Black Adam (Teth-Adam) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He was created by Otto Binder and C. C. Beck, and first appeared in the debut issue of Fawcett Comics' The Marvel Family comic book in December 1945. Since DC Comics licensed and acquired Fawcett's characters in the 1970s, Black Adam has endured as one of the most popular archenemies of the superhero Shazam and the Marvel Family alongside Doctor Sivana and Mister Mind.
Black Adam was originally depicted as a supervillain and the ancient magical champion predecessor of the champion Shazam, who fought his way to modern times to challenge the hero and his Marvel Family associates. Since the turn of the 21st century, however, Black Adam has been redefined by DC Comics writers Jerry Ordway, Geoff Johns, and David S. Goyer as an ancient Kahndaqi and corrupted antihero attempting to clear his name and reputation. He came from a fictional Middle Eastern country named Kahndaq, located at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, and was portrayed as a hero who liberated his homeland from slavery. Featured roles in such comic book series as Justice Society of America, Villains United, Infinite Crisis, and 52 have elevated the character's prominence in the DC Universe, culminating with DC's 2021 line-wide Infinite Frontier relaunch, wherein he joins the Justice League. In 2009, Black Adam was ranked as IGN's 16th-greatest comic book villain of all time.
