Warning: contains spoilers for Black Adam #1!
Although he is one of DC’s premier anti-heroes, Black Adam has proven no one respects his ultimate ability. In Black Adam #1, Adam appears before a government panel to answer for his actions on the world stage. As the senators and officials try to grill Adam, he outsmarts them at every turn–even though he is not channeling Shazam’s power.
Once a foe of Shazam and his allies, Black Adam has evolved into a brutal anti-hero, one willing to do whatever it takes to protect his home country of Khandaq and its people. This has led Adam to commit some truly questionable acts, such as ripping a terrorist in half on television. During DC’s 52 series, Adam, angered over the death of his beloved Isis, declared war on the entire world, attacking cities and bases; it took the combined might of some of DC’s most powerful heroes to bring him down. When Black Adam taps into Shazam’s powers, he is truly unstoppable, but in Black Adam #1, he proves he does not need Shazam’s powers to be intimidating. The issue is written by Christopher Priest, illustrated by Rafa Sandoval, colored by Matt Herms and lettered by Willie Schubert.
Black Adam has arrived in America, appearing before a panel of United States senators in his “civilian” identity of Teth-Adam. Adam is obstinate, refusing to play along with the politicians. He stonewalls their attempts to get answers and when his time to speak comes, he puts the panel in their place, reminding them he could kill everyone in the room if he so wished; he also senses the Martian Manhunter in the crowd. Having had enough of the senators and their banal questions, Adam walks out of the hearing, turning his back on the politicians, telling them they should feel “embarrassed” at dragging him to the hearing.
Black Adam has a reputation for arrogance, and that is on full display here; he sees himself as above everyone else in that room, even the Martian Manhunter. The assembled senators and politicians believe that Black Adam, without his powers, would be a pushover–however, he is anything but; passionately defending Khandaq and the actions he takes in defense of it. So nonplussed is Adam that he gets up and walks out of the hearing, almost as if he is daring someone to do something about it. The senators, and fans, learn that even without the power of Shazam, Black Adam can still cut an intimidating figure.
The senators at the hearing were expecting Black Adam to capitulate to their demands, but he does not. They felt he needed Shazam’s powers to truly be a threat, but they underestimated him, proving that no one respects his ultimate ability.