Zatanna's seen her share of strange magical artifacts though a sword that cuts backwards through time is a new one, that's for sure! A rowdy roughneck named Backslash is using that very sword and an enslaved fairy to cut a bloody path through her beloved San Francisco, but how can she stop him when he can undo any attack with a mere wave of his hand? Featuring a crackling script by guest writer Matthew Sturges and art by original series artist Stephane Roux!
There were few things I didn't like, really. I don't like the trend of the Disappearing Dini, but as I said, Sturges more than made up for it. We get no back story on Backslash, where he got the sword, how it works, why he has Hannah the fairy. And the costume/street clothes thing really didn't make sense. But it was a really well done issue, especially for a fill in. Read Full Review
Roux's return to the book is a welcome one; he brings his emotive characters, detailed backgrounds, and brilliant splash pages along with him. The attention to detail in the San Francisco sequences are exquisite, and his choice of colors for Zee's outfit during the scenes succeed in helping her feel as though she's a part of the city's palette. The only downside to Zatanna #12 is that some of the pages aren't as dynamic as they need to be. The showdown with Backslash isn't all that visually engaging, but that could also be due to the fact that the battle portrayed is handled more with words than fists. Read Full Review
An entertaining done-in-one, but not nearly as strong as it could be. Read Full Review
So there you have it: a quirky but fun issue with great visuals and an Amanda Conner cover? I cant believe I didnt mention that before -- I think I was too busy drooling over it. While it doesnt quite capture the magic that the previous issues had, I definitely didnt regret picking it up. Read Full Review
The saving grace in Sturges' script is when he has Zatanna talk about the magic of San Francisco. Never mind it feels like that it's Sturges stalling for time (it has utterly nothing to do with the rest of the issue), it's well-written and a cute little detour. If the rest of the issue was written as well, this might have been an overall better experience. Instead, this is a prime example of reading a comic specifically for the art. Dini, we'll be eagerly awaiting your return next month. Read Full Review
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