Black Adam #9

Priest and Eddy Barrows create a rich study of Adam's past, making for a compelling, yet unsympathetic villain. Read Full Review

Each new strand enhances the collective narrative of Black Adam as they reinforce themes of oppression, power, and perspective. Priest's answer to the origin of Black Adam's name reads in an entirely natural manner that provides it with a great sense of tragedy. Read Full Review

Black Adam is a very intriguing story about one of the more complex figures of the DC Universe. The more you learn about Adam's history, the more nuanced and intriguing he becomes and under the thumb of an esoteric writer like Christopher Priest, this can make for a fantastic series. With Priest, Barrows, Ferreira and Herms, this book might stand as one of the more definitive stories for Black Adam right next to Black Reign or The Dark Age. Read Full Review

Adam is a more flawed and nuanced villain than Priest's last character study, Deathstroke, but he's also done even worse things. That makes this a fascinating story where we're not sure if we want him to find redemption or not. Read Full Review

As per usual, Black Adam #9 is another installment in a bloated yet brilliant title. When it comes to industry writers, Priest is an intellectual powerhouse. He's well-read and unafraid to take this title to places usually untread by comic writers. However, this strength is also a frustration, as it's hard to follow the writing when serialized. I look forward to rereading this run once it's released in trade format. It'll undoubtedly be easier to digest. Read Full Review

cincyfan

Mar 27, 2023

This series has been consistently fantastic and it continues in this issue. I love the writing in this book. I find the story to be fascinating and I really didn't want it to end. The artwork is beautiful and matches the tone of the story perfectly. The only thing I don't like honestly is the fact that this is issue 9 of 12. I really don't want this book to end.

REYNARD

Mar 21, 2023

Eddy Barrows' art is top tier! And that prose page with Priest's thesis on Black Adam was PEAK. Here are some annotations I compiled: -We finally meet the "wife" of Shakur Nassar and get the rest of Teth-Adam's revamped backstory. -Nassar's wife is Oni Grace, a character I'm not sure has been pre-established before this issue. She seems to be a temptress and a manipulator with ambitions and unknown motives. -We learn that Mighty Adam had built a secret getaway so he could retire and become mortal in his off-hours. One day he is attacked by a resurrected Ibac and his master, Mereuka, leader of the Circle of Crows (minions of the Nth World). Adam escapes, but Ibac releases Mamaragan from his slumber, resulting in Adam being banis hed to space. -The getaway temple Adam had constructed ended up becoming Kahndaq. Jasmin returns the signet/ring to Black Adam. Will combining the two rings cure Malik of the plague? -Did Oni Grace kill Shakur? -Is Oni Grace a version of Amazing Grace from Darkseid's Elite? -Now we know why #5 was called 2325; because that was the year Black Adam was banished. -It's been mentioned multiple times now the fact that Black Adam talks about these Egyptian Pharaohs even though he was banished to space long before they were born. Adam explains (in #6 IIRC) that lightspeed travel warps time, allowing him to be on Earth during times he shouldn't be. -What is the mystery within mystery of Black Adam? -What is Ishtar's intent with Malik? -Subtitles: "For All & None" , "Romulans" , "The Widow" , "The Overcoat" more

Psycamorean

Mar 21, 2023

I really think this book is unfocused as hell. I know Priest's style of writing is very non-linear and sometimes pieces that don't seem important later are. But it makes for a very uncompelling read when you feel like you're just being thrown scraps of story in service to the full 12 issue story, rather than this single issue's story.