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Zatara |
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| Alias: Zachary Zatara |
Titans Member
Joined: Teen Titans (third series) #34 [2006] |
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| Zatara Quick Bio: As cousin to Zatanna and nephew to the late Zatara, Zachary Zatara had magic in his blood. The teen magician learned that to be true when his latent magic powers sparked as a new age of magic dawned. Now, the spoiled teen magician can get whatever he wants with a simple backwards-speaking incantation. |
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Beast Boy's substitute Titans team: Hotspot, Power Boy, Little Barda, Zatara and Raven from 52: WEEK TWENTY ONE [2006]. |
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| The ever-modest Zatara as a Titan in 52: WEEK TWENTY ONE [2006]. |
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| The Titans track down Zatara in Tokyo in TEEN TITANS (third series) #39 [2006]. |
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Turmoil
managed to forge a friendship with Titans-wannabe, Kid Devil. The teenaged magician unwittingly helped Kid Devil make contact with the demon-trickster Neron, who transformed Kid Devil into an honest-to-gosh demonic creature. Following that mishap, Zatara helped Kid Devil become a member of the team and agreed to keep secret the details of his deal with Neron.
From the original script of Teen Titans (third series) #34 [2006], by Geoff Johns: "SPEEDY stands with ZATARA – a new character that we discussed. Spoiled brat. Can get anything he wants any time he wants. Or can he? More on him in a FUTURE issue during our next arc – TITANS AROUND THE WORLD."
Zachary Zatara can create anything by speaking a backwards incantation. But his powers cannot affect people.
titanstower.com
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Teen Titans #34 [2006]: One Year Later, it's "The New Teen Titans!" A new year of exciting adventures begins with the "new" Teen Titans. Hawk, Dove, Aquagirl II, Zatara III, Offspring and Miss Martian are revealed as Titans members during the one year gap in a brief flashback panel. First appearances of Zatara III, Offspring and Miss Martian.
Teen Titans #38 [2006]: The new story arc "Titans Around the World" begins as the Teen Titans journey into the heart of Russia to meet its greatest super-hero: Red Star! On a quest to locate a former member, the Titans head to Moscow to learn how Red Star has rebuilt his life following Superboy-Prime's rampage and where they can find their lost friend and ally Raven! The "One Year Gap" Titans membership is revealed in a double page spread. First appearances of Talon, Power Boy, Little Barda, Molecule, Mas Y Menos, Young Frankenstein, Bombshell, Osiris and Riddler's Daughter. First appearance of Joto as Hotspot. One Year Gap Titans include: Beast Boy, Raven, Speedy, Kid Devil, Ravager, Hawk, Dove, Aquagirl II, Zatara III, Offspring, Miss Martian, Talon, Power Boy, Little Barda, Molecule, Mas, Menos, Young Frankenstein, Bombshell, Osiris, Riddler's Daughter, Joker's Daughter, Captain Marvel Jr., Argent, Hotspot [a renamed Joto], Mirage, Flamebird and Red Star.
52: Week Twenty-One [2006]: Beast Boy's rag-tag team of Titans - Raven, Power Boy, Little Barda, Zatara and Hotspot
- meet Luthor's new Infinity, Inc. team of "heroes." After the death of Infinity member, Eliza Harmon, Little Barda and Power Boy quit the team. Unknown to the heroes, Eliza's death was caused by Luthor himself.
Teen Titans #39 [2006]: The Titans' search for Raven leads them to Zachary Zatara in Tokyo.
Teen Titans #42 [2006]: After being rejected as a Titan during open auditions, Eddie Bloomberg seeks aid from Zatara, who gives Eddie advice that leads them both to the wishweaver, Neron. Eddie makes a dangerous deal with the devilish trickster, who transforms him into a honest-to-gosh red-skinned Kid Devil.
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Zatara: Strange Origins
Kingdom Come Origins
Set at the dawn of the 21st century in a world spinning inexorably out of control, Mark Waid and Alex Ross weave a tale of youth versus experience, tradition versus change, and what defines a hero. KINGDOM COME is a riveting story pitting the old guard - Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and their peers -- against a new, uncompromising generation of heroes that declare war against each other to determine the future of the planet.
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| Keith Giffen's original Zatara sketch from 52: WEEK TWENTY ONE [2006]. |
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The original mini-series rocked comicdom in 1996 and is still regarded as one of the most influential stories from DC Comics. The series featured hundreds of characters, with new takes on old characters and new characters based on classic DC icons. Set in the future, the Kingdom Come universe also featured the sons and daughters of many current DC characters.
The teenaged Zatara made his comic book debut in the pages of KINGDOM COME.
The KINGDOM COME Revelations supplement says this about Zatara II: "The son of the late Zatanna and grandson of the original Zatara is a youthful Harry Houdini-like successor to the magician super-hero lineage." The Revelations genealogy reveals that Zatara II's father was John Constantine.
KINGDOM COME was so successful that DC Comics published a sequel: seven KINGDOM books (the two-issue KINGDOM miniseries and five one-shots, THE KINGDOM: KID FLASH #1, THE KINGDOM: NIGHTSTAR #1, THE KINGDOM: OFFSPRING #1, THE KINGDOM: PLANET KRYPTON #1, and THE KINGDOM: SON OF THE BAT #1). Zatara had a few brief appearances in that series as well.
Tony Daniel's Zatara
Teen Titans artist Tony Daniel admitted that KINGDOM COME served as a starting point for his Teen Titan Zatara, who debuted in Teen Titans (third series) #34 [2006]. From an interview at newsarama.com: "I derived Zatara from Alex Ross's version from Kingdom Come. The only thing I did was give him a fun hairstyle."
Fishnets & Corsets: Designing Zatara
Zachary Zatara: crossdressing super-hero? It almost happened. Zatara made his first, full in-continuity appearance in 52: WEEK TWENTY-ONE [2006], where Beast Boy's rag-tag team of Titans - Raven, Power Boy, Little Barda, Zatara and Hotspot
- meet Luthor's new Infinity, Inc. team of "heroes."
At www.wizarduniverse.com, breakdown artist Keith Giffen offered up some observations about his 52 experience: "As a goof, in the breakdowns, I drew that new Zatara kid in Zatanna’s fishnets-and-corset getup. The penciler actually drew him that way. My pleas to let it go through like that went unheeded." Stenhsif Raeppasid! (That's "Fishnets Disappear!" backwards)
Stenhsif Raeppasid! It's magic! The original Zatara-in-fishnets sketch vs.
the finished panel in 52: WEEK TWENTY ONE [2006]. |
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| Another panel from 52: WEEK TWENTY ONE [2006]. Notice the heels! |
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The One Year Gap Titans
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| A 2007 Zatara commission by Todd Nauck. |
"You call this the Titans? Since Superboy died, the Titans have gone through over twenty new members. But no one wanted to stay very long. No one got along."
- Wonder Girl (Teen Titans (third series) #36 [2006])
DC's "One Year Later" event occurred March of 2006. In Teen Titans #33, Superboy and Nightwing are in the thick of the Infinite Crisis world-shattering event. With Teen Titans #34, a full year has passed since the Crisis. A comatose Cyborg awakens to discover the only active Titans: Robin, Ravager and Kid Devil. Cyborg is told that the Titans had quite a few membership shake-ups during his "missing year."
Readers shared in Cyborg's confusion. Following the limited series, Infinite Crisis, every DC comic series jumped ahead by one year between February 2006 and March 2006. With DC's March books, the characters' histories resumed "one year later." During the "missing year" between Teen Titans #33 and #34, over 20 new or returning members joined the team. They would come and go, most only being on the team a few weeks before quitting or getting kicked out or simply disappearing. One team was glimpsed at in Teen Titans #34. Teen Titans #38 revealed all the "One Year Gap Titans" in a double page spread.
The "One Year Gap" New Titans include:
1. Kid Devil: Revealed as member in Teen Titans #34.
2. Aquagirl II: Revealed as member in Teen Titans #34.
3. Dove II: Revealed as member in Teen Titans #34.
4. Hawk III: Revealed as member in Teen Titans #34.
5. Miss Martian: Revealed as member in Teen Titans #34.
6. Zatara: Revealed as member in Teen Titans #34.
7. Offspring: Revealed as member in Teen Titans #34.
8. Talon: Revealed as member in Teen Titans #38.
9. Power Boy: Revealed as member in Teen Titans #38.
10. Little Barda: Revealed as member in Teen Titans #38.
11. Molecule: Revealed as member in Teen Titans #38.
12. Mas: Revealed as member in Teen Titans #38.
13. Menos: Revealed as member in Teen Titans #38.
14. Bombshell: Revealed as member in Teen Titans #38.
15. Young Frankenstein: Revealed as member in Teen Titans #38.
16. Riddler's Daughter: Revealed as member in Teen Titans #38.
17. Osiris: Revealed as member in Teen Titans #38.
The "One Year Gap" Returning Titans include:
18. Ravager: Revealed as member in Teen Titans #34.
19. Joker's Daughter : Revealed as member in Teen Titans #38.
20. Argent [with new costume]: Revealed as member in Teen Titans #38.
21. Mirage: Revealed as member in Teen Titans #38.
22. Flamebird: Revealed as member in Teen Titans #38.
23. Red Star: Revealed as member in Teen Titans #38.
24. Hotspot [formerly Joto]: Revealed as member in Teen Titans #38.
25. Captain Marvel Jr.: Revealed as member in Teen Titans #38.
Zatara Timeline: Closing the “One Year Later” Gap
Here’s a list of major events revealed during the “Missing Year:”
 The Titans aid the heroes during the Infinite Crisis. While saving the universe from Superboy-Prime and Alexander Luthor, Superboy is killed in battle. [IC #1-7] With Superboy, Wonder Girl, Robin, Kid Flash, Starfire and Cyborg gone, Raven and Beast Boy try to keep the Teen Titans together. [TT #34]
As the new age of magic dawns, Zachary Zatara develops backwards-speaking magical powers. [TT #39]
Speedy tries to keep the Titans together with a team consisting of Hawk, Dove, Aquagirl, Miss Martian, Offspring and Zatara. [TT #34]
Beast Boy's rag-tag team of Titans - Raven, Power Boy, Little Barda, Zatara and Hotspot - meet Luthor's new Infinity, Inc. team of "heroes." During the battle, Infinity member Eliza Harmon dies. At Eliza's funeral, Hotspot, Little Barda and Power Boy quit the team. Unknown to the heroes, Eliza's death was caused by Luthor himself. Sensing something is awry, Gar offers his help to Steel in investigating Lex Luthor. [52w21]
Raven and Beast Boy hold a membership drive for the Teen Titans after their ranks have been depleted. Outside Titans Tower, many would-be Titans and current-Titans gather for the team, including Argent, Flamebird, Mirage, Red Star, Joker's Daughter, Captain Marvel Jr., Aquagirl II, Kid Devil, Talon, Miss Martian, Bombshell, Offspring, Young Frankenstein, Mas Y Menos, and Molecule. Osiris arrives to join, only to have Captain Marvel Jr. doubt his intentions. After pleading his case, Osiris is granted probationary membership. [52w32]
After being rejected as a Titan during open auditions, Eddie Bloomberg seeks aid from Zatara, who gives Eddie advice that leads them both to the wishweaver, Neron. Eddie makes a dangerous deal with the devilish trickster, who transforms him into a honest-to-gosh red-skinned Kid Devil. [52w32, TT #42]
Zatara helps the now-super-powered Kid Devil join the Teen Titans. Zatara and Kid Devil both fight Kid Crusader. [TT #42]
Kid Devil becomes lost in New Azarath for two weeks. He is rescued with the help of Zatara, although the two teens are almost eaten by the Phantasm. Following this adventure, Zatara quits the team. [TT #39]
Black Adam ignites World War III. [52w49]
Zachary Zatara aids the magic-wielding heroes at the Rock of Eternity. [52w50] The Titans gather with Donna Troy, Arsenal and all the heroes to battle Black Adam. [WWIIIp4: UNITED WE STAND, 52w50]
Zatara quits the team. He begins a world tour of his stage show. [TT #39]
Note: It appears that Zatara was a member for most of the "missing year," although he may not have been present for every mission. Either that, or he quit and returned later in the year. He quit the team shortly after Black Adam's worldwide rampage in 52: WEEK FIFTY.For a complete timeline of the "one year gap," click here.
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