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“Black Adam: The Dark Age”

By | February 16th, 2016
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There was a time, around a decade or so ago, that Black Adam was one of the most prominent characters of the DCU. Under Geoff Johns’ tenure the character ascended to true anti-hero status. Featured prominently in the JSA as well as several events and weekly series, the character arguably supplanted his rival counterpart Billy Batson as the preeminent “mightiest mortal” of the DC universe. Though his stock hasn’t been quite so high in recent years (something Warner Bros and Dwayne Johnson hope to change) there’s a terrific back log of Black Adam stories to turn back to. One of the most underrated is “Black Adam: The Dark Age,” the subject of this fine retrospective. Keep a flashlight handy, things are about to get DARK.

Written by Peter J. Tomasi
Illustrated by Doug Mahnke

Spinning out of the weekly series 52 comes a new epic that follows Black Adam, the new über-villain of the DCU — and he’ll go to any lengths to resurrect his wife, the deceased super-hero called Isis.

With the power of the gods stripped from him, Teth-Adam is on a quest to find both the magical word that will restore him as Black Adam and the one thing that always kept his heart from turning completely black with rage: his deceased wife.

Black Adam is the man responsible for the deaths of thousands of Bialyan citizens and widespread destruction across the globe. He is a man on the run from Earth’s heroes, who want to see him brought to justice. Some want him tried before a world court, while others want retribution; and some simply want him dead as quickly and as quietly as possible.

Spinning out of the critically acclaimed “52” and not-so-well-received “World War III,” “Black Adam: The Dark Age” follows Teth-Adam’s continued descent into darkness following the loss of his wife Adrianna. Over the course of six issues, Adam embarks on a quest for love that brings him into conflict with an ancient sorcerer, magically armed mercenaries, the League of Assassins and the JSA.

Peter Tomasi is, in my opinion, one of the most overlooked talents of the modern DC regime. His work can be hit or miss, exemplified by his terrific first run on “Green Lantern Corps” and his middling second turn on the title. Still, the editor turned writer has an uncanny ability to get to the heart of a character and the good fortune of teaming with consistently talented artists. Artists like Patrick Gleason or Doug Mahnke who, like Tomasi, seem to have quite a penchant for the grim and disturbing

With a title like “The Dark Age,” grim is sort of to be expected, right? This is a bloody book, with Black Adam eviscerating his foes in typical anti-heroic fare. It’s not all violent vivisection, as some of the book’s most disturbing scenes involve more traditional horror. One scene early in the book involving a lazarus pit stands out as particularly disturbing for a capes book, thanks in no small part to Mahnke’s grotesque detail and Nathan Eyring’s sickening neon colors. For all the death and dismemberment involved, the book delivers what is perhaps one of my all time favorite panels, a particularly lighthearted gem. I won’t spoil its significance to the story, but I can’t help but share.

Like other Black Adam stories of the era, “Dark Age” stands on its strong characterization. Adam’s actions are deplorable, but his conflicts are real and, to some degree, relatable. His relationship with the JSA, particular close friend Albert Rothstein, anchors Adam’s last shred of humanity. It’s fascinating that Adam’s violent quest to save his wife is ultimately about his own redemption as well. It was Isis who brought Adam closest to the side of angels, her death that plunged him to the depths seen here. His actions are antithetical to his goals, as if the means are irrelevant if they lead to redemption in the end.

There’s certainly a lot to like here, but unfortunately the story doesn’t close in the most satisfying fashion. It’s a fairly anti-climactic and depression resolution considering the long and bloody road that led to it. Interested readers may look to Geoff Johns’ final arc on “Justice Society of America,” “Black Adam and Isis,” for the next chapter in Adam’s saga.* Unfortunately, that story ends on an equally indefinite note, one whose threads are never truly resolved due to the advent of the New 52.

While Black Adam’s pre-New 52 history comes to a rather ignoble end, Tomasi and Mahnke’s careers have continued to grow. Tomasi’s run on “Batman and Robin,” though overshadowed by Snyder and Capullo’s “Batman,” is a terrific read (perhaps worthy of a future evergreen review). Tomasi and Mahnke are set to collaborate once more on several chapters of the upcoming “Super League” crossover, eagerly anticipated by Multiversity’s DC3. For more modern Black Adam, be sure to check out the recent incarnation in “Shazam.” Though the story lacks the specific focus of “Dark Age,” it features the same character driven conflict that made Adam such a compelling character for several years of enjoyable tales.

*You could also read “Countdown,” the next chronologic appearance of Black Adam, though by all accounts that’s not recommended.


Zach Wilkerson

Zach Wilkerson, part of the DC3 trinity, still writes about comics sometimes. He would probably rather be reading manga or thinking about Kingdom Hearts. For more on those things, follow him on Twitter @TheWilkofZ

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