Let’s Get Ponderous.

And when I say ponderous, I do not mean that it is a burden, but rather that this comic book delves deep into existential ponderings that would have left my mind reeling if not for its humorous edge. The newest installment in the Seven Soldiers storyline, Zatanna Zatara is the daughter of the great magician Giovanni Zatara, and like her father, Zatanna has the ability to make anything happen just by saying it backwards. At first this sounds really sweet, until you realize that what you say may be taken in a way entirely different from what you meant. This gives rise to very strange and dangerous happenings, and probably an inability to say palindromes. Yet despite Zatanna’s bizarre power, she also has learned a lot about regular magic and sorcery of all kinds.

In Zatanna #1, Zatanna is taking part in a superhero support group. (Also present is the ill-fated Gimmick Girl who meets here end in The Seven Soldiers of Victory #1). She proceeds to tell the group of her woes involving tragedies on a cross dimensional journey. Grant Morrison’s story is brilliant as usual and contains a transcendental romp through reality and unreality, which is as funny as it is confusing. The art by Rian Sook (penciler) and Mick Gray (inker) is nothing short of amazing with its extremely expressive characters and the obvious hard work put into the arrangement.

I very sad that Zatanna is only a part of the larger story of the Seven Soldiers. I would be extremely interested to see her in her own, ongoing series. Grant, if you ever read this, then I implore you not to kill Zatanna and to someday give her a series of her own. In the meantime, keep rocking my mental socks off.

 

-Fumanchu