Zatanna First Appeared in a Surprising Comic Series & Now DC Fans Can Get a Near-Mint Copy

It isn’t unusual for major comic characters to debut in someone else’s title: every comic fan knows that Wolverine debuted in the pages of The Incredible Hulk, or that Punisher first appeared in an issue of The Amazing Spider-Man. But they at least made the cover, which is more than can be said for this DC super-heroine. 

This week, Heritage Auctions is giving one DC fan the chance to own a near-mint copy of 1964’s Hawkman #4, CGC graded at a 9.2. The cover and its caption advertise only one of the two stories within, “The Machine that Magnetized Men,” giving no hint why this issue is coveted by comic book fans – with the price of this copy already up to $1,750 with four days left to bid. Hawkman #4 marks the first appearance of fan-favorite Justice League member Zatanna Zatara in its story “The Girl Who Split in Two.”

The Bizarre Early History of Zatanna

Zatanna’s early appearances spanned across several DC titles throughout 1964 and 1965, all part of a storyline later titled “Zatanna’s Search.” The eponymous search was for Zatanna’s father, the Golden Age hero Zatara, whose own first appearance is a highly sought-after collectible, though not on Zatara’s account. Zatanna would cross paths with Green Lantern, the Atom, and Elongated Man before teaming with the Justice League to find her father in Justice League of America #51. 

Remaining in obscurity for several years after “Zatanna’s Search,” the character would come into her own in the 1970s. Her adventures served as a sporadic back-up feature for The Flash and Adventure Comics before settling in as the regular back-up feature in Supergirl’s inaugural solo title. After Supergirl’s 1974 cancellation, Zatanna faded into the background of the DC Universe once more until writer Gerry Conway made her into a full-time member of the Justice League of America. 

Zatanna stayed a member of the Justice League until the team’s 1987 reboot as the Justice League International, which once again left her without a regular home in the DC comics. She continued to make guest appearances in titles like The Spectre, and in 1993 received her first ongoing solo title with a four-issue mini-series.

Zatanna in Other Media

Also in 1993, Zatanna became the first super-hero guest star ever featured in Paul Dini and Bruce Timm’s burgeoning DC Animated Universe in a Batman: The Animated Series Season 1 episode bearing her name. Predating the DCAU debuts of A-listers like Superman and Wonder Woman, this only served to further cement Zatanna’s status as a DC fan favorite. Dini would also pen Zatanna’s longest and best-regarded solo title in 2010, cancelled in 2012 as part of DC’s company-spanning “New 52” initiative. 

The New 52 comic line placed Zatanna at the head of the supernatural Justice League spin-off Justice League Dark, alongside her on-again, off-again boyfriend John Constantine. Ongoing rumors of a Justice League Dark film, as well as a Zatanna solo project, have bolstered the already-high price of Zatanna’s 1964 debut. The 2020 announcement of a J.J. Abrams Justice League Dark series propelled record-setting sales of Hawkman #4. Although there has been no movement on Abrams’ series, last summer’s Superman confirmed the existence of Zatara in James Gunn’s DC Universe, suggesting that his daughter might not be far behind. 

Heritage Auctions last sold a CGC-graded 9.2 copy at a price of $4,560 almost three years ago. Always a coveted collector’s item for her decades-long history in the comics and on the small screen, renewed speculation over her DCU debut could drive the price of this auction even higher. 

Do you collect Zatanna comics?  Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum! 

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