Zatanna 'The Mistress of Magic' Appreciation Thread

[Punisher007]

Is it going to be in paperback? I don't much care for hardcovers.

[John Venus]

Is it going to be in paperback? I don't much care for hardcovers.

It's a hardcover.

[Bruce Vain]

I haven't heard of 'Everyday Magic' reprints being included in Bloodspells so I checked the web and I got nothing. I think you might have been mistaken.

As for the costume, it's a reference to her appearance when she first debuted.

Comics Alliance mentioned it here, which got me pretty excited since Everyday Magic is so expensive to get hold of now. Oh welp, it's not like that's gonna stop me getting Bloodspell anyway. It looks hella fun.

I'd figured those panels were from a flashback sequence, the panel with the regular outfit looks fine and it is cool to see retro costumes like that. It's not really that important, but I'm guessing the pinkness in those panels might be vaguely plot relevant (a spell gone wrong or something) since Canary's in pink there too? I'm not really a huge Black Canary fan, but doesn't she generally wear... y'know, black? Anyway, I just hope there's flashback to Zee's lobster hat look!

[John Venus]

Comics Alliance mentioned it here, which got me pretty excited since Everyday Magic is so expensive to get hold of now. Oh welp, it's not like that's gonna stop me getting Bloodspell anyway. It looks hella fun.

I'd figured those panels were from a flashback sequence, the panel with the regular outfit looks fine and it is cool to see retro costumes like that. It's not really that important, but I'm guessing the pinkness in those panels might be vaguely plot relevant (a spell gone wrong or something) since Canary's in pink there too? I'm not really a huge Black Canary fan, but doesn't she generally wear... y'know, black? Anyway, I just hope there's flashback to Zee's lobster hat look!

Hmmmm, but it's not mentioned elsewhere even on CA's own review of the book. Oh well, I guess someone who read the book can confirm it for us.

I am not sure where you are getting pink from. I see no pink, they are both clearly wearing blue with a hint of eggplant purple with an orange background. The only pink I see is on the band around Zatanna's top hat and the slight glimpse of her leotard we see in the pic.

[Bruce Vain]

Hmmmm, but it's not mentioned elsewhere even on CA's own review of the book. Oh well, I guess someone who read the book can confirm it for us.

I'm guessing it was planned when the preview was posted several months ago, but for some reason it got pulled from the final book - maybe due to EM being Vertigo or because it's more mature than the main story.

If it is still included... good times? It looks unlikely though, I'm sure one of the reviews would have mentioned it. Two of the links you posted (including CA) just mention it includes about 40 pages of production material (which I think is about the same length as EM), while the other didn't say anything about extras.

I am not sure where you are getting pink from. I see no pink, they are both clearly wearing blue with a hint of eggplant purple with an orange background. The only pink I see is on the band around Zatanna's top hat and the slight glimpse of her leotard we see in the pic.

Huh, how weird. I think we'll just have to agree to disagree on that one. All I'm seeing is them in various shades of pink/purple on an orange background - I even tried it on a different computer in case my monitor was being screwy. Maybe I need an eye test!

Anyway, here's some more Zatanna appreciation:
Zatanna04.jpg
Now look, I like Zatanna as much as anyone, but that seems just slightly OTT.

[neonrideraryeh]

Has anybody read the new Bloodspell book yet? Is it good? I'm considering getting it real soon because I like both characters, but I want to know if it's something to get like right away or to wait a while before getting it.

[Bat007007]

Has anybody read the new Bloodspell book yet? Is it good? I'm considering getting it real soon because I like both characters, but I want to know if it's something to get like right away or to wait a while before getting it.

The book got pretty good reviews so far. Not a surprise, Dini loves Zatanna so much as the rest of us.

[coveredinbees]

I love Book of Magic but this is literally the only moment I don't like from that series. Zatanna is surrounded by monsters and she loses her nerve. That was a very OOC for. I read some of the Zatanna stories from before this book and she is always getting chucked into different worlds and dimensions sometimes with someone to protect. This is nothing new to her. She has even been on the JLA for more than a hundred issues. The Zatanna I know would have gotten a spell out and cleaned their clocks or at least teleported out of that place with ease.

Worse yet was when Gaiman had her tell Constantine, who just saved her, "I could have handled it you know!". Is this Zatanna or a girl from a generic shounen manga?

It's just another example of a writer tearing down one character to build up another and I say this as someone who likes Constantine in Books of Magic. It's really no wonder why she is so weak in JLD books if they are drawing inspiration for her character from moments like these.

That scene bothered me, too. I expected a better showing from Zatanna. Why would she take him there? She comes off as an idiot. The Zatara page went well, at least.

[John Venus]

Has anybody read the new Bloodspell book yet? Is it good? I'm considering getting it real soon because I like both characters, but I want to know if it's something to get like right away or to wait a while before getting it.

I haven't read it yet but so far the reviews are favorable towards it:

http://comicsalliance.com/black-cana...nes-paul-dini/

http://talkingcomicbooks.com/2014/04...dspell-review/

http://www.readingreview.com/comics/...loodspell.html

That scene bothered me, too. I expected a better showing from Zatanna. Why would she take him there? She comes off as an idiot. The Zatara page went well, at least.

The Zatara page was awesomely creepy but yeah, Zatanna got the short end of the stick there. That's why I worry about any potential adaptation of the DCU magic pantheon starring her: are we going to get the competent bad ass Zatanna as written by Paul Dini, Grant Morrison, Lee Mars and Gerry Conway? Or are we going to get the incompetent Books of Magic Zatanna and see her get reduced to being Constantine's girlfriend?

She has a great mythology that a lot of fans, even a fair number of comic book fans aren't aware of and a Rogues Gallery that could use more developing.

[John Venus]

Pics!

From DC Super Stars #11: Super Stars of Magic.

Written by Len Wein

Lovely art by Gray Morrow

[John Venus]

Some more pictures.

My haul from DeviantArt.

By cinar-d:



By funrama:



By Overlander:

[John Venus]

More from deviant art.

By chrisevenhuis:



By daxiong:



By James Jeans:

[John Venus]

Today's spot light is on one of the best Zatanna artists: Dustin Nguyen. You can find him as duss005 on deviantart. He is on tumblr as well but I don't know his ID there.

Nyugen's Zatanna is smokin'! She is so stunning under his pen. Gah!

[Hoosier X]

I'm guessing it was planned when the preview was posted several months ago, but for some reason it got pulled from the final book - maybe due to EM being Vertigo or because it's more mature than the main story.

If it is still included... good times? It looks unlikely though, I'm sure one of the reviews would have mentioned it. Two of the links you posted (including CA) just mention it includes about 40 pages of production material (which I think is about the same length as EM), while the other didn't say anything about extras.



Huh, how weird. I think we'll just have to agree to disagree on that one. All I'm seeing is them in various shades of pink/purple on an orange background - I even tried it on a different computer in case my monitor was being screwy. Maybe I need an eye test!

Anyway, here's some more Zatanna appreciation:
Zatanna04.jpg
Now look, I like Zatanna as much as anyone, but that seems just slightly OTT.

I just read this a few days ago. They had just finished fighting the heroes of Angor - The Blue Jay, the Silver Sorceress, Jack B. Quick, Wandjina. Not a great period for the JLA but I love that Dick Dillin art. Zatanna wasn't a regular member yet. They should've inducted her. It couldn't have possibly hurt the book at that point.

[Hoosier X]

Today's spot light is on one of the best Zatanna artists: Dustin Nguyen. You can find him as duss005 on deviantart. He is on tumblr as well but I don't know his ID there.

Zee is awesome here! I wonder if Nguyen is good enough to make her look good in her late 1970s outfit? It was so bad, even Power Girl wouldn't wear it!