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A New Look And A New Future For Zatanna? (DC Next Level Spoilers)
A Bullet With Her Name On It, Backwards with Agent Di Manes? A New Look And A New Future For Zatanna in Jamal Campbell's Zatanna #1
Article Summary
- Jamal Campbell’s Zatanna #1 launches DC Next Level with Zatanna as Prime Magus, balancing stage magic and cosmic duty.
- Zatanna draws DEO scrutiny as Mister Bones and new Chief of Occult Affairs Agent Di Manes move into her orbit.
- Forgotten histories, a looming magical war, and a deadly enchanted bullet set up major threats for Zatanna’s new era.
- The series teases returns for Lady White and Allura, while hinting at a striking new Zatanna costume and status quo.
Once upon a time, DC Comics frowned upon one person both writing and drawing the same monthly comic for them. Less ability for the editorial to divide and conquer within the creative team. But that seems an attitude from a previous administration, as Sophie Campbell on Supergirl, Jamal Campbell on Zatanna and James Campbell – sorry, I mean James Harren – on The Demon seems to suggest. And with the DC Next Level, they managed to avoid the allure of the new over everything, and so for the new Zatanna comic, just asked Jamal Campbell back to do what he does best. Zatanna has often outperformed more "popular" characters in the sales charts, and this issue attempts to do what it does best, as well as also do everything better.
As Zatanna is the new Prime Magus of the DC Universe, it seems that she is attracting attention not only of the magical realms, but also of the bureaucracy of Earth.
But for all of her new status, Zatanna is still a stage magician at heart.
The Department of Extranormal Operations, or DEO, is a government agency in the DC Universe, co-created by Dan Curtis Johnson and J. H. Williams III and first appeared in Batman #550 in 1998. And with Mister Bones, created by Roy Thomas, Dann Thomas, and Todd McFarlane, in Infinity, Inc. #16 in 1985, now as Regional Director for the DEO Eastern Seaboard. But there are others involved as well. Just as Agent Di Manes, making their first appearance…
… as Chief Of Occult Affairs at the DEO. Because stuff is going down, and they'd clearly like an in. And we get an inkling what's coming…
Zatanna is not the only one on the block who can do the bullet catch trick…. might this be the new-look Oscar Hampel, puppet and puppeteer? As created by Paul Dini and Cliff Chiang for Zatanna #8 in 2011? Maybe….
We have a prelude to war; might broken histories refer to Zatanna's various versions of continuity over the decades? Talking of which…
We have the return of The Lady White from last year's Jamal Campbell series, possibly referred to in issue 2's solicits as "a ghostly and melodious ally" in "Memphis, Tennessee." The Lady White is a ghost of a starlet from the 1920s who was manipulated by…
…Allura, the evil sorceress created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky way back in Justice League of America #51 in 1967, and who separated Zatanna from her father for so long. And does she have a new look coming as Prime Magus? Short hair? Glowy eyes? Z-labelled earrings?
The cover of issue #3 suggests she might… a Z chestplate as well…
- ZATANNA (2026) #1
(W/A/CA) Jamal Campbell
SUPERSTAR JAMAL CAMPBELL TAKES ZATANNA'S MAGIC TO THE NEXT LEVEL! Zatanna Zatara embarks on her greatest tour yet! As the newest and first Prime Magus in millennia, it is now Zatanna's sworn responsibility to oversee and guide the world of magic. All eyes are on her. How will she accomplish this grand task? How will she shoulder this heaviest of responsibilities? How will she confront the horrors waiting in forgotten histories? With a wink, a flourish, and a whole lot of magic! All-star writer/artist Jamal Campbell (Superman, Zatanna: It's Showtime) is back for an encore with the mistress of magic as she finally gets her own ongoing series! $3.99/4/29/2026 - ZATANNA (2026) #2
(W/A/CA) Jamal Campbell
ZATANNA ZATARA'S GREATEST TOUR CONTINUES! With a murderous plague spirit on the loose, the Mistress of Magic makes a stop in Memphis, Tennessee, hoping to find aid in a ghostly and melodious ally. However, the enigmatic Agent Di Manes of the Department of Occult Affairs lurks in the shadows, biding his time, going over his own script, ready for his cue.
$3.99 5/27/2026 - ZATANNA (2026) #3
(W/A/CA) Jamal Campbell
REGNAD! Downed by a bullet enchanted with unknown magic, Zatanna is in dire straits. Can she survive by tapping into her newfound power as the Prime Magus of the universe? Meanwhile, Agent Di Manes of the Department of Occult Affairs is preparing for his own grand finale–one that will show Zatanna exactly where he stands. $3.99 6/24/2026
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