Zatanna #7
"Blood of the Coven"
Writer: Jamal Campbell
Artist: Yasmine Putri, Jamal Campbell
Cover Artist: Jamal Campbell
Publisher: DC Comics
Zatanna follows a bloody message from the Lady White that soon leads to a large vampire problem...
Could Have Sent a Postcard
Many years ago, in the Arctic Circle, there was a village populated by albino vampires. One family kept a human "pet," a woman named Helmi, whom the vampire known as Lady promised to set free.
Many years later, a much older Helmi lives in the village of Polnattbyen. It is here that Zatanna appears in a shipping vessel full of mangled bodies and a message in blood: "Come find me, Zatanna! - the Lady White."
Before long, Zatanna and a follower of Van Helsing learn just how bad the vampire problem is...
Long Night
I feel like I missed a little of the impact of this issue because I still haven't read Jamal Campbell's Zatanna miniseries that took place before this ongoing series. I should really remedy that.
That's not to say that I couldn't follow what was going on here; I just feel like I'm missing the history between Zatanna and the Lady White in particular.
This issue does a good job filling in the history of the White Coven vampire clan, as well as the Order of the Van Helsings and how the two have crossed paths over the years. So when the (seemingly) last survivor of each group is placed on a collision course, we understand the history and can feel the tension.
There's a strong mystery running through the issue as to just what the Lady White wants, plus who awakened the Father White and what his ultimate goals are. Add to that the various secrets that are being kept amongst the villagers (Helmi's history with the Whites, the Van Helsing among them), and there is plenty of intrigue to go around.
This issue is lighter on the action and heavy spellcasting elements, instead taking time to build the history of the White Coven and Lady's ties to Helmi and Zatanna. It's a nice change of pace, since this title has been pretty fast-paced up to this point. I do find myself wondering when the DEO is going to reenter the scene, as it seemed like they were being set up to be a much bigger presence in this series early on, and then they vanished after the first arc.
Father Knows Best
Jamal Campbell brings us a tale that is less bombastic than earlier issues, but has no less going on. There is so much history of the White Coven and the Order of the Van Helsings here, but it's never overwhelming. Zatanna remains her showman self, although you can tell that the Lady White has her on edge (this is where I'm lacking important context from that miniseries, so I went and ordered the trade paperback).
Art duties are split between Campbell (as usual, he does the "Zatanna explains things to the audience" pages) and Yasmine Putri, who handles the bulk of the issue. Although the differences in their styles are immediately obvious, Putri's work is close enough to Campbell's that the title's visual look is maintained. This isn't a case of replacing a George Perez with a Mike Mignola (both are amazing artists in their own right, but those are two drastically different styles and the first example that popped into my head). The albino look of the vampires is a cool and unique one, and the heavy amount of blood early in the issue makes them stand out as a unique threat versus the magical foes Zatanna has recently faced.
The artists color their own work here, and again the difference is clear. Campbell's pages are brighter and more vivid, while Putri's have a bit more of shadowy edge that fits the Arctic setting and the vampire theme. The magical effects continue to stand out in the style the series has set for them, and the vampires themselves have a unique look that sets them apart from the rest of the characters here.
Lady in Waiting
Zatanna #7 is a slower issue than we've gotten from the title previously, as it sets up the current vampire conflict she faces. I am missing some context to her history with the Lady White, having missed Jamal Campbell's miniseries from several years ago, but the issue does a good enough job of giving context that I am not completely lost—I just know I don't know the full extent of their past encounters. This current threat looks to be of a larger scale than Zatanna initially thought, and I am looking forward to seeing where it goes from here.