Buying an action figure Black Adam used to be a niche hobby for people who spent way too much time in the back of comic book shops. Honestly, before Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson spent a decade hyping up the character, Teth-Adam was basically just "evil Shazam" to the general public. Now? The market is flooded. You can find him at Walgreens, high-end import sites, and everywhere in between. But here is the thing: most of these figures aren't actually that good. If you are looking for something that captures the brutal, ancient Egyptian royalty vibe of the character rather than just a guy in a spandex suit, you have to be picky.
Collectors often get blinded by the hype of a new movie release. We saw it in 2022. Every shelf was packed with gold-trim black suits. Some were great. Others looked like melted crayons. If you want a piece that actually holds its value—or at least doesn't look like a cheap Happy Meal toy on your shelf—you need to understand the hierarchy of manufacturers. From the mass-market ruggedness of McFarlane Toys to the "don't you dare drop this" fragility of MAFEX, the options are wild.
The McFarlane Era: Cheap, Big, and Frustrating
Todd McFarlane’s DC Multiverse line is currently the king of the action figure Black Adam world. They’re everywhere. You’ve probably seen the movie versions at Target for about twenty bucks. For the price, they’re impressive. They stand seven inches tall, which makes them tower over standard Marvel Legends. That’s cool. Black Adam should be imposing.
But McFarlane has this weird habit. He loves "variants." You’ll find a Black Adam with a cape. Then one without a cape. Then one with blue lightning. Then one with a throne. It’s a lot. The "Throne" deluxe set is actually one of the better releases because it captures the arrogance of the character. He isn't a hero. He’s a monarch. Sitting him on that stone chair actually makes the figure feel like a piece of art rather than a plastic toy.
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The articulation is where things get dicey. McFarlane figures have "22 moving parts," but they often feel stiff. The wrist balls look like ugly hinges. If you’re a photographer, you’ll spend half your time trying to hide the joints. Still, for $20, it’s the entry point most people start with. Just don't expect it to pose like a gymnast.
High-End Imports: When You Want to Spend Real Money
If you have $80 to $100 burning a hole in your pocket, you leave the "toy" aisle and head to the "collectible" world. This is where Medicom’s MAFEX line and Bandai’s S.H. Figuarts live.
The MAFEX Black Adam is widely considered the gold standard for movie-accurate likenesses. They actually used digital scans of The Rock. The fabric cape is a game-changer. Plastic capes are heavy and make figures tip over; fabric capes with wires inside let you make it look like the wind is whipping through the Kahndaq desert.
- MAFEX: Better sculpt, better accessories, but famously fragile. Be careful with the wrist pegs.
- S.H. Figuarts: Incredible engineering. You can put him in a deep crouch or a flying pose effortlessly. The lightning effects are usually more "dynamic" here.
- Mezco One:12 Collective: These are basically tiny people. They use real tailored clothing over a plastic body. It sounds weird, but in person, it looks high-end. Their comic-book version of Black Adam is arguably the best representation of his classic look ever made.
Why the Comic Version Always Beats the Movie Version
Look, I love the 2022 movie design. The textured suit is cool. But the comic book action figure Black Adam has a timelessness that the movie gear lacks. The classic look is simple: black suit, massive gold sash, pointed boots, and those iconic widow’s peak ears.
The DC Direct figures from the mid-2000s are still legendary among old-school collectors. They don’t move much. They are basically statues with arm swivels. But the sculpts by artists like Jean St. Jean captured the "mean" look of Teth-Adam. He didn't look like a celebrity; he looked like a god who was about to tear a roof off a building.
Many people make the mistake of buying the movie figure because it’s what they see on Disney+ or Max. Six months later, they realize they actually prefer the Jack Kirby or Jerry Ordway aesthetic. If you're starting a collection, hunt down the "Shazam! Power of Hope" style figures. They have a bulk and a presence that modern, slimmed-down figures often miss.
Scale Creep and the Display Nightmare
One thing nobody tells you about buying an action figure Black Adam is that scale is a total mess in the toy industry.
If you buy a McFarlane Black Adam, he will be too big to fight your Hasbro Marvel Legends. If you buy a MAFEX Black Adam, he might look too small next to your DC Direct Superman. It’s a headache. Generally, the industry is split between 1:12 scale (6 inches) and 1:10 scale (7 inches).
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Black Adam is a character defined by his physical dominance. If he’s standing next to Batman, he should look like he could snap him like a twig. This is why many collectors stick to the 7-inch McFarlane line despite the clunky joints—the "shelf presence" is just better.
What to Look for Before Hitting "Buy"
- Paint App Quality: Check the gold paint. If it looks like dull yellow plastic, skip it. You want a metallic finish.
- Ankle Pivot: This is a nerdy detail, but essential. Without ankle pivot, you can't get him into wide "power stances." He'll just fall over.
- Alternate Hands: Black Adam should have "fists" for punching and "relaxed" hands for floating menacingly. If a figure only has "holding stuff" hands but no accessories to hold, it looks goofy.
- The Lightning: Translucent blue or yellow plastic is standard. Check if the lightning clips onto the wrists or the chest. Chest lightning usually looks cooler but can scuff the paint if you aren't careful.
The Resale Trap
Don't buy these thinking you're going to retire on them. Most action figure Black Adam releases produced in the last five years were mass-produced in the millions. The only ones that truly appreciate in value are the San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) exclusives or the discontinued runs from companies that lost the license (like Mattel’s DC Universe Classics).
The Mattel "DC Universe Classics" wave 9 Black Adam is a great example. It’s over a decade old, but because it fits perfectly in a 6-inch scale and has that classic "Four Horsemen" sculpt, it still fetches a premium on eBay. Modern figures are better for playing and posing; vintage figures are better for "investing," if you can even call it that.
Customizing Your Figure
Sometimes the perfect figure doesn't exist. A huge subculture of collectors buys a basic $20 figure and "customizes" it.
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You can buy 3D-printed heads on Etsy that look exactly like the comics. You can take a black wash (watered-down black acrylic paint) and run it over the suit to make the details pop. A lot of people take the McFarlane body and swap the plastic cape for a custom wired cloth cape. It instantly triples the "prestige" look of the toy.
If you’re feeling brave, you can even use a dremel to shave down the joints for better range. Just realize that once you start cutting plastic, the resale value goes to zero. But hey, it's your toy.
Final Thoughts for the Wise Collector
Building a collection around an action figure Black Adam isn't just about grabbing the first box you see. It's about deciding which version of the character you actually like. Do you want the anti-hero from the big screen? Or the ruthless protector of Kahndaq from the JSA comics?
Actionable Steps for Your Collection:
- Check the Scale First: Decide if you are a "6-inch" or "7-inch" collector. Mixing them usually looks awkward on a shelf.
- Prioritize the Throne: If a version comes with a throne, get it. Black Adam is one of the few characters who actually looks natural sitting down.
- Invest in a Flight Stand: Black Adam spends half his time in the air. A $10 clear plastic stand makes a world of difference compared to just standing him flat-footed on a bookshelf.
- Watch the Pegs: If you buy high-end Japanese imports, soak the joints in warm water for a minute before posing them for the first time. It softens the plastic and prevents snapping.
- Shop Small: Before going to Amazon, check sites like BigBadToyStore or Entertainment Earth. They usually have better packaging so your box doesn't arrive crushed.
The "hierarchy of power" might not have changed the DC movie universe forever, but it certainly changed the toy aisles. There has never been a better time to find a high-quality version of the ruler of Kahndaq. Just make sure you know what you’re paying for before you open your wallet.