Black Adam vs Superman

Black Adam vs. Superman

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re pitting Black Adam vs Superman.

For this matchup, we’re looking at everything from origins to deaths to see whether the ruler of Kahndaq or last son of Krypton comes out on top.

Which DC hero would you love to see Black Adam fight in a movie? Let us know in the comments below.

Round #1: Most Interesting Origins

Although Black Adam’s had multiple origin stories over the years, we’re focusing on his new 52 beginning. This version of his story starts when he was known as Teth-Adam and lived in a city named Kahndaq around 1600 B.C. Unfortunately, he constantly watched his loved ones suffer at the hands of cruel people. After nearly dying to save his nephew, the duo ran into the wizard Shazam. This encounter ended with Teth-Adam fully healed and given the power to help save his home. Unsure if his nephew would agree with the brutal plans he had for wicked people, the man slayed his own nephew. This terrible crime and his other violent actions caused the newly superpowered man to be banished from Earth. Now known as Black Adam, he lay in wait for the time he could return to the world.

Long before Superman went by Clark Kent, he was just a baby named Kal-el who resided on the alien planet Krypton. But just before his homeworld was destroyed, his parents put him in a specialized pod and sent him to Earth. Kal-el was soon found by the Kent family and renamed Clark. As he grew older and more powerful, he gained a desire to protect the innocent people of his adoptive planet. Superman’s origin story is so well known that it’s often imitated by other franchises or just straight up parodied in DC comics and films. While we can’t even begin to count how many times we’ve seen his beginnings, we’re sure that we’d never forget where he came from.

If we were trying to determine whose origin story was more iconic, Superman would win in a landslide. But since we’re going by the most interesting beginnings, Black Adam has the edge. His already layered and intriguing story just feels fresher because it’s told a lot less frequently.

WINNER: Black Adam 1/ Superman 0

Round #2: Best Leader

Shortly after receiving his powers, Black Adam went to work eliminating any threats to Kahndaq. He picked up right where he left off when he arrived back on earth in modern times. Black Adam easily overthrew the dictator of Kahndaq and started running the city himself. Additionally, he convinced a few metahumans like Atom Smasher to help achieve his goals for the city. As Kahndaq’s ruler, Black Adam had no problems getting his hands dirty to maintain his tight grip over his homeland. But it was also clear that he genuinely cared for the people he ruled over. Whether they feared or loved him, everyone who lived in Kahndaq was certain that Black Adam would do whatever it took to ensure the city would thrive.

Both heroes and citizens in the DC Universe have gotten used to looking up to Superman. The big blue scout’s heroic actions have made him one of the most inspiring figures on his planet. When Superman wasn't pulling off tremendous feats solo, he was often seen co leading teams like the Justice League. He used his position at the top to mentor up-and-coming heroes and keep the planet safe. Although Superman has a great reputation as a leader, he has made some pretty notable blunders over the years. There are some universes where Earth was pushed to the brink of destruction because of decisions he pushed for. Fortunately, Superman’s allies are usually there to help bail him out when he makes big leadership mistakes.

Neither Superman nor Black Adam are perfect leaders. However, the big blue boy scout deserves more credit for taking on the near impossible task of trying to defend the planet. His ambitious actions have convinced billions of people that he’s a strong and noble leader.

WINNER: Black Adam 1/ Superman 1

Round #3: Greatest Rival

One of the biggest thorns in Black Adam’s side is by far the young Billy Batson. The kid gained his abilities from the same wizard that gave the brutal DC character his powers in Kahndaq. Despite having vastly more experience in battle, Black Adam has been outwitted by Billy on several occasions. But the hero isn’t always able to come out on top when the two face off either. This duo has been clashing in various stories since the 1940s. Since their powers are so similar, it’s always thrilling to see what happens when they meet on the battlefield. Given that the two have such different ideologies and goals, it’s unlikely that their rivalry will end anytime soon.

For over eight decades and counting, Lex Luthor has been looking for a way to knock the man of steel out of the sky. This rich supergenius often believes that Superman’s mere existence threatens humanity. While Lex typically lacks the physical strength or powers to even annoy the man of steel, the villain has come up with plenty of ways to keep up with the Kryptonian. At one point, the antagonist even became President of the United States and used his power to mess with Superman. The blue boy scout typically finds a way to punch a hole through Lex’s schemes in whatever live-action adventure, tv show or movie they fight in. But Superman also knows that he should never underestimate his intelligent rival.

While we’ll never get tired of seeing Black Adam trade blows with Billy, Lex and Superman rivalry is just more iconic. Watching a mortal man continually mess with a hero with godlike powers is a fun and fascinating dynamic that we’ll never get tired of.

WINNER: Black Adam 1/ Superman 2

Round #4: Coolest Resurrection

At the end of a tense battle with Shazam, Black Adam is tricked into his human form. This act causes millennia of aging to catch up with him and reduced him to dust. Although Black Adam seemed like he was gone for good, he received help from an unexpected source. A group of citizens in Kahndaq had heard tales of how he once fought to keep them safe. So, a handful of residents risk their lives to bring him back from the dead with a magical scroll. Just before a group of soldiers eliminates the last person standing, the word Shazam revives Black Adam back. He quickly uses his newfound life to take out a dictator and reclaim his throne as the ruler of Kahndaq.

The relentless monster Doomsday was ultimately formidable enough to send Superman into an early grave. As the world mourned the Krytponian’s loss, new heroes stepped forward to fill in for the blue boy scout. But they were unable to prevent a world-spanning crisis from threatening the earth. In their darkest hour, it was revealed that Superman wasn’t quite dead. He had actually been secretly recovering thanks to a little Kryptonian technology. Shortly after waking up, Superman dawned a sleek black suit that allowed him to absorb solar energy a little faster. He instantly raced into battle to show Earth that one of its greatest heroes was still around.

It was fun seeing Superman fly back into stories after taking a well-deserved nap. But there’s something gripping about watching Black Adam return at the absolute last second. Additionally, the shot of him on the throne just a few pages after he came to life is just ridiculously cool.


WINNER: Black Adam 2/ Superman 2

Round #5: Who Would Win in a Fight?

Thanks to a number of magical gifts, Black Adam has an impressive powerset. He can fly, easily overpower most metahumans, summon lightning and so much more. Black Adam’s also able to fight for hours on end and has the intelligence to constantly craft new strategies. Since all these abilities are only available when he says Shazam, he’d be in big trouble if he took on his mortal form. His enemies have been able to make him say the word or even remove his ability to speak period. However, if Black Adam is fully powered up, an enemy would have to be prepared to go all out to stop him. It’s incredibly unlike that this determined DC character would ever surrender.

Superman’s notorious for having two major vulnerabilities. Over the years, he’s had trouble overcoming magical attacks and enemies. Superman’s Kryptonite weakness means that anyone who gets their hands on that glowing green rock could be a big problem. Despite having a couple of huge weak spots, the man of steel has been able to overcome these issues in battle. This is mainly due to his incredibly large range of abilities that even we have trouble keeping track of. He’s also extremely clever and adept at improvising to get out of sticky situations. Even if you go into a battle with an idea of how to take Superman down, there’s no guarantee that your plan will work.

A battle between Black Adam and Superman would be incredibly close. But while the ruler of Kahndaq certainly has a magical advantage, the blue boy scout tends to come out on top of their matchups. Superman’s ridiculous and seemingly unlimited amounts of power have traditionally been enough to compensate for his few weaknesses when they face off. If these two clashed, we’d bet on Clark.

WINNER: Black Adam 2/ Superman 3

With a score of 3 to 2, the man of steel narrowly flies right past the ruler of Kahndaq to claim the victory.