Graphic Novel Review - 'Zatanna: It's Showtime!' by Jamal Campbell, Ariana Maher (Letterer)

I wasn't so sure about this comic, on reaching the middle and practically skydiving and sky-hopping towards the end, in what seemed like a confusing, haphazard and harpsichord storyline.

But at the denouement - the crescent crescendo - and on looking back and paying more attention to the comic's many elements, I found to appreciate and revere 'Zatanna: It's Showtime!' as the epic, magical, marvellous, multilayered and clever crystal of a DC comic it is.

It is, on the whole, a jewel. A diamond in the rough and rouge. Extraordinary, transcendent, intricate, fun and action-packed, it is like a dark enchantress's kaleidoscope.

Talk about misdirection - a real magician's sneaky, clandestine trick that blew me away at the grand finis!

I've got to write about its star before anything else:

Zatanna - what a hero! She is a DC superheroine I had trouble connecting to for years - which is strange in of itself as, conceptionally, her character represents nearly everything I love - and finally, thanks to recent good writing, she has successfully grown on me. And 'Zatanna: It's Showtime!' is one of my new favourite comics of hers.

She's a badass magic woman with a tragic past (everchanging depending on who's writing her continuity), a great sense of humour, a quick-witted brain, and a gold treasure chest of a heart - a heart she keeps up her sleeve, along with her cards and other tricks. She is one of the most powerful people in the DCU, and 'It's Showtime!' showcases this wonderfully and beautifully. Writer and artist Jamal Campbell understands and respects her - humanely, and as an idol, and not idly.

Zatanna Zatara - Mistress of Magic, Princess of Prestidigitation, Weaver of Wonders - shines in mirror/musical fugues here!

'It's Showtime!' contains, to its cauldron's brim and top hat's rim: fairy tales, film stars, invisible cursed swords, outer and inner demons of various kinds, personal outer and inner hells, an intelligent talking chimp, ghosts, vampires, tarot cards, cute little rabbits, breaking the fourth wall - the whole fantasy play!

Other than Zatanna, the recognisable DC characters who costar in this grandiose event are Madame Xanadu, Clayface, Etrigan, Doctor Fate, Ragman, and members of the Justice League, including Wonder Woman!

The comic also deals with themes of grief, guilt, self-esteem, undoing oneself, the nature of lies and illusions, abusive relationships, the price for losing patience, compassion and empathy (the true powerful magic), and found family.

I love that Zatanna has two (three if you count the barely-there Justice League) differentiating groups of friends - one consists of mystical/supernatural superheroes, and the other her "normal", civilian stagehands for her magician performances - who support and care for her, and who always have her back. Whatever her personal, family, superhero, and/or supernatural life and problems, she is never alone.

And oh, you can't bring up 'Zatanna: It's Showtime!' anywhere without mentioning the artwork. In short, it is utterly gorgeous. Magnificent and fully realised. There is so much depth, soul, creativity, and raw passion and emotion that leaps off every page. The attention to detail is stunning. The variant cover gallery at the end of the trade volume is to die for.

Art, in every sense - and that includes storytelling - has its own magic in 'Zatanna: It's Showtime!'.

Its main flaws are that it suffers from having too many villains, and it serves as a sequel to a previous 'Zatanna' comic storyline I am unfamiliar with, so I had trouble getting to know who most of the characters - Zatanna's friends - are. It's a bit confusing, and hard to wrap my head around without knowing the wider context, but like I alluded to at the start, in the end it's worth it.

Just let it wash over you, and entertain, enchant and entrance you!

'Zatanna: It's Showtime!' - and what a show it is! It's like DC's answer to Marvel's 'Angela: Queen of Hel: Journey to the Funderworld' (but without the overt LBGTQ+ theme, sadly, and here any queer content is vague (I think the stagehands, Andre and Arnie, are a couple, with how close and touchy-feely they are drawn together)). To get even an inkling of its wild, psychological, orphic, deep plot by a maestro, go and read it for yourself - I won't reveal this magician's secrets!

Jamal Campbell is certainly an artist to watch out for. Highly and soaring-ly recommended.

Additional recommended 'Zatanna' comics:


'Zatanna and the House of Secrets'

'Zatanna: Bring Down the House'


Definitely not recommended:


'Zatanna: The Jewel of Gravesend'


Final Score (for 'It's Showtime!'): 3.5/5

Happy May Flower Moon everyone!

The next full moon - the Flower Moon - in the UK is tonight.

Keep watching the skies.

Keep watching the beautiful night skies.

Graphic Novel Review - 'Trinity: Generation S' by Tom King (Writer), Various Artists and Colourists, Clayton Cowles (Letterer)

'Trinity: Generation S'.

Generation S consists of Trinity, aka Wonder Girl, aka Elizabeth "Lizzie" Marston Prince, the daughter of Wonder Woman, and Superman, aka Superboy, aka Jon Kent, the son of the original Superman, and Robin, aka Batman, aka Damian Wayne, the son of the original Batman. This little comic collection, which is a supplement to Tom King's current 'Wonder Woman' run, is about them as a trio. It is about their shenanigans. Mostly it's about Jon and Damian babysitting Lizzie, from toddler to teen. It is a lot of comedic fluff and nonsense. It is like a bunch of sitcom episodes about superheroes' kids presented in the form of a comic book.

But it is funny, fun and cute in its own right.

It's fine if you don't think too hard about DC continuity (whichever King is working with at the roll of a dice).

The trio, with their differing personalities, really bounce incredibly well off of one another. They are surprisingly believable as kids/young people living together, and tolerating each other, and then loving each other like a family.

What is up with the issue where Black Canary, one of the major female superheroes in the DCU, is a Taylor Swift-alike pop star? Is it a career change for her? Is she still a superhero?

Lizzie reluctantly takes care of Jon and Damian when they are turned into corgis again. The babysitting roles are only reversed when animal transformation is involved, it seems.

Zatanna makes a cameo. She's cool.

It's always cool when Trinity/Lizzie interacts with female heroes, as a change of pace.

One issue I have to highlight is 'Mothers and Daughters'. It is my favourite of the collection. Why? Because unlike 'Trinity: Daughter of Wonder Woman', it is actually about Wonder Woman and her daughter. It is about them as Amazons. It is set in Themyscira, in a combat stadium. They interact. They are in the same scene together the whole time. Jon and Damian are nowhere in sight, nor are they mentioned. Neither is Steve Trevor. It is only six pages long, but it made me understand the relationship between Diana and Lizzie better than any other comic has in, *ahem*, showing it; plus the relationship between Diana and her own mother, Hippolyta - this is a generational story. It is magnificent and poignant. And it revolves around a mother pointing a gun at her own daughter.

I'm choosing to ignore Lizzie's final line in the next issue, about kangaroos, also set in Themyscira, but does feature Jon and Damian: 'I'm an Amazon. I don't mind forever. Y'know. As long as it's with you

boys.'

Such contradictory whiplash and unself-awareness has never been known before. What were you thinking with that line, Tom King? Are you trying to set feminism and female rep in comics back?

Trinity/Lizzie is such an irrepressible, irresponsible, impulsive, reckless, arrogant, egotistical, loud, rude, borderline obnoxious person. And I love her for it. She's got true youthful spunk and enthusiasm.

I still don't know how she ended up with three lassos.

Eh. I had a nice time overall with 'Trinity: Generation S'. It works as a companion to 'Trinity: Daughter of Wonder Woman' - it expands upon it. I'm willing to take whatever Wonder Woman and/or Trinity comics I can get nowadays.

Colourful, wild, random, stupid yet clever superhero fun.

I'm tired now.

Final Score: 3.5/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'Trinity: Daughter of Wonder Woman' by Tom King (Writer), Belén Ortega (Artist), Alejandro Sánchez (Colourist), Luis Guerrero (Colourist), Clayton Cowles (Letterer)

I finally decided to check out the definitive comic (supposedly) about Wonder Woman's daughter, Trinity, aka Elizabeth "Lizzie" Marston Prince, 'Trinity: Daughter of Wonder Woman'.

It is part of Tom King's current 'Wonder Woman' comic run, which I do not care for, but I was more than curious about 'Trinity'. About Wondy's new, young, hip and spunky progeny.

'Daughter of Wonder Woman'...and Wonder Woman barely appears in it, and we never see her as part of Lizzie's life at any stage of it.

Instead, it is about Lizzie and her relationships with the men and boys in her life.

The only female characters she interacts with for more than a few panels are herself - as a toddler, a young teen, and an older teen, as a timestream trinity (I see what King did there) - and Selina Kyle.

Ultimately, 'Trinity: Daughter of Wonder Woman' is about Lizzie bringing back her dead father, Steve Trevor, who she never knew and yet misses anyway, and, inexplicably, seems to respect more than her mother.

Her mother being Wonder Woman. The Wonder Woman, the world famous feminist superheroine icon, who, again, is barely in the comic (except to die dozens of times in one issue...it's played for laughs), but apparently she raised Lizzie and trained her in the ways of the Amazon. Though you'd hardly know it from reading this misleadingly-named comic. That part is all tell-and-no-show.

Yet despite all this, against my better judgement, against everything I believe in when it comes to female representation, I enjoyed 'Trinity: Daughter of Wonder Woman'.

There is no doubt that King had some terrific ideas here, and seeing as the whole thing is executed in a much more comedic and playful tone than you'd expect from him, he does a commendable job there, too. 'Trinity' is a legitimately funny superhero comic. It brims with the Fates' threads' worth of possibilities that are not squandered (except when it comes to mother and daughter interactions).

There are corgis. Lots of superheroes-turned-corgis, who get lost in different timestreams. There are time travel shenanigans, and revisiting and capering about with past DC events, both classic and modern. And there is well written and believable banter between the three versions of Lizzie, and between them and every other character. The dialogue exchanges are a hoot.

Lizzie herself is a very interesting character and young superheroine, whatever her age. She is brash, impulsive, scrappy, abrasive, naïve, and moody, and makes a ton of mistakes. She certainly has a titan's step's worth of growing up to do, and is still learning the ropes (and lassos) of superhero-ing. She is funny and sensitive as all Hades, to boot. Her catchphrases are "Hera's hearth" and "Crap on a tiara".

King goes out of his way to show how Lizzie is not "perfect" like Wonder Woman, and how that isn't a bad thing. She is Steve Trevor's child, too.

But like, does anyone actually care about that side of her parentage, when her mother is freaking Wonder Woman!? Like, seriously? Daddy issues is what 'Trinity: Daughter of Wonder Woman' is about?! Why?! She didn't even know him! She scarcely thinks of her mother over half the time! Why is she obsessed with her dead father? To show he is special, remarkable and loving, despite not being a superhero? To show a more human side to her existence? But why did Lizzie's solo comic - titled 'Trinity: Daughter of Wonder Woman' - have to feature her whole universe revolving around a man - multiple men, in fact?!

But she is cool as a superhero. She owns three lassos!

She is absolutely precious, adorable and hilarious as a little girl superhero, called Wonder Robin.

Well, that's 'Trinity: Daughter of Wonder Woman' - imperfect and messy, like Lizzie/Trinity herself, as both her mother and her father's daughter.

But really, she should be primarily seen as her feminist superheroine mother's daughter. Though I will admit that Steve Trevor, when we see him, is well written here, despite his dead-arse having no business taking up so much of the comic.

Okay, a few more noteworthy points:

As fun, funny, wild, and cute as 'Trinity' is, it is also a DC comic of Tom King's that showcases how much he likes to play around with continuity, either through ignorance or just ignoring some key details, especially when it comes to time travel.

One corgi-finding timestream subplot has the young teenage Lizzie meeting and falling in love with Jason Todd as Robin - yes, this happens, and it is surprisingly touching and kind of sweet; I blame my heterosexual arse for finding it endearing. Anyway, a big deal is made of Jason eventually dying, and there is no changing that, and so their love story is a tragedy. Yeah. Complete and total BS. The fact that Red Hood is never mentioned once confirms that this is an example of King cherry-picking and shrug-LOL-ing which continuity/timestream he is writing for to suit his own story direction.

Speaking of Lizzie and Jason - behold! in a comic titled 'Trinity: Daughter of Wonder Woman', there is a page where the Mad Hatter defecates right in front of them in a Christmas shop to prove a petty point.

Comedy superhero comics, I tell ya.

I had no idea Tom King had it in him.

What am I doing with my life?

Oh, yes, and the artwork is great. I really like Lizzie's design at every stage of her life and development. Her hair and facial expressions suit her personality perfectly. She contrasts superbly with Wonder Woman.

You might want to read another DC comic, 'Trinity: Generation S', if you choose to read 'Trinity: Daughter of Wonder Woman'. In whatever order, it doesn't matter. They almost, sort of complete each other, and give each other context.

It's nice to read further Lizzie/Trinity/Wonder Girl/Wonder Robin/Wonder Woman's daughter stuff, even though her stories are unfortunately male-centred (and Gotham-centred) and have virtually nothing to do with Diana and the Amazons. In 2020s DC Comics.

What has become of me that I still like these?

Well, recommended!

Final Score: 3.5/5

EDIT: I have to mention, also, that 'Trinity: Daughter of Wonder Woman' is the whitest DC comic I have read in recent memory. Like, seriously, there is no POC rep whatsoever. In fact, there is not a lot of POC rep in the Tom King comics I've read. The lack of diversity (in ethnicity - and LBGTQ+ communities) in a modern 'Wonder Woman' comic is disturbing, Tom King. Do better, please. 

Book Review - 'Vlad, the Fabulous Vampire' by Flavia Z. Drago

I picked this up by chance at my local bookshop today, after figuring: I loved 'Leila, the Perfect Witch' and felt indifferent towards 'Gustavo, the Shy Ghost', and I love vampires, so I'll give 'Vlad, the Fabulous Vampire' a quick go, and complete Flavia Z. Drago's Halloween picture book trilogy.

It turns out 'Vlad, the Fabulous Vampire' is fabulous!

It is definitely a queer narrative, about refusing to conform to gender roles, finding the courage and confidence to be your true self, finding your community beyond any borders, embracing your true colours, and coming out to people, and it isn't just allegory - little Vlad the fabulous vampire is clearly shown to have two vampire mums!

It's always great to see LBGTQ+ representation in a children's picture book!

It's easy to observe how the very concept of vampires has been used as a metaphor for the queer community since white Christian colonisation human legends and storytelling began, so this tale makes sense on all sorts of levels.

And it's so cute!

That Nosferatu-looking, titchy vamp Vlad shouldn't look so cute, but he does! He is Nosferatu Junior, a friendly vampire with a passion for fashion!

'Vlad, the Fabulous Vampire' is a cute little Halloween children's book, with a fantastic and important message. There is pink and candyfloss, as well as grey and spooky things.

Adorable, lovely, monster-loving and freedom-loving.


'Slowly, [Vlad] began to understand that in order to feel good about himself, [...] he didn't have to change,

[...] and he didn't need to hide. [...] Instead, be began to think, [...] It's better to love what makes us unique!'

'Of course, there were lots of times when Vlad still felt insecure. [...] But when he did, there was always someone he could count on. [...] He felt safe, loved and free! [...] And in the end, whether you can see it or not... [...] you might just say that there is a little bit of Vlad in all of us.'


Final Score: 4/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'DeadEndia: The Divine Order' by Hamish Steele

WOW!

'DeadEndia' is one of the greatest fantasy series ever. It is modern, diverse, inclusive, and so #&$@ing relevant, and it is unjustly underrated. It should join the ranks of 'Supernatural', 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer', 'Adventure Time', and 'Gravity Falls'; to be among the most popular fantasy and sci-fi franchises in the pop culture sphere (and economy), animated or not.

'DeadEndia: The Divine Order', one of the best finales in fiction ever, definitely resembles the above-mentioned shows in various, creative, big and little ways.

I won't dare spoil any specific plot and character details in this review, but trust me when I say that 'The Divine Order' is epic, in the truest sense of the word.

It has everything: "angel" and "demon" classes and clashes and wars; "heavenly" and "hellish" battles; multiple apocalypses; time travel; reality changes; history changes (and erasure and censorship); commentary on religion, classism, and every kind of labelling, prejudice, bigotry and division - this is a huge and important theme, and it has to do with everything - 'DeadEndia' knows that dividing people for any reason is a power play and cause, and it is systematic and intentional; how entitlement and an obsession with "purity" and power and control can only lead to misery, suffering, loneliness and dystopia; how weaponised hatred and fear, and fighting amongst ourselves, are what really make a "broken world"; unapologetic and beautiful LBGTQ+ content and themes; polygamy; magic; and love and freedom.

And maybe no one is straight after all.

Nothing and no one can be a straight line. Not without cracking, and falling through the cracks.

Nothing and no one can be "pure". That's just unrealistic, in both the real world and in fantastical worlds.

Any "divine order" is a villain. It doesn't even really exist.

With the power of belief, anything is possible.

These are the themes and messages of 'The Divine Order'.

What about the characters?

I adore them all. Practically everyone receives their chance to shine and be brilliant:

The trans, gay Jewish icon Barney Guttman is at his best here - he goes through so much and he is so strong and awesome!

The Pakistani American, autistic and bisexual icon Norma Khan has come a long, long way. To say a lot has happened to her, to the point where she is not wholly human anymore, and is now multiple supernatural beings, would be an understatement. But she pulls through, and comes out the other (dead) end stronger and more determined than ever. Like Barney, Norma has been through so much for someone so young. Her amount of trauma could lead to centuries worth of therapy!

Norma has had her ups and downs, and throughout the comic series I hadn't been so sure about her, but now I love her enough that she might be one of my new favourite fictional heroines ever.

Screw "likeability" in female characters - Norma Khan is relatable and inspirational, dammit!

I absolutely LOVE Badyah Hassan, as well. She is everything. Courtney has come an awful long way, too.

'DeadEndia: The Divine Order' knows how a world can be "perfect" - it is when it is united. Not divided.

An imperfect, "broken" and beautiful world is one where everyone in it is free to be themselves, to be who they want. To be united for the freedom of choice, and the freedom to love.

No divisions. No hierarchy. No hatred. No fear. No distrust. No wars.

With all that, plus every supernatural entity existing, and them and everybody else being able to live peacefully together if they just try, I'd love to live in the utopia as theorised in the 'DeadEndia' series.

'DeadEndia: The Divine Order' - what a wonderful, spectacular end to a wonderful, spectacular series. It more than makes up for the shortcomings of its predecessor, the middle book 'The Broken Halo', which at best is a holy harbinger of 'The Divine Order'. It also makes up for the cancellation of the animated TV adaptation, 'Dead End: Paranormal Park', which this finale comic was made in response to, when it began life as 'DeadEndia', as a webcomic. It makes everything worth it.

Sure, there are some minor characters who, while not necessarily forgotten about, are not really in the comic either - they only exist in the background, and they themselves fall through the cracks, production-wise. And since it has time travel and alternative realities, you are bound to find plot holes and inconsistencies if you think too hard about it. But just relax, and enjoy the ride!

The massive, epic, enlightening, queer and hopeful as %#@! ride.

I wholeheartedly recommend the whole of 'DeadEndia'. Read the comic book trilogy, and watch 'Dead End: Paranormal Park'. Your life will be better for it.

All this is to say, the number one message to take away from 'DeadEndia: The Divine Order' is:

Don't let some white male arsehole make rules, and rule over your life and the world, just because he feels entitled to. He is hateful, joyless, delusional scum who needs therapy, not validation. He is a liar, a fraud, and a conman, no better than a cult leader and a televangelist - indeed he may be those things, and will definitely profit off of the support of people who are. Of course he doesn't believe in his own cause - he doesn't believe in anything, and that includes himself. He's a narcissist, and that means he hates himself more than anything. His overprivileged, relatively easy and consequence-and-obstacle-free life has made him feel profoundly empty, unfulfilled, unsatisfied, and alone, and he thinks he can fill that void of meaning and purpose by making (meaning: declaring loudly and obnoxiously) himself superior to everyone else, regardless of reality, and claiming he knows everything and what is best for everyone else, regardless of evidence, and by forcing his will and leadership, however poorly, upon everyone else. He chose to ignore and change facts to suit his own ends; his own version of reality. He chose to live his life by enforcing division amongst other, "lower" and "lesser" people for his own selfish, egotistical, power-hungry gains. He chose to live without love. He chose to go too far, to the point of sociopathy and even psychopathy; to the point of insanity. Everything he's done, was done deliberately, and nefariously and maliciously. Because he hates himself, and he is dead inside, and in the psychosis of misery loving company, he wants others to feel the same way. To, ironically and paradoxically, feel alone. It has always been about overcompensating, and an insatiable ego trip, and he has made everything a competition and a power struggle - for him and him alone. Therefore he is not worth anyone's time and attention, except for seeking professional psychological help for him.

Hell, any human claiming to be anything resembling a god is not worth anyone's attention. Don't give it to them.

Never trust the ravings of a known charlatan who refuses to learn their lessons and change their ways. Who is a coward and an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.


'[...] Twisting the language of religion to push people down? To lie and manipulate and sow division? [...]

They sound like humans to me...'

Continue to follow that rainbow, with your loved ones.

For when you are free to go wherever you want, and be whoever you want, there is no dead end.

For further thoughts on the series, read my reviews of:


'DeadEndia: The Watcher's Test'

'DeadEndia: The Broken Halo'


Thank you, once again, to Hamish Steele.

Final Score (for 'The Divine Order'): 4.5/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'DeadEndia: The Broken Halo' by Hamish Steele

I agree with what some other reviewers have said: 'DeadEndia: The Broken Halo' definitely suffers from Middle Book Syndrome.

It is by no means bad - the characters are still well fleshed out, three dimensional, and dynamic, and they each get into their own interesting situations. They are very flawed people who go through significant development, and the reader learns a lot more about them, and that's great.

But it all builds up towards a much more interesting climax, where there are actual stakes and something resembling plot progression. 'The Broken Halo' is that bizarre beast where the pacing is slow, the buildup is slow, but at the same time there are details in it that are rushed as hell; so much in the comic is zip-zap zany, with not enough breathing space. Plus there are some instances of unnecessarily meanspirited, and inexplicable, dialogue exchanges and banter between characters.

Well, it's 'DeadEndia', and it's weird and wonderful and queer, if not as fresh and breezy as the first volume. It remains funny, though it is less cute and endearingly cartoony and more cynical, morose and crabby this time round.

Read 'The Broken Halo' only to get to the third and final volume, 'The Divine Order', which makes it all worth it. My review of one of the greatest finales ever will be coming right up.

Until then, for more of my thoughts on the 'DeadEndia/Dead End' series, read my review of 'DeadEndia: The Watcher's Test'.

Final Score: 3/5