Black Adam

Black Adam's History

Some five-thousand years before the time of the Marvel Family, the wizard Shazam chosen the Egyptian prince named Teth-Adam as his successor, transforming him into his champion Mighty Adam. Unlike Billy Batson however, the power corrupted Teth-Adam and he turned to evil. Deciding that he should rule the world, Mighty Adam overthrows and kills the pharaoh and assumes the throne. An angry Shazam gives his errant champion a new name �?? "Black Adam" �?? and, unable to take his powers away, banishes him to the most distant star in the universe.

Black Adam spent the next 5,000 years flying back to Earth. By the time he makes it back, in 1945, Shazam has appointed three new champions to take his place: Captain Marvel, Mary Marvel, and Captain Marvel Jr. Adam's antics to take over the world cause the Marvels to seek counsel with Shazam, who tells them about Black Adam. Adam succeeds in gagging Billy and Freddy while they are talking to Shazam. He then ties them up, planning to kill them later. But Uncle Marvel releases them while Mary battles Black Adam, enabling them to transform. Adam does battle with the trio, but since all are equally invulnerable, the fight goes on and on without resolution. However, the non-powered Marvel Family member Uncle Marvel gets an idea from Shazam and tricks him into saying "Shazam," by repeating the word wrongly, reverting him back to Teth-Adam. 5,000 years of aging catch up with him in an instant when Captain Marvel knocks him out seconds after he transforms, and he dies, becoming a skeleton.