Justice League Red Just Brought Back the Worst DCEU Character

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After a prolonged absence of several years, the Justice League has made their grand comeback. The ominous entity known as Absolute Power served as a wake-up call for them, prompting them to reconstruct the Watchtower satellite. This reunion proved timely, as Darkseid, armed with the power of the Spectre, launched an attack on Earth and ultimately met his end at the hands of the Justice League, only to seek control over Alpha Earth – a pristine, multiverse-blessed planet. Since then, the Justice League has been diligently safeguarding Earth while simultaneously fostering unity among all superheroes under one celestial residence. The new Justice League comic book, “Justice League Unlimited,” serves as the epicenter of the next significant DC story arcs, and readers have been gifted with an array of captivating Justice League-related titles since its launch, such as “Justice League Red.

Justice League Red #1 offers an engaging read. The narrative opens with Red Tornado recognizing that the reappearance of the Justice League might unintentionally pose a threat to Earth, leading him to take matters into his own hands reminiscent of Batman’s covert operations. He assembles a clandestine Justice League team within their own satellite and assigns them their inaugural mission. However, let’s delve into the climax of the issue, where we witness the comeback of the character who brought down the DCEU – Black Adam. Initially hailed as the future of DC heroes, Black Adam has since fallen from grace. This long-awaited return is highly anticipated by many fans, making Black Adam an intriguing and popular character.

Black Adam Was DC’s Coolest Anti-Hero

Black Adam first made his debut in “The Marvel Family” #1, published in 1945. Similar to Shazam/Captain Marvel, he received his superpowers from divine entities and ancestors upon speaking a magical word. Initially, he was just an antagonist with no complexities. However, after DC Comics won the court battle against Shazam/Captain Marvel’s publisher Fawcett Publishing and acquired their characters, Black Adam remained as a one-dimensional villain.

Following the “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” Black Adam continued in a similar vein, connected to Billy Batson’s backstory in the acclaimed “Powers of Shazam!” series (a highly regarded piece from Jerry Ordway during the ’90s DC era). It was then that he found an opportunity to shine in “JSA.”

Black Adam, like Shazam/Captain Marvel, gained powers by speaking a magic word. He started as a typical villain, but got more chances to showcase himself in comics such as “Powers of Shazam!” and “JSA” after DC Comics acquired the rights to his character.

In a shift towards redemption, Black Adam determined he’d return to his benevolent roots, similar to his actions in ancient days. Joining ranks as a provisional member, he formed an alliance with Atom-Smasher despite their initial disagreements. His aggressive nature strained the team, leading him to eventually depart with Atom Smasher, rallying some heroes aligned with the Justice Society of America to overthrow the oppressive regime ruling his homeland, Kahndaq. Black Adam transformed from a villain into a sovereign ruler, ultimately aligning with the malevolent Society ahead of the Infinite Crisis, only to be deceived. The ensuing year following that conflict found him embracing heroism, but losing everything due to the Four Horsemen of Apocalypse, driving him to madness, causing massive deaths, and stripping him of his powers.

Over the subsequent years, Black Adam was portrayed as a leader of Kahndaq with evil intentions masked by goodwill. The New 52 reboot altered his backstory; instead of inheriting powers from a descendant post-Crisis, he was cast into space by the Wizard in ancient times and returned to Earth after thousands of years, eventually seizing control of Kahndaq. During Dark Knights: Death Metal, he aided in Earth’s defense, joined the Justice League under Brian Michael Bendis, and even received a 12-issue series due to his upcoming film. Black Adam became a prominent figure within DC leading up to his movie, featuring significantly in the final battle of Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths. Unfortunately, the film, considered a potential savior for the DCEU, underperformed, causing Black Adam’s disappearance from the narrative until his return in Justice League Red #1 following a gap. Despite his newfound opportunities and changes (such as separating his mortal and powered forms and introducing a sidekick known as White Adam), DC seemingly abandoned him post-movie failure.

Black Adam Has His Eyes on the Justice League

Red Tornado sends Power Girl and Green Lantern (Simon Baz) on a journey through space to eliminate a robot believed to be harmful to Earth. They manage to complete the task, but find that the robot wasn’t intended for destruction, instead containing seeds and automated agricultural tools. As they ponder whether Red Tornado might have lost his mind, they are being observed by Black Adam.

It’s quite intriguing to consider this turn of events. Given Black Adam’s history, it seems plausible that he might be monitoring the Justice League, as they could potentially pose a threat or perhaps he seeks to aid them. Black Adam is known for neutralizing threats proactively, so he might be positioning himself for an opportunity. This scenario presents many exciting possibilities for the storyline. Despite his movie not being successful, Black Adam has a dedicated fanbase, and his return by DC could offer a thrilling experience for those fans.

Justice League Red #1 is on sale now.

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2025-08-24 23:17