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Dwayne Johnson's Black Adam is proven to be mighty and possesses powers akin to Superman in the latest trailer, but is he truly mightier than the Man of Steel?
In the latest Black Adam teaser, the anti-hero showcases extraordinary abilities such as high-speed flight, downing planes, shooting lightning bolts through walls, catching missiles barehanded, deflecting bullets, and absorbing entire explosions, leading many to believe his strength is on par with Superman's. While both Black Adam and Superman share similar abilities, their powers stem from vastly different origins, making comparisons a bit more complex.
Black Adam's power primarily stems from the ancient sorcerer Shazam - who bestowed upon him the powers of Egyptian gods, including Shu, Hershef, Amon, Zehuti, Anpu, and Menthu, rendering him a formidable foe for any superhero daring to face him.
On the other hand, Superman is an extraterrestrial born on the planet Krypton, who gains strength from Earth's yellow sun. He absorbs solar energy to fuel many of his abilities such as flight, heat/x-ray vision, invulnerability, super hearing, super speed, super strength, etc.
These powers are comparable in magnitude to Black Adam's, and it can be argued that the strengths of both characters are quite evenly matched, even though their power sources are vastly different.
In comic books, Black Adam and Superman have clashed several times over the years. However, they remain evenly matched as there's always a factor preventing a definitive outcome.
For a potential showdown in the DCEU, Johnson has consistently teased in promoting the Black Adam film that 'the power hierarchy in the DC Universe will shift'. This hints at an ultimate battle between super-powered beings, and perhaps one day, Black Adam and Superman will square off on the big screen.
While The Rock suggests Black Adam is mightier than Superman, given the Man of Steel's accomplishments in the DCEU thus far, that power balance isn't as straightforward. The Rock's opinion is subjective, and perhaps future DCEU writers and directors will provide the definitive answer.
Another factor to consider when determining who is stronger between the two is their individual weaknesses.
In the comics, Black Adam can be defeated by supreme magic; there's even been an instance where Black Adam was struck by lightning and reverted to his human form. However, Superman possesses no such vulnerabilities.
On the flip side, Superman is extremely susceptible to magic. This significantly tips the scales in favor of Black Adam in a showdown. With powers bestowed by the Egyptian gods, Black Adam can exploit Superman's weaknesses to the fullest.
Debates surrounding the matchup between superheroes and anti-heroes revolve around various aspects. That's the beauty of speculation. However, once two powerful forces collide, all speculations will be swept away by the wind.
As Mike Tyson once said: 'Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth'.
