The start of this issue starts with Zatanna talking to us as part of her performance, but this issue feels more like a TV episode than a stage performance and it works very well, both as an introduction for the issue and to build up hype around the new Prime Magis.
This issue mostly focuses on Zatanna’s predecessors, Hecate, The Upside-Down Man, and Zehuti. With the exception of The Upside-Down Man, I really like how two of the previous Prime Magi are historical contexts, with Hecate being the Goddess of Magic in Greek mythology and Zehuti being the God of Wisdom and Magic in Egyptian mythology. Jamal Campbell has been slowly building the world of magic and including other cultures and how they practice magic into it, which is not only refreshing to see but makes the story more interesting.
DC
Zehuti is a bit hesitant about Zatanna becoming Prime Magus as there hasn’t been a need for one since he stepped down from the role, but why he stepped down wasn’t revealed. Although she doesn’t reveal her secrets, she does tell him that she consults the “shades of magic” which are the spirits of the previous Prime Magi. We then get to see them come onto the page and interact with Zatanna. We also get to see some of their personality, with The Upside-Down Man being snarky, and Hecate being a bit shy and reserved, before we get into the stories of the previous Prime Magi.
The stories go in the same order of the Prime Magi, and tells us each of their titles and what they contributed to the magic world that earned them their title. The first, and my favorite story is about Hecate, the first Prime Magus and Goddess of Magic. Hecate is also a child and it shows in the way she interacts with Zatanna and the world around her. She is so adorable and the story of her spirit helping Zatanna with the issue of the Sprynggrove Faires fits her personality and the fact that she’s still a child. Even after the issue is solved, we see her running around in the field of flowers. It’s nice to see a child act like a child even if they have a huge responsibility they need to deal with.
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The transition between Hecate’s story and The Upside-Down Man’s story reminds me more of a narrator in a TV episode more than a narrator during a stage or theatrical performance.
Although all of the stories are the same length, the pacing of The Upside-Down Man’s story makes it seem so much shorter than the other two. Despite the story seeming so short, it showcases what he brought to magic during his time as Prime Magus. This story and Zehuti’s story is where artist Edwin Galman and colorist Andrew Dalhouse really get to shine. Despite Jamal Campbell drawing and coloring the first page, there isn’t a jarring shift in art styles after that. Although some things are different, it doesn’t take you out of the story. Galman and Dalhouse do a great job at showing Zatanna and the Shades of Magic in action.
The final story tells us some more about Zehuti but shows us what Zatanna told him earlier, that his shade doesn’t speak much. Yet, it still shows us what Zehuti contributed to magic.
After Zatanna is done telling Zehuti her stories, it’s clear to him that she has a slight misunderstanding about what the role of Prime Magus entails. It also asks the question of what will Zatanna’s title be and what age will she bring to magic.
The last couple of pages are focusing on Zatanna’s journey to The Hidden City of the Homo Magi, but the transition feels a little disjointed. It seems as if the story keeps flipping back and forth between Zatanna being the new Prime Magus and her other journeys in a way that’s a bit jarring. The set up to The Hidden City of the Homo Magi has been slowly building so I’m excited to see what Zatanna does in the city.
So far, the pacing for this series has been a little bit weird, but it’s more episodic and makes it easier to pick up an issue once a month and not feel lost in the story or feeling like you didn’t get a complete story.
Zatanna #4 tells us the stories of the previous Prime Magi and leaves us wondering what Zatanna will bring to magic as the Prime Magus.
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