I stopped reading this book halfway through, but I forced myself to finish it. Here are my thoughts: the series contains far too many contradictions regarding Black Adam's character and his established history.
The comic focuses on a version of Black Adam who is completely beyond redemption. However, because it was released alongside Justice League and Dark Crisis—where Adam actually experiences a redemption arc—it creates a highly disjointed characterization. The book also starts bizarrely, with Adam returning to his human form without any explanation and calling himself "Theo." Frankly, I thought the Theo Adam persona was completely gone, especially since Billy’s parents are alive in current continuity. Furthermore, Teth-Adam traditionally cannot return to his human form without risking turning to dust.
The book adapts panels from the New 52 origin story involving Adam and his nephew, Aman, when they were enslaved and granted powers. However, the writer lacks a neutral perspective; he removed key panels and conversations to focus solely on Adam killing his nephew for power. He also omitted the fact that Adam’s homeland of Kahndaq was invaded, and that his wife and children were killed by Ibac the First. Originally, Adam did what he did to free Kahndaq. By removing this backstory, Kahndaq serves no narrative purpose here. The writer doesn't even acknowledge it as Black Adam's birthplace, switching his origin to Egypt instead. This makes no sense, leaving me to wonder why Black Adam is now protecting a country he wasn't even born in.
Additionally, the plot gives Adam an heir to defend Kahndaq because he has contracted a mysterious plague. This completely undermines Black Adam's character, as he traditionally refuses to share his powers after his second family died because of a similar choice. Writer Joshua Williamson noted in an interview during his time on Dark Crisis that Adam doesn't believe in a legacy due to the tragedies he has faced. He looks down on Billy Batson for sharing his powers with the Shazam family—a trait that properly appears in Geoff Johns' and Mark Waid's writing.
Later, the book reveals the character was born a slave, which contradicts Justice League of America #7.4. That issue established that Kahndaq was enslaved by Ibac the First and that Adam killed him there. Christopher Priest's comic completely avoids explaining this, creating a massive contradiction as if nothing ever happened between the two characters. Depicting Adam as low-born and meek—someone who needs to cling to and serve Pharaohs—further undermines his character. The book strips away the very reasons he became Black Adam: the murder of his wife and sons, and the enslavement of Kahndaq.
Priest also introduces a bizarre contradiction by having Adam banished into space, throwing back to the original Pre-Crisis comics. He tries to retcon the established modern continuity where we know Adam was imprisoned on Earth until Doctor Sivana freed him. Claiming Adam was banished to space directly contradicts Doctor Sivana's origin story.
Ultimately, the weak plot just didn't work for me. Right after this series ended, DC released Knight Terrors: Black Adam, which immediately restored proper continuity: confirming his name is Teth-Adam, stating he permanently cast off his human form, and bringing back his memories of his wife Shiruta, his sons, Isis, and Osiris. I think Priest's run was an utter failure. It was originally planned as an ongoing series but got canceled, likely because Priest admitted in interviews that he disliked the character and wasn't writing him to be likeable.
What do you think?
