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ByTom MeisfjordANDSteven Thrash/Updated: Oct. 24, 2022 12:06 pm EST
Contains spoilers for "Black Adam"
Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson faced an eight-year struggle from the moment he first announced he'd accepted the role of Black Adam (via Twitter). Now, Johnson's patience and dedication to bringing the character to life has paid off. In its first four days at the box office, "Black Adam" brought in $67 million domestically, becoming the best opening-weekend performance of any movie with Johnson in the lead role (via The Numbers). And the character Johnson portrays, Black Adam, is one of the most powerful in DC Comics.
In fact, Black Adam's superpowers match up in most respects with those of the Man of Steel himself, Superman. Both DC characters possess superhuman strength, speed, hearing, healing, and stamina in the comic books. The Last Son of Krypton and the Butcher of Bialya are also virtually invincible, and both beings can defy gravity and fly. What's arguably even more powerful, though, is the 15 seconds Henry Cavill's Superman showed up for at the very end of "Black Adam."
"It's been a while since anyone's made the world this nervous, Black Adam," Superman says at the behest of Suicide Squad directorAmanda Waller (Viola Davis). Yes, Black Adam and Superman come face to face in the DC Extended Universe, and that's the battle fans want to see, according to Reddit. Many variables are at play when deciding the outcome of such an epic showdown, but who will ultimately win when Black Adam and Superman come to blows in the DCEU?
This unique superpower could make all the difference for Black Adam
One critical difference between Superman and Black Adam in the comics is that the latter can discharge lightning bolts as projectiles while engaging his enemies in battle. "Black Adam could kick the s*** out of Superman," Dwayne Johnson said in an interview (via TheTruth 31).
It might not ever need to come to that, though, because Black Adam has a massive edge over Kal-El. The Mighty Adam's most significant, unique advantage over the Last Son of Krypton is that he is immortal. Yes, immortality could be the game changer.The Man of Steel seems ageless, but Kal-El does grow older, albeit at a prolonged rate because of the sun's effect on his Kryptonian cells. It might take centuries, or even longer, but Clark Kent will eventually succumb to death from natural causes.
If a brouhaha between the super beings ever escalated into a fight, theoretically, Black Adam could just wait it out until Superman keels over from old age. And since the Mighty Adam is a genius thanks to the Wisdom of Zehuti, he should be able to figure out that immortality gives him the upper hand.
Superman brings the big guns
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Since a millennia-long wait does not make for very good storytelling, however, there must be a more immediate determination of a winner. For his part, Superman can put up one heck of a fight. Since before most of us were born, he has been DC Comics' solid gold standard, with a boy scout demeanor and an all-American "aw-shucks" attitude that can't downplay the ambient "now you're in trouble" energy that he exudes when he floats, eyes glowing, into your warehouse full of killer robots.
Over the years, Superman's level of power has varied immensely. His debut in "Action Comics"#1 back in 1938 saw him able to "leap 1/8th of a mile," with skin that could be broken by "nothing less than a bursting shell." By contrast, the Superman of more recent days has been seen lifting quintillions of tons one-handed, flying so fast that time moves backward, and punching holes in the fabric of reality. His laundry list of superhuman abilities is seemingly infinite, with some of Superman's lesser-known powers including super-ventriloquism, super-hypnosis, and super-shooting-tiny-versions-of-himself-out-of-his-hands.
Writers have gone back to the "Superman loses his powers" well so many times that it's become a trope, all because, well, how do you write a story with heavy stakes if the main character can't be beaten? How do you smash that which smashes all other things?And that might just be where Black Adam comes into play. While everybody knows that Superman is vulnerable to kryptonite, he has another weakness that people forget about: magic.
Do you believe in magic?
Since Superman is susceptible to magic, it's a formidable weapon to use against him.In "Superman" #14, he was put under a trance by malevolent fish people. In "Superman" #49, a piece of magical Kryptonite strips him of his powers. In "Superman" #171, he outright laments, "Too bad my invulnerability can't protect me from magic or a sorcerer's spell!" On "Smallville," Clark Kent (Tom Welling) was also robbed of his abilities when he came up against witchcraft in the Season 4 episode "Spell."
This brings us to Black Adam. Adam has gone through his own heaping portion of growing pains over the years, starting out as an ancient Egyptian absolutely corrupted by absolute power before later becoming an isolationist antihero from the fictional nation of Kahndaq. But one aspect of his personality has remained solid: His powers are magical in nature. They were given to him by the same wizard who turned Billy Batson (Asher Angel) into the World's Mightiest Mortal, and they stem from the abilities of ancient gods — sometimes Greek, sometimes Egyptian, always intense.
Now, the Butcher of Bialya might not know Clark Kent's more obscure weakness yet in the DCEU, but the actor portraying him is definitely aware. "Superman's greatest weakness isn't kryptonite, it's magic," Johnson posted on Twitter in 2021. "Black Adam's greatest superpower is magic. They both fly at light speed. They both are unstoppable forces. But only one will kill the other. And we know who that is."
Kryptonite can destroy Superman
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Fans love the arrival of Dwayne Johnson's antihero in the DCEU, according to Rotten Tomatoes, but if Black Adam plans on defeating Superman, he should travel to Smallville, Kansas, where Kal-El's vessel crash-landed on Earth and where he may find Green K Kryptonite. Green K is among the most common and powerful iterations of Kryptonite because it can weaken and kill the Man of Steel with prolonged exposure.
If the Mighty Adam wants to take out Superman once and for all, though, there's only one shade of Kryptonite he should bother searching for: Gold Kryptonite. The most formidable weapon Black Adam, or anyone else for that matter, could ever hope to wield against Kal-El, Gold Kryptonite will permanently strip Superman of all his powers.
However, you have to get very close to Kal-El to use it. In the "Smallville" series finale, Darkseid corrupts Oliver Queen (Justin Hartley) so that he'll use Gold K on Clark Kent (Tom Welling) at his and Lois Lane's (Erica Durance) wedding. Thankfully, although Clark gets close to the Gold Kryptonite, which has been fashioned into his wedding ring, he never touches it. Black Adam will have to get up and personal, but Gold K is another potential way to victory.
Superman's morality won't save Black Adam from the Kryptonian's strength
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With all the advantages Black Adam has over the Man of Steel, the simple truth remains: Superman is stronger. In combat, without magic or Kryptonite, the Mighty Adam will fall. Even inferior, alternate versions of Superman have bested Black Adam in comic books.
In "Shazam!" #14, the evil Superboy-Prime easily defeats not only Black Adam but also all the Marvels on his own.And that was the second time Superboy-Prime bested the Mighty Adam — he also made quick work of him during the "Infinite Crisis" crossover event. Ultraman, Kal-El's alternate, darker half from Earth-3, ended his fisticuffs with Black Adam by breaking his jaw in "Forever Evil" #3.
When it comes to the more powerful Supermen in DC Comics, Kal-El has abandoned his morality on multiple occasions to do what is necessary to save the world and those he loves.An alternate-reality Kal-El slaughtered Wonder Woman in 2004's "Superman/Batman: Absolute Power," and the Man of Steel wiped out the Joker, Black Canary, Green Arrow, and even Shazam in the far-reaching "Injustice" saga. Finally, in "Man of Steel," the first official installment of the DCEU's big-screen adventures, Superman is forced to break General Zod's (Michael Shannon) neck to save civilians. Bottom line: Superman is not above killing.
And the winner is?
Beatriz Velasco/Getty Images
Although Dwayne Johnson put in a lot of work to get Henry Cavill back in the game, the answer of who would win in a fight between Black Adam and Superman in the DCEU is simple: Black Adam. However, Johnson offered a different response with the release of his solo film."We will create Black Adam for him to be the most powerful and unstoppable force on this planet. The most powerful and unstoppable force in the entire universe has been on the sidelines for too long," Johnson said in an interview on "Jake's Takes."
Johnson has also made it clear that he's listening to the fans, and many of them want Kal-El to come out on top, according to Reddit. So don't be surprised if the Man of Steel continues to reign atop the DC hierarchy. On the other hand, perhaps Johnson's presence and passion can provide leadership for the DCEU in the same way Kevin Feige governs the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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FAQs
Who wins in a fight Superman or Black Adam? ›
Taking all of these things into account, checking the numbers, ticking the boxes, and pure old gut instinct, it's obvious that the winner in a fight between Superman and Black Adam is... Superman.
Who is stronger Black Adam or Superman or Shazam? ›In terms of speed and physical strength, Superman and Black Adam are comparable. Superman possesses some additional abilities like his x-ray vision, his ice breath, and his eye-projected heat rays, but Shazam has some tricks of his own with his lightning powers and magical aptitude.
Who could beat Black Adam? ›Darkseid's immense power easily outclasses Black Adam with his Omega Beams, immeasurable strength, and absolutely insane durability. Darkseid has survived explosions and weapons that were specifically designed to kill him.
What is Black Adam's weakness? ›Weaknesses. Magical Vulnerability: Only significant magic can affect him. Lightning: Lightning attacks that cause damage and can cause Black Adam to revert back to Theo Adam. A former weakness of Teth-Adam is that he couldn't revert to normal because if he did, he would age all the years he didn't, meaning he would die ...
Did Superman ever fight Black Adam? ›According to Comic Book Resources, Black Adam and Superman have fought in comics several times, pitting the benevolent alien Kal-El against the centuries-old Egyptian warrior named Teth-Adam.
Can Shazam beat Superman? ›Even though Superman is often considered the most powerful character in the DC Universe, Shazam definitely comes close, and he can even beat the Man of Steel. And with a massive power upgrade, there's no question that Shazam can meet Superman blow for blow—despite the upgrade's terrible side effects.
Who would win Black Adam or Shazam? ›Some fans might wonder if Black Adam is stronger than Shazam since they basically have the exact same powers. However, Shazam has always been stronger than Adam. Part of that is because he's the Wizard's current champion.
How much can Superman lift? ›This difference in gravity allows Superman to lift objects that measure in the tons. In fact, the comics have put Superman's strength at a point where he's able to lift around 2 billion tons! To put that into perspective, the Empire State Building is only 365,000 tons!
Who has Black Adam lost to? ›Black Adam reveals himself to Captain Marvel as the Batsons' killer, and the two battle. Captain Marvel emerges victorious by snatching Adam's scarab, and therefore his power, away from him.
Can Black Adam defeat Hulk? ›1 Black Adam Is Savage Enough To Beat Hulk
He's the strongest one there is, and his power is pretty much infinite. Fighting him is basically an exercise in futility, as any blow that doesn't take him out makes him angry, and he just gets stronger. However, that's exactly why Black Adam would win.
Who is the most powerful superhero? ›
Beyonder
With a simple thought, the Beyonder can displace an entire planet, change the rules of physics, and even destroy the entire universe. That's why the Beyonder was presented in Marvel Comics as the most powerful being to ever exist.
The Mighty Adam serves as Egypt's champion for many centuries but becomes corrupted by the charms of a mysterious woman, revealed to be Shazam's evil daughter Blaze in disguise. The bewitched Adam is convinced that he and his mistress should rule Egypt, so he kills the Pharaoh and appoints himself ruler.
What happens if Black Adam says Shazam? ›Adam gains his powers from a council of wizards who empower him with abilities from the Egyptian pantheon of gods. Whenever Adam speaks the word "Shazam!" he is granted godlike powers including superhuman strength and durability, flight, and the ability to generate lightning.
Who gave Black Adam his powers? ›The Gods That Gave Black Adam His Powers
Similar to Billy Batson, Black Adam was gifted six powers by six different gods. These gods are of Egyptian origin, and are in direct correlation to the Greek gods of Shazam's. These gods are Shu, Horus, Amon, Zehuti, Aton, and Mehen.
In the DC Comics, Superman was faster than both Shazam and Black Adam.
What did Superman tell Black Adam? ›That's when Black Adam receives a visitor. Henry Cavill's Superman materializes, and he tells Adam, "We should talk." Black Adam marks Cavill's first time in the Superman suit since 2017's Justice League (although he did return to reshoot footage for Zack Snyder's 2021 rerelease).
Can Superman beat wonder? ›Superman may technically be stronger, faster and have more endurance. but Wonder Woman has a warrior's edge that allows her to believably win a fight between the pair.
Who wins Superman or Hulk? ›Since they both possess superhuman strength and speed, their fight might go on for days. However, according to Greg Pak — Marvel's writer, who worked on several comics featuring the Hulk, Superman would win their fight because of his virtues: “Superman, being who he is, will not just make his enemy angry.
What is Superman weak to? ›All Kryptonian Weaknesses
But for as many strengths as he has, there are almost as many weaknesses. Kryptonite, magic, and red sun radiation are all things that can harm Superman in a myriad of ways. But a very droll manner in which he can be humbled is by blocking his access to sunlight.
What makes this matchup a bit tricky is that the DCEU Flash is inexperienced and incapable of fully accessing the Speed Force. Against this version of the Flash, Black Adam would win quite easily. Not only does Adam also have super speed but he's in full control of his powers, so he has the edge.
Who is stronger Wonder Woman or Black Adam? ›
9 Black Adam Has A Strength Advantage Over Wonder Woman
Unfortunately, that wouldn't really help her against Black Adam. Adam has Wonder Woman beat in strength, speed, and durability, as well as having a long range lightning attack.
There is no contest here and no way to go around it; Superman is the most powerful character in the DCEU, and although he hasn't been around the big screen since 2017, his reputation is safe, at least until Darkseid makes his debut — if that ever happens.
Who is Superman's toughest enemy? ›Darkseid
Darkseid is one of the most fearsome villains in the DC universe for a reason. He's basically a god of evil, and his powers know no real limit. Because of Superman's incredible power, there are few villains who simply outclass him the way that Darkseid does.
If anybody from the MCU could defeat Superman, it's Scarlet Witch. After defeating five members of the Illuminati, consisting of Professor X, Captain Marvel, Captain Carter, Mr. Fantastic, and Black Bolt, we don't want to imagine what Scarlet Witch could do to Superman.
Can flash beat Superman? ›While Superman is one of the most powerful heroes in the DC Universe, enhanced to godlike levels by the Sun's radiation, The Flash's physics-defying powers are capable of killing him not by playing on his famous vulnerability to magic or his weakness to Kryptonite, but simply by hitting him so hard, even his ...
How fast can Superman go? ›According to various sources, he travels at least as fast as the speed of sound – which is somewhere in the region of 770 mph. There are also a few reports of Superman reaching the speed of light in the last decade.
How heavy can Thor lift? ›Thor: 3,500 lb.
Assessing Thor's strength might be even harder than the Hulk.
To make things clear, Superman has lifted Mjolnir in comic books. In 2003, when Marvel and DC co-produced JLA/Avengers #4 to defeat the ultimate villain Kronos, Superman was able to wield Thor's hammer.
Who are Black Adam enemies? ›Black Adam is a major antagonist in the DC Universe, being one of the three arch-enemies of Shazam (alongside Doctor Sivana and Mister Mind) and rival to both Superman and Hawkman.
Is Black Adam weaker than Superman? ›Black Adam has the same powers as Superman. Think about that. That's why it's so cool and exciting. With regard to super strength, durability and flight, Dwayne Johnson is correct that Superman and Black Adam are on roughly equal footing.
Who is more powerful Darkseid or Black Adam? ›
Darkseid would win in a fight against Black Adam. He is superior to Black Adam in terms of his strength, intellect, invulnerability, and the Omega Effect, which would lead to Black Adam's downfall.
Who is Black Adam afraid of? ›Black Adam Fears the Wizard Who Empowered Him
Shazam, aka the Wizard, granted both Black Adam and Billy Batson's Captain Marvel incredible powers whenever they shout his name, recruiting each as the champion of magic in different eras - Adam in Ancient Egypt, and Billy in the modern day.
Black Adam against The Ghost Rider
It is nearly impossible to kill the Ghost rider because of his immense power even being a human host.
Scarlet Witch
This makes her a tough competitor. She can exploit the weaknesses of Black Adam. But this won't be enough to defeat this DC giant. Adam can destroy Witch when in his full flow.
Quicksilver
His speed has been estimated well over 8500 miles per hour. To put that into perspective, even the fastest car in the world is only capable of achieving speeds of 301 miles per hour. Simple math says that Quicksilver is 28 times faster than the fastest car in the world.
Black Adam was an ancient Egyptian slave who received the powers of the Wizard Shazam. However, he was imprisoned for millennia by the Wizard after he misused his powers. He was eventually freed in the modern day where he went on to battle the Wizard's new champion Billy Batson many times.
Who is Black Adam's son? ›...
Osiris (DC Comics)
| Osiris | |
|---|---|
| Species | Human |
| Team affiliations | Teen Titans Black Marvel Family Black Lantern Corps Titans Sons of Adam |
| Supporting character of | Black Adam |
| Notable aliases | Black Adam Jr. Black Jr |
Black Adam
Who are the 7 Shazams? ›In current continuity, the Shazam Family comprises the superpowered alter egos of Billy Batson (teenaged alter-ego of Shazam/Captain Marvel) and his foster siblings: Mary Bromfield (formerly Mary Marvel), Freddy Freeman (formerly Captain Marvel Jr.), Darla Dudley, Pedro Peña, and Eugene Choi.
How old is Black Adam? ›
BLACK ADAM begins 5,000 years ago, with the city of Kahndaq ruled by a tyrant who works to build a magical crown that will give him great powers.
Why is Black Adam more powerful than Shazam? ›In short, Black Adam should be Shazam's equal, but some of his powers are beyond Billy Batson's abilities. Black Adam also has allies that help him overcome entire squads of superheroes. Then, Black Adam has a lot of combat experience, while Shazam is, in fact, a child.
Is Black Adam a villain or hero? ›Spoilers for Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 by DC ComicsDC Comics has finally settled on whether Black Adam is a hero or villain in the DC Universe, as his role in the finale of Dark Crisis reveals he is actually a good guy.
Who wins out of Shazam and Superman? ›And where Superman has heat vision, cold breath and other useful powers, Shazam can call down lightning and even bestow part of his power to other heroes. It's a pretty even match-up, all things considered. In terms of raw strength, most comics stories seem to give the edge to Superman.
Who would win in a fight Shazam or Black Adam? ›Some fans might wonder if Black Adam is stronger than Shazam since they basically have the exact same powers. However, Shazam has always been stronger than Adam. Part of that is because he's the Wizard's current champion.
Is Black Adam stronger than Superman Prime? ›With all the advantages Black Adam has over the Man of Steel, the simple truth remains: Superman is stronger. In combat, without magic or Kryptonite, the Mighty Adam will fall. Even inferior, alternate versions of Superman have bested Black Adam in comic books.
Who wins Superman versus flash? ›Barry Allen
The first decisive victory between Superman and a speedster takes place in World's Finest Comics #198-199. As the cover to issue #198 boldly states: “And this time, there MUST be a winner!” Despite cover illustrations to the contrary, this race too is on foot, and it's Barry who claims victory.
Shazam is more invulnerable and faster than the Man of Steel. True, Superman is stronger and more intelligent, but there's also the fact that Superman is vulnerable to magic while Shazam is a master spell caster.
Who is Superman weakness? ›Most people know about Superman's aversion to Kryptonite. Surprisingly, that isn't even his greatest weakness! In fact, magic circumnavigates all of his biological abilities. No matter what color of sun he's under, no matter what the situation is, magic is extremely effective against Superman.
Who is more powerful Thor or Black Adam? ›While both their lighting powers would cancel each other out, Thor has shown to have far greater strength and speed than Black Adam. Plus, given that Black Adam is obviously not worthy, all Thor would have to do is strike him to the ground with his hammer and end the fight there.
Can Ironman beat Black Adam? ›
3 Iron Man Wouldn't Be Able To Take Black Adam's Assault
He's defeated many powerful foes, both on his own and with the Avengers, but he'd find Black Adam to be a road too far. Iron Man's base armor is potent, but it's not going to be able to stand up to someone of Black Adam's power.