Black Canary and Zatanna: Bloodspell

After its publication was delayed for a few years, writer Paul Dini's lightweight pre-New 52 team-up of the Justice League's favorite fishnet-clad super-heroines is finally available. Despite a flimsy and too short storyline, Dinah and Zee's magnetic charm make this campy hardcover tale a pleasant keeper for the bookshelf. Dini musters plenty of personality in depicting Zee and Dinah's long-time friendship (as if they were surrogate sisters) dating back to their teen days from a chance encounter fifteen years before in the Himalayas. Further, it's refreshing to see these two second-generation super-heroes proudly carrying on their family mantles. Neither has a dark, tragic origin, but both heroines are simply born to continue fighting for truth, justice, etc. etc. This story's Dinah "Black Canary" Lance is very much a rough-and-tumble tomboy, who prefers fisticuffs over being viewed as Green Arrow's glamorous partner. Four years younger than Dinah, Zatanna Zatara grows from an awkward thirteen-year old to a likable, savvy businesswoman who knows that heroics sell tickets (and toys). Hence, the story's best, most "realistic" and humorous scene takes place in a mall toy store. Watch for Dini and artist Joe Quinones to slyly make quick cameos as mallrat losers cat-calling our heroines. As these guys hilariously find out, that's a BAD IDEA for them.Dini's simplistic storyline, however, frequently straddles between amusing and disappointing readers. As Black Canary's deep cover Las Vegas assignment spoils an all-girls' Ocean's 11-style casino heist, the double-crossing ringleader schemes for murderous vengeance on her ex-cohorts. Once Dinah realizes that the villainess (like the Teen Titans' Jericho) can magically inhabit other people's bodies, she recruits old friend Zatanna for a girls' road trip back to Vegas for a final showdown. Suffice to say: Dini's one-shot villainess is hardly a worthy adversary for these stellar Justice Leaguers to double-team in the wacky, battle royale-like finale. Instead, the plot may have worked better if the screwball road trip had involved Dinah and Zee chasing down, say, Dini's own creation, Harley Quinn (after, say, accidently siphoning Zatanna's vast magical powers), with a loony Joker (riding shotgun, literally) along for the joyride - that would have been a memorable team-up challenge worth some chuckles. Frankly, "Bloodspell" forgets that it's really the villain(s) that makes or breaks a classic team-up. At least, Dini salvages this merely okay, sitcom-like story with fun multiple flashbacks. Combined, it creates a terrific montage displaying Zatanna and Black Canary's evolving personalities (not to mention, their costume upgrades).Joe Quinones' deliberately cartoony artwork portrays Zee and Dinah, among others, as caricatures, making "Bloodspell" rather an unique, off-kilter project. The somber title implies a deadly serious storyline, but Dini & Quinones clearly aim instead for a team-up parody. Case in point: unlike the various brawny depictions of DC's mightiest heroes, Quinones' cameo depictions of Justice Leaguers Green Arrow, Green Lantern, and especially Superman are shockingly puny. I realize these tongue-in-cheek, creative choices were meant for amusement's sake, but they are also somewhat distracting. Even so, Quinones' campy artwork proves at least adequate.Ultimately, Black Canary & Zatanna's book is a humorous, light read served up as a treat for old school comics fans.Rating: 4/5 stars. Appropriate for ages 10 and up.

I love this so much! I love Quinones' art and Dini has written a wonderful story! This graphic novel is more reason I would love Quinones to take on more full-comic projects, rather than just covers (do Captain Marvel, please!).I haven't read many comics featuring Zatanna, but this graphic novel was a great introduction to her for people like that. The story is a quick run through the primary storyline (an attempted robbery with a backstabbing that Black Canary stops, flash forward to the present when the backstabber comes back for revenge) with flashbacks to previous adventures featuring the Fishnet Duo and them hanging out in the present as best friends and comrades in arms. Quinones and Dini managed to sneak Wonder Woman and the Furies into this, as well as some more classic Fishnet Duo costumes, and it's great. The banter is fun, the story is well-paced. The art is gorgeous: wonderful expressions from Quinones, beautiful backgrounds, all the little details... I cannot stop complimenting how beautiful this book is.If you love Quinones' art, buy this book. If you want to show your support for women (especially women team-ups) in comics, which is still sadly a rarity, especially when they're the titular characters, buy this book. Send letters to DC asking for more like this. It's only downside, as mentioned, is its relative brevity. While the story is rather meaty and complete, I was left wanting more when it ended. It's just written so well.Hope you enjoy it!

Two of the finest Gotham City sirens team up to battle a vengeful ghost in "Bloodspell," the marvelous new original graphic novel from writer Paul Dini and artist Joe Quinones. This highly entertaining and clever story takes place outside what passes for the "New 52" DC comics continuity, which is terrific, since it means we get to see the REAL Zatanna and Black Canary in action (with some cameo appearances by Green Arrow, Zatara, and, even more briefly, Superman). The classic characters in their classic costumes (more or less; we are also shown some of the variants these gals wore at various times in their past) and a story that is dramatic and also full of charm and warmth, not at all the tedious cosmic blow-hardiness or grim, bloody psychosis of mainstream comics these days.I expected no less from Dini, the boy genius who gave us so many memorable Batman stories in the comics and in the animated TV series as well as creating the criminal screwball Harley Quinn (with Bruce Timm) and Jingle Belle. What amazes me is that it took DC nine years to publish this, according to the date of the original pitch (included as a supplemental feature, along with the original script and many Quinones pencil sketches and rough layouts). The guy has an Emmy, an Eisner, and a proven track record -- who's running the picture there at the New DC?Bloodspell is crammed with twists, jokes, fond winks at comic book lore and tropes, and a suitable mystery plot that begins with streetwise crimebuster Black Canary investigating the strange suicides of a former underworld gang. Clues point to supernatural involvement, so she looks up her old Justice League comrade Zatanna Zatara, mistress of the magical arts. Together these fishnet fatales investigate and trace the spectral presence behind these deaths. But danger lurks at every step, as they find themselves their worst enemies in a way least expected.These two characters have long been among my favorites and it is a treat to see them both again and handled with such intelligence and wit. I'm not sure why they aren't as well regarded and famous as other DC characters (lack of movie or TV exposure, I guess), since they are both well established with rich backstories. Black Canary is almost as old as Wonder Woman (if a gentleman can be permitted to say such things about a lady, let alone a lady who could tie him into knots), dating back to the 1940s (with occasional revisions and rebootings along the way, often misguided), while Zatanna comes from the 1960s Silver Age, although her father, the magician John (Giovanni) Zatara, made his debut along with "the Bat-Man" in Detective 27 (1939). Both have lived in the shadows of better-known heroes and heroines, despite flitting in and out of the Justice League and Dini's championing of Zatanna in the Batman universe and in her sadly short-lived own title from 2010-11.Zee and the Canary are handled in this book just right. The Girl Gladiator is a no-nonsense fighter and detective (kind of a Honey West with acrobat and judo skills) and her "canary cry" gimmick is underplayed (rightly so). Her sorceress partner, despite wielding almost inconceivable power and having fought eldritch perils from other realities so often that you wonder how she maintains her sanity, is still inherently cheerful and good-natured, one of DC's, well, nicest and least neurotic heroes. Very refreshing in these times. And yes, they share a fondness for fishnet stockings (a fashion statement poked fun of in places, including a scene where Dini and Quinones doppelgangers get their just desserts).A fine, satisfying tale that ends too soon. Let's hope there is a follow-up in the works. This is the type of all-round entertainment comics publishing has lacked for a long time, something that can appeal to dedicated fanboys and non-comics readers alike. Zatanna says, "YUB S*** KOOB!"

Artwork was great and story was interesting and intriguing

good

Vorweg: Die Geschichte ist nett. Sie schildert die erste Begegnung und in weiterer Folge die beginnende Freundschaft zwischen Black Canary und Zatanna. Für die notwendigen Kampf- und Actionszenen sorgt dann die Rache einer von Canary überführten Einbrecherin an ihren ehemaligen Kumpaninnen und an Black Canary. Das ist so weit nicht immer logisch aber meist ganz witzig und ordentlich gezeichnet. Dini trifft den Tonfall der Figuren sehr gut und es ist immer wieder ein Vergnügen, den echten Olvier Queen zu sehen und nicht das männliche Model, das sich derzeit als Arrow versucht.So weit so gut. Was weniger gut ist, ist der Umstand, dass von dem ohnehin nicht gerade üppigen Bändchen ca. 1/3 auf Background - Informationen (Sketches und Skript) draufgehen. Bezeichnend ist, dass es keine Seitennummerierung gibt, sodass einem der Umstand, was von dem Band Geschichte ist und was Zusatzmaterial nicht gar so deutlich vor Auge geführt wird.Fazit: Nice to have aber kein must. Ordentlich produzierte aber sehr kurze Geschichter, die früehr wahrscheinlich einfach im Prestige Format produziert worden wäre.

Canary and Zatanna banter delightfully throughout the story. The mission isn't one of those the-world-is-ending ones. It's feelings like something to keep them busy while they have some fun together - and I don't mind that at all. The flashback to when they first meet is nice, and I like seeing how their relationship carried on as they grew. "Bloodspell" isn't anything that'll blow your mind, but it's a good read for someone who likes the characters and wants to see them interact.(Is it just me, or does Canary look like Elisha Cuthbert? Zatanna looks like someone else too, but I can't pinpoint who...)

Funny, exciting and thoroughly enjoyable. Black Canary and Zatanna are two amazing characters and this, is a pretty amazing book.