tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538843.post113723958271470187..comments2024-01-02T09:18:23.893-05:00Comments on Written World: Seven Soldiers: ZatannaRagnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00373059673228550524noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538843.post-2941944662065406762007-09-30T00:12:00.000-04:002007-09-30T00:12:00.000-04:00Great post, Zatanna was my favorite of the miniser...Great post, Zatanna was my favorite of the miniseries, and other than Volume II of The Invisibles, my favorite thing Grant's ever done, and probably in my top ten pieces of fiction all time, any medium. I hadn't considered the mother aspect in my analysis, though it fits perfectly. In confronting the dark reverse of her father, she finds a new maturity in herself, she has lived up to his expectations and is now ready to move on and live her own life again. More than anything else from Grant, I'd love to see him write more Zatanna.Patrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09483689490186954593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538843.post-1137471570528016952006-01-16T23:19:00.000-05:002006-01-16T23:19:00.000-05:00Ragnell, couldn't agree more; surprised you didn'...Ragnell, couldn't agree more; surprised you didn't comment on the cover to #1 (all those out-of control rabbits that can't be kept in the hat anymore!) as well as showing it, but then again maybe the point's pretty adequately made there anyway. I was never, ever interested in Zatanna before this (if I thought of her at all, it was as little more than a walking plot device), but now I find her fascinating for just the reasons you lay out. Because she's full of potential, at last! So thanks for pointing out why and how that is. Anytime you have more thoughts on SS's careful construction, I'll be back to read them.<BR/><BR/>And...<BR/><BR/>Lungfish, couldn't disagree more; personally, I really wanted the "false father" thing to come to a head at some point anyway, and I liked Zor and the fight, and the SUM, and all that, so I don't see any mistakes there. But that's just me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538843.post-1137347834251598862006-01-15T12:57:00.000-05:002006-01-15T12:57:00.000-05:00Zee maps rather better onto the Vertigo version of...Zee maps rather better onto the Vertigo version of herself than the mainline one, several commentatos have noted.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538843.post-1137344971880311852006-01-15T12:09:00.000-05:002006-01-15T12:09:00.000-05:00R.Thanks for this thoughtful review. Though I'm w...R.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for this thoughtful review. Though I'm waiting for the trades on <I>Seven Soldiers,</I> I did read the entire Zatanna series, and I liked the ways that GM developed the character. Several reviewers have commented on how GM's Zatanna is not the Zatanna they know, but, as you've written, that's kind of the entire point. GM seems to have asked himself: given the way she's been developed up until now, how can I move a character like Zatanna forward? <BR/><BR/>And yeah, given the punishing guilt-weight she's been carrying due to the mind-wipes and the constraints on the development of her character, I've also begun to wonder if Zatanna's number may be coming up, soon. And I agree with kalinara, losing her now would be a major bummer.Melchior del Dariénhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11710950972039068797noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538843.post-1137305059170142522006-01-15T01:04:00.000-05:002006-01-15T01:04:00.000-05:00Zatanna's part in the Seven Soldiers has bewildere...Zatanna's part in the Seven Soldiers has bewildered me so far. It seemed like each episode was more about contributing to the larger picture than anything to do with Zatanna. I'm looking forward to rereading it with this Mother angle and seeing if it is more satisfying.<BR/><BR/>I have to say though, comparing how stuck in devolpment Zatanna is to someone like Hal Jordan is certainly eye openin. I for one would like to see the vestments of Motherhood placed on Zatanna rather than this Identity Crisis angle of making her even more unsure than all the big wise males around her.Shon Richardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17575804400275943927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538843.post-1137299573780062082006-01-14T23:32:00.000-05:002006-01-14T23:32:00.000-05:00I agree with the Lungfish.I agree with the Lungfish.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538843.post-1137279505216088032006-01-14T17:58:00.000-05:002006-01-14T17:58:00.000-05:00Excellent analysis Ragnell.Zee is one of my top te...Excellent analysis Ragnell.<BR/><BR/>Zee is one of my top ten favorite characters and It's been great to see some actual characterization and growth in her in the last year and a half. Even when she was a regular member of the JLA she was never really used very well.<BR/><BR/>After the maturing and growth of Crisis and Seven Soldiers Zatanna seems like she's really capable of stepping up to the A-list now.<BR/><BR/>I think Zee will survive the trauma of the two big events she's invovled in, but that's just a gut feeling. And I'm known to be wrong. A lot.Captain Infinityhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02043927506160341160noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538843.post-1137264116007385892006-01-14T13:41:00.000-05:002006-01-14T13:41:00.000-05:00I think "Zatanna" is about forgetting what the hel...I think "Zatanna" is about forgetting what the hell your miniseries is supposed to be about, then throwing in a random fight scene with a random villain in at the end to fill up space, possibly due to editorial mandates spilling over from Infinite Crisis.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538843.post-1137244345117009732006-01-14T08:12:00.000-05:002006-01-14T08:12:00.000-05:00I think Alix will very likely find some footing in...I think Alix will very likely find some footing in the next two issues, especially with Helligan's very prominent role in Bulleteer 2. It certainly seemed to me that Alix admired her and might have taken some of her lesson to heart.<BR/><BR/>(And yes, Kyle is a prodigy...and doesn't the one-year thing make Jade look even *worse*?!)<BR/><BR/>Zatanna would be a really depressing casualty to the DCU I think. She's *finally* being given the opportunity to grow and develop in new ways, and she's one of the stronger female characters herself.<BR/><BR/>Also, the idea of sidekicks-as-character growth is pretty interesting. It does allow for some particular emphasis on character traits and maturity that the character doesn't get to display often. (Heck, even Terry brought out some more mature qualities in Kyle). Maybe I'd even like *Hawkman* with a sidekick.<BR/><BR/>Probably not though.kalinarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01417686761943716312noreply@blogger.com