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 
She’s a really fun concept, stage magician aesthetic plus real magic is great, but I bounce off her a bit. Like Black Canary her outfit feels dated in a way that pulls me out of it and her power level is all over the place depending on the writer, which makes it hard to stay invested.
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I’m a big fan of both outfits – of their alternate looks, do you have any favourites? I don’t hate Dinah’s ‘jazzercise’ look, burning it seemed a bit much!
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The original new 52 look for Black Canary is my preference
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I have all the issues of that mini, and somehow kept putting them to a side for later. Might have to read them over the long weekend! Zatanna is one of those characters with great potential, so hoping this turns out well, although I do get some supremely strange vibes off the idea of a Prime Magus.
Stu
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I’d forgotten it was a bank holiday – the joys of working in newspapers, never a bank holiday off. Well, every two years I get Christmas Day or New Year’s Day, blah blah. Let us know what you reckon to the mini, there are a few ‘normies’ in there I’d like to pop up in the ongoing.
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You should enjoy the mini. I forgot who the creators were since I tend to read Zatanna books unless I truly hate the creators, but since Campbell is apparently back we’re in good hands here.
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I think this 1st issue was great fun. Campbell clearly loves the character amd the art is phenomenal.
Did anyone else clock that the plague demon spoke the basic music notes in order over and over (do, ra, me, fa, so, la, te)? I wonder if there is significance of that beyond the demon attacking musicians. Maybe Julie Andrews will show up with a bunch of Austrian kids?
I’m sure the ascension to Prime Magus is tied into DC KO and the upcoming Absolute Crisis. t’s interesting that it has apparently been a millennium since there was one: I always assumed that was Dr Fate’s role. Her self-assursnce and bravado will be tested: the bigger the role, the bigger the enemies.
I’m really looking forward to the tour of DC magic. We’ve really not had that since the original Books of Magic mini. I want to see new realms, but also checking in on Skartaris & Myrra.
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Oh, well done on spotting the Rodgers and Hammerstein of it all, Jeff, there was me thinking the ‘all musicians and singers’ came out of nowhere!
Oh heck, I hope you’re wrong about the Prime Magus bit being event fodder, I need some series to be self-contained.
While Skartaris isn’t my favourite- hopefully Mark Waid will do something fun with it in upcoming World’s Finests – Myrra could be interesting…Nightmaster, yes?
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I loved this! A blurb just said Campbell was doing it and I got Sophie when i Googled so was very, very worried. Thank god I was wrong.
It’s just been since Orlando that Scarlet Witch is apparently the greatest magical power ever, always having the perfect spell on the tip of her tongue to save the day. It’s like reading Silver Age Thor since they both have whatever is needed for plot purposes. You have to work harder with Zee, primarily in that her magic needs to be backwards and said aloud. There can be fun too. Did you read the Bronze Age Green Arrow back up that had Ollie have a Zee who thought she was Dinah say ‘Eb Flow’ so the shock of turning a man into a wolf would shock her back to normal? That’s the possibilities with Zee. As to the prime magus thing, I’m glad we were spared a multi issue arc of her quest to become it. This avoids the tedium and gives the character opportunities above her usual tripping over situations that need her help.
And that ad with the new Titans writer? I’m now more excited for the run! I’m ready to accept a redemption arc with Terra seeing as how she’s never killed and honestly, has never succeeded ather bad deeds anyway. Surplus To Requirements Girl? I put up with always too morose Raven for years as well as when Starfire moaned ‘Dick doesn’t love me anymore’ every third panel so I can suck it up and hope Yara Flor doesn’t drag the book more than the other two used to.
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Well, you have me look at Yara Flor (have they ever explained that name, is it an anagram?) in a different light, and no mistake. And yes, at least we will get some different dynamics.
Yeah, I did read that Green Arrow story in the 70s with Zatanna, it made her look a bit of a floozy!
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I don’t think this series is for me. I’d like to like it. I find the artwork to be offputting. Jamal Campbell is a top notch talent for sure. I can’t tell whether his art is too busy for my eye, or if he’s making colouring choices that I’m not fond of. For every panel I really like, there’s a couple more where I have to pause and squint and try to figure out what’s going on. I don’t think the monotone colour palette for each page is doing the book any favours (so. many. shades. of. purple. and. orange!)
I find the scripting to be too dense for my liking. It’s leaning a little much on the mumbo jumbo and not enough on the character interaction. I do like the idea of Zatanna exploring the mystical parts of the DCU but starting off with a bunch of elves? Again… not my cuppa.
I may pop in for the next storyline to see where things are at.
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I know exactly what you mean about all the purple and orange, I had the same problem with Campbell’s work on Superman and Naomi. It’s not bothering me quite so much on Zatanna, but that could change. I wonder if his understanding of colour theory isn’t matching that of professional colourists.
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It’s a good question. I find that is art is super detailed, but alot of those details get lost when everything is living in the same colour palette. I’d be curious to see how a different colourist handles his pencils/inks. I suspect I would like it much much more.
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