NOTICE! Spoilers for Batman: The Brave and the Bold #20
Zatannareputation as one of Justice Leagueof the most powerful magic users is well deserved, but his powers have historically had a major drawback. However, her weakness was overcome thanks to a useful skill she learned. Without her greatest weakness holding her back, this Justice League powerhouse is officially unstoppable, and her magic can no longer be locked away by enemies - not even a 5th dimensional imp.
The preview for Batman: The Brave and the Bold #20 features a preview of "The Price", a story written and drawn by Ty Templeton. Bat-Mite tries to make one of Batman's rescue missions more exciting, but Zatanna intervenes to stop him from intervening. To get revenge on her, Bat-Mite covers Zatanna's mouth with bandages so she can't speak.
Since Zatanna's powers are tied to speech, losing this ability typically eliminates her magic. Here, Zatanna overcomes this weakness in a shocking way, using sign language in reverse to cast a spell, eliminating a disadvantage she previously struggled with.
Zatanna reveals a new way to access her magic, eliminating a classic weakness
Zatanna can now use sign language to cast her spells
Of the many magical beings in DC lore, Zatanna is easily one of the most proficient when it comes to casting strong spells. The form of magic at her disposal is known as "inverted magic", which she inherited from her father, Zatara. As implied by his nickname, reverse magic can be cast by pronouncing words and phrases backwards. Although immensely powerful in the right hands, one of the inherent disadvantages of this type of magic is that spells must be spoken aloud to have any effect. Therefore, if Zatanna can't open her mouth to speak, she becomes powerless.
In the past, villains took advantage of this weakness and silenced Zatanna to block her magical abilities. For example, in Justice League Dark #17 by James Tynion IV and Javier Fernández, Zatanna's mouth is magically removed by an enemy. She manages to overcome this setback by opening a new mouth, but now she has discovered a less bloody way to use her powers without her voice. By using sign language, Zatanna's words can be recorded and weave spells, even when her voice cannot be accessed. Opponents like Bat-Mite no longer have the means to take away Zatanna's power, making her more formidable than ever.
Zatanna's new ability establishes her as the Justice League's greatest power
Without a weakness holding her back, Zatanna is unstoppable
According to Flash, Zatanna is already more powerful than Superman due to the mystical qualities she possesses. The distance between her and the Man of Steel has grown even further, as she can no longer be defeated by her enemies' usual strategy. Superman may have his abilities blocked by forces like kryptonite or other elemental weaknesses, but Zatanna doesn't have to worry about losing her voice when she has sign language as a backup plan. THE Justice LeagueThe strongest hero is reaching new heights, and it will take more than an imp like Bat-Mite to take down this new and improved Zatanna.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold #20 is available December 26, 2024 from DC Comics.