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Warning: Spoilers for Harley Quinn 2024 Annual #1!The Justice League is DC Comics’ premier superteam and is always on call no matter the time or day, ensuring that the people of Earth and beyond are protected against any new or old threat that should endanger their lives. But one member of the team, the talented magician known as Zatanna, has revealed a scathing flaw associated with being part of the Justice League, one she needs to mitigate by lightly scamming people in the funniest way possible.

A magical swindle seen in Harley Quinn 2024 Annual #1, this one-shot story sees Harley needing to feel and be “normal” for once, leading her to hop aboard a luxury cruise ship for some much-needed rest and relaxation.

Determined to try new things and have new experiences, Harley eventually spots a show headlined by her friend, Zatanna, and rushes to her dressing room to find someone decidedly not Zatanna occupying it, forcing Harley to track down the real Zatanna who admits to creating a “magical double” to perform for her when she needs a break!

Zatanna Uses A Magic Double When She Needs To Relax And Still Get Paid

Harley Quinn 2024 Annual #1 (written and illustrated by Erica Henderson)

Clarifying that the double has “just enough knowledge to perform, but not enough to become sentient and start killing people,” Harley flat out asks why Zatanna would even need to do this, with Zee responding with a succinct “Because superhero work doesn’t have paid time off,” adding “Or pay,” to hammer home this predicament. Saying that it’s the exact same show she would perform herself on stage, Zatanna confirms that she’s technically not breaching any contract, but for obvious reasons, would rather Harley not spill the beans to anyone, allowing her to relax in peace.

Not every Justice League member can be as rich as Bruce Wayne or have a consistent 9 to 5 like Clark Kent, and since Zatanna exclusively does gig-based work as a performer, her only source of income is what events she can book rather than a salaried position or large inheritance. And since the League doesn’t pay their members for superhero work that can sometimes take weeks if not months at a time, Zatanna not getting paid and never getting a break are both perfectly good reasons for her to utilize a conjured doppelgänger from time to time.

Zatanna’s Magic Double Performs Shows And Acts As A Stand-In When Needed

Considering Zatanna is almost always seen performing and fighting the forces of evil in DC Comics, it stands to reason that she might utilize this magical double more often than people might think, with destination locations usually making up a lot of her touring spots that could act as nice little breaks for her, while her other self brings the house down. Regardless of how much Zatanna uses this particular spell, it’s a major indictment of the Justice League that despite their members’ constant efforts and sacrifices, it doesn’t pay to be part of the team, literally and figuratively.​​​​​​​

Harley Quinn 2024 Annual #1 is available from DC Comics.