It’s a new era for Zatanna as she takes on a fresh role – Prime Magus of the mystical realms, the first in a millennium. Based in ‘the wandering Shadowcrest theatre’ – apparently an Art Deco spin-out of her ancestral home – she’s ready to protect mortals, gods and monsters alike.
And her first mission – free a young Elvish woman from a plague demon. I don’t know what that is, but as drawn by writer-artist Jamal Campbell, it’s pretty freaky.
As the Mistress of Magic fights to force the spirit to let its victim go, she’s being observed.
Zee isn’t alone, though, she has a trick up her sleeve – or rather, hat – in the shape of demon-turned-bunny thing Allura.
Cards on the table, last year writer-artist Jamal Campbell produced a six-issue series starring Zatanna and I slept on it… I’d read too many bad Zee stories in the last few years and needed a break. But seeing character and creator are back for an ongoing, and needing something to review – it’s a very quiet Fifth Week – I plonked down the cash… after catching up with the first act on DC Infinite.
And I have to say, I’m impressed. The mini-series perfectly caught Zatanna’s playful personality and placed her in a deftly written, gorgeously illustrated mystical mystery that guest starred my old pal Blue Devil for extra win. That’s where Zee transformed longtime foe Allura into a cute, useful pal, on the basis that it’s better than letting her skulk in the shadows, plotting new mischief.
As in any proper portrayal, Zatanna is a delight – brave, confident, strong, slightly cocky in her abilities. And it’s that last that’s my only issue with this comic – Zatanna is just too darn powerful. She makes the right noises about feeling in danger, but all she has to do is open her mouth and problems vanish,
I wonder, how does a gal get to declare herself Reality’s Top Magician without consulting the rest of the mystic community? Or was there an election/Coronation we may yet flash back to?
While we don’t see any of Zee’s regular spooky pals helping out, she does have three vaguely familiar beings by her side when she takes on what I assume is her full Prime Magus look.
Is that the Egyptian god Horus? Justice League Dark enemy the Upside Down Man? A baby Hecate? I am intrigued.
The comic ends with a page previewing upcoming fun and games that’s reminiscent of the way Geoff Johns used to end first issues. It’s fascinating, but my favourite thing this time is the introduction of the Department of Extranormal Affairs’ Occult Affairs Division. Their members’ spiky, down-to-Earth natures should be a nice counterpart to Zee’s World of Woo Woo.
Also, they may secretly be out to kill her.
I love Campbell’s artwork, the layouts are madly imaginative, the creatures within them unique… I couldn’t always tell what the back and forth of the spellbinding battle involved, but my goodness, it’s fun to look at. And of course, Zee’s backwards spells help guide us through the action.
Campbell’s writing is rather good too, not yet as accomplished as his art, but it’s getting there – it’s apparent he’s plotted out his overarching story, and this first chapter is a confident romp that nicely balances horror and humour. Zee is great company, just, as I said, too powerful. At one point in the Bronze Age she was limited to being able to affect natural forces. I don’t want her back to that, but this issue she says she can ‘grab reality itself and mould it into something better’. It’s too much, too Scarlet Witchy.
Campbell writes and provides full-colour art, but every comic book needs a letterer and here, as in the mini-series, we’re blessed with the talents of Ariana Maher. There’s a bigger-than-average variety of fonts and treatments required by Campbell’s stories, and Maher knocks it out of the park every time. She really deserves to have her name up there on the cover which, incidentally, is a fabulous poster-worthy pic of our heroine by Campbell.
I enjoyed Zatanna #1 loads. Given how late I am to this prestidigitators’s party, I’d love to hear what everyone else thinks.
Too Dangerous For a Girl 2 