Call it the Sisterhood of the Traveling Fishnets, if you like, but two of DC Comics’ most famous heroines are hitting the road together in an new original graphic novel, as martial arts expert Black Canary teams up with magician Zatanna in a book written by Paul Dini, the man responsible for ‘Batman: The Animated Series’ and the subsequent cartoon series that followed that.
These two characters have been long-running Justice League members, but have often been overshadowed by male characters (like Green Arrow and Batman).
The graphic novel exists on its own and is not necessarily tied to the “New 52” revamp, so I can’t be certain what each character’s history will be. Traditionally, Black Canary is Dinah Laurel Lance, the daughter of detective Larry Lance and the original Black Canary, Dinah Drake Lance. Though her mother didn’t actually possess super powers, she still served as a member of the Justice Society of America, while Dinah Laurel Lance helped found the Justice League of America. (Sometimes. Depending on the storyline.) The second Black Canary does have a super power, her super sonic “Canary Cry” which can smash through solid rock. In recent years, she’s been closer associated with a different team, the typically all-female Birds of Prey.
Like Black Canary, Zatanna is another legacy hero with ties to the Golden Age of comics. Zatanna’s father, John Zatara actually debuted in ‘Action Comics’ #1. Unfortunately, the crime solving magician was overshadowed just a bit in that famous comic by the debut of a more colorful fella named Superman. Even so, the character, who invoked magic by speaking backwards, left an impression and eventually, in the 1960s, his daughter Zatanna debuted in a series of tales that teamed her with other big names like Batman and Hawkman. Eventually, Zatanna (and yes, her full name is Zatanna Zatara) joined the Justice League for a number of years. In the comics, she just recently quit the supernatural Justice League Dark team to join the regular Justice League.
And while both characters have worn a number of costumes, their devoted fans favor their “classic” looks, which featured fishnet stockings. As you can see in the cover image, Zatanna is sporting her famous magician’s tuxedo costume complete with top hat, while Black Canary is wearing sort of a mashup of different costumes. The majority of her outfit is her “classic” look, one piece leotard, fishnets and jacket, but with her more modern gloves and boots with storage compartments.
Check out the preview art by Joe Quinones below!
From the looks of things, the book with establish a back history between the two heroes, as they are depicted quite young here. This has been done with Batman and Superman in the past, so it’s kind of nice to see that reflected in two female heroes.
Will you be picking this graphic novel up? Are you interested in a back story starring these two famous heroes? Comment below!
Source: Comic Alliance
