The following contains spoilers for Black Adam.With Black Adam, the DC Extended Universe brings a very different superhero to the screen. That is, he’s a man who doesn’t believe himself to be a superhero at all. The movie’s story places a large focus on just why Black Adam, or Teth-Adam as he’s initially called, might be just what the small nation of Kahndaq needs to assert their freedom from their oppressors.
Because the movie is part of the larger DCEU, there are connections to some well-known characters the audience has already seen on screen. There are also, however, plenty of Easter eggs and comic book connections for fans looking out for them.
Kahndaq
While Kahndaq isn’t exactly an Easter egg, the presence of this fictional nation in the movie does point to just which era of DC comics the movie pulls its inspiration from. Black Adam, after all, was originally from Egypt in the comics until a new origin story for the character was created in the early 200s with the fictional nation instead.
Geoff Johns and David S. Goyer’s run on the JSA comics of the early 2000s created the fictional nation and made Black Adam a reluctant ally of the Justice Society of America, and even a probationary member. When he and his own mix of heroes and villains liberated Kahndaq from a dictator, the condition was that he could take care of the nation using his own means, but he couldn’t leave the borders. All of that makes its way into the movie, though just who makes up the team is a little different. (If fans want to see a different version of the JSA, they are a driving force in the CW's Stargirl series.)
S.H.A.Z.A.M.
Fans familiar with the Shazam family in DC comics will know that Black Adam has had ties to them because their powers are both gifts from the Wizard, or Council of Wizards, and are derived from the gods. While Shazam’s (previously Captain Marvel) has the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Atlas (which will likely come into play in Shazam 2 with the daughters of Atlas), the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles, and the speed of Mercury, the god-like figures that power Black Adam are different.
Black Adam has the stamina of Shu, the swiftness of Heru, the strength of Amon, the wisdom of Zehuti, the power of Aton, and the courage of Mehen. The letters of the names of the figures in both instances spell out SHAZAM, providing the connection between the characters, as well as Djimon Hounsou’s appearance as the Wizard. Initially Black Adam was going to appear in the first Shazam movie, but this movie proves they don’t need to appear in the same project right away for the audience to see the connection. Hounsou’s Wizard being the only one to survive the final encounter with Black Adam is another nod to him telling Billy that he’s been looking for a champion for centuries in Shazam.
For the fans interested in the unusual naming convention, they might also want to know that the villain Sabbac uses the same one, though his powers come from a council of demons instead. The demons are Satan, Aym, Belial, Beelzebub, Asmodeus, and Crateis.
Intergang And Eternium
In DC Comics, Intergang is a criminal syndicate. They operate all over the world, so it’s not a huge leap to see them as the group that take over Kahndaq. Since they’re usually associated with Apokolips in the comics, they’re technology is usually from another planet, not from a magical source, unlike in Black Adam. DC fans will be able to see another version of Intergang in Superman & Lois Season 3 on the CW.
Eternium, the powerful rock mined only in Kahndaq, also has its origin in DC Comics. While there’s no explanation for its origin in the movie, in the comics, it’s created from the Rock Of Eternity (where Shazam gains his power) being destroyed. The shards of the rock are the basis for Eternium, which can cause injuries to the average person with just a touch. Here, it’s more akin to Marvel’s vibranium, mined for its strength and power.
The Justice League
The Justice League might not appear in Black Adam as a team, but it’s clear that the world knows who they are. When Amon drops his backpack full of comics at the checkpoint, the audience gets the first hint of that. He has comics centered on Wonder Woman and Cyborg, to start.
His bedroom is also a love letter to DC’s superheroes. He has posters for all of the members of the Justice League seen in the DCEU so far - Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg - on his walls. He also has action figures and other memorabilia on his shelves.
The Power Checklist
Amon is a lot like Freddy when Freddy first discovers that his new brother has superpowers (before Freddy is granted power as a member of the Shazam family himself). The level of excitement is the same right down to the checklist of superpowers.
While in Shazam, Freddy actually videos Billy testing different abilities, Amon sees Black Adam in action and details a mental checklist of the powers that he exhibits in the same way that Freddy lists them for Billy.
Adrianna And Amon
Though Adrianna is Amon’s mother in this particular version of Black Adam’s story, in the comics, the two are brother and sister. Adrianna is actually originally enslaved by Intergang and brought to Black Adam as a gift, but he frees her and comes to respect her ideas.
In the comics, Adrianna also wields the Amulet of Isis and becomes a hero herself, which is nodded to in her necklace and her revolutionary attitude in the movie. Likewise, Amon becomes a superhero in the comics as well. Black Adam shares his power with him the same way the Shazam family shares power, making Amon the hero Osiris.
St. Roch, Louisiana
When the audience is first introduced to Hawkman in the movie, it’s on his estate in St. Roch, Louisiana as he takes a call from Viola Davis. That’s a nice nod to where he chooses to call home in the comics as well. Hawkman and Hawkgirl both reside there more often than not.
It’s also a nice callback to where the DCEU originally sees the Suicide Squad. Belle Reve’s prison, which houses many of the Task Force X members that Amanda Waller has under her control, is also in Louisiana, which means Waller likely isn’t calling Carter from far away.
The Hawkman Logo
When Carter Hall leads his recruits for the Justice Society into his aircraft, fans will be able to spot the Hawkman logo on the headrests of the seats, so it’s made very clear that despite this being a JSA mission, that aircraft belongs to him.
Carter also detailing that the craft is made from Nth metal is a nod to his comic book origins. Nth metal is only found on the planet Thanagar. The movie doesn’t go into Hawkman’s origin story at all, but the hints to his extraterrestrial origin are there, including Doctor Fate’s helmet allowing him to use it despite selecting its owner very carefully.
Doctor Fate’s Signature Move
Doctor Fate uses a specific move when fighting to keep his enemies at bay in the movie. It’s a measure to slow down the extremely powerful. He uses it against both Black Adam and Sabbac at different points.
Doctor Fate creates a glowing ankh in the air and aims it at an enemy. The light-like ankh holds the enemy in place, even if only momentarily. That particular move is right out of the Injustice video games.
Task Force X
Amanda Waller’s cameos were known to fans who watched the Black Adam trailer. What fans didn’t know going into the movie was that another member of Task Force X who spends a lot of time by Waller’s side would appear in the movie.
Jennifer Holland, who played Emilia Harcourt in The Suicide Squad appears as the agent taking custody of Black Adam at the secret underwater facility. Fans might remember she most recently appeared in another DC project as well - Peacemaker. It’s fitting that she would appear since the events of Black Adam were actually teased in a newspaper headline in Peacemaker.
Black Adam On The Throne
Near the end of the movie, as Teth-Adam takes on the name Black Adam, he also takes a moment to sit on the ancient throne of Kahndaq, trying to get comfortable. The imagery of Black Adam on a throne has been used many times in DC comics, though he chooses not be the ruler of a free people in the movie, but to protect them instead.
The Mid-Credit Scene
In the grand tradition of modern superhero movies, Black Adam does feature a scene in its credits. There’s not a post-credit scene, but there is a mid-credit scene featuring Amanda Waller sending someone to deal with Black Adam when he assures her that there’s no one on the planet as powerful as he is, so she can’t enforce him staying in one region.
It had been rumored ever since Dwayne Johnson spoke about a potential Black Adam fight against Superman that Superman would cameo in the movie. The scene gave fans their wish as Henry Cavill’s version of the character stopped by to chat. Fans who have enjoyed his version of the character will be thrilled that it looks like Warner Bros. isn’t done with the Man of Steel just yet.