Zatanna: The Jewel of Gravesend - a DC Comics graphic novel

Zatanna has long been one of my favorite DC Comics characters (after Huntress and Power Girl, of course!).  I was never fond of her first couple of costumes, but truly fell in love with her when George Perez redesigned her costume in Justice League of America #187.  I also loved the fact that her magic spells were spoken backwards (of course, over the years, writers have not only done that in different ways - from keeping the words in the correct order, just spoken backwards to speaking entire sentence backwards), as it gave her something different than just a typical magic-user.  I've purchased all of her comic series (there haven't been many, and sadly, the never lasted long), and I purchased the previous graphic novels aimed at younger readers.  This latest graphic novel, though, is not aimed for children, and it provides a new, unique re-imagining of Zatanna's origin.

 

In The Jewel of Gravesend, written by Alys Arden with art by Jacquelin de Leon, Zatanna has been raised by Ezra and Lola Starr, stage magicians who were friends with Zatanna's parents.  Her mother died and her father is believed dead, and Zatanna is completely unaware of her parents' true magical abilities - Ezra has worked hard to keep that a secret.  But he has kept other secrets as well ... meanwhile, Zatanna has managed to live a somewhat normal life near Coney Island, New York, where her best friends, Izzy and Kenia, also enjoy the carney life.  Zatanna also has a boy who she loves - young Alexei.  The only problem is, his family is mafia, and they run a casino beneath the Golden Elephant where Zatanna lives with the Starrs (yes, the building really is shaped like a huge elephant!).  The main problem Zatanna has is Ezra's constant attempts to involve her in his magic shows.  She wants no part of them.

Until she and her friends check out the new magic and mermaid show, in which they find strange "mirror-script" along the wall.  Zatanna speaks the words, having no idea what they mean - and having no clue that her magical ability has been sparked, giving those words power and causing a near fatal accident! Suddenly, those words that appeared backwards look normal to Zatanna.  And so, her adventure begins as she starts to realize that she has the ability to cast spells and make things happen simply by speaking them backwards.  But someone else is aware of that ability, and that someone will do anything to get that power away from her.

Arden's re-imagining is a really good story.  There's an underlying Romeo/Juliet romance with Alexei and Zatanna ... there's the young girl coming into her own story of Zatanna discovering her powers ... there's the ultimately betrayal caused by the lies surrounding her past and her father ... and there is the unexpected surprise at the end that costs Zatanna way more than she could ever have imagined.  The origin story of most heroes begins with some kind of family tragedy, and this one is no different.  However, it is a far cry from Zatanna's original origin in the comics, and by the time the climatic moments hit, you will have found yourself so invested in the character that they are going to hit you, as the reader, as well.  I cannot deny that my heart broke for poor Zee, as she has to let go of everything in order to move forward to become the hero we all know she becomes.

The art on the book is very beautiful, and the colors are almost (dare I say it?) - magical!  The blues, the pinks, and the purples are brilliantly blended to provide an atmosphere very fitting for the story.  Yes, they are dark, but then, to a degree, so is the story.  While I doubt we will ever see any more stories with this version of Zatanna, I would love to see an ongoing series set in this world, just to see where Zee goes from here.  This is a story of love, magic, and family that is most definitely worth the read.

RATING:  10 blooming flowers out of 10 for a stunning new take on a beloved character that has everything a great story should have to make it an enjoyable read.

Zatanna and the House of Secrets - a DC Graphic Novel

This latest graphic novel for young readers by DC Comics is just further proof that DC is finally getting it right when it comes to comic books for kids.  The stories and art do not need to be childish and silly to be enjoyed by young readers - DC can still provide well-written stories with great art that kids will love, and Zatanna and the House of Secrets proves that comics CAN be for kids again!

Zatanna and the House of Secrets introduces readers to a young Zatanna and her father, Zatara. Zatanna has not yet come into her powers, and she thinks her father is just a stage magician who recites his "magic" words backwards - little does she realize the power those words have!  But this is much more than just a story about how Zatanna came into her powers. It's also a story about friendship. About loyalty. About growing older. About responsibility. There are definitely a lot of lessons learned in the story, but none of them are done in an "in your face" way of storytelling; rather, they just happen to be there as Zatanna herself grows throughout the story.

Now, for those who are continuity hounds, take note! This story is not set within the standard DC universe of comics. This story is a self-contained, all-in-one story in a universe that is clearly all on its own.  In this story, Zatara and his daughter Zatanna live in a house for which Zatara is the guardian. It is a house full of secrets, as Zatanna soon discovers when she disobeys her father and sneaks out to attend a party with some friends - and she takes along the rabbit she is supposed to be watching.  Only, someone is watching her!  Soon enough, Klarion the Witch Boy steals the key around the rabbit's neck, Klarion's mother takes over the house, and Zatara disappears!  What's a young witch who doesn't yet know she is a witch to do?

Writer Matthew Cody weaves a magical tale (pun intended!) about a young Zatanna coming into her own and learning exactly why her father speaks those words backwards when he performs his magical acts.  She also learns more about her family, her heritage, and a really huge secret about herself along the way.  Zatanna also discovers the importance of loyalty to her friends, as well as the responsibility of power, and with the help of Klarion, she manages to weave her way through the numerous halls and rooms of the House of Secrets in an effort to find her father.

Artist Yoshi Yoshitani provides a cartoon-style art that almost makes the reader feel as if he or she is watching a cartoon rather than reading a graphic novel.  The panels flow nicely one to the next, and while I personally prefer more realistic art for my comics, I found that I enjoyed Yoshitani's art for this story. Simple where it could be, but detailed and expressive where it needed to be.

I enjoyed the book quite a bit, and I could easily see this as a regular, ongoing series (or at the very least, a series of graphic novels).  With more stories along this line, I think DC could really improve its readership with the younger generations!

RATING:  10 Jimmy Stewart films out of 10 for providing good, clean, light-hearted comic reading for a whole new generation of fans!