DC's Black Adam and Marvel's Moon Knight are more similar than they seem at first sight. Although with different results, 2022 gave Black Adam and Moon Knight the chance to demonstrate their potential to thrive in live-action. Both brutal anti-heroes are powered by higher beings, and both are rooted in Egyptian mythology, but their similarities don't stop there.
Real-world mythology is a great source of inspiration for comic books and comic book movies. For instance, Thor's corner of the Marvel Universe draws upon Norse mythology almost directly with places such as Asgard, Valhalla, and Jotunheim, while DC's Themyscira draws upon Greek mythology to inform the Amazons' fictional lore. Both Black Adam and Moon Knight have the same mythological background, and they also share some very specific characteristics.
The Egyptian Gods Give Black Adam And Moon Knight Their Powers
Both Black Adam and Moon Knight are regular humans who experience life-threatening injuries, and in what could be their last moments, they receive superpowers from the Egyptian gods, which they can summon at will and come accompanied by a costume change. In Moon Knight, the god Khonshu grants Marc Spector supernatural abilities after he's shot by one of his traitorous allies.
But Black Adam and Moon Knight aren't just heroes who receive their powers from the Egyptian deities, they're avatars of the gods themselves. Just like Shazam embodies the famous Greek figures Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury, Black Adam embodies the spirit of Shu, Heru, Amon, Zehuti, Aton, and Mehen. Meanwhile, Moon Knight is a direct avatar to Khonshu, the Egyptian patron of the moon. Without the gods' approval, Teth-Adam and Marc Spector would remain completely disconnected from their powers.
Other Marvel & DC Characters Powered By Real-World Mythological Pantheons
The MCU already dove deep into Norse mythology with characters such as Thor, Loki, Odin, Frigga, and Hela, and the Mayan deity K'uk'ulkan, and even introduced original deities such as the Kronan Ninny of the Nonny and Bao, the god of dumplings. Besides Khonshu, Moon Knight also showcased other of the Egyptian Ennead such as Ammit and Tawaret.
DC's most popular mythology-based characters are Wonder Woman, often depicted as Zeus' Amazonian daughter, and Aquaman, ruler of Atlantis long after Triton and Poseidon. Shazam draws power from Greek deities, while Doctor Fate is chosen by the Mesopotamian god Nabu. There's also Dean, who gets his power from the Hindu Goddess Rama Kushna, as well as Vixen, who gets her powers from a Totem created by Anansi, a West African spider god; and Carter Hall a.k.a. Hawkman, who draws inspiration from the Egyptian God Horus. Clearly, Black Adam and Moon Knight are just a few of the myth-based heroes we could see in the MCU and DCU in the future.
