Black Adam Tie-In Comic Drops a Surprising Steel Easter Egg

Black Adam is set to debut in theaters in just a matter of months, expanding upon the potential of live-action DC content in the process. As the film branches out the stories of Black Adam (Dwayne Johnson) and the Justice Society of America, it will also include references to larger DC Comics lore, with confirmation of the group Intergang factoring into the film. The lead-up to Black Adam has revealed even more surprising Easter eggs and references — including one surprising one that originated in the pages of Steel. Spoilers for Black Adam — The Justice Society Files: Cyclone #1 from Cavan Scott, Maria Luara Sanapo, Arif Prianto, and Becca Carey below! Only look if you want to know!

A prelude to the events of Black Adam, the main story of this comic sheds a bit of light on the status quo of Maxine Hunkel / Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell), as she protects her city from a super-powered being. As she — and the audience — learn when Carter Hall / Hawkman (Aldis Hodge) intervene, the being in question is actually addicted to Tar.

Originating in the pages of 1994's Steel #1, Tar is a street drug that gives its users temporary super-strength and vulnerability, similarly to Bane's Venom. John Henry Irons / Steel has to deal with Tar multiple times, and even gets out of being framed by murder by arguing that an inflicted "tar-freak" really carried it out. The drug was then succeeded by "S-Tar", which increased its effects — to the point where anyone who used it three times would ultimately die of an overdose.

Black Adam is directed by Jungle Cruise's Jaume Collett-Serra, and will also feature Noah Centineo (To All the Boys I Love Before, Charlie's Angels) as Atom Smasher, Pierce Brosnan (GoldenEye, Mamma Mia!) as Doctor Fate, and Sarah Shahi (The L Word, Sex/Life) as Adrianna Tomaz, with Uli Latukefu, Marwan Kenzari, Mohammed Amer, James Cusati-Moyer, and Bodhi Sabongui have also been cast in currently unknown roles.

"I am 100% committed to not only Black Adam but then expanding the Black Adam universe, the DC universe," Johnson said when asked by ComicBook.com if he sees himself in this role for years to come during a recent Q&A with press. "I am an optimist from the word, 'Go.' So, to me and to all of us up here, all universes exist in our heads. I will, we all will, work very hard to make sure we are honoring the mythology but also giving the fans what they want. I hear the fans, we all do, and I pick up everything they're putting down. It doesn't get by me, it doesn't get by these guys [producer Hiram Garcia, producer Beau Flynn, director Jaume Collet-Serra]. This is the beginning, hopefully, fingers crossed, of a very long storytelling road that Black Adam is the anchoring jet fuel now that will then push and press this universe out."

Black Adam is set to be released exclusively in theaters on October 21st.