Two Bits from Zatanna/Black Canary: Bloodspell

[espanolbot]

From the really fun graphic novel by Paul Dini and Joe Quinones that I wish was an ongoing series.

First up, Dinah and Zatanna are at a mall, and Zee drags her older friend inside to tease her about the JLA merch...



Hm, in Dini's preboot writing Zee is independantly wealthy and occasionally donates her performance fees to charity. This story isn't strictly canon though, so I dunno, maybe she has overheads or something.

Secondly, we get a look at a flashback to the Bronze Age era, when Zee, Dinah, Wonder Woman and Plastic Man were kidnapped by Granny Goodness and the Female Furies...




Huh, you'd think that this would make Zee almost god-like in what she can do. Explains why she doesn't seem to show up that often these days, I guess (outside of JLDark).

Comments

[beyondthefringe]

I love that the flashback has Black Canary in that horrible old costume with the headband and shoulderwings.

And I'm still pretty sure that Zee's magic doesn't work that way.

Though now I'd love to see a magician who performed their spells using ASL.

[espanolbot]

How her magic works seems to involve her spelling it as a form on concentration aid, as Dini also has her perform magic with a speak-and-spell machine and by physically writing what she needs to happen (though in the latter case she ended up using her own blood for it to work, which she admits gave it more umph).

[icon_uk]

I always found that costume to be no more or less silly than fighting in fishnet and high heels. It was a bit Olivia Newton John but was less blatantly sexualised,

[lieut_kettch]

And it actually has a bird motif. It could be modernized for the present day. Loose the shoulder pads and the baggy bits and make it a form-fitting onesie, make the bird symbol more stylized... a simple chevron maybe... oooh! Then add a domino mask and over-the-shoulder scabbards for eskrima sticks!

[the_blue_padre]

I see what you did there. :)

[crinos]

I love the fact that Granny and the Furies are all drinking a cup of coffee while they watch their enemies die.

[razsolo]

I'm okay with Zee being able to fingerspell...umm spells...I think it's pretty clever actually, and if you assume she doesn't have great proficiency it would take some time to get even a basic spell out so I don't think it's unbalancing plot-wise...

BUT....wouldn't you need two hands to do it? She was pretty clearly spreadeagled. I hate to be THAT guy but it kinda puts a damper on what was potentially a clever scene for me (love the toy shop bit though!)

[icon_uk]

There are one handed finger-spelling languages and ASL is apparently modifiable.

I imagine if she's envisaging a scenario where someone has gagged her, the idea that both her hands might not be readily available isn't that improbable.

[razsolo]

Well that's an education! I honestly thought you'd need two hands for most of it....retract earlier complaint in that case! ;P

[philippos42]

No, (US English) fingerspelling is one-handed. That makes it well suited to this trick.

[lieut_kettch]

Awww... I was hoping for Zee to use her actual stage-magic (not real magic) escape artist skills.

Also, how safe were Lashina and Stompa if they were standing just behind Canary and Wonder Woman?

[philippos42]

Harriet looks unusually cute here, and Lashina looks scrawnier than I remember.

[locuatico]

being a magician is her day job. why wouldn't she get money out of it?

[korvar]

Zatanna played by Paget Brewster :)