched by Superboy-Prime during the same saga.

Ordinarily we'd probably consider Black Adam too powerful for Mary Marvel to defeat alone, but there's a third player in this equation! Today's feature fight takes place on the verge of the tomb of Ibis the Immortal! As possessor of the Ibis Stick, he commands near limitless magic, capable of achieving his merest whim!

If Mary Marvel can break the seal and summon Ibis to her aid, she no doubt stands a chance! Will she be so lucky? Let's see what happened...

History: Black Adam (1-0-0)
The Tape: Black Adam Ranking: Black Adam (#19)

What Went Down...
Mary Marvel bashes through a chamber wall to reveal an ominous sarcophagus marked with the symbol of the ibis bird. In the same chamber, Black Adam waits! The doll form of friend Tawky Tawny torn in twain in his mighty hands!

Lured by a pulsing energy emanating from the Egyptian funeral box, Adam grabs for its protruding ibis wand -- only to be dramatically repelled by its mysterious, awesome power!

Undeterred by Black Adam's wicked insinuations about Tawny's true loyalties, Mary continues on her quest to save the Wizard Shazam. She recites a spell before the sarcophagus: "Sibis eirsa ghitym... rulmseb royu morf..." The ibis wand emits waves of eerie light before the sarcophagus explodes open!

Surrounded by mist, a well dressed man emerges from the opened death box! He is Ibis -- possessor of the infinitely powerful Ibis-Stick! Bemused, he commands stunned Mary Marvel and her Uncle Dudley to explain their actions.

Informed of Shazam's dire predicament, Ibis immediately understands the significance of his magic slumber's end. Before the young Marvel can learn more about her strange new ally -- Black Adam revives!

Mary orders her friends to stay back while she handles the raging Black Marvel. Recovered from his earlier error, Adam now recognizes Ibis and no doubt has dark intentions. Mary blocks his looming fist with her forearm, impressing the villain with her fighting fearlessness!

She throws a mighty right hook, but Black Adam is unfazed by her brawn!

This time it's Ibis who orders Mary Marvel to fall back. Warned of Black Adam's treachery by the Wizard Shazam himself, Ibis knows he's not to be trifled with!

Ibis directs Black Adam to Hades -- his powerful Ibis-Stick able to fulfill his every whim! Beams of light shoot from its crest and strike the mighty villain!

In a haze of smoke and light, Black Adam dematerializes before their very eyes! A trivial feat for the incredible Ibis-Stick and its sighing master! Mary marvels at his banishment as Ibis begins the tale of his secret origins.

The Hammer...
By virtue of the passage of time alone, my tastes are becoming increasingly "retro". I don't really see it that way -- superheroes aren't exactly going out of style in 2017, and I'm a pretty young man -- but in the case of Ibis, there's no getting away from it!

I touched on the character briefly as a Hero of the Week last year, having just had a fun time reading this very issue (and others) during a power blackout. It was a fairly nostalgic experience unto itself, recalling youthful enthusiasm for reading comics by torchlight. These days you'd use a phone.

Power of Shazam doesn't really read like a comic from 1995 or '96. That's probably why, just a few years later, it was already being talked about with a hushed reverence. Just as fictional Fawcett City is placed under a spell that blankets its reality in a deep retro haze, so too does this comic embrace the power of nostalgia, with a few modern twists.

It's kind of hard to put a finger on eactly who this comic was targeted at. Golden Age retro would admittedly linger in comics right through to the 2000s, but it had mostly died out in mainstream pop culture by the mid 90s. I suspect the book was at least in part for readers old enough to miss the classic adventures of Captain Marvel and Family, who were thrust into the grittier predicaments of modern comics during Legends.

The acquisition of The Marvel Family by DC Comics in the seventies seems like it came with mixed fortunes. It finally allowed for bona fide battles between Captain Marvel and his court acknowledged inspiration: Superman. Fantasy fights that scratch an itch we all have, but seem to have ultimately doomed Captain Marvel to eventual obscurity, and a loss of identity.

Nostalgia's become a contorting beast in the 2010s. Mismanaged by exploitative corporate forces who don't quite understand what they're dealing with, or have misguided designs for updating an old brand with detached content. Hollywood have been at it for so long, some of the audience now demands this once reviled "reboot" approach to licensing. The infantalization of the audience, becoming its own negative force in a confused, stagnating market.

Most of the examples I'm alluding to come from the eighties and nineties, only occasionally impacted with the retro movements of those times, which infused the twenties through to the fifties with a neon chic. Much of the audience excited by Reagan era heroes probably won't dwell on, or even recognize, earlier cultural touchstones. Greasers and burger joints? 'OMG, so eighties'.

As much as I've learned to have deep misgivings about nostalgia and its potentially crippling effects -- I love a comic like Power of Shazam!

I'm a total sucker for the muted fantasy of a magicman in a suit and turban. An unabashed holdover from WWII era comics, which themselves were carrying over pulp ideas popular decades earlier!

I would argue American comics are always at their best when they're aware of, and in touch with, their history. I'm utterly repulsed by the modern predicament of constantly reliving (and retelling) the same stories, but I love the fantastic premise of a serialized character essentially unscathed by time.

In the case of Captain Marvel, I think a sustained squinty-eyed innocence must be viewed as the definitive characterization. He's a character who can be easily compared to Superman, and isn't burdened by the iconic status that demands The Man of Steel change with time.

As we've seen in Zack Snyder's movies, New 52 comics, and even popular spin-off properties like the Injustice video games -- there's tremendous pressure on Superman to be a bastard. Popular acceptance seems to demand an emotionally volatile, potentially dangerous mirror of our modern selves. A Superman prone to human weaknesses mistakenly ascribed as more "relatable". When did being "super" ever have anything to do with living down to us?

Even if Superman can still be a symbol for hope, goodness, and all that we should aspire to, he will always be a modern man. As long as he is modern - Captain Marvel doesn't have to be.

Captain Marvel can still squint and smile and be everything he always was -- not just as a hold over from the past, but as a point of difference. Characterization of a nice man in a nasty world, advancing without breaking.

Power of Shazam doesn't seem like a comic from 1995 or '96 -- but was! It was a part of the contemporary DC Universe. It occasionally crossed over with other characters and events that were going on in the DC Universe. A fun, good natured, "new reader friendly" comic told in a unique modern style. Hoo-ray!

Of course, variety is also the spice of comic book life. It takes all sorts to make a universe, and there's plenty to go around. Classic or contemporary, you can find more feature fights and musings in the Secret Archive Index! If you like what you see, be sure to hit the G+1 at the top of the page (or below this area), and share links via social media. Every bit helps keep the wars infinite!

Winner: Ibis (w/ Mary Marvel)
#301 (new) Ibis
#309 (+6) Mary Marvel [+1 assist]
#19 (--) Black Adam