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Giovanni "John" Zatara, simply called Zatara, is a fictional magician and superhero appearing in
American comic book An American comic book is a thin periodical literature originating in the United States, commonly between 24 and 64 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publ ...
s published by
DC Comics DC Comics (originally DC Comics, Inc., and also known simply as DC) is an American comic book publisher owned by DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC is an initialism for "Detective Comics", an American comic book seri ...
. The character first appeared in ''Action Comics'' #1 in 1938 during the
Golden Age of Comic Books The Golden Age of Comic Books describes an era in the history of American comic books from 1938 to 1956. During this time, modern comic books were first published and rapidly increased in popularity. The superhero archetype was created and ma ...
, making him one of DC Comics' oldest characters. The character is often depicted as a
stage magician Stage, stages, or staging may refer to: Arts and media Acting * Stage (theatre), a space for the performance of theatrical productions * Theatre, a branch of the performing arts, often referred to as "the stage" * ''The Stage'', a weekly Brit ...
who possesses genuine magical abilities and is recognized as the father of the mystic character
Zatanna Zatanna Zatara (), known mononymously as Zatanna, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson, and first appeared in ''Hawkman (comic book), Hawkman'' #4 (N ...
, and is the uncle of
Zachary Zatara Zachary Zatara, also known as Zatara, is a superhero featured in American comic books published by DC Comics. He made his first appearance in ''Teen Titans'' (vol. 3) #34 and was created by Geoff Johns and Tony Daniel. The character is the cousin ...
, who uses the "Zatara" name. Within the fictional
DC Universe The DC Universe (DCU) is the shared universe in which most stories in American comic book titles published by DC Comics take place. In context, the term "DC Universe" usually refers to the main DC Continuity (fiction), continuity. It contains v ...
, he has made intermittent appearances, primarily serving as a supporting character to Zatanna and is typically deceased in modern settings. The character's proficiency as a sorcerer earned him a notable reputation among his contemporaries as a powerful sorcerer of his generation rivalling other such as the original incarnation of
Doctor Fate Doctor Fate (also known as Fate) is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first version was originally created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Howard Sherman, debuting in ''More Fun Comics' ...
and has made him a mentor figure to others such as
Batman Batman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on M ...
(in
escapology Escapology is the practice of escaping from restraints or other traps. Escapologists (also classified as escape artists) escape from handcuffs, straitjackets, cages, coffins, steel boxes, barrels, bags, burning buildings, fish-tanks, and ...
) and
John Constantine John Constantine (), also known as Hellblazer, is an antihero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. He was created by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette, and John Totleben, and first appeared in ''Swamp Thing'' #37 (June 1985). I ...
. In the character's original conception, he was portrayed as Zatanna's human parent, while her mother Sindella served as the homo magi parent. However, following the New 52 reboot, the character's origin underwent a change, revealing that his family lineage also included a descent from homo magi. Zatara has made various appearances in media, such as '' Batman: The Animated Series'', in which he is voiced by
Vincent Schiavelli Vincent Andrew Schiavelli (; November 11, 1948 – December 26, 2005) was an American character actor noted for his work on stage, screen, and television. Described as an "instantly recognizable sad-faced actor", he was diagnosed with Marfan sy ...
, and ''
Young Justice Young Justice is a fictional DC Comics superhero team consisting of teenaged heroes. The team was formed in 1998 when DC's usual teen hero group, the Teen Titans, had become adults and changed their name to the Titans. Like the original ''Teen T ...
'', voiced by
Nolan North Nolan North (born October 31, 1970) is an American actor best known for his voice acting roles. After his breakthrough role as Dr. Chris Ramsey on the ABC soap opera '' Port Charles'' in 1997, North moved into voice acting when the show ended ...
.


Publication history

He first appeared starring in his own story " Zatara Master Magician" by writer and artist Fred Guardineer in the
anthology In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs, or related fiction/non-fiction excerpts by different authors. There are also thematic and g ...
American comic book An American comic book is a thin periodical literature originating in the United States, commonly between 24 and 64 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publ ...
series ''
Action Comics ''Action Comics'' is an American comic book/Comic anthology, magazine series that introduced Superman, one of the first major superhero characters. The publisher was originally known as Detective Comics Inc., which later merged into National ...
'', starting with the first issue (June 1938). According to writer Al Sulman, "the time came when red Guardineerdidn't want to draw he Zatara seriesanymore, so the editor turned it over to my brother oe Sulman and he began to draw the strip; but he had to imitate Fred Guardineer's drawing style, because the character had to look he same and it worked out fine". John Zatara is introduced as a magician in various publications of
DC Comics DC Comics (originally DC Comics, Inc., and also known simply as DC) is an American comic book publisher owned by DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC is an initialism for "Detective Comics", an American comic book seri ...
, beginning with 1938's ''Action Comics'' #1, best known for also containing the first appearance of
Superman Superman is a superhero created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, which first appeared in the comic book ''Action Comics'' Action Comics 1, #1, published in the United States on April 18, 1938.The copyright date of ''Action Comics ...
. Like the very similar
Mandrake the Magician ''Mandrake the Magician'' is a Comic strip syndication, syndicated newspaper comic strip, created by Lee Falk before he created ''The Phantom''.Ron Goulart, ''The Encyclopedia of American Comics''. New York: Facts on File, 1990. . pp. 91, 249 ...
, Zatara had a large East Indian as a friend/bodyguard, called Tong, to share his early adventures. As well as being an
illusionist Magic, which encompasses the subgenres of close-up magic, parlor magic, and stage magic, among others, is a performing art in which audiences are entertained by tricks, effects, or illusions of seemingly impossible feats, using natural me ...
, Zatara also had genuine magical powers (decades later ascribed to being a descendant of the ''Homo magi''), which he focused through speaking backwards: he could do anything so long as he could describe it in ("backwards speech"). This helped distinguish Zatara from the numerous
Mandrake the Magician ''Mandrake the Magician'' is a Comic strip syndication, syndicated newspaper comic strip, created by Lee Falk before he created ''The Phantom''.Ron Goulart, ''The Encyclopedia of American Comics''. New York: Facts on File, 1990. . pp. 91, 249 ...
knockoffs that cluttered the
comic a medium used to express ideas with images, often combined with text or other visual information. It typically the form of a sequence of panels of images. Textual devices such as speech balloons, captions, and onomatopoeia can indicat ...
s and
pulp magazine Pulp magazines (also referred to as "the pulps") were inexpensive fiction magazines that were published from 1896 until around 1955. The term "pulp" derives from the Pulp (paper), wood pulp paper on which the magazines were printed, due to their ...
s of the day, although Merlin the Magician (
Quality Comics Quality Comics was an American comic book publishing Publishing is the activities of making information, literature, music, software, and other content, physical or digital, available to the public for sale or free of charge. Traditionally, ...
) also had this attribute, and it was also given to him by Zatara's creator, Fred Guardineer. According to ''Jess Nevins' Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes'', "he fights Egyptian wizards, an evil Druid, Zulus, a Mad Lama, Mongol warriors, the Gorilla King, a Saturnian terror, and Moon Men".


Fictional character biography


Origin

Giovanni Zatara originates from an Italian family with strong magical lineage. His grandfather, Luigi Zatara, is a renowned stage magician who served as a significant inspiration. At a young age, Giovanni receives a magic kit that triggers his passion for illusion and prompts him to pursue a career as a professional magician. However, his early attempts at performing are met with disappointment until he recognizes the importance of honing his showmanship skills. While attempting to translate
Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 1452 - 2 May 1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. While his fame initially rested o ...
's journals, Giovanni learns that he can use magic by speaking words backward. Combining his natural gifts with his stage magic expertise, Giovanni becomes an esteemed stage magician and crime-fighter. The character's origin was later updated, making him a descendant of the ''Homo magi'', an off-shoot race of human beings with natural inclination to magic. Additionally, he is visited by the
Phantom Stranger The Phantom Stranger is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, of unspecified paranormal origins, who battles mysterious and occult forces, sometimes under their Vertigo (DC Comics), Vertigo imprint. The character ...
, who grants him access to his ancestor's books, helping him to control his magic.


Earlier adventures and life

During his earlier years as both a stage magician and sorcerer, Giovanni had a close and casual relationship with
Madame Xanadu Madame Xanadu (Nimue Inwudu) is a fictional character published by DC Comics. The character is identified with Nimue, the sorceress from Arthurian mythology made popular by Sir Thomas Malory's ''Le Morte d'Arthur''. Jeryl Prescott portrays X ...
. He had previously proposed to her for marriage, but she rejected his proposal upon discovering knowledge of his future. However, their relationship became strained when Giovanni recounted his past life and revealed his profound connection with the Phantom Stranger. The Phantom Stranger had served as Giovanni's mentor, guiding him through the realm of magical teachings during his earlier years. Xanadu, perceiving the Phantom Stranger as a person of questionable character and moral integrity, became angered by Giovanni's revelation. She believed that the Stranger's actions would give rise to a greater threat than the Stranger himself. Xanadu, considering the Stranger to be morally inferior, insulted Giovanni's fondness for him, nearly escalating the situation into a confrontation between the two. However, the Phantom Stranger intervened and attempted to reconcile with Xanadu, acknowledging the unintended suffering he had caused her. Despite not intending to do so, the Stranger sought to make amends. Ultimately, the Phantom Stranger managed to escape Xanadu's capture. Unaware of the conversation that had taken place due to being within a time-freezing spell, Xanadu departed from Giovanni. As Xanadu had premonitions, her foresight came to pass with the birth of the bond between the Spectre and
Jim Corrigan James Brendan "Jim" Corrigan is a fictional character that have appeared in numerous comic books published by DC Comics. The first Corrigan initially appeared in ''More Fun Comics'' #52 (February 1940), a deceased cop acting as host to the cosm ...
, confirming the validity of her earlier visions. Zatara became good friends with
Thomas Wayne Dr. Thomas Wayne, Doctor of Medicine, M.D. is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is the father of Bruce Wayne (Batman), and husband of Martha Wayne as well as the paternal grandfather of Damian Wayn ...
. His excursions with Wayne led to Wayne meeting his wife,
Martha Martha (Aramaic language, Aramaic: מָרְתָא‎) is a Bible, biblical figure described in the Gospels of Gospel of Luke, Luke and Gospel of John, John. Together with her siblings Lazarus of Bethany, Lazarus and Mary of Bethany, she is descr ...
. After the two were killed, Zatara left Gotham City, blaming himself for being unable to stop the orphaning of young Bruce. Eventually, in Europe, Zatara would meet and wed Sindella, who gave birth to their daughter,
Zatanna Zatanna Zatara (), known mononymously as Zatanna, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson, and first appeared in ''Hawkman (comic book), Hawkman'' #4 (N ...
. Sindella seemingly died after giving birth to Zatanna, prompting Zatara to become a depressed drunk. Things changed for the better in Zatara's life when a young Bruce Wayne arrived, requesting Zatara to teach him to become an escape artist and illusionist. Bruce's appearance prompted Zatara to address his alcoholism.


Zatanna's search

Zatanna, Zatara's daughter by Sindella, a fellow ''Homo magi'', is introduced in a multipart
crossover Crossover may refer to: Entertainment Music Albums * ''Cross Over'' (album), a 1987 album by Dan Peek, or the title song * ''Crossover'' (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles album), 1987 * ''Crossover'', an album by Intrigue * ''Crossover'', an album by ...
in which she attempts to find her father, and he attempts to stop her due to a curse that will kill them both if they see one another. This adventure includes Zatara confronting an evil warlock in a world where nothing changes or grows older. Zatara steals his adversary's teleportation crystal in an attempt to stop the man from invading Earth. The sorceress Allura traps Zatara in the land of Kharma before her identically-named twin forces her to remove the spell.


Death and afterlife

In
Alan Moore Alan Moore (born 18 November 1953) is an English author known primarily for his work in comic books including ''Watchmen'', ''V for Vendetta'', ''The Ballad of Halo Jones'', Swamp Thing (comic book), ''Swamp Thing'', ''Batman: The Killing Joke' ...
's "American Gothic" storyline, Zatara sacrifices himself to save Zatanna from the Great Evil Beast. He has largely remained dead since, appearing as a spirit in several stories and as a
Black Lantern The Black Lantern Corps is a fictional organization of wikt:corporeal, corporeal revenants (resembling intelligent zombies or jiangshi) appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, related to the emotional spectrum. The group is composed of d ...
in ''
Blackest Night "Blackest Night" is a 2009–10 American comic book Fictional crossover, crossover storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous central miniseries, written by Geoff Johns and penciled by Ivan Reis, along with a number of tie-in i ...
''.


Characteristics

The character's ancestral heritage is primarily traced back to French and Italian descent, with notable connections to historical figures such as
Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 1452 - 2 May 1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. While his fame initially rested o ...
,
Nostradamus Michel de Nostredame (December 1503 – July 1566), usually Latinisation of names, Latinised as Nostradamus, was a French Astrology, astrologer, apothecary, physician, and reputed Oracle, seer, who is best known for his book ''Les Prophéti ...
,
Alessandro Cagliostro Giuseppe Balsamo (; 2 June 1743 – 26 August 1795), known by the alias Count Alessandro di Cagliostro ( , ), was an Italian occultist and confidence trickster. Cagliostro was an Italian adventurer and self-styled magician. He became a gl ...
,
Nicolas Flamel Nicolas Flamel (; 1330 – 22 March 1418) was a French ''écrivain public'', a draftsman of public documents such as contracts, letters, agreements and requests. He and his wife also ran a school that taught this trade. Long after his death, ...
, and Evan Fulcanelli. Initially, the character was presented as an ordinary human possessing the ability to manipulate magic. However, his origin underwent an update, revealing him to be a ''Homo magi'' with innate magical abilities. In addition to having a daughter (Zatanna) and a nephew (Zachary), the character was once mentioned to have a son.


Powers and abilities

Giovanni is considered a master magician, being considered among the best of his generation. Due to his abilities in magic, he possess profound knowledge of the supernatural and is notable a magical practitioner who invokes magical effects and casts spells by speaking a spell or phrase backwards for a desired effect (known as "Logomancy"). He is often depicted as being peers to other notable sorcerers and magicians of his generation, including Sargon the Sorcerer,
Mister E Mister E is a fictional character appearing in magazines published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Rozakis and Jack C. Harris, the character first appeared in '' Secrets of Haunted House'' #31 (December 1980) and was a recurring character for ten ...
, and Baron Winters. His distinction as being the most powerful sorcerer of his time is also shared alongside the first
Doctor Fate Doctor Fate (also known as Fate) is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first version was originally created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Howard Sherman, debuting in ''More Fun Comics' ...
,
Kent Nelson Dr. Kent Nelson is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Gardner Fox and Howard Sherman, the character first appeared ''More Fun Comics'' #55 (May, 1940) during the Golden Age of Comic Books. The origi ...
. In addition to his magical abilities, he is considered a skilled and proficient stage magician and a master of predestigination. Giovanni also possess masterful manipulation skills, enabling him to manipulate even fellow master manipulator magicians such as
John Constantine John Constantine (), also known as Hellblazer, is an antihero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. He was created by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette, and John Totleben, and first appeared in ''Swamp Thing'' #37 (June 1985). I ...
, who found his abilities in doing so considerable and was unable to reveal to Zatanna the full extent of their relationship for reasons unknown.


Other versions


''Kingdom Come''

Another Zatara was featured in a supporting role in the miniseries '' Kingdom Come'' and its follow-up, '' The Kingdom''. This Zatara is the son of Zatanna and magician John Constantine, which makes him the grandson of the original. He is described as "a youthful Harry Houdini-like successor to the magician super-hero lineage". Rather than speak backwards just for his spells, however, he does it all the time, which annoys his colleagues no end.


''Flashpoint''

In the alternate timeline of the '' Flashpoint'' crossover event, Zatara was transformed into a motorcycle; his daughter, Zatanna is his owner.


In other media


Television

* Zatara appears in a flashback in the '' Batman: The Animated Series'' episode "
Zatanna Zatanna Zatara (), known mononymously as Zatanna, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson, and first appeared in ''Hawkman (comic book), Hawkman'' #4 (N ...
", voiced by
Vincent Schiavelli Vincent Andrew Schiavelli (; November 11, 1948 – December 26, 2005) was an American character actor noted for his work on stage, screen, and television. Described as an "instantly recognizable sad-faced actor", he was diagnosed with Marfan sy ...
. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information. * Zatara appears in ''
Young Justice Young Justice is a fictional DC Comics superhero team consisting of teenaged heroes. The team was formed in 1998 when DC's usual teen hero group, the Teen Titans, had become adults and changed their name to the Titans. Like the original ''Teen T ...
'', voiced by
Nolan North Nolan North (born October 31, 1970) is an American actor best known for his voice acting roles. After his breakthrough role as Dr. Chris Ramsey on the ABC soap opera '' Port Charles'' in 1997, North moved into voice acting when the show ended ...
, who also voices fellow ''Action Comics'' #1 debutant
Superman Superman is a superhero created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, which first appeared in the comic book ''Action Comics'' Action Comics 1, #1, published in the United States on April 18, 1938.The copyright date of ''Action Comics ...
. This version is a member of the
Justice League The Justice League, or Justice League of America (JLA), is a group of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). Writer Gardner Fox conceived the ...
and protege of
Kent Nelson Dr. Kent Nelson is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Gardner Fox and Howard Sherman, the character first appeared ''More Fun Comics'' #55 (May, 1940) during the Golden Age of Comic Books. The origi ...
who is forced to don the Helmet of Fate and become
Doctor Fate Doctor Fate (also known as Fate) is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first version was originally created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Howard Sherman, debuting in ''More Fun Comics' ...
to protect Zatanna. As of the episode "Private Security", Nabu agreed to release Zatara for one hour on a yearly basis so he can spend time with Zatanna before returning to being Doctor Fate. Due to the strain and his age, Zatara ages rapidly over the course of several years, surviving by reciting the
Lord's Prayer The Lord's Prayer, also known by its incipit Our Father (, ), is a central Christian prayer attributed to Jesus. It contains petitions to God focused on God’s holiness, will, and kingdom, as well as human needs, with variations across manusc ...
. Eventually, Zatanna forms the
Sentinels of Magic The Sentinels of Magic is a fictional team of supernaturally powered superheroes created by Geoff Johns and Matthew Dow Smith appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. First appearing in ''Day of Judgment (comics), Day of Judgment ...
to free Zatara by arranging for Nabu to rotate between all of them. * Zatara appears in ''
DC Super Hero Girls ''DC Super Hero Girls'', also released as ''DC Superhero Girls'', is an American animated superhero web series produced by Warner Bros. Animation for Cartoon Network based on characters from DC Entertainment that launched in the third quarter ...
'', voiced by
Phil LaMarr Phil LaMarr is an American actor and comedian. He was one of the original featured cast members on the sketch comedy television series '' Mad TV'', where he stayed for five seasons. His voice acting roles in animated series include the Sam B of ' ...
.


Video games

Zatara appears as a character summon in '' Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure''.


Miscellaneous

* Zatara appears in the "Zatanna" entry of the ''Cartoon Monsoon'' contest, voiced by
Steve Blum Steven Jay Blum (; born April 29, 1960) is an American voice actor. Known for his distinctively deep voice, his roles include Spike Spiegel from the anime series ''Cowboy Bebop''; Amon from ''The Legend of Korra''; Heatblast, Ghostfreak, and ...
. This version is the frustrated father of a teenage Zatanna. * Zatara appears in a crossover between ''
The Batman Adventures ''The Batman Adventures'' is a DC Comics comic book series featuring Batman, set in the universe of Batman: The Animated Series and its successors. Overview ''The Batman Adventures'' was created to tie-in with the '' Batman: The Animated Series' ...
'' and '' Superman Adventures''. This version previously taught a young Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent. * Zatara appears in ''
Smallville Season 11 ''Smallville'' is an American superhero television series developed by writer-producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, based on the DC Comics character Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The series was produced by Millar/Gough ...
'' as a member of
Shadowpact The Shadowpact is a fictional group of magic-based heroes who fought against the Spectre in the 2005 limited series '' Day of Vengeance'', published by DC Comics. Their self-titled series ended in May 2008, after 25 issues and a two-year run, b ...
during World War II.''Smallville Season 11: Olympus'' #1-4


References


External links


Jess Nevins' Comic Book Annotations for ''Kingdom Come'' #3


at
Don Markstein's Toonopedia Don Markstein's Toonopedia (subtitled A Vast Repository of Toonological Knowledge) is an online encyclopedia of print cartoons, comic strips and animation, initiated February 13, 2001. Donald D. Markstein, the sole writer and editor of Toonopedi ...
. at
Don Markstein's Toonopedia Don Markstein's Toonopedia (subtitled A Vast Repository of Toonological Knowledge) is an online encyclopedia of print cartoons, comic strips and animation, initiated February 13, 2001. Donald D. Markstein, the sole writer and editor of Toonopedi ...

Archived
from the original on September 10, 2015. {{GoldenAge Comics characters introduced in 1938 DC Comics characters who use magic DC Comics fantasy characters DC Comics male superheroes DC Comics telekinetics Fictional characters with elemental and environmental abilities Fictional escapologists Fictional stage magicians Golden Age superheroes Italian superheroes