DC Comics’ magical heroes are getting their due in Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths, proving yet again that they deserve more of the spotlight in DC’s line-up. DC’s magic users and mystical heroes—among them the likes of Zatanna, Constantine, Swamp Thing, and more—are radically powerful and popular among fans. They also all have a bond unlike any other group of characters in the DC Universe, and when they unite, anything is possible.
DC’s magical heroes are as old as the superhero genre; Giovanni Zatara, Zatanna’s father, debuted alongside Superman in Action Comics #1. Since then, the cast of mystical characters has expanded into a vast undercurrent of happenings beneath the shinier surface of the DC Universe—sometimes literally. In recent years, DC’s magic users have banded together as Justice League Dark with their base of operations literally underneath the Hall of Justice. In the past, however, magical heroes like Constantine and Zatanna were more like “independent contractors,” only banding together during massive events. For example, during Countdown to Infinite Crisis—one of DC’s major Crisis events—a ragtag team of magic users united in the Day of Vengeance mini-series to battle the rampaging and all-powerful Spectre.
Related: DC Intentionally Spoils Dark Crisis (And Brings Back A Major Villain)
DC’s magical characters have once again joined forces, but this time with a tragic twist. In Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #4 by Joshua Williamson, Daniel Sampere, Alejandro Sánchez, and Tom Napolitano, the magic-bearing Green Lantern Alan Scott leads a group of young heroes beneath the Hall of Justice to where the remnants of Justice League Dark have gathered, including Constantine, Detective Chimp, and two distinct Swamp Things. There, the heroes see a moving portrait of Zatanna, who was seemingly “killed” during the events of “Death of the Justice League.” The magic users then discuss how they have long felt the presence of the Great Darkness—but now something even more nefarious is at work. Interestingly, the characters also directly reference Swamp Thing’s previous involvement in the first Crisis, Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Though Zatanna’s portrait is a touching tribute, it’s sad to see one of the Justice League’s most respected heroes relegated to the basement. This stands as a useful metaphor for how DC tends to treat its magical and mystical characters in recent years: they rarely get the spotlight unless part of a team, a team-up, or a world-changing Crisis. The recent success of the Swamp Thing series should demonstrate how these seemingly B-list characters can stand on their own in the “off-season.” In other words, these are some of DC’s strangest, intriguing, and most powerful characters, and fans should be clamoring to see more of them beyond major events, especially in solo series of their own.
DC Comics just lit a giant spotlight on their magical characters during Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths, but that spotlight should be blazing year-round. The unusual and sometimes-terrifying, sometimes-goofy characters have some of the most interesting histories and abilities in the DC Universe. Without the likes of Zatanna, Swamp Thing, Constantine, Doctor Fate, and more, the world would have ended countless times over—it’s time to give Gotham a break and give more attention to the stranger corners of the DCU.
Check out Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #4, available now from DC Comics!
