- June 22, 2022
Black Adam #1 Review
Written by: Christopher Priest
Art by: Rafa Sandoval
Coloring by: Matt Herms
Lettering by: Willie Schubert
Editing by: Chris Rosa, Paul Kaminski
Christopher Priest is a writer who knows how to make the reader uncomfortable. Reading his run on Deathstroke often felt like swimming through mud, but that didn’t change how transformative that journey through the mud was. From this first issue, he seems to be doing something different with Black Adam.
Immediately, a new status quo for Black Adam is set up beyond him ruling and protecting Khandaq with an iron fist. The creative team is set to tackle a highly political story with Black Adam fighting to retain his political power. This is a stark change from stories that focus on his physical might and wants to treat him as an actual ruler. While the way Black Adam wants to pass on his powers seems a little generic, to a blood successor, the new character is interesting.
Usually, the successor can feel a bit stale and generic in my experience. Malik has a personality that feels both real and unreal. He’s far from boring, and someone who would stand out in any crowd, but he’s not a cartoon. The creative team crafted him with a fine pen to make sure he would immediately connect without becoming generic or offensive.
I originally was just going to get the first issue to review, but the tone it takes with Black Adam’s characterization, his successor’s characterization, and the political nature of the story, all come together as something that we just can’t miss. The ways it ties into the Death of the Justice League are a bit abrasive and distracting. That make sense for everything Dark Crisis, but it doesn’t take up much of the book. Fans of Black Adam and anyone interested in learning more about the character, should enjoy this issue.