Zatanna Zatara from the DCU
Yes, she might be a third-tier superhero that the casual fan has never heard of, but no matter when or where Zatanna pops up, she’s always a delight. I’ve seen her in DC Superhero Girls, Justice League Dark, Young Justice, the graphic novel Zatanna and the House of Secrets – there was even talk of a feature film for a few hot minutes (though Emerald Fennell would have been at the helm so perhaps a bullet was dodged). She was apparently in a few episodes of Smallville as well, though I had checked out of that show way before then.
I’ll admit, I don’t know a lot about this character as she exists in the comics, but I like her style. And sure, we probably shouldn’t fangirl a character for their aesthetic alone, but what’s not to love about a stage magician in a form-fitting tuxedo and fishnet stockings who actually performs real magic for an unknowing audience when she’s not fighting crime? It’s a bit like the vampires pretending to be actors pretending to be vampires on Interview with the Vampire.
Perusing through her Wikipedia page, a few constants emerge: the House of Mystery, dealing with Doctor Fate, a relationship with John Constantine, and the nickname “Zee.” What I think I enjoy most about her is what’s often the case with superheroines: she is permitted to unabashedly wield hard power. And for her specifically, it’s magical power, which means she can go toe-to-toe with the likes of Wonder Woman and Superman (there’s a great scene in Justice League Dark where she does precisely this).
I mean, I’m a Merlin survivor, the show in which all women with magic were evil and/or dead, so for a young woman to be self-assured, proficient at her craft, and respected by her peers across all the different variations of her character is a profound relief. Long may she continue.
(Also, find and read Zatanna and the House of Secrets by Matthew Cody. It’s great!)
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