Christopher Priest starts things off with a bang in Black Adam #1 as the suspenseful plot leads to a brave new adventure that ends with a twist.

Teth-Adam, most popularly known as Black Adam, has turned over a new leaf. From being a recurring enemy of Billy Batson and the Justice League to joining them, Adam now walks the path of the protector, like his dearly departed wife wanted him to. However, his recent tussle with Pariah in DC Comics' latest multiversal event, Dark Crisis, has left him licking his wounds after observing firsthand the decimation of the League, leading him to contemplate the future of the world. Written by the esteemed Christopher Priest with artwork from Rafa Sandoval and Matt Herms and lettering by Willie Schubert, Black Adam #1 looks to explore the character's legacy. With fan hype reaching cloud nine with the release of the newest Black Adam trailer, this is the right moment for a solo series to soar.

Black Adam #1 opens with Theo Adam attending a congressional hearing regarding Kahndaq's business dealings in the United States. As a tired Adam finds the whole inquiry boring, the story strays into the past, showing thundering scenes of Black Adam fighting Darkseid. While the former comes out victorious, the remains of the tainted dark god seem to be Desaad's creation, leaving an onset of necrosis on Adam's body. Meanwhile, a Kahdaqi national lies dead in the middle of the streets in Washington D.C., who happens to be Black Adam's political rival and leader of Kahdaq's democratic movement. All clues point to a resident doctor of Metro East.

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From the very start, Black Adam #1 enthralls the readers with a dramatic hook, interlacing Theo Adam's monotonous bureaucratic life with Teth-Adam's heroic escapades. Using someone as heavyweight as Darkseid as the lightning rod, writer Christopher Priest sets the plot in motion with the right amount of intrigue. Soon the story takes a total 180-degree turn from what appears to be a galactic tussle to a riveting crime drama in the mere turn of a page. However, while a murder mystery may seem in the cards, it turns out to be nothing but a McGuffin that hurtles the narrative towards conflict and exploring new plot lines. Malik Adam White is the latest addition to the Black Adam pantheon -- a sassy, movie-quoting, aspiring doctor with a surprising connection to Kahndaq's ruler. The forced character introduction, even though a vital part of the tale, seems too on the nose.

The paneling sets the story's pace, letting the book smoothly transition from low-key moments to flashy action set pieces and back. Artist Rafa Sandoval's illustration pushes Black Adam to his limit as every fiber in his body tenses and his muscles contract, delivering punch after punch with thumping intensity. Using crisp lines and detailed pencil work, Sandoval brings the drama out with the expressive faces emoting a wide range of feelings. Colorist Matt Herms balances the bright colors with neutral, earthy tones in the background and envelops the scenes in clawing shadows to create a suspenseful undercurrent. Although the best examples of his colors are in the opening few pages of the issue, where the yellow lightning of Black Adam works in congruence with the bright bluish essence of the Great Darkness.

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Black Adam #1 follows its strong silent protagonist and cynical secondary character around, making readers think that their actions are what mold the course of events. Instead, it is very much a plot-driven affair that dumps the onus of storytelling on the surrounding elements. Christopher Priest loves to take on complicated characters, and there is no doubt someone like Black Adam, who is now facing his own mortality, falls right in his wheelhouse. However, given Priest's propensity for reinvention, the mantle of Black Adam will get more than just a cosmetic upgrade. The conclusion to Black Adam #1 confirms this fact, as the series looks forward to new beginnings.

Sayantan is a comic book fan based in India who loves good storytelling more than anything else. His power to bore people to death with Kaiju lore is only rivaled by his love for books and movies. He has a master's degree in Energy Tech and loves to watch soccer. You can take a gander at his artworks here: @kenichikyuro