Black Adam is Totally Right To Hate Shazam

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Black Adam: Year of the Villain #1!

In Black Adam: Year of the Villain #1, Shazam proves that Black Adam’s hate for him is totally valid. In this issue, Shazam arrives in Black Adam’s home, Kahndaq, to claim it as his own. Shazam isn’t himself as he has been corrupted by the Batman Who Laughs. His behaviour is akin to that of a supervillain as he ignores Black Adam’s pleas for him to listen to reason. The two rivals face off against each other as they fight for the fate of Kahndaq.

While Black Adam realizes that Shazam has been corrupted by the Batman Who Laughs, he still recognizes that a lot of his behaviour is coming from deep within Billy. Naturally, Black Adam has some words for the former superhero. Black Adam’s disdain for Shazam has always been known, however, it’s never been told from his perspective. This is where this issue is unique as the roles have been reversed and readers align with Black Adam. Therefore, it’s the perfect time for him to fully explain why he hates Shazam so much.

In Black Adam: Year of the Villain #1 by Paul Jenkins and Inaki Miranda, Black Adam defeats Shazam, not by fighting, but through his words. The issue highlights that Black Adam is someone with incredible insight and responsibility. His words for Billy are cutting as reveals that he sees the world through the eyes of a child. Shazam misses what’s important and thinks more of “style than substance.” In this instance, Shazam’s attack on Kahndaq is an act to prove his extreme power and that’s about it. Shazam has no actual reason for wanting to rule Black Adam’s home, apart from wanting to show off his newfound abilities.

Although he has mainly been depicted as a villain, Black Adam has shown recently that he is capable of changing his ways. In Future State, Black Adam becomes a hero on a galactic level. He is the multiverse’s last hope as the Unkindness threatens to wipe out the final remaining pieces of existence. Future State proved that given time and power, Black Adam is capable of becoming something far greater. Black Adam’s love for his people and desire to protect them, in turn, leads him down a path of heroism. Likewise, in Infinite Frontier, Black Adam just became a Justice League member.

With Shazam and Black Adam’s roles reversed, it’s fascinating to see Shazam from Black Adam’s point of view. It’s clear that Shazam’s attack on Black Adam is frustrating given the fact that he’s lived for centuries and is being beaten up by a child. Not to forget, Black Adam’s uneasy relationship with his own people who he keeps safe and the fact that a so-called hero would try to rescind all of this hard work. Finally, Black Adam’s most commonly known frustration is that Billy was chosen by the force that rejected him. Black Adam’s frustrations are especially clear with Shazam being turned by the Batman Who Laughs as their roles are changed. If there wasn’t such a role reversal, perhaps readers would’ve never seen Black Adam from a different perspective. Shazam clearly doesn’t know what to do with the power that he’s been given.

About The Author

Ben Rolph
(344 Articles Published)

Ben Rolph is a Comics features writer for Screen Rant. Based out of London, United Kingdom, Ben owns and runs an Arrowverse YouTube channel called ‘TheDCTVshow’, as well as being a film critic at DiscussingFilm. He is also a Tomatometer-approved critic and studies film at the University of Westminster.

Ben has a passion for the Arrowverse shows, especially The Flash and Supergirl, which he has watched and analysed for years.

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