Zatanna (comic book)

Zatanna Is a series limited of cartoons, starred by the character homónimo, that was created in the 2010 by the American screenwriter Paul Dini working with the French artist Stephane Roux. The American publisher DC Comics launched the first of the sixteen comics that comprise the series in May of 2010, the last in August of 2011 and later commercialised them in the volumes compilatorios Zatanna: Mistress of Magic and Zatanna: Shades of the Past. With regard to the cartoons stand out some created thanks to the participation of the writers Chris Roberson, Adam Beechen, Derek Fridolfs and Matthew Sturges and the one of the artists Jesús Saiz, Cliff Chiang, Jamal Igle, Víctor Ibáñez and Brian Bolland.  

Officially the series limited was conceived like a project to make from the 2007, but Dini had to delay the work in the project until 2010, after quoting that had a lot of things that do before, in addition to his interest for working with Zatanna when it was the suitable moment for him. The saga of comics reviews the background of his protagonist, showing how is that it attains to live in the middle of his overwhelm by the diverse responsibilities that possesses. His plot, situated in the fictitious universe DC, combines the apparitions of several new characters —created especially for the saga— and classical of the histories of the publisher, relating the adventures of the magician and heroine Zatanna. The series of cartoons looks for to show the most daily side of the life of the hechicera and his work like artist of the ilusionismo further of what makes to save to the world.  

DC Comics published the series so much in the United States as in Canada and diverse shops on line or publishers distributed it in Australia, Ireland and the United Kingdom, being some of the most known Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble and Waterstone's. The series limited was cancelled afterwards of his volume number sixteen due to the fact that DC Comics announced formally that reiniciaría all his cartoons, this like a form to try attract to more young readers that desconocían the origin of the ancient characters. Afterwards of the cancellation of his series, the magician Zatanna began to form part of the histories explained in the comics known like League of the Dark Justice, histories in which also it integrated to big quantity of characters that formed part of the publications of Vertigo Comics before the cancellation of all his histories, publishing group known for presenting works darker from the artistic point of view and with thematic much more focused to the adults.  

Zatanna Received comments in his positive majority of part of the skilled critics, those who argued that the cartoons were «peculiar and fun» and that his graphic section was very very constituted. The volume n.º 1 it turned into one of the better comics sold of the publisher during the 2010, having to be reimpreso in July of said year after exhausting all his copies; the volumes compilatorios of the series also had a high index of sales being between the lists of the 100 more sold. The work made for the covers of the series was awarded in two occasions, the website ifanboy.com chose to the cover n.º 15 like one of the best of the 2011, whereas they chose the following like the best of his week of publication.  

Antecedents

Zatanna Zatara Is a superheroine that appears in the publications of DC Comics from 1964 (having also brief apparitions in the sagas of Vertigo Comics), created by the writer Gardner Fox and the cartoonist Murphy Anderson. It is the daughter of the heroes and magicians of the cartoons of the age of gold Giovanni Zatara and Sindella. It made his first apparition in the volume number four of the first volume of the comics of the Man Falcon (October to November of 1964) in the history The Girl who Split in Two, like a young magician of stage that investigates the mysterious disappearance of his father. The research of Zatanna carried it to form part of diverse cartoons of DC —the big majority edited by Julius Schwartz during his first apparitions— in which interactuó with diverse characters, between the most stood out Batman, Robin, Atom and Green Torch and to turn into one of the big secondary characters of the American publisher.  

Plot

Afterwards to finalise his last presentation of the day, Zatanna is contacted by the detective of the department of police of San Francisco Dale Colton, the one who communicates him that they are occurring numerous murders in the city and requests him help. After going through the last scene of the crime, decide to investigate a bit more the city attaining arrive to a full bar of monsters and criminal; here Zatanna topa with the leader of the crime of the city, Brother Night —a mafioso that sold his soul in return of mystic powers—, that the threat so that it do not confront to him. After rejecting to surrender or withdraw of the scene, both struggle and destroy the nocturnal venue. After the incident of the bar and afterwards to help to the members of the League of the Justice Vixen and Black Canarian to win to a group of men hyena, Zatanna returns to his department to rest, without knowing that it is threatened by the demon of the nightmares Fuseli, that received orders of Night so that it enter in his mind. The small demon begins to review his more painful memories while it sleeps and aviva ancient faults, with the end that Zatanna do not wake up and die. However, when it achieves to rid of the control of Fuseli and, while this finds absent-minded, the magician attacks it and decides to use his hat to shut it. Later, Zatanna directs to the theatre in which it works to see to his group of assistants and to his director of stage Mikey Dowling, but is sorpresivamente attacked in the vestidores by a group of effigies that carried the cloths of his friends. When winning to his opponents, decides to go in search of his mates and, afterwards to transport directly to his location, discovers that they are under the power of Brother Night. This uses them like carnada to attract to Zatanna. Once that the magician frees them and deletes to the remaining servants of Night, confronts to him and defeats it, with what deletes all his power.

In Las Vegas, and after defeating to the band of villains known like the real stairs —that had stolen the money of the strong box of the casino Paradise—, Zatanna heads to his hotel where topa with a big party in the room. After desbaratarla and regañar to his prime Zachary, is attacked by a trio of arpías, to which with a lot of difficulty attains to win. When finalising the only show that would give in the city, is seduced by the owner of the casino that had saved of the theft, Sonny Raymond, the one who secretly wishes to deliver him his soul to the demon Mammon —that wants it by his high can and purity—. Zachary notices the sudden disappearance of his premium and goes in his research, and when finding it @darse that it is to a step to marry with Raymond —a fact that would do it deliver his soul automatically—. Satisfied the ceremony advances, he looks for a form to wake up to Zatanna of his hardship, thing that attains afterwards to launch an enchantment in his against; both magicians undo of the servants of Raymond to his around and of the demon Mammon, the one who finishes carrying like trophy the soul of the owner of the casino.

Afterwards to go out of Las Vegas, Zatanna heads to the city of Los Angeles with the end to participate in the inauguration of the first museum of magic. While the hechicera finds resting in his hotel, the different articles of the museum —that conserved part of the essence of his bearers— group and go out to punish to which consider criminal destroying the city in the process. The magician decides to contact to the only article of his father that is between the things that destroy the city —his lens of sun—, with what attains that his spirit take the control of the other objects and detain the destruction of the city. Of return in San Francisco, Zatanna and Mikey are for receiving the prize by the show of the year, when both discover a small marionette that the spy behind the curtains of the stage, what aviva the phobia of Zatanna to said dolls. Trying identify the origin of his fear, Zatanna search and forces to the demon Fuseli to go in in his mind and to help it to find the origin of his phobia: afterwards to discover that his father converted to the marionetista Oscar Hampel in the doll Stringleshanks —since it tried to murder it of girl—, Zatanna percata that the marionette attained to go in in his department and gag it while it slept, seeing between his memories. After attaining free of his links, tries to detain to the doll without success, by what offers him turn it into human, but Hampel alters the enchantment so that Zatanna finish turned into marionette and Stringleshanks in human. Mikey Notices that something sucede, when it discovers that Zatanna did not find with the League of the Justice during all his time of absences, by what begins to be followed his steps. When discovering that Oscar Hampel is connected with the disappearance of his friend, decides to deceive it suplantando to his makeup artist. Afterwards to give with the doll Zatanna, proceeds to help it to change of form and to undo once and for all of Hampel, the one who finishes again transformed in marionette.

After murdering to a group of tritans and sirens, the pandillero Backlash is pursued by Zatanna. Once that both find , he shows his skill to retreat the time when agitating his sword, what goes back useless the attempts of the magician for detaining it. Once that attains to capture it, carries it to an abandoned school to the outskirts of the city to murder it here. When @darse that his magic no longer is effective, the magician decides to use only enchantments that are palindromes, what goes back useless the effect of shrinking of the sword of Backlash. Once free and with his enemy neutralised, percata that the source of the power of the sword is a small fairy tied to her. After freeing to the fairy, that presents like Hannah, appreciates him for giving him the idea of the palindromes and delivery to Backlash to the police. Once done this, both sack . Days afterwards, and afterwards to know that The Spectrum requests his presence in the court of the sinners (when seeing it through the eye of glass of the cat that appeared in his door), the protagonist heads to to speak with him to finish discovering that Brother Night has made a new mystic pact and that escaped of the prison. Simultaneously it shows how the detective Colton discovers that Night is his biological father, and the preparativos of the villain to confront to Zatanna in the future. During this night, and when finishing a presentation in group with his prime Zachary and the back fight to this, both direct to the nocturnal club nearer. Once here, Zach observes to a Japanese youngster that presents like Yuki-onna, that later reveals to be a súcubo, able to control the minds of which find to his around. When taking the mind and the power of Zack, begins his attack against his premium, the one who avoids contraatacar for no lastimarlo. Afterwards of numerous attempts for defeating it, Zatanna achieves to free to Zack when attaining deceive to his opponent.

Of return in his mansion of Gothic city, to which arrived after finalising his turns through the United States, Zatanna receives the visit of the young Uriah, an inhabitant of the earths of the limbo that wishes to be his apprentice in the art of the sorcery. Afterwards to try take out of his home to the annoying invited —arguing that it will not receive it like apprentice—, east begins to register the rooms of the mansion, challenging all the security of this and arriving until his library. After taking out one of the most important books —known like the book of the maps—, begins to use it to attack, and later escape of Zatanna. This remains without another option more than destroying the book and send to Uriah to the limbo again. The series finalises with the protagonist heading to his room, while it says that his other shows can expect since his greater wish is to sleep.

Brace Yourself

In the number nine of Zatanna included a one-shot titled Brace Yourself, written by Adam Beechen with the help of Jamal Igle and drawn by this last. The brief history of eight pages is posed in the years of the decade of 1980, where presents like main characters to a Zatanna teenage and to his father.

The history initiates with Zatanna going out of his first appointment with the ortodoncista, after noticing that hardly it can articulate words or eat in one of the restaurants of the shopping centre, percata that a thief removed him the bag to a woman; afterwards that his attempt to demolish to the man fracasara and treating to do magic without success the girl decides to use a small toy; when writing in the keyboard of the small device, east orders —by means of the sintetisación of the words— that his new brackets believe a cage that detain to the criminal. The history finishes with the father of Zatanna recriminándole by the form in that I use the magic and saying him that they will have to go again to the ortodoncista.

Preparation of the comics

Argument

The limited series internalises in the life of the character Zatanna, exposing so much his work of heroine like the one of magician of stage.

Zatanna Appeared in the titles of the publisher DC by more than forty years, but never received a characterisation or a very detailed background, what seated the bases for the realisation of his own series of comics. Had constant participations like secondary character between the arches argumentales of the League of the Justice and a brief series limited call Seven Soldiers: Zatanna created by Grant Morrison, comics in which it shows his exert like heroine and hechicera more no his personal life or his work like illusionist of stage. Some cartoons that the character starred, that adentraron in his moments like member of the League of the Justice, and in his research of answers with regard to the disappearances of his parents were the graphic novel —of Dini—, published during the 2003 Zatanna: Everyday Magic and the series of comics JLA: Zatanna's Search (that it groups all his apparitions of the age of silver of the comics) and Zatanna Eats Together of Fox and Reads Marrs respectively. Zatanna Initiated like project in the 2007, but Dini had to delay the work until 2010, after quoting that had a lot of things that do before, in addition to his interest for working with Zatanna when it was the suitable moment for him. With regard to the argument of the saga the writer said that his wish was the one to explore the world of DC, in which —according to his opinion— the people can see constantly to heroes like the Detective Marciano and surely owe to recognise to Zatanna like a phenomenal magician. It commented with regard to the previous the important that is that the character was considered no only by us like a celebrity (for appearing in the comics) but also that in his world was a star and the little that this subject has been touched or used by the writers that previously cost of her like part of his histories. As screenwriter said that the most interesting to write Zatanna was that the protagonist did not possess a big history, in spite of appearing in the sagas of comics of big characters of the publisher like Batman and Flash. It declared also that created numerous arches argumentales to establish properly the world in which Zatanna lives, exploring it and showing his work and form of life divided between the shows —that have delivered him fame in the universe DC— and the heroic. In front of the little expansion of the histories of the character, added:

According to words of the writer the secondary premises of the series limited were the show like Zatanna takes the paper of protective of those that can not defend in case same of the users of the black magic and expand the relation of the character with his prime —also magician— Zachary Zatara. Afterwards it expressed: «The idea that pretend to show with regard to the responsibilities of Zatanna is the one of that exist criminal in all sides, but many of them [inside the universe DC] are not affected by the common laws, is here where she goes in, assuming the paper of defender of the innocent [and like Batman] punishing to which have to be it or shutting them in a cell». With regard to the relation between the cousins Zatara, Dini expressed to wish inject him to the series «familiar discord».

Planning And drawing

Stephane Roux Main cartoonist of the series limited.

The main attendant of the histories and of the dialogues of the comics was the creator of the series Paul Dini. Satisfied this advanced, Dini received the support or left to charge of the respective volume to the writers of comics Chris Roberson, Adam Beechen, Matthew Sturges and Derek Fridolfs. With regard to the artistic section of the series, the greater collaborator of Dini was the French cartoonist Sthepane Roux, the one who made numerous volumes and covers of the saga. Roux Commented that enteró of the series of cartoons afterwards that they Give DiDio —executive editor of DC— commented him on the project and revealed to be a fanatical of the character. Another important cartoonist of the publisher DC that participated in the series was Brian Bolland, the one who made alternative covers for the first six numbers of the saga. The list of artists that collaborated in the cartoons of Zatanna includes to the Spanish cartoonists Jesús Saiz and Víctor Ibáñez, those who participated in the inner drawings of the volumes six, seven and sixteen —drawing Saiz alone in the number six of the saga—. Jamal Igle and Cliff Chiang drew diverse volumes of the series limited as much as only artists of the corresponding number as delivering support for the generation of stages or characters to Stephane Roux. Igle Also participated in the creation and the drawing of the one-shot included like an extra chapter in the volume nine of Zatanna called Brace Yourself, that shows to the character during a small stage of his adolescence, beside his father in the decade of 1980. On his work with Paul Dini, Chiang commented: 

The artist commissioned of the works of ending of the series limited was Karl Story, the one who also helped to Roux in the inner drawings of the two first volumes. Chad Hardin collaborated in the numbers four and five whereas Travis Moore participated of the number fourteen of Zatanna. The entintado of the cartoons was to charge of the artists and entintadores professional of DC Comics John Kalisz, Lovern Kindzierski, Ego, Richard Horie and his wife Tanya Horie.

Characters

With regard to the selection of Zatanna like protagonist of a series limited Dini said: «I selected It because of all the papers that develops, is a heroine, a celebrity, a hechicera, is an only amalgam of a lot of things between the characters of DC». Of the numerous characters created for the series the most stood out and important were the detective Give him Colton, loving interest of the protagonist during his meetings in the comics, the director of stage of Zatanna and one of his friends of confidence Mikey Dowling —to the one who Dini described like a «marimacho»—, and the main antagonist of the saga of comics Brother Night, leader of the mafia of the city of San Francisco that obtained his mystic skills when selling his soul and keeps them traficando the ones of other people. Dini Created to the characters of Vladi, Jon, Andre and Arnie so that they formed part of the presentations of the main character; for the team of work of the shows of Zatanna commented that it based in the shows and in the workers of the Cirque Du Soleil, this because of the image multicultural that delivers, same that wished to generate for the workers of Zatanna when giving them European origins and Asians. The doctor and mystic psychologist Jana Brodie makes brief apparitions in the volumes number 8 to 11 of Zatanna like the astral help of the main character, during the fight that has with his greater fear —the marionettes—. For the series limited and like part of the group of secuaces of Brother Night created to Ember, a no been born dragon whose soul received the form of a woman, the small Teddy —that always carries a full box of insects of the inframundo— and Romalthi, the one who converts to his enemies in what his mask decides. Other villains created exclusively were Stringleshanks, that according to the history is the marionetista Oscar Hampel, the one who tried to murder to Zatanna when it was a girl —finishing turned into marionette by his father to save it—, the pandillero Backlash whose skill is to retreat the time when moving his sword, the demon of the dreams Fuseli, and the youngster Uriah, from a village situated in the limbo.  

It entered in the numerous histories of the series Zatanna to diverse supernatural beings, being these characters demons, fairies, dragons, ghosts, tritónes, sirens or even súcubos. Inside the group of characters that already formed part of the universe DC before appearing in the series limited can mention to Giovanni Zatara, the died father of Zatanna —that has recurrent apparitions like ghost—, to the prime of the protagonist Zachary the one who is showed like a celebrity and like a powerful and inexperto magician, being this the first time that both characters appear together in a series of comics from the first apparition of Zachary in The Youngsters Titanes n.º 34 (May of 2006). Dini Expressed to need the help of the creator of the character —Geoff Johns— with the end that this instructed it with regard to the personality and to the dialogues that had to create him. The hero Spectrum and numerous members of the league of the justice, between them the Woman Marvels, Superman, Batman, Black Canarian, the Captain Marvel and Vixen appeared only in brief cameos, whereas the group of villains known like the band of the real stairs makes a brief apparition in the cartoon number four of the series limited. In the first number of Zatanna two of the workers of the protagonist disguise like the Joker and the Dr. Luz since the villains form part of the history that shows in his show, other characters and celebrities that make cameos in this volume of the saga are the version of Merlín of the film of Disney The Sword in the Stone, the illusionists Siegfried & Roy, David Copperfield and Morn of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

Continuity

In two cartoons of Zatanna restart events occurred in series of DC Comics that have to see with the behaviour of the main character of the comics and with the powerful magician Zatara respectively. In the first arch argumental of the series limited (n.º 1 to 3) it finalises with the occurred with the soul of the father of Zatanna during the saga of cartoons of horror and fantasy of 2008 Reign in Hell, in which sucumbió in front of the mental control of the extraterrestrial mercenary Wolf, being forced to attack and to try delete to his own daughter like a form to force it to defend and to destroy the soul of his father; and therefore cause him the greater mental disorder possible. It is during the volume number five of this series that Zatanna had to destroy what remained of his father with such that it did not remain trapped in the hell —place in that they carry out the events of the series—, sending it to the empty or as it is known in the universe DC to Oblivion. In the cartoon number three, Zatanna confronts again to his father afterwards that Brother Night inform him that it is under his power. Satisfied both struggle and afterwards to notice that it will not be able to defeat to his father in case alone, Zatanna frees of his prison to the demon of the dreams Fuseli —that left in his hat— so that it reactivate the familiar memories that were blocked in the mind of Zatara, attaining like this free it of the control of Night.  

During the third arch argumental of the comics (n.º 8 to 11), that adentra in the fear that the protagonist feels to the marionettes, comment like part of the foundations of said fear, the facts occurred during the volumes 843 and 844 of Detective Comics, in which the hechicera had to confront with Batman to Scarface and to his new assistant Peyton Riley. Zatanna Comments with his therapist like confrontó to the villains, alluding: «To that it had to concentrate in the poor woman behind Scarface and no in the horrible doll». To what the doctor Jana Brodie answered:

Power Girl

The protagonist of the series limited makes a special apparition in the saga of cartoons of the character Power Girl, in the comics number 22 and 23 that form the arch argumental called Up, Up & Away, where helped so much to his protagonist as to Superman to defeat to a group of magic dinosaurs that appeared in the city of New York afterwards that they save it of a new peasant die to know like Siphon. The plot situates between the comics number 11 and 12 of Zatanna, publishing this last beside the cartoon 23 of the series Power Girl on 20 April 2011.

The history written by Judd Winick and drawn by Sami Basri begins shortly after that Zatanna is raptada by Siphon, the one who wishes to copy his magic powers —thing that does being near of somebody with skills for the sorcery—. Simultaneously Superman and Power Girl struggle against a group of prehistoric creatures that appeared in a sudden way in the city of New York; once that notice that said monsters are done to base of magic decide to call to Zatanna so that it help them, but percatan that his friend can be in worse problems that they when receiving a message of his contestadora asking help. When following his signal of GPS both attain to arrive to the home of Siphon, the one who receives them turning them into stone; once that the magician uses the distraction of the villain to free , transforms again to his friends and begins a fight against him in which it results won. Power Girl decides to carry to Siphon as far as possible for like this avoid that it continue absorbing the powers of Zatanna and when beginning to turn quickly while it flies with Siphon in his arms attains to leave it unaware cancelling all his enchantments. The history finishes with the dinosaurs deleted and with Power Girl going back to his work.

In the number 23 of Power Girl reference to the character Wexter of the webcómic Axe Cop and the song of the British group The Police «Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic», that is the tone of call of the communicator of Zatanna. The apparition of the character won positive comments, standing out the form in which it uses the magic, cataloged as «more creative that in his own series, being limited only by his imagination».

Smart of titles

1. Zatanna

2. Fuseli's Nightmare

3. Night On Devil Mountain

4. Playing With Fire!

5. Double Or Nothing

6. Married In Vegas

7. Shades

8. Pupaphobia

9. Stringleshanks (Includes the history Brace Yourself)

10. Strung Along

11. Unstrung

12. SymmetryyяtэmmyƧ

13. The Cat With The Crystal Ball Eye

14. Wingman

15. Witch Hunt

16. The Sorceress' Apprentice

Format

Launching and advertising

Dan DiDio announced prematurely in the international convention of comics of San Diego that a series of comics starred by Zatanna would be launched during the month of April of 2010, but afterwards of several delays and erroneous announcements DC confirmed through his official blog, known like The Source, the date and the month of start of the saga and delivered the names of the writer and the main artist of the cartoons. Shortly after the confirmation of the date of launching initiated the promotions of the comics, numerous websites received so much the cover of the first comic like his five initial pages in black and white and the review of the first arch argumental of the series. The writer and editor Joey Cavalieri delivered through the website of the publisher a promotional message written entirely the other way around, imitating like this the form in that the protagonist launches his enchantments. Saying:

Amanda Conner artist commissioned of the design of the promotional bust of the saga.

The series Zatanna is composed by a total of sixteen cartoons published between the months of May of 2010 to August of 2011 by DC Comics in the United States and Canada. The website Newsarama commissioned to promote the cartoons of the series; afterwards to publish the first comic delivered periodically the cover and the first pages of the following to his readers on line, some times accompanying all this of another advance, as the one of the series of Flash. Once that the publisher launched the volume number six of the saga, grouped it beside the five previous to conform like this the first edition of collection of the series of cartoons, call Zatanna: Mistress of Magic, volume compilatorio that published during March of 2011. When finalising the series with the comic n.° 16, DC decided to launch during November of 2011 Zatanna: Shades of the Past that contained of the cartoon number 7 from now on of the saga like second volume of compilation coleccionable.

As a special form of promotion for the second volume compilatorio of Zatanna DC Comics launched to the market a T-shirt and a bust of the character. The T-shirt possesses a black bottom and shows the cover of the comic number 15 of the series, originally the piece to dress was distributed by Graphitti Designs but later went it by Amazon.com. The bust of the magician forms part of the series of articles coleccionables Women of the DC Universe: Series 3, group of busts in which also it represented to the queen Hipólita during his stage like heroine and to Barbara Gordon during his days like Batichica; the artist of cartoons Amanda Conner was the attendant to design it —in the small representation Zatanna went out of the pages of a burning book—, whereas his sculptor was James Maddox.

Cancellation

Zatanna Cancelled by reason of the replanteamiento and back relaunching of all the comics of DC, this afterwards of the term of the series limited of five volumes Flashpoint. The new line of comics titled like The New 52 began to be sold from 31 August 2011 with the cartoon Ties of the Justice n.° 1, whereas the rest of the series that reformularon beside the new comics of DC initiated his sales from September of the same year. The launching and publication of the 52 new number one was due to the research and wish to try inject him new life to the titles of DC Comics, mainly to his more ancient and famous characters; reiniciando no from zero the histories but if in a point in which the heroes are much younger, explaining his histories for the new readers. Afterwards of the cancellation of the series, Zatanna began to appear in the saga of comics called League of the Dark Justice, which groups to all the characters that are mostly supernaturales or appeared in the series of Vertigo Comics, beside John Constantine, Deadman and many others like the leader of the team. Although the past of a lot of characters resulted changed afterwards of the term of his series, his did not suffer greater alterations with regard to the showed in the series limited: the character kept like a magician of stage that also was member of the league of the justice and that loans his magic services to the members of this when it is necessary.

Distribution

Bookshop Barnes & Noble in the 105 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, New York.

Varied websites, publishers and shops of books distributed or reedited the two volumes of the series Zatanna. In the United States the web pages of sales Amazon.com and Alibris.com —this last specialised in the sale of books and comics— put to disposal of his customers both volumes recopilatorios afterwards of his respective publications. The greater American bookshop Barnes & Noble, distributed Mistress of Magic and Shades of the Past through his chain Barnes & Noble Booksellers. Whereas the greater shop of comics of the city of New York Midtown Comics, distributed it through his shops situated in the surroundings of Manhattan. The publisher Random House launched and distributed only Shades of the Past in Canada from November of the 2011, whereas in Australia published the two volumes during August and October of 2011 respectively. The publisher Titan Books and the bookshop Waterstone's launched Mistress of Magic and Shades of the Past —this last in an edition with fewer pages— in the United Kingdom from 27 May and of 25 November respectively. The English website The Book Depository distributed both volumes in the format of cover soft, whereas the page Overstock.com —of the same nation— only commercialised the second volume compilatorio. In Ireland both volumes recopilatorios were distributed by the chain of bookshops Forbidden Planet, which put them to disposal of his customers with the same quantity of pages with which published them DC, reason whereby added him the subhead of Titan Edition. The bookshop web AbeBooks commissioned of the distribution of Mistress of Magic and Shades of the Past so much in versions of cover hard as it brandish in Germany, France and Italy. Whereas in South Africa the place of trade and electronic auction Bidorbuy commissioned to make the sales of the volumes categorizándolos like graphic novels from 21 July 2011.

The reaction of the criticism in front of the series limited resulted in his favourable majority. Zatanna Was called like a series of peculiar «and fun comics», compared it with the series of cartoons of Batwoman (2011-2012) for being ones of the most stood out in the artistic field of the last time and with the series of television Bewitched and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch commenting that in some moments saw like his perfect combination. With regard to the characters, the greater negative point that commented of the magician Zatanna was the fault of a long argument inside his histories, alluding to that seems not having another purpose that the one to exist, whereas the critics described positively to Brother Night like a «true threat» since it is able to fill the frightful image of the necessary villain for the series. The work of Dini with the dialogues of the cartoons won the praises of the criticism by his level and quality as well as by his content and like that of speech and voice delivered to the characters, his use of the limited spaces to explain the history and put numerous arguments in the diverse numbers of the series limited —like the apparitions of Spectrum or the ones of the detective Colton— was cataloged of excellent and interesting. The greater critical that Dini received with regard to his work in Zatanna were due to the excessive utilisation of the monologues and to his bad use of the death inside the arguments of the cartoons, described like a stray opportunity to deliver fear to the readers.

Joey Esposito of the website Crave On-line said that the work of Roux «adjusts extraordinarily to the driven mad world of Zatanna» and later argued that «so much his skills with the basic drawings as with the detailed —used for eccentric creatures— are extremely suitable». The only that described like negative of his drawings was the excessive use of signposts in some pages of the volumes of the series limited. By his style when drawing to Zatanna and to Brother Night Roux was compared with Adam Hughes —another artist recognised for working in cartoons—, this due to the fact that both have a big care when creating feminine forms and when delivering bad appearances to his villains. The website The Out Housers cataloged to the drawings of Jamal Igle like appeals and alluring, where signalled that said quality presented in any one of his facets of drawing —were people, buildings or even cats what he made—, since it delivers them a big dynamic that adds him dread to the series limited. Cliff Chiang Enjoyed of a good received by his artistic work and the design of the villain Oscar Hampel, standing out his classical style and his talent to attain reflect the emotions in the characters. The history one-shot that included in the number nine of Zatanna had positive comments of the critics, those who described it like «pure gold» for showing to the heroine in so simple situation. Whereas the work of the writer Matthew Sturges received positive criticisms —more precisely by his work in the volume twelve of this—, because of his approach in the supernatural and the touch of humour that delivered in the dialogues, the one of the artist Chad Hardin received negative criticisms by the fact that constantly it seems to try imitate to Roux, as well as by his bad use and distribution of the colours inside the cartoons in which it collaborated.

Andy Frisk of the website Comic Book Bin described the first volume of the series with 7.5 of 10 stars and called to the work of Stephane Roux like something «very solid and fluent». Zack Little of the web page Inside Press thought that the style of drawing of Jamal Igle was «well», afterwards argued that the best of his technical is «the attention that puts in the details». Also it mentioned during his review of the number eleven of Zatanna to the characters Mikey Dowling and Brother Night, calling them as «the greater attraction of the volume» and like a «small package of suspense» respectively. Greg McElhatton Of the web page Comic Book Resources described as positive form the first cartoon of Zatanna considering it «pleasant» and commented that the best of this was «the fact that Paul Dini attained to show very well the elements of the daily life of Zatanna». Later it referred to the artistic work of Stephane Roux and Karl Story like something «beautiful and excitante».

Sales and recognitions

The series had in general a good level of sales, arriving in reiterated occasions to be one of the 100 more sold comics in the United States. The first cartoon of Zatanna turned into one of the bestsellers of May of 2010 for DC Comics, afterwards to exhaust in the shops the comic had to be reimpreso in July of said year beside the number 600 of the series Wonder Woman, the n.º 890 of Action Comics and the first volumes of the also recently premièred series Batman Beyond —based in the main character of the series of television homónima— and Justice League: Generation Lost, all comics exhausted afterwards of his launching in May. The cartoon number three of Zatanna attained to position in the place 72 of the list of the 100 more sold of July of 2010 and the number four trepó to the position 67 to the following month, where obtained the same place in the Top 300. The copy thirteen of the series attained to sell more than 18 000 copies situating in the place 100 of the most requested of May of 2011. As the information delivered by Diamond Comic Distributors Zatanna: Mistress of Magic was the tenth first better comic sold of March of 2011 inside his category that groups volumes compilatorios and Zatanna: Shades of The Past the number forty-four. The website ifanboy.com selected to the cover of the comic n.º 16 of Zatanna like one of the four better of the week of 17 August, whereas it chose to the cover n.º 15 —created by Adam Hughes— like one of the 25 better of the year 2011 where attained to obtain the put number seven and won to famous cartoons like Network Skull and Daredevil.

See also

• Crisis of identity
• Seven Soldiers of the Victory