Justice League Unlimited Shazam Family 4-Pack: Black Adam Review

It seems to be a given that every hero has an evil opposite and I don't mean greatest archenemy. I'm referring to that evil version of the hero who has similar powers and appearance: Superman has Bizarro, Green Lantern has Sinestro, Flash has Reverse-Flash, and Spider-Man has Venom. Captain Marvel (erroneously referred to as "Shazam!") has his evil version as well. It's only fitting that if a Captain Marvel action figure is going to be made for the Justice League Unlimited toy line, then his evil counterpart Black Adam would follow suit.

Black Adam was the first to be granted the powers of Shazam back in the Egyptian dynastic era. When he speaks the Wizard's name, he is granted the powers of these Egyptian deities:

S is for the stamina of Shu;
H is for the swiftness of Heru;
A is for the strength of Amon;
Z is for the wisdom of Zehuti;
A is for the power of Aton;
M is for the courage of Mehen.

As Mighty-Adam, he became Egypt's champion until he became corrupted and decided to use his power to rule instead of helping people. The Wizard stripped Adam of his powers and encased it in a mystical scarab. Thousands of years later, Theo Adam finds the scarab and Black Adam is reborn. He is a constant thorn in Captain Marvel's side and his equal in every way.

I was thrilled to see Black Adam considering that he hasn't made an appearance in this animated form at all. Ever since Mattel gained access to DC Comics' entire library, more and more characters have started to appear in this particular toy series.

I like Black Adam's look quite a lot especially with the addition of a cape as well. The gold trim works well on him rather than Captain Marvel as it makes him more regal and sinister in nature. It complements the black on his outfit very well. The details on his face are outstanding.  For some reason, he always reminds me of a buffed-up version of Spock from Star Trek.

Black Adam has the exact body type as Captain Marvel with the exception of his head. This also means that he is short in stature, which really is a shame considering that he comes across as being regal and pompous in nature. He is definitely one of the most powerful beings who can toe-to-toe with Captain Marvel and even Superman.

Black Adam is sold in a set of four action figures that can only be obtained through MattyCollector.com. The other three in the set include Captain Marvel (named as Shazam! on the packaging), Mary Batson, and the Wizard. Even though each figure is individually packaged, they are sold as one unit for $30.00 as an exclusive set for its "Fan Collection" series. Articulated movement is limited to just the basics for this figure.

I truly love this character and Mattel has done justice to him in this rendition. A hero is only as good as the villain he faces and Black Adam truly fits that billing.