As well as being a professional Illusionist, John Zatara was descended from the Homo Magi, granting him genuine magical abilities. Like his daughter, Zatanna, he uttered his spells backwards to focus his abilities.

His love of magic began when his uncle (an Illusionist himself) gave him a magic kit as a child. From there he read the diaries of Leonardo Da Vinci, his ancestor, who used backwards writing as a security precaution. Zatara learned that his family had a natural connection to magic and that by uttering words backwards, he could focus this into powerful spells.

Zatara died protecting his daughter and the spiritual dimensions from the Great Evil Beast. Death, however, did not mean the end Zatara as he has appeared several times, most recently to help his daughter.

In the second volume of Neil Gaimans series The Books of Magic is said thet John Constantine was responsible for Zataras death.