| Zatanna | |
|---|---|
 Various incarnations of Zatanna, as depicted inZatanna: Bring Down The House #4 (2024). Art byNicola Scott. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Hawkman #4 (November 1964) |
| Created by | Gardner Fox (writer) Murphy Anderson (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Zatanna Zatara |
| Species | Homo magi |
| Place of origin | San Francisco, California |
| Team affiliations | Justice League Dark Justice League Sentinels of Magic Seven Soldiers |
| Partnerships | Doctor Fate (various) John Constantine Batman Wonder Woman Black Canary Swamp Thing The Flash Raven |
| Notable aliases | Mistress of Magic Princess of Prestidigitation Sorceress Supreme |
| Abilities |
|
| Altered in-story information for adaptations to other media | |
| Notable aliases | Doctor Fate |
Zatanna Zatara (/zəˈtænəzəˈtɑːrə/), knownmononymously asZatanna, is asuperhero appearing inAmerican comic books published byDC Comics. The character was created byGardner Fox andMurphy Anderson, and first appeared inHawkman #4 (November 1964).[1] Throughout the character's history, Zatanna is depicted as one of DC Comics' most well-regarded supernatural superheroes.
The character is depicted as a renowned sorceress belonging to the fictionalHomo magi race, a subset of humans endowed with innate potential to manipulate magic. She is also the daughter ofGiovanni Zatara and Sindella, the former a renowned stage magician and sorcerer whom she models herself after and the latter whose lineage connects her to the royal line ofAtlantis.[2][3] Zatanna balances her life as aninternational celebritystage magician and superhero who often fights against the forces of evil and serves as both a mystic consultant and a notable member of several teams such as theJustice League,Justice League Dark, and theSentinels of Magic. Within theDC Universe, she is often regarded as one of the most powerful magic users.[4][5]
Zatanna has appeared in several different media adaptations, including appearing in several television series in theDC Animated Universe, notably voiced byJulie Brown andJennifer Hale. She has also appeared as a recurring character in the final three seasons ofSmallville, portrayed bySerinda Swan. A younger version of the character appears inYoung Justice andJustice League Action, voiced byLacey Chabert, andDC Super Hero Girls, voiced byKari Wahlgren.
Created by writerGardner Fox and artistMurphy Anderson, Zatanna first appeared inHawkman #4 (November 1964). When she is introduced, she is on a quest to find her fatherZatara who made his first appearance inAction Comics #1 but had not been published regularly for several years.[6] The storyline crossed multiple comics published by DC at the time, culminating in issues ofJustice League of America, also written by Fox.
In her original origin, Zatanna was born to human Giovanni Zatara andHomo magi Sindella, inheriting her mother's natural affinity for magical powers. Six months after her birth, her mother disappeared and was presumably dead, leading her to be raised by her father. Growing up to be a stage magician with genuine magical powers and modelling herself similarly to her father, Zatara later mysteriously disappears, leading her to travel abroad to perfect her magical craft while searching for her father.[7][8] Unknown to her, the details of her parents' disappearance were revealed over time; her mother would later return to her people, a clan ofHomo magi known as the "Hidden Ones" and her father was cursed by evil sorceress Allura that would kill both himself and his daughter should he see her again, leading him to reluctantly distance himself from her.[7][9][8]
In her debut, she is introduced during her quest to find her father, first encounteringHawkman andHawkgirl.[10][7] During her quest, she encounters various other superheroes such asBatman andRobin (wherein she was disguised as a witch under the control of villain theOutsider)[11] and teams up with others including theAtom,[12]Green Lantern,[13] and theElongated Man.[14] Eventually, she learns her father's fate and finds him in the mystic dimension of Kharma and encounters the evil Allura, where her good counterpart forces her to lift the curse, reuniting father and daughter after 2 decades.[15][9][7]
Not long after, she is elected to become a valued member of theJustice League of America, although in her tenure her powers were originally diminished, allowing her only to control natural forces.[16] Both her mother and her true background is later revealed to her, when Zatanna learns the cause of her mother's disappearance and reason for faking her death: possessing a "medula jewel" within her brain, it acted as a source of power for her clan of the Hidden Ones. Fearing her clan would hunt down her daughter, who also inherited a medulla jewel, she telepathically warns her, with Sindella's magic having the odd side-effect of transforming her costume to one resembling her own. With her father and JLA, they meet Sindella, where she explains her disappearances and sacrifices herself to save Zatanna and Zatara from captivity.[17][9]
After the Crisis on Infinite Earth crossover event, much of Zatanna's history remained the same although several changes came about to her background; her new history reinforced her father's disappearance to have taken place when she was eighteen years old.[8] At some point prior to her father's death, a young Zatanna also met John Constantine, with whom she once engaged intantric sex. Her father later became aware of their relationship, disapproving of Constantine.[18]
The 1998DCU Heroes Secret Files reveals her birth to be thirty years ago, placing her birth year at around 1968. Other key events for the character is referenced to having taken place, including her becoming a superhero and stage magician nine years prior (1989) and her attempt to rescue her mother alongside her father and the JLA five years prior.[19] It is also eventually revealed she is childhood friends withBruce Wayne (the future Batman), who came to be trained in escape artistry under her father in his training.[7]
In the "Murder of Crows" storyline, a seance is held byJohn Constantine,Zatara,Mento, andSargon the Sorcerer, and Zatanna in an effort to come together and combat the entity known as the Great Evil Beast alongside demonic and divine forces at Wintersgate Manor, the home ofBaron Winters in Georgetown, Washington D.C., which is a temporal threshold to other planes of reality. Due to her past history with Constantine, Giovanni is unusually more protective against Constantine. During the seance, the Beast becomes aware of the seance and after Sargon's death, targets Zatanna by attempting to burn her to death. Giovanni sacrifices himself by taking the effects instead, killing him but sparing his daughter's life.[18] InNeil Gaiman'sThe Books of Magic limited series, for a time, Zatanna looks after a young boy namedTimothy Hunter, destined to become the most powerful wizard in the world, and his girlfriend Molly, cursed by the Queen of Fairies to unable to touch anything in the human world.[20][21]
In her 1993 limited series titledZatanna: Come Together, she battles the dark sorcerer Tannarak while her mother's spirit, Sindella, encourages her to battle the demon Xaos. Within the series, her lineage is revealed to be connected to the royalty of Atlantis (particularly the Lord of Order,Arion) and the Xaos demon was responsible for its sinking. She also undergoes a change in costume and opt out of using logomancy in favor of amplifying her magical powers with her mother's artifacts and traditional spell-casting.[22]
In the 1999 "Days of Judgement" storyline and mini-series, Zatanna is among numerous mystic superheroes who gathered to battle the demon Asmodel, who plotted to usurp the powers of the Spectre. With Earth's superheroes unable to properly contend with a significant mystical threat, theSentinels of Magic is formed with Zatanna as a founding member. The team eventually prevails and is trusted with the Spear of Destiny as a contingency against Hal Jordan's Spectre should he ever lose control of himself.[23] The next challenge to the Sentinels appears in the 2001 "Black Baptism" storyline, where mobsterdemons, the Diablos, targets the Sentinels to drain them of their souls and power. Zatanna is one of the first members to be felled to "Anita Soulfeeda", a "succubus" seeking to ascend their ranks. Due to efforts fromSebastian Faust and the Justice League, despite the former's negative reputation, Anita is revealed to be a disguised, vengefulEnchantress and is put under the control ofFelix Faust, who himself also been possessed by the spirit ofHermes Trismegistus.[24] In the "Obsidian Age", Zatanna and the Sentinels appears when the Justice League vanishes in the past searching for Aquaman. An emergency protocol created by Batman assembles a contingency League, with Jason Blood acting as the team's magical expert. WhenGamemnae, ancient Atlantean sorceress and would-be conqueror, is identified, she uses a quagmire spell to absorb Zatanna and Tempest into herself. When Nightwing, the leader in the new league, asks for Blood to useEtrigan against Gamemnae, Blood instead insists Zatanna is the one needed and sacrifices himself in her quagmire spell to free Zatanna. She joins the others in travelling back to ancient Atlantis, where Aquaman has been trapped in a pool of water as a water wraith,Firestorm (Ronnie Raymond) creating a channel between the pool and the sea before Zatanna casts a spell that allows the water-based Aquaman to control the entire ocean as his body, allowing him to sink Atlantis in the past and present and disrupt Gamemnae's power.[25]
In her 2003 solo one-shotZatanna: Everyday Magic, she battles Nimue Ravensong, a magic-user jealous of Zatanna's ability to use magic naturally and without committing sacrifices. Nimue seduced and cursed John Constantine, leading Zatanna into conflict with the sorceress.[26]
During the 2004Identity Crisis storyline, it was revealed that Doctor Light had years earlier raped the now-murderedSue Dibny, the wife of hero Elongated Man. Opting for a magical lobotomization of Light due to threatening other JLA members' family. When Batman appears in the middle of the process and tries to stop it, Zatanna also erases his memories. In the present time, Light becomes a suspect as his memories return, prompting the League towards a manhunt but Zatanna's role in mind-wiping others is revealed. WhileJean Loring's role in Sue's murder alongside implicating other villains is revealed, Zatanna's role in erasing various villain's memories throughout the years causes a moral rift within the League as her reputation deteriorates and her trustworthiness is called into questioned, especially by longtime friends such as Batman.[27] In storylines exploring the aftermath such as "Crisis of Conscience",Catwoman and theSecret Society of Super Villains are among those mind-wiped in earlier years, the former done to force her towards a more righteous path.[28]
A 2005 four-issueZatanna limited series was published as part ofGrant Morrison'sSeven Soldiers event.[29] In it, at asupport group for superheroes, she recounts a failed magical ritual to search for her father's tomes, during which one of her past spells summons a shapeshifter named Gwydion, who kills her companions. Thistrauma, combined with her guilt from her former mind-wipes, robs her of her powers. With the help of her new apprentice,Misty Kilgore, she captures Gwydion to use as her own. She eventually regains her confidence and powers, and uses them to defeat Zor, a rogue Time Tailor who released the Sheeda as a plague to infect and degrade the universe. As a reward, the other Time Tailors allow her one last meeting with her father, who reveals that his books were written for her, his "greatest spell and gift to the world". In the final battle against the Sheeda, Zatanna casts a spell to move time and space, retroactively positioning the Seven Soldiers to overthrow the Sheeda.
InDetective Comics #833 (August 2007), it is stated that Zatanna's father was a friend ofThomas Wayne. Zatara trained Bruce Wayne in the art of escape, and Bruce and Zatanna were childhood friends, although Batman believes that he has never met her inJustice League of America #51, and her only memory of meeting him is while she was disguised. Bruce helps Zatanna investigate the death of one of her former assistants; all clues point to performer Ivar Loxias. Loxias is revealed to be theJoker in disguise; he shoots Zatanna in the throat and incapacitates Batman. Zatanna is able to heal herself by writing a curing spell in her own blood, and she is instrumental in foiling the Joker's scheme, driving Joker insane in the process. Bruce puts Zatanna's betrayal behind him, allowing the two to renew their friendship.
On the "Roll Call" ofJustice League of America #22 (August 2008), Zatanna is listed as a part of the team. Called upon to help with theRed Tornado's restoration in his android form, she aids the League when they are attacked by a new, powerful iteration ofAmazo. During the battle, Zatanna has her mouth magically removed with her spells, and once again uses her blood to write out spells and restore it.[30] After that Wonder Woman throws off Amazo's concentration and free Zatanna. Zatanna then defeats Amazo once and for all by using the Red Tornado's soul. Following this battle, Zatanna rejoins the team.[31]
Zatanna later accompaniesFirestorm (Jason Rusch),Black Lightning, and Batman toMetropolis after they come to believeKimiyo Hoshi has been kidnapped by agents of theShadow Cabinet.[32][33] After a brief conflict, Zatanna and the others are informed by teenage superheroineRocket that Kimiyo's perceived abduction was actually a misunderstanding caused by the Shadow Cabinet's mission to seek out her help in dealing with the cosmic vampireStarbreaker.[34][35] With assistance fromHardware andIcon, Zatanna and her comrades are able to defeat Starbreaker in a battle in theHimalayas.[36][37][38]
In the 2009Gotham City Sirens series, Zatanna is visited and restrained byPoison Ivy, who interacts via a tree and asks her if her encounter with Catwoman changed Selina in any way.[39] She later a leave of absence from the JLA, only to reappear during a battle withDespero. Once he is defeated, Zatanna informs the League of the apocalyptic events of theBlackest Night taking place across the globe.[40] After taking the team to the Hall of Justice to find Firestorm, she is forced to fight the undead form of her father, continually pitting the black magic he wields against her own.[41] it is implied while she was successful in banishing the Black Lantern, she was left psychologically scarred from having to kill her father again.[42] In the aftermath, Kimiyo mentions that Zatanna is one of the members who has left the team.[43]
In her self-titled solo series in 2010, no longer an active member of the JLA, Zatanna is asked by officer Dale Colton to help solve a murder case at a restaurant frequented by mobsters. Zatanna informs Dale that the murderer was the sorcererBrother Night, who rules the supernatural crime scene in San Francisco. After Zatanna shows up at Night's demonic nightclub and threatens him, he responds by summoning a demon,[44] but Zatanna defeats and imprisons the demon to aid her later.[45] A crooked casino owner who had made a deal for eternal youth with the demon of avarice by selling the souls of his brides to the demon attempts to use a love potion to win Zatanna's soul.[46] When her cousin Zachary Zatara breaks the spell, the casino owner begs Zatanna to turn him into a soulless lump of gold in order to escape torment in Hell.[47] Aside from Brother Night, Zatanna faces other threats, such as Oscar Hample, a man who tried to murder her when she was a child and was turned into a puppet by her father.[48][49][50][51] TheZatanna series ended with issue #16 (October 2011).
TheBlack Canary and Zatanna graphic novelBloodspell written byPaul Dini and drawn by Joe Quinones was to be released in 2012, but was delayed until May 2014.[52] The story centered around a 16-year-old Black Canary's first meeting with Zatanna.[53]
Within the new continuity following Flashpoint and the New 52, details of Zatanna's past were altered; her birth years was established to be around 1987, making her younger than her previous depictions.[54] The appearance of her mother also differed and aspects of her past were seemingly changed. Among those changes included a new love interest,Nick Necro, whom she started dating years before she would meet her future teammate, John Constantine. The trio were in apolyamorous relationship until Necro's obsession with the Book of Magic droved a wedge between their relationship, causing Constantine and Zatanna to become exclusive to one another for a time.[55]
In the new continuity following theFlashpoint event, Zatanna joins the Justice League Dark, a supernatural off-shoot of the Justice League dedicated to battling the arcane forces led by John Constantine. She teams up with various superheroes such as Etrigan,Swamp Thing, Nightmare Nurse,Madame Xanadu, and others. Based in Constantine'sHouse of Mystery, the team first battled a wildEnchantress and then Felix Faust, Nick Necro, and reluctant turncoatDoctor Mist as Necro works to acquire the mythical Books of Magic, a source of obsession since his shared history with Zatanna and John Constantine.[56][55][57]
Zatanna made her firstRebirth appearance inDetective Comics #958, assistingBruce Wayne in taking out a robot chasing after a cult member. Later on, Zatanna shows Bruce magic. Later Bruce sees her again and asks her to teach him more about magic. Ultimately she declines and wipes his memory.[58] After the conclusion of the main storyline of theDC RebirthBatwoman series, Zatanna is implied to be an outpatient therapist of sorts forBeth Kane,Kate Kane's twin sister.[59]
In 2018, a newJustice League Dark series began, with a redesigned Zatanna being part of the team.[60] Zatanna travels to Northern Italy to bind a group of demons calledIl Osservatori in a story calledZatanna: Sleight of Hand, published in theDC New Talent Showcase 2018 #1.[61]
Zatanna is depicted as having a public identity as both a stage magician and genuine sorceress that battles evil.[62] She has adopted several roles as a superhero, serving as a prominent mystic consultant,[4][5] valued member of several superhero teams, and a popular leader.[63] The character also owns a side business providing special service in magical and multiverse matters to those whom are in need of it and promises confidentiality.[3]
Originally, the character was portrayed as half human and half homo magi, with her human lineage stemming from her father's side. Through her paternal line, she is a descendant ofLeonardo da Vinci and is related toNostradamus,Alessandro Cagliostro,Nicolas Flamel, and Evan Fulcanelli, making her of French and Italian descent.[64] Later retellings of Giovanni's background established her as a full homo magi.[65] From her maternal line, she is a descendant of the ancient Atlantean royal andLord of Order,Arion.[66][67] Alongside Arion, she is also connected to the Hidden Ones magi clan and her lineage additionally includes other mages and seers dating back to ancient Atlantis, inheriting various specialties of each.[68]
One reoccurring theme for Zatanna's character includes her public identity as a traveling, international celebrity status as she balances it with her popular superhero dual life, having adopted the lifestyle due to her father's influence.[8] At times, her celebrity lifestyle interferes with her relationships with family members (i.eZach Zatara).[69] Her trustworthiness has also been challenged in several storylines such asInfinite Crisis andAbsolute Power, wherein the respective stories challenged her relations with the superhero community or the magical community at large.[27][28][70]
Throughout her publication history, her reputation as a sorceress has varied; her depictions during the 1980s expressed her as a force to reckon with despite not being among most powerful.[71] Over time, the character evolved to be among the most powerful of sorcerers in the world.[72][73] One account also places her and themodern Doctor Fate as the most powerful magical users on Earth and has been credited as the "Sorceress Supreme".[74][75]
Her most significant love interest in both comics and media isJohn Constantine, whose affiliation has been characterized as turbulent in various stories. The pair first met some time shortly into Zatanna's adulthood, having once practicedtantric sex.[18] More recent stories emphasized their relationship, having first began from a polyamorous one also involving Nick Necro before the pair broke away from Necro due to his obsession with the Books of Magic deteriorating their shared relationship, resulting in Constantine and Zatanna becoming exclusive to one-another for a time.[55]
Within comics, Zatanna has had dated several other superheroes such asDoctor Thirteen,[76][77]Cyborg,[78] andBatman, whom first began as her childhood friend.[79] In later depictions, it was instead said the pair dated at one point in the past prior to Bruce becoming Batman.[80] Additionally, she had a flirtatious relationship withFlash (Barry Allen), having considered even dating him,[81][16] andBlue Devil. After the New 52, she also has dated andNick Necro, a skilled dark sorcerer prior to him turning evil.[55] Within her solo series, her love interests included civilians such as Josh, anAfrican-American and son of coven witch leader whom Zatanna has known for years prior, and Dale Colton, aSan Francisco detective whom is also revealed to he the son of one of her major enemies,Brother Night. Within alternate universes, she has also been romantically involved withEtrigan[82][83] andSebastian Faust, son of infamous Felix Faust.[84]
Her heritage gives her command over mystic and cosmic forces,[1] allowing her to manipulate them in many ways and form.[71] Her chief and most preferred method includes performing magic by saying phrases and/or spells backwards. This variation of magic ("Logomancy"), requires focus in order to used[71] and can be alternatively cast via written form[7] or usingsign language in a backwards formation.[85] The character is versed in different variations of magic such asblack magic,tarot reading for insight or divination, and can draw power from a collection of mystic artifacts collected by her family similarly to other magic practitioners.[86] In a diminished state, her magical powers only allowed her to manipulate natural forces (earth, air, water, wind) and objects.[9] Zatanna is also a talented stage magician, a trained hand-to-hand combatant,[8][9]escape artist, and is versed in several different languages includingSpanish andASL.[85]
Due to her lineage from both sides of the family, Zatanna has access to a diverse collection of arcane objects amassed throughout generations from her families. Much of these are stored in the Shadowcrest Manor, the sentient and ancestral home of the Zatara family which relocates to different locations periodically and is invisible to ordinary observation.[87] The manor can only be accessed by special magic keys or voice recognition[88] and houses the collection of arcane objects, a private library, bestiary, and is inhabited by magical constructs that serve Zatanna, including Hassan the Mummy, who protects the manor.[87] Zatanna also owns a personal apartment in Gotham City, serving as her more publicly accessible residence. Known as the Curious Abode of Zatanna Zatara, it also serves as the central location for her side business.[89]
Some artifacts includes the Talisman of Atlantis and a magical staff owned by her father. When using both artifacts in tandem, it offers easier control and usage over magical manipulation compared to her Logomancy.[86] TheDemongraphy is a book offering a comprehensive, encyclopedic entries on demonic entities and is updated magically in real-time.[90] The Gnosis Sphere, able to answer any questions posed directly to it, is regarded as the most dangerous object protected by the Zatara family.[91] She also appropriated the Sleepless Queen's sword, an enchanted blade capable of transforming those damaged by it into nightmarish forms of themselves (a process known as "Knighted").[92]
Zatanna also possess a "medula jewel", an unnatural source of magic developed within the brain of royals in the Hidden Ones clan that can act as a source of magic. It appears within one person per generation, with Sindella being the previous one prior to Zatanna.[17]
Zatanna, as a practitioner of Logomancy, utilizes speech as the primary channel for her magical abilities. This reliance on verbal communication has made her vulnerable to being incapacitated by villains who restrain her through binding and gagging, thought Zatanna now counters that with various ways of channeling her magic like using her blood, using sign language with her fingers and using her extensive escape artist skills. It is observed that her magical powers tend to increase when unused,[93] but excessive use can deplete them, leading to a strain on her physical well-being. Similar to other magic users, Zatanna can only replenish her waning powers through an extended period of rest. Additionally, there appears to be a connection between Zatanna's powers and her self-confidence. In the narrativeSeven Soldiers, a series of significant mistakes left her emotionally and psychologically shattered, rendering her powerless. It was only through the process of restoring her lost confidence that she was able to regain her magical abilities.
| Title | Material collected | Pages | Publication date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other collections | ||||
| JLA: Zatanna's Search | The Atom #19,Hawkman #4,Green Lantern #42,Detective Comics #335 and #355,Justice League of America #51 | 128 | February 2004 | 978-1401201883 |
| Black Canary and Zatanna: Bloodspell | Black Canary and Zatanna | 144 | June 2015 | 978-1401201883 |
| Zatanna: Bring Down The House | Zatanna: Bring Down The House #1-5 | 176 | March 2025 | 978-1799500803 |
| Volume 2 (2010–2011) | ||||
| Zatanna: The Mistress of Magic | Zatanna #1–6 | 144 | March 2011 | 978-1401230074 |
| Zatanna: Shades of the Past | Zatanna #7–12 | 232 | November 2011 | 978-1401233006 |
| Zatanna by Paul Dini | Zatanna #1–16, Zatanna: Everyday Magic, DC Universe Rebirth Holiday Special,DC Infinite Halloween Special | 440 | March 2017 | 978 1779525833 |
| Graphic novels | ||||
| Zatanna and the House of Secrets | All chapters 1–6 | 160 | February 2020 | 978-1401290702 |
| Zatanna: The Jewel of Gravesend | All chapters 1–8 | 200 | July 2022 | 978-1401296384 |
| Webtoon | ||||
| Zatanna & The Ripper Vol. 1 | Zatanna & The Ripper original material | 200 | October 2023 | 978-1401201883 |
| Zatanna & The Ripper Vol. 2 | 200 | December 2023 | 978 1779522962 | |
| Zatanna & The Ripper Vol. 3 | 208 | May 2024 | 978-1779526953 | |
| Zatanna & The Ripper Vol. 4 | 208 | September 2024 | 978-1779528179 | |
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)Guillermo del Toro: 'Right now the only sort of shared universe project I'm working on isDark Universe for Warners, you know, for DC, which is Swamp Thing, Demon, Deadman, Zatanna'.
The basis forDark Universe – the comic book seriesJustice League Dark – features supernatural characters from the DC lore, including Zatanna, Deadman, Frankenstein, Swamp Thing, and notably, John Constantine.
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