#zatara

Absolute Wonder Woman #19 - "Season of the Witch IV" (2026)

drawing a random titan every day: days 21-25

Zatara says gay rights

DC x DP crossover fanfiction

Fanfic idea of Danny adopting everyone. He’s worse than Batman since he does it 200% deliberately with no age nor race restriction.

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“Absolutely fucking not.”

Yeah, nope. No way in hell was he, John mother-fucking Constantine going to let this happen. Only over his dead body, which might actually be the case by the end of the bloody day if they couldn’t come up with something else other than that. And he wasn’t going to change his mind no matter how much the kid currently gallivanting as a demi-god whined. Wasn’t that a news when he found out several months ago.

“Come on Constans, we both know he wouldn’t mind. Besides what else can we do, we’ve tried everything.” Captain Marvel pleaded with the older man as he gestured their surroundings.

It couldn’t be described as anything else other than apocalyptic. A complete fucking shitshow.

Apparently a prophecy of some kind came to fruition right under their bloody noses and they were left grasping straws to try and stop the end of the world from happening. If only-

“Call him or I’ll call him John! Your choice.” Pressed Marvel who was getting fed up with the magician’s nonsense but he wasn’t bugging, no siree!

“Shut up, we don’t need his help! Just let me-” John yelled while buried head first in his spell book, desperately trying to find away that didn’t require him to relinquish the last few pits of his shabby dignity. Or what was left of it anyways. But Marvel was having non of it.

“Nope, that’s it! I’m making the call!” The red glad man shouted over the blonde brit and pulled out his personal phone which looked like it had been pulled strait out of a sci-fi movie.

This caused John to lunge at Marvel who in return floated away out of his reach.

“Are you daft? I’ll never hear the end of it so don’t even- Hey! Don’t you dare, I swear-!” They were quickly interrupted by a black looming silhouette quickly approaching them.

“I hope that you two have come up with something since you’re able to play around like this.” Batman demanded in gruff manner, man looking worse for wear just like the rest of them. Marvel swiftly positioned the dark one between him and his would-be assailant.

“Oh we did have a solution from the very start but someone thinks that we don’t need any help. His poor ego wouldn’t be able to handle it.” He told as he threw a look over his makeshift barrier’s shoulder.

“Shut your cakehole.” John hissed but was reluctantly put in place by a hard glare from mister darker and gloomier who turned to the floating magic-user.

“What is this solution exactly? Help from who or what?” At his inquiry the boy-man hero couldn’t help but beam when he began to explain what, or rather who he had in mind.

“Well I was thinking calling our-” But he was rudely cut in before he could get far.

“We aren’t calling anybody because we don’t need his help! We can take care of this on our own!” Batman turned back to the blond and was clearly at the end of his patience.

“We are running on borrowed time Constantine, if there is any chance to for us to stop this then we should take it since we don’t have any other options left.”

The two began to argue so heatedly that they didn’t pay attention to Marvel speed dialing the number he kept close to his heart. With a dopey grin he bounced on his heels while he waited for the other side to answer. After just two rings the line connected.

“Hi kid! What are you calling in for, did you get out of work already?” A jovial, baritone voice rang out which instantly relaxed the kid-not-kid hero. The all-composing feeling of warmth, protection and safety could almost be felt through the phone which never failed to make him feel comfortable and at peace.

“Hi dad! No, I’m still at work and we kinda shorta need your help. Badly.”

He could near feel the change in his father’s mood and he definitely heard it in his voice.

“What do you need? Where are you?” Came the rapid questioning. His smile never left as he thought how dad always went strait to business when it came to his family and friends. Always ready to help no matter what or why.

“Well, apparently the apocalypse is happening and we have no idea how to stop it… Can you help us? Please?” He tentatively asked as he glanced back at the bickering duo. Sometimes he asked himself if he really was the only secret child there.

“Ha ha, no need to beg, let alone ask. I’ll be there in a jiffy once I know where you guys are. Just try and hang in there kid.” Voice on the other side commented in lighter tone.

Marvel let out a sigh. He knew that everything would be okay after all.

“Thanks dad. We are currently stuck on Metropolis in it’s central, it’s a complete mess in here.”

“Everything will be fine. See you soon.” The voice chuckled and cut the call.

Yes, everything would be just fine. He turned to call out to the idiots who looked to be near ripping each other a new one.

“You two can stop now, he’s already on his way!”

He had to wince at the speed which the blonde turned his head to stare at him. Then came the familiar cursing.

“Fucking shite!”

He merely rolled his eyes and crossed his arms in irritation. He glared at the magician.

“Seriously, what’s your problem? It doesn’t have to be this difficult you know.”

Before John could comment, Batman pushed pass and stalked up to Marvel.

“Who did you call?”

He couldn’t say much before more of their fellow heroes started to trickle in. Flash no surprise being the first.

“Hope you got something up your utility belt Bats, we can’t take this much longer.” Pleaded the red speedster. He was joined by Green Lantern carrying injured Superman and ouch did he look roughened up.

“Have to agree with Flashpoint. Were running out of juice fast, and even Big Blue is out cold.”

Marvel looked at the others coming in. Martian Manhunter, Zatara, Wonder Woman, Black Canary and even Doctor Fate was there, none of them looking any better.

“Well, I’m glad to announce that help is on their way so we can all sit back and relax for a bit. This will be over in no time.” He declared brightly.

The others goggled at him like he made the most outlandish statement in all of history, minus Constantine who has decided to use this small window of calm to drown his headache in his flask while he still can.

“What the hell are you on about? What help? Who could possibly help with this!” Flash yelled out the question in everybodies mind.

“I would like to known this too finally.” Batman demanded this as well.

Seeing everybody hanging onto his up coming explanation he smirked at John who gave him oh-so-eloquently middle finder in retaliation. Well to bad, he would have to just deal with it, the big baby.

“Oh nobody too important, just the most powerful and influential being in all multiverse. Some of you might know him by his monikers like the First Champion, the Balancer, the High King and the Great One.” He said flippantly as he pretended to check his nails, trying his absolute best to hid his smug smile when he noticed Zatara and Fate going rigid and pale.

Zatara near stumbled thanks to his shaking knees. He took couple faltering steps towards the Champion of Magic. His expression mix of reverence and fear as started to whisper as if dreading that someone or something might hear him if he spoke too loudly.

“Y-You couldn’t possibly mean King-”

He didn’t get to finish his sentence for they all felt the change in the air, in the ground.

He has arrived.

Time came to a crawl, the world slowed it’s movements in face of approaching force. It quaked, it trembled, it slithered. Leak becoming a downpour, a tear in reality of sickly green opened above the group, high out of reach. What little light still had remained in the hellish landscape around them were drained as if all the world’s shadow congregated around the opening to greet its master like a deprived servant. Then a figure of black and white caped in light seemingly holy, descended from it. Even from afar they could distinguish their towering form who’s muscles failed to hide under its full-body armor. Their mountainous presence becomes more and more apparent the closer they came. What they thought as wings of pure and white was actually a cape of moving light.

Blazing green eyes as that of the tear gazed upon them from under their moonlight hair, which coupled with the iron grown of flames created figures of shadow dancing across their hardened features as if to praise their beholder’s glory.

Zatara had already collapsed on the ground in utter disbelieve. All the myths and legends were true all along.

“King Phantom.” He spoke in awe and bowed before the king as did equally shocked Doctor Fate.

“Hi dad!” Marvel yelled and dragged the laughing magician by his coat to greet their new arrival.

All of their associates looked between the clear powerhouse of a being and their red heavy hitter in utter incredulity at the revelation. Zatara and Fate near had a heart attack at the way their magical colleague addressed the mythical presence. Marvel had a father? And this horrifying existence was it? What sent them reeling even more was how the king’s responded.

With his arms stretched he lowered himself fully to gather the two smaller men in his embrace.

“Kids! Boy, when you said that you needed help bad I think you might have underestimated a tiny bit.” He joked with a toothy smile as he moved to get a better look at his more-or-less willing captees of his affection. His expression softened even more at the face of Constantine, not the others could see.

“John, it’s so good to see you as well.” He said softly and ruffled both of their hairs, eliciting a laugh from his youngest and indignant pout from his fourth oldest who tried to swat the offending hand away.

“Whatever.” John growled but Phantom didn’t mind since he could see the blush caking his scratched up cheeks.

Now this drew his attention, both of his boys were in horrendous shape and he would do something about it after his job was completed. Looking at the blood willed sky no longer colored by his green and the burning wreckage that is this dimensions earth, he knew he didn’t have much time.

“I suppose we should get this over with then. You two better get back to the Keep after this, understood.” He stated and then was gone just like that.

Now that the oppressive feeling of death and power has left along with the godly being, every single one of the heroes present turned to the two for explanation. Marvel send a pleading look towards his brother, but John pointedly turned away and began to nurse his briefly forgotten drink which was now empty, damn you dad.

Discreetly gulping his nerves down he twirled to face his peers.

“Okay, let’s start with one question at a time please.”

This caused the floodgates to open and Zatara practically jumped him in his feverishness.

“You are a son of King Phantom? The King Phantom? I thought he was nothing more than a myth! A legend told through out several histories!”

As Marvel was trying to dislodge the man he was approached by Doctor Fate.

“I too held the believe that he was nothing more than a story to strike fear onto the forces of evil and to aspire heroes of both old and new. To think he was real this entire time.” He mused, and before Marvel could say anything, Flash barged in as well.

“And what about you John? This might be the first time I’ve seen any otherworldly being be happy to see you.” He pointed at the man who chose to wisely stay far behind.

“Fuck you too!” Shouts the offended man from the back. Even if it’s true doesn’t make it any less rude. And oh look here comes Batman.

“Enough! Marvel, explain.” He demands as he moves effortlessly to the front of the pack.

“Well… you see-” Marvel stammers as he tries under the pressure to come up with something to say but was thankfully saved by the sky shifting again.

As quick as a snap the red sky was returned to its blue color, signaling the King’s victory over his enemy. Marvel smiled widely and even John couldn’t stop a heavy sigh of relieve from escaping his mouth. Good old dad, always up to any task he comes across.

“Incredible.” Wonder Woman gasped, even Lantern had to give an impressed eyebrow at the instant change in atmosphere. And while everyone was distracted by his dad’s handiwork, Marvel shimmied his way to the grumpy magician who was in progress of making his getaway.

“I think we should continue this some other time, there’s a lot of cleaning up to do and me and my bro need to do a little house call. So bye!” He called out with a wave as he was crabbed and transported to their destination before anyone could stop them.

Others could do more than blink as Batman stewed in his place. In Lantern’s arms Superman began to stir.

Ted Grant is a tough old bastard. That's pretty much been his superpower since day one.

One of the greatest boxers of all time, whose name is consistently spoken in the same lines as Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson. He was framed for a crime he didn't commit early on in his career and sent on the run. Inspired by a description of the original Green Lantern and thus inspired to become a mystery man to clear his name. One of many back alley vigilantes of the era he eventually was asked to join the Justice Society, a position he holds until this day.

And it was IN the modern day that something about his toughness came out. He's been playing with a specific magical card up his sleeve the whole time. The man has 9 lives.

(An official portrait of Wildcat from the JSA's website. Which shows you even more how the man is very much always like that)

In 1945, just after VJ day Wildcat was caught up in a magical conflagration between his friend and ally Zatara the Magician and a low rent sorcerous thug calling himself King Inferno. Zatara and King Inferno had met once before in the earlier 1940s on a mountainside in northern Turkiye. The same battle that ultimately led to him meeting the woman who is Zatanna's mother. But that's another tale for another time.

By 1945 however he had licked his wounds completely enough from the first defeat to assemble a small but dangerously fanatical cult around the demon lord Naedon. Seeking a powerful mortal body to pour the demon's life essence into and allow him to incarnate on this plane of existence, Inferno needed someone who was otherwise "untainted". Not a magic user, or a metahuman, but the strongest normal human he could find. Which, from what he knew in 1945 undoubtedly led him to abducting Wildcat and attempting a ritual that would not only sacrifice the boxing hero to incarnate this demon but also transform his body into a powerful lynx-esque form for the demon to control.

Zatara appeared just in the nick of time to halt the ritual partway. It was only at the climax of this battle when Wildcat was seemingly struck down by a bolt of magical lightning from Inferno's grappling hands that the after effects were discovered. While Wildcat DID avoid being transformed into a feline form, his body was able to absorb part of the...mystical "essence" of some feline magical baseline. Granting him 9 lives.

This means pretty much exactly what it sounds like. Ted Grant is able to die 9 times before his soul passes on for good. While this was eventually revealed to the public at large during a battle between the JLA, JSA and a rampant 5th dimension imp named Qwsp for pretty obvious reasons the hero community keeps the actual NUMBER of Grant's remaining lives as a closely guarded secret. We KNOW of two times where he's been seemingly killed "well enough" to activate the ability, one during his original battle with King Inferno and then again during the combined teams' battle with Qwsp. So the upper limit of the number remaining is 7. But all things considered it's kinda hard to figure out what constitutes "lethal damage" from afar when the guy gets up afterwards.

There's an entire throng of folks on twitter who attempt to calculate it from every scrap of news footage Grant shows up in. Trying to definitively pin down whether every time he gets blasted through a fence and gets up groaning and popping his shoulder back in is him losing another life. This is of course complicated by the first fact I stated above: Ted Grant is a tough old bastard. He can take licks that would leave most people laid out for a month and get up with only a curse and a smack on the head to make his ears stop ringing. Even at upwards of 100 years old he's in the kind of shape that would put to shame athletes a fifth of his age and his experience and pure tenacity means that his durability is impossible to calculate from an outside perspective. He has given nosebleeds to men like Per Degaton and Vandal Savage. He once fought off an entire lineup of the Injustice Society alone. And naked, because he was in the bath tub when they attacked.

365 DC Comics Heroes & Villains Paper Cut-Outs

Zatanna

Zatanna Zatara is a greatly accomplished sorcerers, a super hero and Justice Leaguer as well as a celebrated stage magician.  She is the daughter of a mystic known as Sindella and the magical hero Giovanni Zatara.  Zatanna was born homo-Magi, a human subtype possessing an innate acumen for magic and spell-craft.  Along with tenures as part of the Justice League, she also helped found the Justice League Dark and has been a part of the Sentinels of Magic and the Seven Soldiers of Victory.  

A hero of the Gold Age, Giovanni Zatara started off as a stage magician before learning to wield true magic.  He honed his skills for ‘logomancy,’ a type of magic that allows one to alter aspects of reality by stating a desired outcome aloud and in backward fashion.  He used his magical abilities to become a superhero, serving as a part of the Justice Society and fighting in the Second World War as member of the All Star Squadron.   

Following the war, Zatara battled a foe on a mountain range in Western Turkey.  During this adventure he met Sindella, a sorceress from a secluded village of Homo-Magi.  The two fell in love and soon thereafter married and had a daughter whom they named Zatanna.  Sindella mysteriously disappeared shortly after Zatanna’s birth and she was raised by her father.  

Showing a naturally affinity for the craft, Zatanna became highly adept at stage magic and quickly surpassing her father in her skills for logomancy. In her early adulthood, Zatanna became a colleague to John Constantine and the pair maintained an on-again/off-again romance.  Her father disappeared following a confrontation with the sorceress known as Allura and Zatanna sought out the Justice League to help her find him. Soon thereafter Zatanna was asked to join the league.  

Alongside her service as a part of the league, Zatanna honed her skills as a stage magician and opens a highly successful show.  She utilizes only sleight of hand, escapology and mentalism in her act, only relying on true magic for the grand finale.     

Some time later, Zatanna, her father and John Constantine became involved in an effort to stop a demonic entity.  They were able to prevail but tragically at the cost of the life of Zatanna’s father who sacrificed himself to ensure their victory.  Not long thereafter, Zatanna temporarily looked after the young mage Tim Hunter.   

Early on in her time with the Justice League, a group of supervillains learned the secret identities of the heroes.  Uncertain how to handle the situation, Zatanna was asked to erase this information from the villain’s memories.  It was a dangerous spell, but Zatanna agreed.  When Batman discovered this had happened he tried to put a stop to it and Zatanna was forced to later his memory as well.  

Over time, her guilt over these past actions took a great tole on Zatanna; it undermined her confidence and led to a short period in which she lost her ability to wield magic.  Fortunately, Zatanna was able to regain both her confidence and magical abilities in time to defeat the inter-dimensional threat of the Sheeda.  Not long after this, Zatanna and Batman were able to repair their friendship.   

Zatanna and Constantine helped to form the Justice League Dark, a team o magical heroes who came together to prevent the villainous Nicholas Necron from obtaining the fabled Books of Magic.   She has also aided in the training of her cousin Zachary Zatara, a young hero hoping to follow in the footsteps of his uncle and cousin.  Zachary served for a time as a member of the Teen Titans and continues as a student at Titans Academy.  

A version of Zatanna appeared in the television series Smallville portrayed by actress  Serinda Swan.  The heroine has additionally featured in many animated television shows and movies, voiced by actresses Julie Brown, Jennifer Hale, Lacey Chabert, Camilla Luddington, Kari Wahlgren and Kate Micucci.