Black Adam has had an interesting 21st century. The character made a big comeback in JSA, a book that is widely considered the best team comic of the early '00s. He first appeared as a member of the Injustice Society and then ended up joining the group. Since then, Black Adam has been a hero and a villain, and in the last few years has joined the Justice League and gotten his own book.
Of course, throughout the 20th century, Black Adam was the archenemy of Shazam, the former Captain Marvel. Their relationship has been very interesting over the years because the two of them are similar yet also very different. These variations make their interactions much more interesting than just those between enemies.
10 Theo Adam And Black Adam Aren't The Same Person
The history of Black Adam stretches back into antiquity. Black Adam's origin has changed several times over the years. There are two in the modern era; post-Crisis Black Adam is Theo Adam, a descendant of Mighty Adam who finds the scarab with Mighty Adam's soul in it. He kills the Batsons and becomes Black Adam, controlling the power of Mighty Adam and fighting Shazam. When Theo died, Mighty Adam's soul became the dominant one.
In the New 52, Mighty Adam went into hibernation and was re-awakened. The current version appears to be a hybrid, but regardless this is quite different from Shazam. Billy and Shazam are the same person, whereas depending on the continuity, Theo Adam and Black Adam are different. This is especially important now.
9 Theo Adam And Black Adam Have Separated
Black Adam ended in 2023. The story saw Black Adam trying to save his own life while training a successor and battling the pantheon of ancient gods and enemies who have had a grudge against him for millennia. At the end of the story, Theo Adam and Black Adam separate, each so they can live their own lives. This is a huge change for the character—or in this case, characters.
It's also something that Shazam would never do. Billy and Shazam are the same character in a way that Theo Adam and Black Adam aren't. While there's almost certainly a story where Billy and Shazam have been separated, they are still the same being in every way that counts.
8 The Shazam Family Is Alive And The Black Marvel Family Isn't
Shazam and his family have played a role in each other's lives for decades, no matter which company was publishing the comic. Black Adam decided to take a page from Billy Batson's playbook when he met Adrianna Tomaz. Black Adam fell in love with her and shared his power with her, creating Isis. Later, they rescued her brother, he became Osiris, and the Black Marvel Family was born.
The Black Marvel Family was targeted by the Four Horsemen and Osiris and Isis were killed. This drove Black Adam to the edge, and he ended up committing genocide on a huge scale. This is a massive difference between Black Adam and Shazam. The Shazam Family is not only alive, but they've actually expanded in the last few years.
7 Black Adam Is Empowered By Different Gods
Billy Batson met the Wizard Shazam and was given power beyond his wildest dreams. Billy gained the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles, and the speed of Mercury. He became a superhero, but he wasn't the first champion of the Wizard Shazam. Over the years, there have been many of them and the sources of their power have been different, all depending on the time period and location.
Black Adam's power come from different gods. Black Adam has the stamina of Shu, the speed of Horus, the strength of Amon, the wisdom of Zehuti, the power of Aten, and the courage of Mehen. While it's the same powers, the sources are different.
6 Black Adam Is Corruptible
Billy Batson is as pure as any in the history of the world. That was the main reason the Wizard Shazam chose him. It's proven to be an astute choice. Billy has faced the worst odds imaginable as Shazam and has never given up. Shazam has proven to be an amazing protector of the world. It's impossible to conceive of a world where young Billy Batson could be corrupted, as he's overcome every bit of corruption thrown at him.
This isn't the case with Black Adam. Black Adam has been corrupted, starting all those years ago when the desire for the full power of the Wizard drove him to kill his young nephew. Nothing like that would ever happen to Billy Batson, as everything he does is to help other people.
5 Black Adam Will Step Over People To Get His Own Way
Billy Batson's purity extends far past just his natural goodness. Billy is driven by a desire to help other people, which is something that played an important role in the history of Shazam. The Shazam Family exists because Billy loved his friends so much that he wanted to share his powers with them. Shazam is the kind of hero who never leaves anyone behind, and Billy is the kind of kid who will give people the shirt off his back.
Black Adam isn't that type of hero. Black Adam wanted the power of the Wizard so that he could free his people. Black Adam does fight for the people, but he doesn't have any qualms about screwing over anyone he's with to get his way. The best example of this was his time with the Justice Society, where he betrayed that group to free his homeland, taking Atom Smasher and several younger Justice Society associates with him.
4 Black Adam Is Not A Child
DC has had some young superheroes throughout its history. Most of the youngest were all sidekicks, but that's not the case with Shazam. Shazam is a major league hero, despite Billy Batson being very young. In fact, Shazam has sidekicks of his own in the Shazam Family. Billy Batson's age has varied over the years, but it's usually somewhere between ten and thirteen. Billy has only ever been an adult in alternate futures.
Black Adam has had some major retcons to his origin, but one thing that never changed is that he's always an adult. Whether it be Teth-Adam of ancient days or Theo Adam of the present, Black Adam is always an adult, barring magical shenanigans.
3 Black Adam Is A World Leader
Billy Batson was an orphan when he gained the power of Shazam. The circumstances of his life are often different, depending on which version of the character, but being a poor orphan is part of most Shazam origins. Afterward, Billy never really progresses beyond this level in his life. Billy is a happy boy, and he's rich in love, but he's poor in every other way.
Back in ancient days, Mighty Adam eventually became the leader of Kahndaq before he disappeared for millennia. Black Adam's return in the present day found Kahndaq in the hands of Asim Muhunnad. Eventually, Black Adam decided to take his homeland back from Muhunnad, who had victimized his people for years. Since then, Black Adam has become a world leader, having to deal with the world watching him.
2 Black Adam Has Millennia More Experience Than Shazam
Billy Batson has taken to being a hero better than anyone could have imagined. His purity of soul helped, but he was able to use the power of Shazam and learn from those around him to become a hero of the top order. Shazam has learned to fight with the best of them, has been able to lead the Shazam Family to victory on numerous occasions, and has saved the world all on his own. He's become an experienced and seasoned hero.
Shazam is good, but he has nothing Black Adam's experience. Black Adam battled armies to a standstill and fought against the terrors of the ancient world. Black Adam is a brutal combatant, his skills learned on the battlefields of antiquity. Black Adam has seen and done things that Shazam can't even imagine.
1 Black Adam Will Kill
Shazam will do anything to save the day, but there's one length he won't go to. Shazam will never kill. It doesn't matter how bad things are, Shazam will do everything that he can to save the day without spilling blood. Billy Batson isn't a killer because he believes that all life is sacred. Shazam will save his enemies before letting someone else kill them.
Black Adam isn't that sort of person. Black Adam killed his nephew so he could have the full power of the Wizard. That would be far from the last death he caused. Black Adam slaughtered his enemies for centuries, using his powers to rip the lives away from evildoers. Black Adam will kill anyone in his way, whereas Shazam will do everything he can not to kill.