Zatanna: Bring Down the House has one issue left after this, and things are getting serious. With all the walls seemingly closing in on her, now’s as good as any time to call an old friend. Or an old ex. Enter everyone’s favorite magical detective: John Constantine. While this series has gone through a lot of development, we’ve seen Zatanna grow into the hero she’s destined to be, through the exploration of her past. While the exploration of her relationship with Constantine isn’t necessary, it also elevates the story by providing depth to her emotions.
DC Comics
The story does a strong job of balancing the past and present rather well. About ten years prior, a drunken Zatanna was doing party tricks. Or, trying to do them. Seemingly, like magic, John Constantine is at this party with maybe his ulterior motive. But, as their history is often known to be, things get messy when Constantine meets Zatanna and they get together. Why does any of this matter? Well, in the present, Zatanna and her bunny friend (yes) were once again confronted by a representative of The Casters. With Z seemingly backed against a wall here with nowhere to run, it seems like the perfect time for someone to pop up with a proverbial getaway car. Here, Tamaki’s writing shines, as this issue is dedicated to explaining why Zatanna is being hunted. Through this, Tamaki balances the motivations of The Casters against Zatara’s. While the answer to why The Casters are determined to hunt down Zatanna may shock some, this ends up being the final push for Zatanna to realize what needs to be done to save herself.
DC Comics
This issue does a great job tying together some of the prior loose ends by explaining how Zatanna’s past correlates to why The Casters are out to get her. Here, Javier Rodríguez once again knocks it out of the park. This issue is perhaps the most emotional one yet, as it balances Zatanna’s messy romantic life with some hard truths about Zatara. As such, Rodríguez utilizes two contrasting coloring styles. With moments between Zatanna and John, there are beautiful shades of pink that help to reinforce not just their love for one another, but also the sincerity of these moments. John isn’t meant to save Zatanna in this story, only she can do that, but as his role becomes clearer it helps to make his purpose more worthwhile. In contrast to this, moments between The Stranger (no not that one) and the other Casters are enveloped in darkness and sharp electricity. Furthermore, Rodríguez’s coloring in this story stands out the most as it helps provide depth to the story through a contrast of soft light hues and jagged darkness.
DC Comics
In the second to last issue of Zatanna: Bring Down the House, readers are introduced to one last character to help Zatanna recognize her true self. John Constantine is, and has been for some time, one of the most important relationships for Zatanna, through his relationship with those around Zatanna and his love for Zee as well. But what does he have to do with this story, and why is he here? In issue #4 of this miniseries, Mariko Tamaki and Javier Rodríguez continue to deliver an emotional rollercoaster of exploring one’s identity; with this issue focusing on how Zatanna’s past intersects with the dangers presented before her today.
This issue really is a slam dunk between an incredible creative duo that uses heartfelt storytelling, engaging paneling, and encapsulating colors to deliver a memorable book. With one issue left in this miniseries, Zatanna is seemingly set on the right path, and it couldn’t have been done without all of the preceding events that helped push her in the right direction.
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