Hyperion Vs. Black Adam

 

Battles between Superman and Captain Marvel have always been entertaining, so I figured that a clash between a pair of their dark reflections would be fun to see as well. If anything it would be even more brutal - but who would come out as the victor?

Iron Man and Captain Marvel (Vs. Black Adam and Radio-Active Man!)

 

Stories in which heroes swap villains have always appealed to me.  Acts of Vengeance remains one of my favorite Marvel crossovers.  I thought that I would go that route for this cover.  Iron Man and Captain Marvel previously met in STF #4588 and shared an adventure with The Avengers in STF #259 and the Avengers and Marvel Family in STF #1518...

Coming tomorrow: STF #4700!

The Sentry Vs. Black Adam

 

For the penultimate chapter in this 5-Part Tale, we see the solo Avenger that is ready to go one on one against a supercharged Black Adam!  It's a relief to finally get that menace out of the way... but wait, it feels like there is still a loose end. Oh yeah - Galactus is still out there!  Make sure you come back tomorrow for the thrilling conclusion!

The Avengers Vs. Black Adam

 

As we reach the mid-point of this 5-Part Tale, we see that Black Adam is using his cosmically charged power to tear through Earth's Mightiest Heroes!  One member of the team thinks they have what it takes to face him solo, though.  Who is it, and are they correct?  Make sure you come back tomorrow for Part Four!

Galactus and Black Adam

 

Presenting Part Two of a Five-Part Epic!  Uh oh, looks like granting this Power Cosmic to Black Adam was a bit of a miscalculation on the Surfer's part!  What will Teth-Adam's first act be, now that he has been even more super-powered - and can anyone stop him?  Find out in Part Three tomorrow!

Silver Surfer and Black Adam

 

This marks the beginning of a 5-Part Tale. Infusing Black Adam with even more power is a risky move, but with Galactus on the horizon, desperate times are called for!  Make sure you come back tomorrow to find out what happens when The World Devourer enters the picture...

Black Panther and Black Adam

 

Black Adam had a decent opening but did not break any records (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever just may, though), so Dwayne Johnson's hope to reshape the hierarchy of the DC Universe has probably hit a snag.  Now it's been reported that James Gunn and Peter Safran have been put in charge of DC Films, and will be shepherding all Movie, TV and animation projects for at least the next four years.  I'd say everything is truly up in the air again until we hear some new announcements.

Thank you to Marc Tyler Nobleman, Comics Historian and Patron of this blog, for suggesting this pairing!

Warlock Vs. Black Adam

 

I'll be interested to check out the new Black Adam trailer that is released later today.  Some of the artistic choices this movie has been making seem off to me - bald Black Adam, Dr. Fate with no eyes on his helmet, Hawkman's garish red and gold costume - so I am hoping to be won over.  A good story can go a long way to overriding any aesthetic problems that there may be.

With the third Guardians of the Galaxy movie underway, hopefully we will get a look at Will Poulter as Adam Warlock soon.

Black Adam Vs. Doctor Doom

 

I love all the enthusiasm that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has for the in-development Black Adam movie, but one thing seems off to me.  Johnson looks great in the Black Adam costume in the various promotional images that I have seen - except that for some reason he's bald!  I'm not sure why they wouldn't give him the traditional widow's peak hairdo from the comics.  Having Johnson remain bald for the role just makes him look like all the other characters he's played recently, it's an odd decision to me.

Thor Vs. Black Adam

Shazam! was a fun movie but not a huge hit at the box office, so I wonder what that will mean for the long discussed Black Adam solo film.  Will DC rethink things, or hope that The Rock can come in and turn around a movie franchise, as he has done a few times before?  I think they would have been better off having him in the first film, apparently it could have used his box office clout.

Power Man and Iron Fist Vs. Black Adam

I get that The Rock is a huge movie star, and I get why DC chose not to use him as the villain in their first Shazam! film.  Still, plans to have him star in a solo movie before even meeting The Big Red Cheese have me scratching my head.  I think there is plenty of room for Black Adam to have an origin and back story fleshed out in a regular sequel to Shazam!  Go ahead and give Dwayne Johnson top billing if that's what it takes.  If a sequel is a huge hit, then maybe consider giving Black Adam his own solo vehicle.

Power man first battled Black Adam in STF #1982...

Power Man Vs. Black Adam

Luke Cage and Iron Fist are both slated to have second seasons of their Netflix series, which is a good thing.  Still, I kind of wished they would have had a series together after watching them meet and interact on The Defenders.  Perhaps they will still guest star on each other's shows.  I hope they do get a combined show eventually, or at least another season of Defenders, so we can see the Heroes For Hire in side by side action again.

Sub-Mariner Vs. Black Adam

I can't believe it has taken me this long to feature these two in a cover together.  Even as a little kid, I noticed the similarity in appearance that they shared, and I thought there was definite crossover potential to be had.  I imagine that any story featuring guys with such short fuses as Black Adam and Namor would  have to be filled with conflict, and that would make for a fun, action packed comic.

The Thing and Black Adam

I have really liked the increased attention on Black Adam in the past decade. He has truly developed as a character. Starting as your basic "dark reflection of the hero" bad guy, he has shown a great range of emotion and motivation through the pen of Geoff Johns and other writers. While definitely still a villain, he has many shades of grey and his own version of morality that always make him an interesting element to insert into a storyline. I also quite like that he is no longer considered strictly a Shazam Family enemy anymore, and can just as likely show up to vex The JSA, Superman or any number of other characters. He has even built up an intriguing family of his own, with the addition of interesting characters Isis and Osiris. It really is one of the best examples of how a character can be looked at from a slightly different angle, and produce some new and fantastic story possibilities.

I really hope the often mentioned Shazam! film will finally get off the ground, because the casting of Duane Johnson as Black Adam would be perfect, and he has expressed interest in the role.