After years of promises, trailers, rumors, and interviews from Dwayne Johnson, The Rock, warning that DC’s power hierarchy is going to change, Black Adam has arrived in theaters introducing the protective antihero of Kahndaq on the big screen. If you’ve been following the film’s marketing, you may know that Johnson has been campaigning, not the least bit discreetly, for the big guy to have his power tested in a clash with the Man of Steel himself, Superman.
You can relax, because we’re not going to spoil what happens or not in the movie, but if you’re curious to know who would get the better of the two, know that the meeting has not only happened a few times, but the results of the fights will surprise you.
To prepare you for what’s (or isn’t) coming, we’ve gathered the five times that the mighty have clashed in DC comics and animations, with the score and everything (because this is information):
All New Collector’s Edition (1978)
The clash between Superman and Black Adam was so heavy that it took up an entire 72-page issue. In the story, Teth-Adam is in cahoots with the wizard Karmang to take over the world (always), but it also sparks a raid between Super and Shazam.
Cunningly, Adam magically disguises himself as the red hero and begins to terrorize the world until he catches the attention of the Man of Steel. With a little help from Karmang’s Martian magic, Teth-Adam manages to knock Superman out at first. Point to The Rock.
DComposition: Hope at the End of the World
If a normal Black Adam can do enough damage, imagine a Black Adam… zombie. In this story, Kahndaq’s protector becomes infected while trying to rescue an injured boy. Undead, the anti-hero sets off in search of blood and brains all over the world.
This time, not even all of Superman’s power is able to stop the man, as the hero can only defeat (and still only briefly) Adam with the help of the Martian Manhunter, Cyborg, and Wonder Woman.
Ultimately, it is Diana who solves the problem by using the lasso of truth to force the zombie Adam to utter “Shazam,” thus ending his powers.
If only the premise of DC characters in zombie versions has excited you, the saga has been published in Brazil by Panini, and the volume with Black Adam is even on pre-sale right now.
Superman & Shazam! The Return of Black Adam
Not even in a short film does Superman get a break. Released in 2010, this animation puts Black Adam once again behind Shazam, and it’s up to the last son of Krypton to level the playing field.
In the plot, Adam comes to Earth to try to take down Billy Batson before the boy gains the powers of Shazam. In the first confrontation, once again Superman goes down because of his vulnerability to alien magic. The hero even wins in the end, but only with the help of Shazam, who does most of the work.
LEGO DC Shazam! Magic and Monsters
After so much evil and thirst for power, at least the LEGO version of Black Adam would be a little kinder? Not really, nerd. Because Teth-Adam once again arrives on Earth in search of power.
Although Adam and Superman don’t face each other mano a mano, the villain does take a few nice swipes at the entire Justice League, proving that, at least in the LEGO world, the hierarchy has changed, yes.
DC Super-Pet League
Pay attention, because now things get a little bit complicated. In the original English-language voice cast for the film, Dwayne Johnson plays Superman’s faithful sidekick Krypto, but also arrives as Black Adam himself in the post-credits scene. And, as if that weren’t enough, he also voices the villain’s pet dog Anubis.
Needless to say, just as the heroes are estranged, the two dogs also have a feud of their own. Whether we will see a quadruple fight in the sequel remains to be seen…
Having said all that, we come to the verdict that… Yes, Superman is still the most powerful force in the universe, and he can beat Black Adam most of the time! This doesn’t mean that the magical antihero doesn’t have his value, since he is able to make the Man of Steel sweat like few others.
Whether this conflict of strongmen will be seen on the big screen, you will find out in Black Adam, now playing in theaters
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