The future of the live-action DC universe is often a topic of debate, as fans have been curious to see what elements of comic book canon will be adapted on the big screen. The next showcase of that will be Black Adam, which will finally arrive in theaters in October and introduce some surprising corners of comic canon. In addition to the film’s eclectic roster of DC characters, there have already been a number of Easter eggs and other references to comic canon — including the first in-canon reference to a major DC location. 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!
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The issue’s backup story continues the tale of Adrianna Tomaz (Sarah Shahi) and her fight against Intergang, juxtaposed with her day job as an archaeologist and scholar. As Adrianna and one of her colleagues survey a bunch of recovered artifacts — including a scarab that, if comics are any indication, will become significant to Adrianna’s own story — her colleague mentions that Markovia shut down its own universities “after the coup.”
Created by Mike W. Barr and Jim Aparo in 1983’s Batman and the Outsiders #1, Markovia is a European monarchy that plays a key role in the DC universe, particularly as the birthplace of Geo-Force and Terra. The location has factored into the larger DC multiverse multiple times, particularly throught the last few seasons of The CW’s Black Lightning, as well as Young Justice: Outsiders.
Black Adam is directed by Jungle Cruise‘s Jaume Collett-Serra, and will feature Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam, Aldis Hodge (The Invisible Man, Underground) as Hawkman, Quintessa Swindell (Trinkets, Euphoria) as Cyclone, Noah Centineo (To All the Boys I Love Before, Charlie’s Angels) as Atom Smasher, and Pierce Brosnan (GoldenEye, Mamma Mia!) as Doctor Fate, 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.
