Review: ‘Zatanna’ #1 Sets the Stage for a Magical Run
ZATANNA #1
Release Date: April 29, 2026
Creative Team
Writer/Artist/Cover: Jamal Campbell
Letterer: Ariana Maher
Publisher: DC Comics
TL;DR
Jamal Campbell’s Zatanna miniseries last year set a new tone for the character. This ongoing follow-up has the chance to go even further. With Campbell handling writing, art, and colors, and Ariana Maher delivering innovative lettering, this is the care and attention the character deserves.
Full Review
A lesser comic about magic uses the wielder’s powers as a shortcut. Campbell isn’t interested in that for Zatanna. Fresh off last year’s miniseries, Campbell returns with a full ongoing that picks up where that story left off and he’s still committed to portraying Zatanna as someone who is powerful in ways that elevate her beyond a caricature.
Campbell works in enough context around Zatanna’s title of Prime Magus that you won’t feel lost, even if you didn’t read the previous miniseries. The premise of her new role is cleanly established: the Justice League patrols Earth, the Lanterns watch over space, and the Legion of Super Heroes protect the future. But who looks after the magical realms? That’s Zatanna’s job now and Campbell wastes no time putting her to work.
The Department of Extranormal Operations is introduced as an organization tasked with watching over Zatanna since her power upgrade. After making their presence known a little too loudly, their field leader reveals himself in a series of visually captivating panels. They’re operating under orders of an even higher entity who has opinions on the occult. It’s a compelling new tension for the series.
The art is flat-out stunning. Campbell’s colors are rich and cover the full color spectrum. The spirit-possessed elf is unsettling. Every panel of Zatanna wielding her powers is a reason to pause to let the imagery sink in. When one person is writing, drawing, and coloring a book, you feel the cohesion. Every visual decision in this issue feels intentional.
Ariana Maher’s lettering is also worth singling out. Zatanna’s backwards spells are laid out in a way that is easy to read rather than feeling like a puzzle to solve. The special agents’ radio dialogue, rendered with a partial scratched out effect to simulate choppy signal, is exactly the kind of detail that makes a comic feel alive without beating the reader over the head.
DC has a lot of great books right now. This one belongs at the top of your pull list.
Rating: 5/5
