Broken Frontier

While writer Paul Dini crafted a well-intentioned first story with Zatanna #1 to attract new readers and satisfy long-term fans of the character, it had its pitfalls.  Yet, it should have been enough to convince audiences to purchase issue #2.  Unfortunately, for a series in its infancy, Zatanna #2 may leave some wondering if Zatanna is worthy of her own title or should be a companion story in a different book entirely.

Again, artist Stephane Roux does amazing work with the mystical and magical world of Zatanna and his layouts and panel design truly make the story much more invigorating.  The splash page dream sequence on page 13 is evidence enough of his talent.  Yet, the story itself leaves a lot to be desired in that the threats and the villains are nothing readers have not already seen hundreds of times before in various other titles.  Yes, Zatanna is busy in juggling her professional magician career alongside her commitments to the Justice League, as well as her individual responsibilities to the magical world.  Do readers really need to be reminded of that time and again?  Issue #2 opens with Zatanna fighting alongside Vixen and Black Canary, and dispatching some pretty run-of-the-mill villains who are little more than humans transfigured into hyenas.  Once they are defeated, the overworked Zatanna returns home to find her peaceful quest for a good night's sleep interrupted by elemental demons.

Orchestrated by Brother Night, the nightmare demon Fuseli is sent to torment Zatanna.  But here, the magic and the nightmares are unintentionally comical.  For audiences exposed to Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and yes, sadly, even the Twilight films, the sequences are anything but memorable.  Sure, comics cannot replicate the big-budget SFX of films, but they have other tools at their disposal that in certain hands make them the equal, and sometimes, even the better of their cinematic brethren.  Even the interlude where Brother Night confronts officer Jack Colton lacks any emotional resonance or atmosphere of danger save the stellar efforts of Roux and colorist John Kalisz.  Roux's depiction of Brother Night is something one would expect to find upon opening the casket of a long-deceased Joker as the years have withered away his face, yet his hollow eyes and iconic grin remain transfixed upon his face.  It alone should have fans anxious to see Roux get his hands on a Bat-themed book with the Joker front and center.

In the end, Zatanna prevails against a threat that never really appears all that threatening.  Not even the final page reveal of the spectral John Zatara communing with Brother Night can improve this installment.  While Zatanna's black fishnets and ample bosom may be able to carry the title for a select readership, Dini is not giving audiences much more to connect with in a book that could do, and honestly, should do so much more.