Do You Believe In Magic?
DC Comics finally gave Zatanna her own on-going series. While the series only lasted for 16 issues (due to DC's New 52 reboot) this first trade that collects the first six issues of the series, is a very enjoyable read that should please all Zatanna fans.
Writer Paul Dini wastes no time in getting things rolling -- early on Zatanna is escorted by detective Dale Colton to a very bizarre and gruesome crime scene where some form of supernaturalism took place. Humans had been both transformed and disfigured in horrifying and appalling ways. Zatanna can tell Brother Night's name is all over this and decides to pay him a visit. From there events quickly spiraled out of control as Zatanna battles Brother Night's forces and has to confront her father Zatara. Dini keeps you entranced in the story the entire time as you anxiously anticipate how this father/daughter reunion will play out.
This book is basically comprised of two three issue story arcs. The second of which Zatanna faces off against the Royal Flush Gang. I preferred the first story over the second, but the second one still had some great moments. What made the second one fun was that Zatanna's cousin Zachary was involved in everything. Paul Dini focused on their relationship with one another. We see Zachary a little jealous towards his cousin and her fame she's amassed in her career. Dini leads you to believe Zachary may succumb to the demon Mammon's treachery. But family proves to be the stronger bond, beating out dark magic.
The artwork is by Stephanie Roux, Chad Hardin and Jesus Saiz. It certainly has a magical feel to it as it suits this supernatural genre perfectly. The artists got very creative when designing a bunch of these panels. The high amount of detail in them was definitely appreciated. One of the aspects I really admired was the colorists work. The coloring has a darker tone to it which is appropriate and then all the magic of the story is exuberantly vibrant. The bonus variant gallery at the end by Brian Bolland is a collection of some outstandingly designed covers.
If you love magic filled stories full of enchanting spells, dastardly demons and unexpected turns, this story is sure to satisfy all your needs. The Mistress Of Magic has never looked this good or been this much fun, at least to my recollection. Paul Dini gets this series off to a great start -- one that you won't want to miss out on.
Rating: 4/5