# Black Adam-Do I need to know any backstory before watching? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [October 22, 2022, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-adam-do-i-need-to-know-any-backstory-before-watching/973632 "2022-10-22T14:54:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-adam-do-i-need-to-know-any-backstory-before-watching/973632/1 "2022-10-22T14:54:36Z")
I enjoy some comic book films but it seems like they’re being churned out so quickly and often you need to know a ton of backstory to have a clue as to what’s going on and who’s who. I don’t know Black Adam from Adam Ward or Black Panther. Never even heard of the character. My interest in comic books ended at Richie Rich as a kid. So, can I enjoy Black Adam as a popcorn flick? Or will I be bored and feel like I’m crashing a party as I don’t know anyone or anything they’re talking about? ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-adam-do-i-need-to-know-any-backstory-before-watching/973632/2 "2022-10-22T15:20:33Z")
My impression from what I’ve seen and read (haven’t watched the movie) is that the character is mentioned/cameos in SHAZAM so that’s useful, but otherwise there isn’t much if any “required” reading before this. It’s fun if you know who the characters are, but not needed since this is their debut. In theory it’s intended to be a “fresh start” for DC movies, so hopefully they won’t bog it down with too much history. Now as to whether you _should_ see the movie…🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-adam-do-i-need-to-know-any-backstory-before-watching/973632/3 "2022-10-22T15:46:27Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > I don’t know Black Adam from Adam Ward or Black Panther. Never even heard of the character. My interest in comic books ended at Richie Rich as a kid. I started with Richie Rich and kept going for the next 40 years, but even I don’t know any more about Black Adam than you do, other than he is somehow peripheral to SHAZAM. I suspect he was the center of one of those massive DC events I avoid like the plague. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-adam-do-i-need-to-know-any-backstory-before-watching/973632/4 "2022-10-22T15:56:28Z")
I am seeing it this afternoon. The only reason I wouldn’t be disappointed is that my expectations for DC movies is already so low. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-adam-do-i-need-to-know-any-backstory-before-watching/973632/5 "2022-10-22T17:29:58Z")
He’s basically Shazam’s General Zod if that helps. Same powers, but eeeeevil (or at least more extreme, depending on who’s writing him). ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-adam-do-i-need-to-know-any-backstory-before-watching/973632/6 "2022-10-22T17:36:23Z")
I saw it. It tells you everything you need to know. Also it was really good. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-adam-do-i-need-to-know-any-backstory-before-watching/973632/7 "2022-10-22T17:39:26Z")
Also there’s an after-credit scene. ---
**Author:** ![Oxido](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9adbd/32.png) [@Oxido](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oxido)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-adam-do-i-need-to-know-any-backstory-before-watching/973632/8 "2022-10-22T18:02:04Z")
I’m curious, which movie or movies did you think needed backstory history to be able to follow? I’m not a big comic fan, but love action movies, haven’t come across any thar gave me that impression, so maybe I’m missing important plot points? ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-adam-do-i-need-to-know-any-backstory-before-watching/973632/9 "2022-10-22T18:55:10Z")
I want to elaborate a little (spoiler free). I don’t get the mixed reviews. It wasn’t the greatest movie in history but it was an exciting Super Hero movie with great action, a good story, and, what I liked the most, a very different setting and point of view. Also I enjoyed watching every character and wanted to see more. Well worth seeing. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2022, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-adam-do-i-need-to-know-any-backstory-before-watching/973632/10 "2022-10-31T12:06:50Z")
Agreed, I don’t understand the number of bad reviews the movie has gotten. This is a solid action/superhero movie. It didn’t hit you over the head with stupidity, the plot twists and turns worked within the narrative. Big fan of Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, I absolutely believed that he wasn’t a C-list superhero. I also very much liked that Black Adam was not a Boy Scout, did not turn into a fine upstanding citizen by the end of the movie, but also isn’t a power hungry villain. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-adam-do-i-need-to-know-any-backstory-before-watching/973632/11 "2023-04-17T23:07:32Z")
Reviving this thread since I watched this on a plane today for free. I read comics as a kid and am familiar with most of the major players, including Shazam (Captain Marvel, Billy Batson.) I had no idea who Black Adam was. I thought it was pretty bad, and yet another example of D.C. not having a clue. There was the Nick Fury stand-in Waller. The Dr. Strange stand-in, Dr. Fate. The Ant-Man stand-in, Atom Smasher. (Also, Henry Winkler, really?) Hawkman was much more powerful than I recall from the comics. I will readily admit that maybe my lack of knowledge of those characters is on me, but it sure seemed like a desperate attempt by D.C. to glom onto the MCU success. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-adam-do-i-need-to-know-any-backstory-before-watching/973632/12 "2023-04-17T23:09:00Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > I thought it was pretty bad, and yet another example of D.C. not having a clue. There was the Nick Fury stand-in Waller. The Dr. Strange stand-in, Dr. Fate. The Ant-Man stand-in, Atom Smasher. (Also, Henry Winkler, really?) Hawkman was much more powerful than I recall from the comics. Almost like an Iron Man stand-in! ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-adam-do-i-need-to-know-any-backstory-before-watching/973632/13 "2023-04-18T15:51:46Z")
I hadn’t thought of that, but yes, that too. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-adam-do-i-need-to-know-any-backstory-before-watching/973632/14 "2023-04-18T16:13:53Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > Reviving this thread since I watched this on a plane today for free. I also watched maybe 2/3 of the movie on a plane recently. I also felt that it felt a bit like it was generated from a generic superhero movie template. I also watched The Suicide Squad recently and it was pretty good (by comparison). It’s possible I find shows with nigh-invulnerable protagonists to be a bit of a turnoff. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-adam-do-i-need-to-know-any-backstory-before-watching/973632/15 "2023-04-18T16:26:18Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > but it sure seemed like a desperate attempt by D.C. to glom onto the MCU success. Via a filter that strips out all of the fun.