Profile of Theo Adam on Famous Like Me

Black Adam is a Fawcett Comics and DC Comics supervillain, often a rival of Captain Marvel. He wears an equivalent costume to Captain Marvel, but the red portions are colored black and Adam does not wear a cape. Created by Otto Binder and C.C. Beck as a one-shot villain for The Marvel Family #1 in 1945, Black Adam was revived in the 1970s Shazam! series as Captain Marvel's most powerful foe in terms of physical abilities.

Originally called Teth-Adam (Mighty Adam) in ancient Egypt, Black Adam was a previous appointee of the wizard Shazam, but soon used his power for his own corrupt ends, which forced the wizard to punish him. Generally, that punishment was to remove Adam from that time, only to appear in modern times to challenge Shazam's current appointee, Billy Batson, in his Captain Marvel form. Jerry Ordway's The Power of Shazam! graphic novel revealed Adam's reincarnated host Theo Adam to be the murderer of C.C. and Marilyn Batson, the parents of Billy Batson.

Originally a pure supervillain (billed in fact as "the World's Mightiest Villain"), Black Adam has since been further developed as a corrupted anti-hero attempting to clear his name, but unable to fully rid himself of his evil influences. Adam's personal goal is to enforce justice; however, his ideals of justice, often involving hostile action or execution, are considered extreme by many of the heroes who have attempted to give the former supervillain a second chance.

Fawcett history

The original Fawcett Comics version of Black Adam, which appeared only once during the original Fawcett run of Captain Marvel comics, was an ancient Egyptian prince named "Teth-Adam", who was chosen by the wizard Shazam to be his successor. When Adam said the magic word "Shazam", he was transformed into a black-clad super-powered being, Mighty Adam. Possessing the stamina of Shu, the swiftness of Heru (Horus), the strength of Amon, the wisdom of Zehuti (Thoth), the power of Aton, and the courage of Mehen, Adam was soon corrupted by the vastness of his powers.

Deciding that he should rule the world, Adam overthrew the pharoah and assumed the throne. An angry Shazam gives his errant champion a new name -- "Black Adam" -- and banishes him to the most distant star in the universe.

Adam spends the next 5000 years flying back to Earth; by the time he makes it back, in 1945, Shazam has appointed three new champions to take his place: Captain Marvel, Mary Marvel, and Captain Marvel, Jr.. Adam does battle with the trio, known as the Marvel Family, but since all are equally powered, the fight goes on and on without resolution. At the suggestion of the wizard Shazam, Uncle Marvel tricks Black Adam into saying the wizard's name, transforming him back into his mortal form. Adam's natural aging process takes hold, and he withers away into a skeleton within moments.

DC History

Pre-Crisis and Shazam!: The New Beginning

While he was defeated in the same story in which he debuted, Adam was ressurrected nearly thirty years later in DC Comics' Shazam! revival of the Marvel Family characters. Adam's origin was revised for the 1987 miniseries Shazam! The New Beginning, in which the corrupted champion is drawn from the netherworld by an interdimesional transport device created by Dr. Sivana, whom Adam attempts to make his slave.

Current origin

Black Adam was reintroduced to the DC Universe in The Power of Shazam! graphic novel by Jerry Ordway in 1994. In that story and the subsequent Power of Shazam! ongoing series, Adam was a deadly and evil adversary for Captain Marvel. In recent years, Adam has struggled to redeem himself as a hero, but on his own terms and by his own standards. Adam's origin is culled from several issues of both The Power of Shazam (including the graphic novel), and JSA. Adam's JSA adventures, depicting the struggle between his good and bad sides, propelled the character to a high position of prominence within the DC Universe, equal to and possibly surpassing that of his rival Captain Marvel.

Mighty Adam and ancient Egypt

Teth-Adam, a native of the Middle Eastern kingdom of Khandaq, lived during the reign of the ancient Egyptian Pharoah Rameses II, and impressed one of the high priests, the wizard Shazam, with his good deeds. The wizard had the young man brought before him, and ordered him to speak his name. Teth-Adam did so, and was transformed into Mighty-Adam, a superhero possessing the powers of Shu, Heru, Amon, Zehuti, Aton, and Mehen. Mighty-Adam was a success as a hero for Egypt, but his service kept him away from his wife, Shiruta, and his sons Gon and Hurut. Adam's homeland was destroyed and his family killed by the evil priest Ahk-ton, who, using the Orb of Ra, accessed metamorphic powers. A disparaged Adam continued to serve in Rameses' court, and allied himself with Prince Khufu (later Hawkman). At this time, he met three travelers from the future: Hawkgirl, Mr. Terrific, and Shazam's future champion, Captain Marvel. Adam felt relieved that his legacy would continue through Marvel, and thought highly of his future counterpart. With the help of these visitors and the wizard Nabu (later Doctor Fate), Adam was able to capture Ahk-ton, whom he killed as retribution for murdering Adam's family.

Adam returned to Khandaq and forcefully overthrew the now tyrannous government present there, and appointed himself ruler. The wizard Shazam was made aware of all of these events and, thinking Adam had been corrupted by Shazam's evil daughter Blaze, the wizard unleashed a powerful spell on Adam. He trapped Adam's soul and powers within a powerful scarab necklace, rendering Adam's de-powered body, now several hundred years old, into a withered corpse. Shazam then buried both the body and the scarab in the tomb of Rameses II, where he had planned for it to remain for all eternity. In death, the former hero was referred to as "Khem-Adam" ("Black Adam"). Disillusioned by what he perceived as Adam's betrayal, Shazam went several millennia before appointing a second champion to fight evil in his name.

Black Adam and Fawcett City

In the late 20th century, the Malcom Expedition, an archeological dig financed by the Sivana Foundation excavated the tomb of Rameses II. An aide named Theo Adam discovered a secret tomb hidden beneath a loose stone, and he and the dig's lead archaeologists, C.C. Batson and his wife Marilyn, re-discovered the tomb of Khem-Adam. Upon first sight of Khem-Adam's scarab, Theo Adam became obsessed with the artifact, and killed both Batsons in order to steal it. Escaping Egypt with the Batsons' young daughter Mary in his possession, Theo Adam arrived back in America, and his sister, Sarah Primm, learned of his actions. Primm took Mary Batson away from her brother, and had her illegally adopted by the wealthy Bromfield family using false documentation.

The Batsons' son, Billy, had been left behind in America with his uncle because of low school grades; Billy's Uncle Ebenezer soon kicked the boy out into the streets. The wizard Shazam gave Billy the power to become Captain Marvel, an adult superhero identical in appearance to C.C. Batson, and was told to find his parents' killer and bring him to justice.

When Theo Adam first encountered Captain Marvel, he noted Marvel's identical appearance to C.C. Batson, and the same lightning-bolt insignia on Marvel's chest that decorated Khem-Adam's tomb. Theo Adam had a revelation, and realized that he was the reincarnation of Khem-Adam. Grasping his stolen scarab, Adam spoke the wizard's name--"Shazam!'-- and was transformed into the super-powered Black Adam. Black Adam revealed himself to Captain Marvel as the Batsons' killer, and the two did battle, with Captain Marvel emerging victorious by snatching Adam's scarab, and therefore his power, away from him. Marvel brought Theo Adam to Shazam, who wiped Adam's memory and took away his voice, so that he could not access his powers.

Black Adam returns and reforms

Theo Adam was sentenced to life in prison for the murders of the Batsons, but escaped with the help of fellow inmate Captain Nazi in Power of Shazam! #8. Adam was soon cured of his memory loss and lack of voice by the demoness Blaze, who used the soul of Adam's sister Sarah as a pawn. Lord Satanus eventually set Primm's soul free in Power of Shazam! #12, and Adam was made aware of Blaze's treachery and attacked the demoness. Shazam, Ibis the Invincible, Bulletman, and the Marvel Family were therefore able to defeat Blaze; after the battle was over, Ibis spared Adam by sending him to a distant star at the far reaches of the universe.

Black Adam remained in deep space until summoned by Ibis in Power of Shazam! #44 to help save an injured Billy Batson's life. Now calling himself "Mighty Adam" again, Adam claimed to be free of the evil influence of his host, Theo Adam, having only bonded with him to escape the underworld. A fingerprint analysis revealed that Black Adam and Theo Adam were indeed separate people. In return for saving Captain Marvel's life, Shazam pardoned Adam for his previous transgressions in Power of Shazam! #47. Adam also made peace with Captain Marvel, and was allowed to return to deep space.

JSA membership

Black Adam first encountered the Justice Society of America under the evil influence of Theo Adam in JSA #6. The JSA defeated him with a sample of the magic Shazam lightning, stolen from 12,000 years ago when Adam first accessed the Shazam powers. Adam then made a deal with JSA foe Johnny Sorrow; in return for Sorrow removing a malignant brain tumor from Adam's brain, Adam would join Sorrow's new Injustice Society. However, Adam soon betrayed Sorrow, and he and the JSA defeated the Injustice Society. Claiming to be free of Theo's evil influence again, a redemptive Black Adam requested membership in the Justice Society, and was granted a probationary membership in JSA #21.

During his tenure, his old archenemy Captain Marvel joined the team, refusing to believe that Adam was reformed and wanting to keep an eye on him. It was at this time that Marvel, Hawkgirl, and Mr. Terrific traveled back to ancient Egypt and met Teth-Adam during his earlier heroic period. The two became friends in that time period, but Adam refused fellowship with Marvel in the present (JSA #44). Black Adam and Atom Smasher both quit the JSA in issue #45, when the team let the terrorist Kobra escape alive.

Ruler of Khandaq

Following his exit from the Justice Society, Adam formed his own organization, which would administer justice the way Adam wanted it: "an eye for an eye". His roster included a mix of DC heroes and villains, including Atom Smasher, the World's Wickedest Worm Mister Mind, who possessed the body of Brainwave, former Infinity, Inc. member Northwind and the rest of the society of Feithera, Nemesis and Eclipso. Kobra was apprehended and executed, and Adam then turned his attentions to his old homeland of Khandaq.

Adam wanted, as he had done several thousand years before, to overthrow Khandaq's tyrannous government and rule the land himself. He and his group declared war on Khandaq's government, causing the Justice Society to intervene. A compromise was reached: Adam would be allowed to rule Khandaq, as long as he did not leave the country's borders. Adam set about restoring order in the city, and turning the troubled nation's fortunes around. Atom Smasher and the Feitherans assisted Adam in ruling and protecting the nation.

Adam joined with Lex Luthor's new Secret Society of Super-Villains to protect Khandaq from the group's influence. During the same period of time, Eclipso (now inhabiting the Atom's ex-wife Jean Loring) returned to Khandaq to exact revenge on Adam, unleashing her servant, the disembodied and confused Spectre on Khandaq. The Spectre brought plagues and destruction to the land until Atom Smasher sacrificed himself to the Spectre to stop the Spectre's tyranny. Reduced to tears by the sacrifice of Atom Smasher, Black Adam used the magic thunder that gave him his power to restart Atom Smasher's heart, resurrecting his friend from the dead.

External Links

• Cosmic Teams entry on Black Adam
• Marvel Family Web entry on Black Adam

This content from Wikipedia is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Theo Adam