Thursday, February 4th, 2010
By Alex Segura
One of the many things I’ve learned while blogging here at THE SOURCE is knowing when to step aside and let the creative minds behind our books do the talking. This is one of those times.
Starting in May, the DCU will feature a new ongoing series, from writer Paul Dini and artist Stephane Roux: ZATANNA. Hinted at and much-discussed over the last few months, we’re happy to finally lift the curtain. And we’ve got some words from Dini. Take it away, Paul:
Outside of her star turn in 7 SOLDIERS OF VICTORY, her ongoing supporting role in JLA and guest appearances elsewhere, Zatanna doesn’t come with a lot of backstory. That’s both a blessing and a challenge for me as a writer. I don’t have to adhere to 70 years of continuity, but that doesn’t give me a lot of history to draw from, either. That said, I’ve been having a lot of fun populating her world with new characters, friends and allies as well as an entirely new mystical rogues gallery. I’m out to create some really unique and creepy villains, ones that aggressively prey on humankind the way gangsters in a crime book would victimize innocent people. As Zatanna herself says in the first issue, there’s little in the way of human punishment that can be enforced on evil mystics. There are few laws they are compelled to obey, no jails to hold them, and no way ordinary people can defend themselves from their attacks. Zatanna has taken it upon herself to operate as both peacekeeper and avenger between those two worlds.
Though a lot about Zatanna’s world is new, it is still firmly rooted in the DC Universe. She’s still a JLA member, and that will play into her stories now and then. Also, I plan to explore her somewhat dicey relationship with her younger cousin, Zachary Zatara. I saw a good chance to inject some family discord there, so when I was developing the book, I ran some ideas by Geoff Johns. He created Zach, so I wanted to get his okay before I shook things up. Luckily Geoff was cool with what I wanted to do, so readers can expect to see Zach becoming a permanent part of Zee’s world.
But there’s more. Take a look at some of these jaw-droppingly amazing Roux interiors:
Wait, there’s more. Mr. Roux had more than art to share, so we got his thoughts as well:
“What can I say about being attached to the project? I’m a fan of the character AND a longer-time fan of the writer. Paul’s delivering very exciting scripts, pushing the character in directions that make it so much fun for me to draw. I’m dealing with various dimensions, litterally. You’ll be scared, you’ll be excited, you’ll enjoy the fights she’s going through. And because it’s Paul, because it’s Zatanna, I simply can’t afford to deliver average art. Not to mention Karl Story’s sure helping me make art look great. Hope the effort shows, hope you like it.”
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Tags: Geoff Johns, justice league, paul dini, Stephane Roux, zatanna
29 Responses to “Zatanna strikes out on her own”
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Nice! I especially like the Glenn Hughes (from the Village People) appearance in the middle of the 1st page. Hilarious!
Wow, the fishnets weren’t sexy enough, he had to add leather thigh-highs.
That’s an AMAZING team. Hopefully, Stephane will last at least 12 issues… It’s gonna be as much a winner as Detective Comics…
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Oh, and Karl Story! Even better!
Oh Hell Yes!
This is not going to be a winner on par with Detective, but I certainly hope it ends up being pretty cool. I love Dini, but I can’t bring myself to pick up an issue of Gotham City Sirens. I hope he is back in form here.
Nice to see that he is going to be using the new Zatara, but I’m disappointed that no one ever used Grant Morrison’s mini as a jumping point, especially her apprentice. I hope that is addressed here, but it sounds like it either won’t be or she’ll be excused out of existence.
Anyway, I don’t mean to sound pessimistic. I just don’t understand DC’s policy of launching ongoings out of thin air. Use a mini-series to test the water, or drum up interest with a specific storyline. It feels like the time for this series has seriously passed, years after her popularity rise from Identity Crisis (groan) and the Seven Soldiers mini. I wonder what other characters that James Robinson writes out of his series will get a full ongoing…
This book has been in the development for at least a couple of years. And with all of the big events going on, for the last couple of years, the timing hasn’t been right. Now is the time, there’s no thin air involved.
Anyway, I’ve been looking forward to this since it was originally announced and I can’t wait. It looks great!
@thecoyotegospel …
Yeah the Morrison mini was so amazing. I’ll hold out hope that Dini will touch upon some of the elements from that book.
How can anyone ignore a comic that had the villain Zor shoot “magic bullets” out of his eyes?!?
We FINALLY get the Zatanna series! Awesome art!
As for Dini’s remarks that Zatanna doesn’t have much history, what about Zatanna’s JLA history?!?
1) Wasn’t Zatanna in love with Barry Allen at one time to where Barry almost cheated on Iris?
2) I can’t remember, and back from Gerry Conway’s Justice League stories (Yes, I’m referring to the JLA Detroit days!), did Zatanna permanently defeat cult leader Adam? If not, perhaps Adam could be brought back as a reoccurring villian?
3) What about the Zatanna’s constant temptation to use her powers to mind-wipe people?!? So Dini’s going to completely forget about this now? Why aren’t any of her mind-wiped villians and heroes coming after Zatanna?
4) And how about further exploring about how Zatanna had to see her father, Zatara, die again in Blackest Night? I think that James Robinson only alluded to this as a behind-the-scenes story, where we really never saw what happened.
And since we’re talking about Zatara, are we going to see Bruce Wayne–who Zatara trained and when he’s officially back in current DCU–appear in the new ongoing series?
From I’m reading in this article is that Paul Dini is going to base the new Zatanna ongoing from what was developed in 52 and maybe 7 Soldiers of Victory, and forget everything else that’s been done for Zatanna?!?
I personally hope that the Zatanna ongoing can last more than two story arcs…
I like the black boots alot better than the black high-heels!
@Kennypick - I saw the Village People Biker-guy too! HaHa!
@Kooster - ALL really good points. Hopefully they will address or touch on all those points in the mini.
This looks good. I love reading Zatanna’s stories and her backwards spells. AND, Zachary will be in the book! …cool.
I’m just happy that Zatanna is still alive after Prometheus exploded her throat/larynx in CRY FOR JUSTICE.
[...] the DCU will feature a new ongoing series, from writer Paul Dini and artist Stephane Roux: ZATANNA. At the DCU: The Source Blog, Paul Dini revealed Zachary Zatara would be featured in the series: Though a lot about Zatanna’s [...]
Love Roux covers. Glad to see him on insides.
And hope Dini will step up over mediocrity of his current titles and maybe even, dare I to dream, will be writing more than few issues between ongoing tie-ins.
[...] [DC The Source] [...]
so zantanna can get her own series but catwoman cant? what gives?
Mr Dini, I am looking forward to the book but must ask how does this (if anything) affect your script duties on Sirens and Streets of Gotham?
[...] DC Universe: The Source » Blog Archive » Zatanna strikes out on … [...]
Cool! I Like Zatanna & so does my girl, Cant wait to tell her!
About time.
And also, waaay back in her early JLA membership we can explore her homo Magi (Atlantean) magical side which should boost her powers as well.side
[...] DC’s Source Blog finally has some concrete information about the Zatanna ongoing series that has been talked about at cons for a while now. The book starts in May and will come from writer Paul Dini and artist Stephane Roux. We all know Dini’s talent, and how much he loves the character (no really, look at his wife). And Roux’s done some really fantastic cover work, it’ll be interesting to see him make the move to interiors. [...]
Great book to look out for! Stephane did some amazing covers and I hope the coloring will be in the same vein.
Im sorry, I HAVE to say this.
Birds of Prey?! ZATANNA?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
What the ##@@#!
Everyone is getting a new monthly but Martian Manhunter, Hawkman and Aquaman… who in my oponion all deserve an ongoing much more than Zatanna!
Or is this another one of those 1 year projects like Manhunter, Blue Beetle and the Question that DC dishes out just to make a QUICK BUCK?
Wow!! Zee’s lookin’ great! And so are those monsters/bad guys! This art is gonna make this one a must-buy for me!
[...] Comics have announced that they will launch an ongoing Zatanna series this May. The new series will be written by Paul [...]
[...] The Source. [...]
I’m such a nerd - i have to confess a crush on a comic book character. I need to get out more.
Zatanna is HOT
One of the thing i’ve enjoyed must was the construction of a relationship between Zatanna and Bruce Wayne (not Batman). I think it was a interesting thing to explorate.
[...] comic by Paul Dini and Stephane Roux will be released in May. In an interview with The Source Paul Dini said that more light would be shed on her background and relationship with her cousin [...]