REVIEW: ‘Knight Terrors: Zatanna,’ Issue #1

Knight Terrors: Zatanna #1 is published by DC Comics, Written by Dennis Culver, art by David Baldeón, colors by Rain Beredo, and letters by Pat Brossaeu. This is part of the Knight Terrors event. Zatanna is one of the few heroes not asleep, but that just means she is under attack from more of Insomnia’s forces in the real world, so she enlists the help of another.

The premise of this issue sets it aside from many others in this event so far. In the Justice League Dark archives, Zatanna faces new foes. The comic has a constant objective: protect Wonder Woman and Detective Chimp. The idea of repeatedly being hunted and backed against the wall makes the issue endlessly entertaining. While it takes place in one location, this is the home of Justice League Dark, so there are multiple surprises over what can be found there. The team-up element is cool, especially when framed purely as a random selection for Zatanna’s partner. It blends two entirely separate parts of the DC Universe. The pace is rapid and intense, with new elements being added consistently. The new villains mean that what they do is entirely unexpected, putting Zatanna and us in uncharted territory.

A small cast is hurriedly placed together, yet all of them excel. Knight Terrors: Zatanna brings up an aspect that may not have been considered. All of the robotic and synthetic characters would be unaffected by Insomnia, creating an intriguing bunch of heroes left behind to fight. As for Zatanna, her spell cast in the opening issue of the event kept her safe. Zatanna’s ability to lead becomes clear when she summons a champion to help her. She has to take control of the situation quickly and can work out plans immediately. The dialogue is fascinating in this issue, as there are times when Zatanna can recognize a magic trick but still struggles not to fall for it anyway. The person summoned to aid her is a polar opposite in many ways, offering a humorous, louder slant to the dialogue. And even though they might not know each other, there is still time for touching exchanges towards the end of the issue.

The art in this issue is fantastic. Baldeon approaches the blend of magic and horror superbly. The creatures that Zatanna is trying to keep away from her friends are twisted and horrific. That detail is everywhere, particularly in the surroundings that generate an awesome sense of place. Zatanna and the hero drafted in look excellent, with some terrific shadows added to their faces that intensify their emotions. Zatanna is the most notable case of this, as her spellcasting often leads to furious, uncontrollable emotions, with her hair and body language all over the palace. As the comic progresses through the secret base of the Justice League Dark, it finds a mindblowing area in its concept. And the deeper Zatanna and her new friend get, the more disturbing the creatures get.

The colors are magnificent. Zatanna’s magic looks gorgeous due to the brilliant gold that Beredo infuses into it—the fading from one color to the next on the same surface. The lettering is mainly easy to read, apart from the word balloons the villain uses. When Zatanna casts a spell, the words are larger and bold so they can be deciphered and read backward.

Knight Terrors: Zatanna #1 is a great look at what’s happening outside the nightmares. The views inside the minds of some of DC’s most iconic heroes are interesting and amass some brilliant stories. But this tie-in does more to investigate the plans and consequences of a world falling asleep. It brings two characters together randomly, who are as opposite as it gets, and makes that combination excel. You have the magic and focus of Zatanna paired with someone who is pure power and unpredictable. The whole issue demonstrates that any team-up can work.

Knight Terrors: Zatanna #1 is available now wherever comics are sold.