The time has come for the hierarchy of power in the DC Universe to change. It is up to audiences to decide whether it has done so for better or worse on the grand scale of the DCEU. Considering that DC has a vast library of characters and stories, Black Adam seeks to explore both the Justice Society of America and the origins of Teth-Adam into the Shazam-wielding Black Adam.
As with all adaptions, there are bound to be some creative changes that serve a different story in live-action form. Black Adam changes a few things that will be obvious to the DC Comics readers, but that doesn’t stop the film from treating its titanic characters with the respect they deserve for their DCEU debut.
Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Black Adam!
7 Black Adam’s Origin
The comics saw Teth-Adam as an ancient Egyptian prince that served in the courts of Ramses. He was gracious and caring and was going to be the Wizard’s champion for the powers of Shazam. However, Teth-Adam suffered much with the death of his family and usurped Kahndaq to be its king.
For the DCEU movie, Dwayne Johnson's Teth-Adam was but a slave, his freedom stolen by the government of Kahndaq. His son has been bestowed the powers of Shazam by the council of wizards. However, after Teth-Adam was fatally wounded, his son transferred his powers, thus making Black Adam. His origins as a slave, and not the original champion make for a different take on the character.
6 Superman Owes A Favor
Superman cannot be chained by anything but his love of truth and justice. He’s one of the most powerful characters in the universe and is surely a threat to Black Adam. Fans have been eager to see this character return for years, especially with Henry Cavill wearing the red cape. The Black Adam mid-credits scene gives audiences just that, and the Man of Steel returns.
In this scene, Amanda Waller warns Black Adam that she can call in a favor from Superman. However, this favor is not known. In the comics, Superman doesn’t owe favors, and his interactions with Amanda Waller are extremely limited, she mainly just keeps tabs on him.
5 JSA In Kahndaq
The Justice Society has a strange relationship with Black Adam. The character has been on their team before. However, there’s something the Justice Society does not do, which is interfering in international politics. The JSA was forced to go to Kahndaq to stop Black Adam’s conquest in overthrowing the government there and to act as peacekeepers.
When the JSA arrive in Kahndaq in the DCEU, they also mention to the people that they cannot just overthrow a government. However, the difference here is that the JSA in the DCEU film wants to capture and imprison Black Adam because he may be a great threat to the planet.
4 Members Of The JSA
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The Justice Society of America is the upholder of peace and justice in the DC Universe. They house some classic heroes, such as the original Flash and the original Green Lantern. Their members are the classic age of heroes, and they have a rather humble amount of heroes, however, that does not make them weak, and further solidifies their compassion.
When it came to the DCEU debut of the JSA, the characters that audiences are familiar with are not all there. There are famous JSA characters like Hawkman, Doctor Fate, Cyclone, and Atom Smasher, but many key members are missing from the film, without even a mention.
3 Intergang’s Involvement
Crime syndicates are no strangers to the world of comics. They act as cannon fodder to the heroes that protect the city where these syndicates arise in. One such criminal organization is Intergang, a nationwide criminal organization that has advanced technologies, and has even worked with Darkseid and Apokolips technology.
The involvement of Intergang in Black Adam is far more politically motivated, as they are seen as terrorists, and occupiers of Kahndaq, oppressing its people for the natural resources they produce, rather than for the goal of the highest bidder.
2 Amanda Waller And The Justice Society
The Justice Society is a completely separate division made entirely of compassionate and powerful superheroes. These characters help those around the world and certainly don’t have an interest in the Suicide Squad, or its government handler, Amanda Waller. Characters with a short fuse like Hawkman would certainly keep clear.
However, the DCEU sees Amanda Waller as a Nick Fury-type character, as she assists the Justice Society with information about Black Adam and his dangers to the world. The Justice Society keeps Amanda Waller regularly updated, and even works closely in her underwater Task Force X prison, but is not the Suicide Squad.
1 The Death Of Doctor Fate
The helmet of Nabu and Kent Nelson have been entwined for over a century. Kent is practically immortal as long as he is the host for Nabu and the Lord of Order. It gives him incredible powers, but he is merely a vessel. After so many years, Kent requests to die, and Nabu grants this wish when he finds a new person to become Doctor Fate.
Things are a bit different for the DCEU version of Doctor Fate. The character is still Kent Nelson with the helmet of Nabu, but his death is at the hands of Sabbac. Kent Nelson does not pass away from old age, and the helmet seemingly disintegrates, leaving it in the air whether the helmet survived the fight to find another host.
Black Adam is now playing in theaters.