Kahndaq
Encyclopedia
Kahndaq is a fictional Middle East
ern country in the DC Comics
Universe. Its real world location is on the continent of Africa
, between Egypt
and Israel
. JSA #56 states that it is located on the northern part of the Sinai Peninsula
.
comic book series, Kahndaq is the homeland of the antihero Black Adam
, who served as the magically powered superhero of Egypt
over 3600 years ago. In 1600 B.C. Kahndaq is burned to the ground by the supervillain Ahk-Ton; Black Adam's wife and children are killed during this attack. The loss of his family and children eventually drives him to take extreme measures to protect Kahndaq. This in turn forces the wizard Shazam
to remove Adam's powers and entomb him for centuries.
In recent times the country is ruled by a Saddam Hussein
-style dictator named Asim Muhunnad. Muhunnad is deposed by Black Adam and a group of former Justice Society of America
members, and executed by Atom Smasher. Adam then declares himself the new ruler of Kahndaq. Kahndaq is heavily damaged shortly thereafter by the Spectre
, during the "Day of Vengeance
" storyline. After this attack, Black Adam joins Lex Luthor
's Secret Society of Super Villains
, as he feels this will serve to protect Kahndaq.
After the events of the Infinite Crisis
, Black Adam rededicates himself as the protector of Kahndaq. He instituted many Draconian laws, including public executions every Wednesday (which he carries out himself). Kahndaq also becomes a signatory nation to the Freedom of Power Treaty, which excludes foreign metahumans from operating inside member countries' borders. Other signatories to the Treaty include China
, North Korea
, and Myanmar
.
Adam's harsh policies are tempered after he meets Adrianna Tomaz, a young woman presented to him by Intergang
as a bribe to allow them to use Kahndaq as a base for their criminal activities. Adam and Adrianna fall in love, and Adam shares his powers with her, transforming her into the superhuman Isis
. After Adam and Isis wed, they find Adrianna's lost brother Amon, and Adam transforms him into the superpowered Osiris
. The trio pledge themselves to turning Kahndaq into an earthly paradise. Their plans are short-lived, as Kahndaq is attacked by the Four Horsemen, a quartet of artificially enhanced beings based in the nearby country of Bialya
. Osiris is eaten by the humanoid alligator Sobek
, who is actually the Horseman known as Famine, while Isis dies after Kahndaq is blighted by acid rains sent by Pestilence. With her dying breath, Isis tells Adam his methods are the only way to protect Kahndaq, and asks him to avenge her. Saddened and enraged, Adam attacks Bialya, killing nearly every inhabitant, then goes on to attack China. After a fierce battle with an army of superheroes, Adam is rendered powerless by the combined efforts of Captain Marvel
and Zatanna
. The now human Adam returns to Kahndaq to wander its streets anonymously.
The capital city of Kahndaq is called Shiruta, named after Black Adam's deceased first wife. Its flag consists of three horizontal, black and white stripes combined with three golden pyramids, each representing a dead member of Adam's family. At least one of its official languages, as seen in 52
#14, is Arabic.
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
ern country in the DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
Universe. Its real world location is on the continent of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, between Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. JSA #56 states that it is located on the northern part of the Sinai Peninsula
Sinai Peninsula
The Sinai Peninsula or Sinai is a triangular peninsula in Egypt about in area. It is situated between the Mediterranean Sea to the north, and the Red Sea to the south, and is the only part of Egyptian territory located in Asia as opposed to Africa, effectively serving as a land bridge between two...
.
Fictional history
As revealed in the JSAJustice Society of America
The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
comic book series, Kahndaq is the homeland of the antihero Black Adam
Black Adam
Black Adam is a fictional comic book character, created in 1945 by Otto Binder & C. C. Beck for Fawcett Comics. Originally created as a one-shot villain for Fawcett Comics' Marvel Family team of superheroes, Black Adam was revived as a recurring supervillain after DC Comics began publishing Captain...
, who served as the magically powered superhero of Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
over 3600 years ago. In 1600 B.C. Kahndaq is burned to the ground by the supervillain Ahk-Ton; Black Adam's wife and children are killed during this attack. The loss of his family and children eventually drives him to take extreme measures to protect Kahndaq. This in turn forces the wizard Shazam
Shazam (comics)
Shazam is a comic book character created by Bill Parker and C. C. Beck for Fawcett Comics. He is an ancient sorcerer who gives young Billy Batson the power to transform into the superhero Captain Marvel...
to remove Adam's powers and entomb him for centuries.
In recent times the country is ruled by a Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
-style dictator named Asim Muhunnad. Muhunnad is deposed by Black Adam and a group of former Justice Society of America
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
members, and executed by Atom Smasher. Adam then declares himself the new ruler of Kahndaq. Kahndaq is heavily damaged shortly thereafter by the Spectre
Spectre (comics)
The Spectre is a fictional character and superhero who has appeared in numerous comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in a next issue ad in More Fun Comics #51 and received his first story the following month, #52...
, during the "Day of Vengeance
Day of Vengeance
Day of Vengeance is a six-issue comic book limited series written by Bill Willingham, with art by Justiniano and Walden Wong, published in 2005 by DC Comics.-Publication history:...
" storyline. After this attack, Black Adam joins Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
's Secret Society of Super Villains
Secret Society of Super Villains
The Secret Society of Super Villains is a group of comic book supervillains that exist in the DC Universe...
, as he feels this will serve to protect Kahndaq.
After the events of the Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
, Black Adam rededicates himself as the protector of Kahndaq. He instituted many Draconian laws, including public executions every Wednesday (which he carries out himself). Kahndaq also becomes a signatory nation to the Freedom of Power Treaty, which excludes foreign metahumans from operating inside member countries' borders. Other signatories to the Treaty include China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
, and Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
.
Adam's harsh policies are tempered after he meets Adrianna Tomaz, a young woman presented to him by Intergang
Intergang
Intergang is a fictional organized crime group in Superman and other DC comics. Armed with technology supplied by the villainous New Gods of the planet Apokolips, it is a potent foe who can seriously challenge the most powerful superheroes...
as a bribe to allow them to use Kahndaq as a base for their criminal activities. Adam and Adrianna fall in love, and Adam shares his powers with her, transforming her into the superhuman Isis
Isis (DC Comics)
Isis is a DC Comics superhero, as well as a separate Egyptian goddess also living in the DC Universe. The recent superhero character is modeled closely after the main character of The Secrets of Isis, a live-action American Saturday Morning television program that served as the second half of The...
. After Adam and Isis wed, they find Adrianna's lost brother Amon, and Adam transforms him into the superpowered Osiris
Osiris (DC Comics)
Osiris is the name of three fictional characters published by DC Comics. The first appeared in 1994 as a foil for the Justice League. The second appeared under the Vertigo Comics imprint in a spin-off of The Sandman in 2002. The third debuted in the pages of Teen Titans and 52 in 2006.-Publication...
. The trio pledge themselves to turning Kahndaq into an earthly paradise. Their plans are short-lived, as Kahndaq is attacked by the Four Horsemen, a quartet of artificially enhanced beings based in the nearby country of Bialya
Bialya
Bialya is a fictional country appearing in many comic book series published by DC Comics. It was notably featured in issues of Justice League International as written by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis. It originally appeared in Justice League #2 -Fictional history:It has existed as a country since...
. Osiris is eaten by the humanoid alligator Sobek
Sobek (comics)
Sobek is a fictional supervillain published by DC Comics. He first appears in 52 #26 , and was created by Geoff Johns, Greg Rucka, Grant Morrison, Mark Waid, Keith Giffen and Pat Olliffe.-Fictional character biography:...
, who is actually the Horseman known as Famine, while Isis dies after Kahndaq is blighted by acid rains sent by Pestilence. With her dying breath, Isis tells Adam his methods are the only way to protect Kahndaq, and asks him to avenge her. Saddened and enraged, Adam attacks Bialya, killing nearly every inhabitant, then goes on to attack China. After a fierce battle with an army of superheroes, Adam is rendered powerless by the combined efforts of Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel (DC Comics)
Captain Marvel is a fictional comic book superhero, originally published by Fawcett Comics and later by DC Comics. Created in 1939 by artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker, the character first appeared in Whiz Comics #2...
and Zatanna
Zatanna
Zatanna Zatara is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Murphy Anderson, Zatanna first appeared in Hawkman vol. 1 #4...
. The now human Adam returns to Kahndaq to wander its streets anonymously.
The capital city of Kahndaq is called Shiruta, named after Black Adam's deceased first wife. Its flag consists of three horizontal, black and white stripes combined with three golden pyramids, each representing a dead member of Adam's family. At least one of its official languages, as seen in 52
52 (comic book)
52 was a weekly American comic book limited series published by DC Comics that debuted on May 10, 2006, one week after the conclusion of the seven-issue Infinite Crisis. The series was written by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid with layouts by Keith Giffen...
#14, is Arabic.
In other media
- In the Justice League UnlimitedJustice League UnlimitedJustice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
episode, "Ancient History", Kahndaq has been mentioned in the flashback.
- In the SmallvilleSmallvilleSmallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
episode "Isis", the Goddess Isis (in the body of LoisLois Lane (Smallville)Lois Lane is a fictional character on the television series Smallville; she has been portrayed continually by Erica Durance since her first appearance in the season four premier "Crusade". Durance began as a guest star in season four, but was promoted to series regular status beginning in season five...
) is attempting to use the Dagger of Teth-Adam of Kahndaq to resurrect her lover, Osiris.