Zatanna 扎坦娜 ザターナ

Zatanna Zatara, known mononymously as Zatanna, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson, and first appeared in Hawkman #4 (November 1964). Throughout the character's history, Zatanna is depicted as one of DC Comics' most well-regarded supernatural superheroes.

The character is depicted as a renowned sorceress belonging to the fictional Homo magi race, a subset of humans endowed with innate potential to manipulate magic. Zatanna balances her life as an international celebrity stage magician and superhero who often fights against the forces of evil and serves as both a mystic consultant and a notable member of several teams such as the Justice League, Justice League Dark, and the Sentinels of Magic. Within the DC Universe, she is often regarded as one of the most powerful magic users.

Zatanna has appeared in several different media adaptations, including appearing in several television series in the DC Animated Universe, notably voiced by Julie Brown and Jennifer Hale. She has also appeared as a recurring character in the final three seasons of Smallville, portrayed by Serinda Swan. A younger version of the character appears in Young Justice and Justice League Action, voiced by Lacey Chabert, and DC Super Hero Girls, voiced by Kari Wahlgren.

In her original origin, Zatanna was born to human Giovanni Zatara and Homo magi Sindella, inheriting her mother's natural affinity for magical powers. Six months after her birth, her mother disappeared and was presumably dead, leading her to be raised by her father. Growing up to be a stage magician with genuine magical powers and modelling herself similarly to her father, Zatara later mysteriously disappears, leading her to travel abroad to perfect her magical craft while searching for her father In the future, Zatanna has a son in another universe named Jacob Zatara. (Not to be confused with Zachary Zatara from Kingdom Come, but continuing with Zatanna). Unknown to her, the details of her parents' disappearance were revealed over time; her mother would later return to her people, a clan of Homo magi known as the "Hidden Ones" and her father was cursed by evil sorceress Allura that would kill both himself and his daughter should he see her again, leading him to reluctantly distance himself from her.

Her heritage gives her command over mystic and cosmic forces, allowing her to manipulate them in many ways and form. Her chief and most preferred method includes performing magic by saying phrases and/or spells backwards. This variation of magic ("Logomancy"), requires focus in order to used and can be alternatively cast via written form or using sign language in a backwards formation. The character is versed in different variations of magic such as black magic, tarot reading for insight or divination, and can draw power from a collection of mystic artifacts collected by her family similarly to other magic practitioners.  In a diminished state, her magical powers only allowed her to manipulate natural forces (earth, air, water, wind) and objects. Zatanna is also a talented stage magician, a trained hand-to-hand combatant, escape artist, and is versed in several different languages including Spanish and ASL.

Her most significant love interest in both comics and media is John Constantine, whose affiliation has been characterized as turbulent in various stories. The pair first met some time shortly into Zatanna's adulthood, having once practiced tantric sex. More recent stories emphasized their relationship, having first began from a polyamorous one also involving Nick Necro before the pair broke away from Necro due to his obsession with the Books of Magic deteriorating their shared relationship, resulting in Constantine and Zatanna becoming exclusive to one-another for a time.

Within comics, Zatanna has had dated several other superheroes such as Doctor Thirteen, Cyborg, and Batman, whom first began as her childhood friend. In later depictions, it was instead said the pair dated at one point in the past prior to Bruce becoming Batman. Additionally, she had a flirtatious relationship with Flash (Barry Allen), having considered even dating him, and Blue Devil. After the New 52, she also has dated and Nick Necro, a skilled dark sorcerer prior to him turning evil. Within her solo series, her love interests included civilians such as Josh, an African-American and son of coven witch leader whom Zatanna has known for years prior, and Dale Colton, a San Francisco detective whom is also revealed to he the son of one of her major enemies, Brother Night. Within alternate universes, she has also been romantically involved with Etrigan and Sebastian Faust, son of infamous Felix Faust.

John Constantine also known as Hellblazer, is an antihero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. He was created by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette, and John Totleben, and first appeared in Swamp Thing #37 (June 1985). Initially a supporting character who played a pivotal role in the "American Gothic" Swamp Thing storyline, Constantine became popular with readers. As a result, he received his own comic in 1988 titled Hellblazer, which became the longest-running and most successful title of DC's Vertigo imprint. In the DC Universe, Constantine, the titular Hellblazer, is portrayed as a working-class warlock, occult detective, exorcist, and con man from Liverpool who is stationed in London. Known for his cynicism, deadpan wit, ruthless cunning, and constant chain smoking, he is also a passionate humanitarian with a deep desire to make a positive impact.

The character has received a mix of acclaim and criticism over the years. He won the Eagle Award for 'Favourite Supporting Character' twice in 1986 and 1987, and has been listed among the greatest comic book characters. He was praised for his charm and resilience despite his flawed nature. However, he has faced criticism for his portrayal in certain contexts, including controversial depictions of his bisexuality and relationships.

The character made his live-action debut in the film Constantine (2005), played by Keanu Reeves. On television, Constantine was played in the television series Constantine by Matt Ryan, who later reprised the character in the Arrowverse series Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow, and The Flash, and several animated productions. Jenna Coleman later portrayed a female version of the character (and her ancestor) in the television series The Sandman, adapting both Constantines' roles from the comic series.

Constantine has a reputation as being one of the most powerful sorcerers in the world. Despite this, he rarely uses magic, instead choosing to use his wits to trick his opponents. Constantine is also referred to as "The Constant One" because of his whole family tree being somewhat connected to the occult. Many of his ancestors are sorcerers from different eras of history, and have taken part in many known historical events. Some of his ancestors have roles in other works outside Hellblazer, such as Batman: The Order of Beasts, The Sandman, and The Books of Magic.

In John Constantine's early appearances in Swamp Thing, his past was a mystery; his life as a child and young adult was not developed until Jamie Delano's Hellblazer stories. He was born in Liverpool on 10 May 1953, the son of Mary Anne and Thomas Constantine. Mary Anne died giving birth to him and his stillborn twin brother because an earlier abortion, forced on her by Thomas, had weakened her womb. Since he was unable to accept responsibility for his wife's death, Thomas blamed John and the pair grew up with a deep dislike for each other. While in the womb, John strangled his twin brother with his own umbilical cord; in a parallel universe, the twin survives to become the well-loved and well-adjusted magician John never was.

In their childhood, John and his older sister Cheryl lived briefly with their aunt and uncle in Northampton to escape from their father's alcoholism and subsequent imprisonment for stealing a female neighbour's underwear. They moved back to Liverpool when their father was released. John's bloodline and ancestry were known as the Laughing Magicians, legendary mages who have the power over synchronicity and were infamous for bluffing and tricking gods. This ancestry later drives John to partake in his lineage and practice magic. One of John's first acts of magic, as a child, was to hide all of his childhood innocence and vulnerability in a box to rid himself of it. Later, in the 1960s, a teenaged John ran away from home after a botched curse caused his father to become withered and frail. John eventually made his permanent home in London in 1969, rooming with Chas Chandler, who would later become his closest and longest-surviving friend.

During the 1970s, John became involved in occult circles in London. He travelled to other countries and visited San Francisco, where he began dating Zatanna Zatara, a female magician he had previously met in New York City. He also became a fan of punk rock; after seeing the Sex Pistols at the Roxy Club in London in 1977, he cut his long hair short, called himself Johnny Con-Job, and formed a band called Mucous Membrane. Its members included Chandler (as a roadie), a drummer named Beano, and fellow Liverpool native Gary Lester. They released an album called Venus of the Hardsell. John also performed as a stage magician in the 1980s, where he became famous for predicting the assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan.

John's first venture into occult "heroism" was a disaster. On tour with Mucous Membrane at the Casanova Club in Newcastle upon Tyne, he found the aftermath of a magical orgy gone horribly wrong; an abused child named Astra Logue had conjured a hideous monster that took revenge on her father, the club's debauched owner, and the other adults who were tormenting her, but the monster refused to leave. With typical recklessness, John convinced some members of the band and several occultist friends to try destroying the creature by summoning a demon of their own. Unfortunately, this demon was not under their control and tormented John's friends after it had destroyed the other demon before taking Astra to Hell. John had summoned the demon by one of its names, but not its true name of Nergal, which would have been required to bind and control the demon. Nergal went on to be a regular antagonist throughout the series. John suffered a nervous breakdown after this incident, and was committed to Ravenscar Psychiatric Hospital, which he drifted in and out of over the years.

The guilt of Astra hung over John for many years. In his mid-40s, he used some magic and trickery to free not only her but also the souls of all the other children trapped in Hell. As for the rest of the "Newcastle Crew", the incident left the group both physically and psychologically scarred. After helping Dream retrieve his sands from John's own dying ex-girlfriend Rachel, Dream in turn relieves Constantine of the nightmares that had plagued him since the incident.

John first met Swamp Thing in 1985, after being interested in the creature. John later acts as the Swamp Thing's protector, guide, and voice of omen, even teaching the Thing to amplify his powers. Both would have further adventures with each other, such as John introducing the Thing to the Parliament of Trees, Thing using John's body to make love to his wife and father a child named Tefe, and fighting off the Damnation Army from summoning the Anti-Christ. Both carry a dull, but nevertheless fruitful friendship with each other. Constantine even invites Swamp Thing to his 40th birthday and assures the Thing he will try not to bother him again. In 1991, while in his late 30s, John contracted terminal lung cancer. During this time, he sought the help of a dying friend, Brendan, who had sold his soul to the First of the Fallen, the most powerful lord of Hell. When the First came to collect the soul, John tricked him into drinking holy water, which rendered him helpless and prevented him from collecting the friend's soul at the appointed time.

For this, the First promised to make John suffer unprecedented torment in Hell when he dies. Slowly dying from cancer, John hatched a plan to save himself from eternal torment. He secretly sold his soul to the other two Lords of Hell. When they discovered Constantine's actions, they realized that they could not allow him to die, or else they would be forced to go to all-out war over his soul, a war whose only winner would be "the Lord of the Hosts"; i.e., God and his angels. They were also far too stubborn and proud, however, to enter anything resembling an alliance. As a result, they were forced to cure John of his cancer. This led to the First plotting a grand revenge on Constantine, who manipulated the demon via his ally Ellie, a succubus, into coming into a trap; the plan only barely succeeded, and while the First was temporarily defeated, many of John's friends were killed.

Constantine then went on to have a series of adventures and misadventures playing the role of puppet and puppeteer with his signature style and profane sarcasm. He managed to free Astra and every other child in Hell, but at the cost of the First returning to power; also, as part of the scheme, John's worst attributes were given separate existence as "Demon Constantine", which meant he himself could not go to Hell. As part of an attempt to regain his nastier edge, he used Ellie, and this led to her taking out a revenge scheme in 1998 that forced him to turn to the First for help; Ellie ended up in Hell, and several of John's oldest friends left him. John, being tired of all this, contacted God. God appears and the two converse in a campfire. John then tells him his reason for contacting Him. He warns God that if his soul is ever sent to Hell, he would easily take over, and do nasty things such as unleashing the demons and locking away Hell so that the damned cannot enter and have no resting place. John blackmails God to do his bidding, and that is to keep his soul away from Hell. God, knowing of John's abilities, does so, but warns him of what will come next.

The Venice Carnevale is not all about masks. Many local Italians prefer painted faces and historical costumes and lately, even cosplay. The photos are done against a grey wall on the busy streets of Venice during Carnevale and as usual, using only 100% natural lighting. My Italian friends Emy Sabbatini and Gabriele Annovi enjoy doing all sorts of costumes at the Venice Carnevale. I am so glad they decided to do Zatanna and John Constantine this year.

And as usual, a few mock comic covers and a movie poster...