Reviews

This issue of Zatanna was much like the first twelve issues; a solid story with solid art. This issue, like all the others before, is not a spectacular read but you could do a lot worse. Now, don’t get me wrong just because I’m not falling all over myself heaping praise on this comic doesn’t mean it’s not worth reading. Believe me there are a lot of comics being published that can’t hold a candle to this series. I’m just not one of those reviewers that are going to call every comic I read the greatest thing since sliced bread. I’ll leave that kind of gross over statement to the publishers’ PR people and some of the other reviewers out there.

SPOILER WARNING Almost all of the action in this issue revolves around the villain Brother Night and his breakout from prison. Come on you had to know he was going to resurface and cause more trouble for Zatanna. I liked the fact that when Brother Night makes his escape from prison the guards actually try to stop him, they ultimately fail, but they still give it a good try. Many writers don’t seem to know how to write a confrontation between super powered characters and non-powered characters. The non-powered characters usually come across as too helpless and the confrontation seems lame but not here. I also liked the little touch of his headquarters having been turned into a Goth club while he was in prison. Mean while Zatanna has received a warning about a future run-in with the Specter so she sets off to find him and head-off any misunderstanding. When she meets up with the Specter he is in the middle of dealing out some divine judgment. As is usually the case the Specter’s punishment is not only bloody but fits the nature of the crime. At any rate the Specter sends Zatanna away with the assurance that he has no argument with her; which makes me wonder about that warning she received. END SPOILER WARNING

One more thing, at the end of the issue there is a major revelation about one of the supporting characters that definitely makes the character more important and more interesting. All and all this was a satisfying read and better then most comics that come out these days.

Keith Forney