Black Adam. Who??????????????

[im399unot]

Hey all.

I have made it pretty clear in the few post that I have made around here that I was never a really big D.C. guy (95% Marvel, sorry) and that I have just started reading D.C. comics.

I ran out and got 52 this week. Pretty good, cant wait to see where this is all going.

I really have no idea who all these characters are, I am pretty lost. I really would like to know more about Black Adam. He is the character that really got my attention. Can someone give me the low down on this guy. What appearances of his should I track down and read.

Who the heck is this "?" guy.

I really want the bulk of info on B.A. but if you guys would be so kind as to give me some background on some of these other characters and maybe some recs. on books I should read. I have read I.C. and most of the minis. I was not to thrilled by these but I think that had allot to do with me not really knowing who everyone was.

I think the book that I have enjoyed most was the first issue in the identity crisis when the plastic man guy’s wife gets killed. This was my first D.C. comic I have read other than a batman issue here and there.

As you can see I am pretty new to the D.C. world. It just seems really big and really hard world to get into; there is just so much history. If you guys could please help this Marvel fanboy out a little you might just have a new member in the D.C. reading world.

Thanks guys

P.S.

I lied, I have read about half the Sandman series and almost everything written by Alan Moore. What kind of comic guy would I be passing on this great, classic stuff.:D

[Tom]

Short version: Black Adam is the original Captain Marvel, you know, the "SHAZAM" guy. He received his powers first back during the time of the pharoahs and for most of his publishing history was basically "Captain Marvel gone bad." He was arguably Cap's second biggest enemy after Sivana. In recent years, his morality has been a little more gray than the average supervillain, going so far as taking an unofficial membership with the JSA for a short period of time. He recently took over his ancient homeland of Khandaq and is now their sovereign ruler.

[Shellhead]

Hey all.

I have made it pretty clear in the few post that I have made around here that I was never a really big D.C. guy (95% Marvel, sorry) and that I have just started reading D.C. comics.

I ran out and got 52 this week. Pretty good, cant wait to see where this is all going.

I really have no idea who all these characters are, I am pretty lost. I really would like to know more about Black Adam. He is the character that really got my attention. Can someone give me the low down on this guy. What appearances of his should I track down and read.

Who the heck is this "?" guy.

I really want the bulk of info on B.A. but if you guys would be so kind as to give me some background on some of these other characters and maybe some recs. on books I should read. I have read I.C. and most of the minis. I was not to thrilled by these but I think that had allot to do with me not really knowing who everyone was.

I think the book that I have enjoyed most was the first issue in the identity crisis when the plastic man guy’s wife gets killed. This was my first D.C. comic I have read other than a batman issue here and there.

As you can see I am pretty new to the D.C. world. It just seems really big and really hard world to get into; there is just so much history. If you guys could please help this Marvel fanboy out a little you might just have a new member in the D.C. reading world.

Thanks guys

P.S.

I lied, I have read about half the Sandman series and almost everything written by Alan Moore. What kind of comic guy would I be passing on this great, classic stuff.:D

Black Adam: the short version for a Marvel guy is, imagine what Punisher would do if he had Superman's powers. If you really want to get a handle on where this current storyline may take him, you should consider picking up the JSA/Hawkman crossover trade titled "Black Reign". Although he was never made an official member, Black Adam helped the Justice Society on several adventures.

Booster Gold: He's a thief from the future who "boosted" a high-tech battlesuit and a Legion flight ring and then escaped into the past, to our time period. He is a superhero who makes good money on the side from corporate sponsors (that's why he has those corporate logos cluttering up his costume these days) and other money-making opportunities. He was a member of the Justice League, and close friends with the recently deceased hero known as Blue Beetle.

Elongated Man: Ralph Dibney and his non-powered wife Sue were a happily married couple who liked to solve mysteries together. He was also a member of the Justice League. Ralph has stretching powers similar to Mr. Fantastic. Before Infinite Crisis, there was a notorious mini-series called Identity Crisis, that featured lightweight villain Dr. Light raping Sue Dibney. Later, she was incinerated by another villain who was trying to frame Dr. Light.

Montoya: I don't much about her, except that she was apparently a regular character in that Gotham cop title. She seems to be an angry lesbian alcoholic police detective.

The Question: An oldtime Charlton Comics character (before they were bought out by DC), the Question is the basis for Alan Moore's classic Watchmen character, Rorschach. The Question is a non-powered crimefighter with highly advanced martial arts skill and a very philosophical frame of mind. His secret ID was ace tv reporter Vic Sage.

Steel: Shortly after Superman was apparently "killed", several other heroes stepped up to take his role of fighting crime, including the brilliant inventor who now calls himself Steel. His armored battle suit gives him superhuman strength and protection. He joined the JLA a few years ago.

[JuggernautRM]

I like Black Adam and all superpowered beings who fall in line with him. Niether extremely bad ore extremely good, just doing what they feel is the right to do at that moment.

[filthysize]

Who the heck is this "?" guy.


Best damn DC character ever, that's who.

[Agentum]

Well Booster Gold was a american football player, the thief thing was just that he stole some legion of superheroes things from a museum he worked in when he was sacked from his team (he gambled on his own matches).
He went back in time and save a president to start of his new career as a superhero for hire.

[Silas Burr]

I really have no idea who all these characters are, I am pretty lost. I really would like to know more about Black Adam. He is the character that really got my attention. Can someone give me the low down on this guy.


Black Adam is sort of like 2 people in one. From memory it goes a little something like this. Teth(Mighty)-Adam was a warrior in ancient Africa who became the first champion of Shazam. He became corrupted and was given the new name of Khem(Black)-Adam. Shazam stripped Khem-Adam of his powers and put the powers in an amulet. Centuries later an evil archeologist named Theo Adam found the amulet and gained the powers of his ancestor, Khem-Adam. Theo Adam operated as Black Adam for years but later the persona of Khem-Adam took over the body and it is Khem-Adam that is the Black Adam of today.

Khem-Adam used the fact that he is not Theo Adam as a defense for why he should not be held accountable for Theo Adam's crimes in this body. Using this ploy he was taken in by the JSA. But what no one knew was that Khem-Adam was also a villain as well. Eventually Black Adam reveals he only used the JSA to take some of their members for his own purposes.

[Dr. Killtrocity]

Hey all.

I have made it pretty clear in the few post that I have made around here that I was never a really big D.C. guy (95% Marvel, sorry) and that I have just started reading D.C. comics.

I ran out and got 52 this week. Pretty good, cant wait to see where this is all going.

I really have no idea who all these characters are, I am pretty lost. I really would like to know more about Black Adam. He is the character that really got my attention. Can someone give me the low down on this guy. What appearances of his should I track down and read.

Who the heck is this "?" guy.

I really want the bulk of info on B.A. but if you guys would be so kind as to give me some background on some of these other characters and maybe some recs. on books I should read. I have read I.C. and most of the minis. I was not to thrilled by these but I think that had allot to do with me not really knowing who everyone was.

I think the book that I have enjoyed most was the first issue in the identity crisis when the plastic man guy’s wife gets killed. This was my first D.C. comic I have read other than a batman issue here and there.

As you can see I am pretty new to the D.C. world. It just seems really big and really hard world to get into; there is just so much history. If you guys could please help this Marvel fanboy out a little you might just have a new member in the D.C. reading world.

Thanks guys

P.S.

I lied, I have read about half the Sandman series and almost everything written by Alan Moore. What kind of comic guy would I be passing on this great, classic stuff.:D


If you read Identity Crisis, Countdown to IC, Villains United, Day of Vengance, OMAC Project, and R-T War, then IC, and didn't really enjoy them, I'd say DC isn't for you. Because like you, I only read Marvel until about 6 months ago when I started from Identity Crisis and read what I listed previously, and now I can't get enough DC.

As for Black Adam info, read the last couple arcs of JSA pre-OYL.

[filthysize]

If you read Identity Crisis, Countdown to IC, Villains United, Day of Vengance, OMAC Project, and R-T War, then IC, and didn't really enjoy them, I'd say DC isn't for you.

Ummmmm, I can't agree with this.

Even the most hardcore DC fan hated most of those titles you listed.

[ChthonicSpirit]

Ummmmm, I can't agree with this.

Even the most hardcore DC fan hated most of those titles you listed.

Well, except for Villains United.

But really, enjoying Identity Crisis relates to perspective. I was a relatively new DC reader when I picked that up, and I enjoyed it until I learned more about some of the characters involved. LIke Black Canary . . . Meltzer thinks she would mindwipe people? WTF?

After a few little epiphanies of that sort, I decided to abstain from buying the collection.

Also . . . Post 100!:D

[Agentum]

If you read Identity Crisis, Countdown to IC, Villains United, Day of Vengance, OMAC Project, and R-T War, then IC, and didn't really enjoy them, I'd say DC isn't for you. Because like you, I only read Marvel until about 6 months ago when I started from Identity Crisis and read what I listed previously, and now I can't get enough DC.

As for Black Adam info, read the last couple arcs of JSA pre-OYL.

I like DC comics a lot but i don't see those books you think is essential to like anything special at all.
The Villains one was good but i don't enjoy much of the others at all, it all seems to editor controlled to be really good, i prefer when the creative teams have more freedom.

Maybe if you just mean new people that is only intrested in new comic then your list is valid, but DC to me is so much more than this crisis.

This is not critic against you personaly, you like what you like and thats ok.

[ShaggyB]

Ummmmm, I can't agree with this.

Even the most hardcore DC fan hated most of those titles you listed.

why do people assume that they are the norm for comicbook fans? I'm a hardcore fan and i liked most of those titles. ive been reading sence the days after COIE so dont think you can judge everyones taste based soley on this board or your own.

[filthysize]

Er, I'm just saying that just because you don't like those titles doesn't mean that "DC isn't for you". There are plenty of DC fans who don't like them.

[onenatv]

why do people assume that they are the norm for comicbook fans? I'm a hardcore fan and i liked most of those titles. ive been reading sence the days after COIE so dont think you can judge everyones taste based soley on this board or your own.

Everything he said. I like all those titles, even love some of them.

[Stanlos]

Ah, for more Booster Gold goodness do check out The O.M.A.C. Project trade, which has COUNTDOWN re-printed therein.

Black Adam. Sigh, he used to be my favoritest villain ever back when he was a Captain Marvel villain (I would say he was THE Cap villain actually). But lately he has become the sort of anti-hero that became uberpopular in the 90s.

I think that with Infinite Crisis's realigning of DC History, there is a good opportunity to make sense of the Marvel Family history. Post Crisis there have been a lot of false starts. And JSA continued the continuity clutter by asserting that there were other wielders of the power aside from Adam and the Marvel Family.

So pretty much anything you read is going to be . . . iffy as to what is and what ain't. But you can still be entertained.

Some of my favorite Black Adam stories in recent times:

Infinite Crisis had some good Adam stuff.
Gail's two part Action Comics story featuring Adam and Dr. Psycho
Villains United
The Firestorm VU tie-in issue (one of my all time favorite comics ever--that was a good ol' fashioned superhero story, lotta action and a lotta fun)
Princes of Darkness in JSA
Black Reign in JSA


The first arc of JSA (1-5or6 I think)

Before recent stuff:

Power of Shazam graphic novel
War of the Gods 1-4

Pre-Crisis

Superman vs Shazam

[Stanlos]

Black Adam is sort of like 2 people in one. From memory it goes a little something like this. Teth(Mighty)-Adam was a warrior in ancient Africa who became the first champion of Shazam. He became corrupted and was given the new name of Khem(Black)-Adam. Shazam stripped Khem-Adam of his powers and put the powers in an amulet. Centuries later an evil archeologist named Theo Adam found the amulet and gained the powers of his ancestor, Khem-Adam. Theo Adam operated as Black Adam for years but later the persona of Khem-Adam took over the body and it is Khem-Adam that is the Black Adam of today.

Khem-Adam used the fact that he is not Theo Adam as a defense for why he should not be held accountable for Theo Adam's crimes in this body. Using this ploy he was taken in by the JSA. But what no one knew was that Khem-Adam was also a villain as well. Eventually Black Adam reveals he only used the JSA to take some of their members for his own purposes.

Isn't it amazing how such a relatively little used character can have so many different origins???

[Dennis K]

I'm also a late-arrival to the DCU, and along with Deadman, Black Adam is one of my favorite characters.

[Damo]

>___<

Getting to the 52 star that Shellhead has made quite clear he dislikes...

Renee Montoya was a Gotham City cop under Commissioner Gordon. She's more than a little angry these days because she's had a bad couple of years.

First Gordon got shot and ended up leaving the force. Then she found out that her own partner, Harvey Bullock, leaked the identity of the shooter (who was in the witness protection program, and thus pretty much untouchable) to a bunch of criminals the shooter had betrayed - shooter got killed by old enemies, Harvey quit the force.

Then, a few years later, her new partner, Crispus Allen, ended up under investigation by internal affairs for shooting a villain that was trying to kill her - because a dirty cop named Corrigan stole the bullet from the crime scene to sell on ebay. Getting the bullet back to clear Crispus meant internal affairs basically lost any hope of making a case against Corrigan for all his corruption.

When Crispus found out he started his own private investigation against Corrigan, but Cor' found out and killed Crispus. Grinning the whole time, Corrigan and a bunch of dirty cops (a nd clean cops like Renee are the minority in Gotham) managed to trick everyone trying to make a case against him, and got away scott free.

Also, a young cop that Renee had helped join the force was turned into a raging monster (by Dr. Alchemy, one of the Flash's villains) that killed his own fiance by accident before being killed himself.

And yeah, somewhere in all of that Two-Face framed Renee for a double murder while simultaneously outing her as a lesbian to her coworkers and her intollerant and strictly religious family (who haven't been talking to her since, except for the odd "you're going to hell"). Oh, and her coworkers/friends have been dropping like flies, which is what you would expect since they're trying to catch the crazies in Batman's Rogues Gallery.

If I were her I'd be angry and an alcoholic too.

[Shellhead]

>___<

Getting to the 52 star that Shellhead has made quite clear he dislikes...

Renee Montoya was a Gotham City cop under Commissioner Gordon. She's more than a little angry these days because she's had a bad couple of years.

First Gordon got shot and ended up leaving the force. Then she found out that her own partner, Harvey Bullock, leaked the identity of the shooter (who was in the witness protection program, and thus pretty much untouchable) to a bunch of criminals the shooter had betrayed - shooter got killed by old enemies, Harvey quit the force.

Then, a few years later, her new partner, Crispus Allen, ended up under investigation by internal affairs for shooting a villain that was trying to kill her - because a dirty cop named Corrigan stole the bullet from the crime scene to sell on ebay. Getting the bullet back to clear Crispus meant internal affairs basically lost any hope of making a case against Corrigan for all his corruption.

When Crispus found out he started his own private investigation against Corrigan, but Cor' found out and killed Crispus. Grinning the whole time, Corrigan and a bunch of dirty cops (a nd clean cops like Renee are the minority in Gotham) managed to trick everyone trying to make a case against him, and got away scott free.

Also, a young cop that Renee had helped join the force was turned into a raging monster (by Dr. Alchemy, one of the Flash's villains) that killed his own fiance by accident before being killed himself.

And yeah, somewhere in all of that Two-Face framed Renee for a double murder while simultaneously outing her as a lesbian to her coworkers and her intollerant and strictly religious family (who haven't been talking to her since, except for the odd "you're going to hell"). Oh, and her coworkers/friends have been dropping like flies, which is what you would expect since they're trying to catch the crazies in Batman's Rogues Gallery.

If I were her I'd be angry and an alcoholic too.

This is interesting stuff, and I don't blame her for being angry or even cynical. But becoming an alcoholic never solves any problems.

I've dated an alcoholic, and it was just sad when I realized why she started drinking and why she wouldn't stop. I broke up with her over it, and when she came back to me 6 months later and said she was fine, I asked her what kind of treatment program she went through, and she said none. I wished her the best of luck.

[Damo]

This is interesting stuff, and I don't blame her for being angry or even cynical. But becoming an alcoholic never solves any problems.

I've dated an alcoholic, and it was just sad when I realized why she started drinking and why she wouldn't stop. I broke up with her over it, and when she came back to me 6 months later and said she was fine, I asked her what kind of treatment program she went through, and she said none. I wished her the best of luck.


You are, of course, right.

Renee's only seriously hit the bottle after Gotham Central ended. It pretty much ended with her best friend's wife and two kids going up to her and saying "how's the investigation going" about five seconds after Corrigan and his dirty cop cronies grinned and walked away, the case against them collapsing like a house of cards. She quit the force, confronted Corrigan alone with a gun, but realized that she couldn't kill him (IMHO because that would have betrayed Crispus). Probably doesn't help that Crispus' body has gone missing (since he's the new Spectre). And, of course, her lover (who she basically gave up her entire family for) left her when her self destruction just became too much. I can definitely understand her behavior as a result. I don't think it's a healthy response, but damn that's a lot of crap for one person to deal with.

Still, I suspect the Question will be pointing out to her very shortly that, like you said, staring into a bottle isn't going to fix anything.

[filthysize]

Man... Damo, you made me sad. Gotham Central was the best DC book on shelves for 4 years. I've just finally starting to get over the fact that it ended... damn you!

Anyhow, I'm glad they've appointed The Question to guide Montoya. I've been a fan of her since her days on TAS. Seeing Q and Renee in the same panel makes this fanboy giddy.

[brotherscrim]

Best damn DC character ever, that's who.


Seconded. :)

[Rokk]

Black Adam is a great character! Black Adam in 52 can be compared to Namor. Both are incredibly powerful. They are both arrogant and proud. They are both strong leaders for their people and feel that they are justified to do whatever they must in order to protect and lead their people. And both characters do not fit the traditional classification of a hero or a villain.

[Dr. Killtrocity]

Black Adam is a great character! Black Adam in 52 can be compared to Namor. Both are incredibly powerful. They are both arrogant and proud. They are both strong leaders for their people and feel that they are justified to do whatever they must in order to protect and lead their people. And both characters do not fit the traditional classification of a hero or a villain.

Black Adam is far more violent, and he doesn't answer to anyone. Namor has that takes no shit attitude but he usually ends of coming to an agreement with his disputes rather than just getting it done and walking away like Adam does. Also, Namor is alot more annoying and he just disagrees to disagree.

[Dr. Killtrocity]

Ummmmm, I can't agree with this.

Even the most hardcore DC fan hated most of those titles you listed.

Sorry for not going with the 'norm', I guess the only good books are the ones "hardcore DC fans" like.

[filthysize]

Sorry for not going with the 'norm', I guess the only good books are the ones "hardcore DC fans" like.

The hell are you implying? That has nothing to do with anything.

You told the guy that if he doesn't like those books, then DC isn't for him. I'm telling him otherwise. There are plenty of better DC books, and if he doesn't like the ones you listed, he shouldn't be discouraged.

[Joker2503]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is that Black Adam is one of the most powerful characters in the DCU. In a lot of the "Can ___ beat ___?" debates, the idea comes up that "___ won't kill." Black Adam has all of Captain Marvel's powers, but without the "good guy" streak.

Black Adam could most likely SMOKE Superman in a fight.

[K'Nort]

The hell are you implying? That has nothing to do with anything.

You told the guy that if he doesn't like those books, then DC isn't for him. I'm telling him otherwise. There are plenty of better DC books, and if he doesn't like the ones you listed, he shouldn't be discouraged.

The confusion is that you said that "the most hardcore DC fans hated the books" rather than "some of the most hardcore DC fans hated the books." Which then sounds like anyone who didn't hate the books doesn't count as a real fan. Not your intention clearly, from your subsequent confusion, but that's where it happened.


Just to make things more confusing, Black Adam when he was still powered and back in ancient Egypt, worked for an earlier incarnation of Hawkman. In some versions. Which is probably more tying everyone neatly together than we really need, but also builds conflict.


Yay Deadman!

[Agentum]

AND Black Adam is a Fawcett character originaly, not that it matters, just so no one thought he just fell out of the sky yesterday:D

[LtMarvel]

In the original Black Adam story, Marvel Family #1, Black Adam gained his Shazam powers thousands of years ago and then turned evil. Shazam couldn't withdraw those powers, so he was sent to the furthest star. It took Black Adam all that time to return to Earth. He battled the Marvel Family to a standstill until he was tricked by Uncle Marvel (the nonpowered one) into saying "Shazam". Captain Marvel knocked out his opponent, who quickly aged to his true age, turning into a pile of dust. The End....


...until the first DC run of Shazam!, where Sivana's ressurection machine revived Teth-Adam (who destroyed that machine to prevent his return to death). Black Adam also appeared in the Superman vs. Shazam tabloid and Crisis on Infinite Earths.

Jerry Ordway's revival of Captain Marvel, the Power of Shazam!, established that Theo Adam killed Billy and Mary Batson's parents (and he kidnapped a very young Mary who witnessed another murder) to rob stuff for Sivana. Theo could only change via an amulet/magic word combo. Eventually, as stated before, Teth-Adam was in controll of Black Adam and was not responsible for Theo's crimes...a legal ruling that did not fit well with Billy and Mary (Captain Marvel and Mary Marvel).

Teth Adam was a hero of ancient Egypt. He was around Hawkman's first life. He lost his family (they were killed while he was busy elsewhere) and went nuts and took over. Presumably Shazam stopped him.

[CaptainAwesome]

Teth Adam was the first champion of Shazam. He was a pharoe in ancient egypt. From the Ordway story, Shazam's daughter (I forget her name, but she was some kind of hell demon) seduced Teth and corrupted him, causing him to abuse his powers. Oh and a side note, completely irrelevant, but if you go back and watch the JLU episode that came on a few weeks ago that was set in ancient Egypt, with Hawkman and Hawkgirl they mention Teth Adam's kingdom. I just thought that was cool at the time.


Ps. I liked Day of Vengence and Identity Crisis. Not trying to start anything, just saying I liked them.

[HalWho]

BA and Deathstroke are some my two favorite villians. I like the anti-hero types at times...I was disappointed when he got bitch-slapped by ol' sbp