Sunday, March 29, 2009

ANNATAZ EM EVIG

Back in January of 2006, in my semi-annual "Bit O' Wishcraft" (in which I name some characters from other media I'd like to see on TV), I wished for Zatanna to make an appearance in Toobworld:

Over in an alternate dimension, Clark Kent of 'Smallville' has already met his world's versions of Aquaman and The Flash; perhaps Zatanna might make for an interesting addition to those reinterpretations of DC characters as college students. And since Kal El is supposedly susceptible to the powers of magic, it would make for an interesting initial conflict between the two.

And I got my wish this past Thursday, as Zatanna tangled with Clark, Chloe, and the Green Arrow to boot!

Here's a little background on the character, also from that previous post:

Zatanna was created by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson in 1964, debuting in "Hawkman" #4. She is the daughter of Golden Age comic book character John Zatara and Sindella, of the "homo magi" offshoot of the human race. Her family tree includes Leonardo DaVinci, Cagliostro, Nostradamus, and even the King of Atlantis. These genealogical touchstones would anchor her well in the TV Universe.


The catalyst for her magic is the incantation of her spells in reverse. This effect could be easily accomplished without the actress having to learn the tricky phonetics. Just run her speech backwards, a la the Dancing Midget on 'Twin Peaks' and Walt on 'Lost'.

I also had some suggestions for how she should appear on TV:

I think it should be darker, more in keeping with the zeitgeist of the Buffyverse. Zatanna should be sexy to the point of slatternly in her fishnet stockings; so ample of bosom that there's a threat that she might bust her buttons on her shirtfront.

And because I've been such a faithful acolyte to Toobworld, like a John Locke to its Island, the TV Universe saw fit to grant my wish:

(That's Serinda Swan, who plays the role on 'Smallville'.....)

UnCB!
Toby O'B

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