Black Canary and Zatanna: Bloodspell

June 16, 2014
When her old foe begins killing victims from beyond the grave, Black Canary, a street-level crime fighter with scant supernatural expertise, enlists spell caster Zatanna to fight magic with magic in this snappy team-up of two long-running DC characters. Perhaps paired merely for their shared proclivity toward fishnets, the two heroines nonetheless jibe well together on the page, thanks to a wealth of charisma and candor seldom found in expository superhero storytelling. Dini, brings an animator’s energy to the plot and presentation, adhering to a brisk pace to tackle the episodic narrative, and Quinones (FF) provides a polished and especially expressive style. Quinones is particularly adept at depicting Bloodspell’s comely leads, giving them celebrity good-looks but avoiding gratuitous eye candy—another common failing of the superhero genre. By steering clear of typical pitfalls, the book makes for a pleasing standout and a welcome departure from the publisher’s usual output.

September 15, 2015

One of the earliest DC superheroines, Black Canary (Dinah Lance) gets her moniker from her black belt martial artistry and her "canary cry"--a sonic weapon capable of shattering windows and enemy eardrums. Here she gal-pals with stellar magician Zatanna to take down gang leader Tina, who's after casino loot plus revenge against an ex-lover. The fairly simple plot is compellingly complicated by sorceress Tina, who, though dead from a spectacular suicide, can possess other characters including our superheroines. Dini (numerous Batman titles) writes engagingly, with sassy byplay, believable camaraderie between the two leads, and many sly jokes. However, the villain and her casino manager ex-lover seem underdeveloped. Quinones's (Howard the Duck) friendly, attractive color art gives the stars heft and power, while keeping them as appealing as expected. VERDICT This entertaining buddy caper, an original graphic novel set in the pre-"New 52" DC Universe, will appeal to fans looking for lighthearted and engrossing stories needing no narrative context. Some sexual innuendo but nothing explicit.--M.C.

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