Black Adam is a fictional character created in 1945 by Otto Binder & C. C. Beck. Originally created as a villain for Fawcett Comics "Marvel Family", Black Adam was revived as a recurring super-villain after DC Comics began publishing Captain Marvel/Marvel Family stories under the title "Shazam!" in the 1970s. As originally depicted, Black Adam was a corrupted ancient Egyptian predecessor of Captain Marvel who fought his way to modern times to challenge the hero and his Marvel Family associates. Since the turn of the 21st century, Adam has been redefined by DC writers Jerry Ordway, Geoff Johns, and David S. Goyer as a corrupted antihero attempting to clear his name. Featured roles in comic books series such as JSA, Villains United, Infinite Crisis, and 52 have elevated the character to a level of prominence in DC Comics. In 2009, Black Adam was ranked as IGN's 16th Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time.