Posted By Dan Greenfield on Jun 3, 2025 | 4 comments

DESPOP TUESDAYS: The tale of a magician and a commission…

Who doesn’t love Zatanna?

Not an A-Lister but certainly not a Z-Lister, DC’s First Lady of Magic has been charming fans since her debut in August 1964.

Perhaps nobody has been more taken with the stunning sorceress — publicly anyway — than Paul Dini, who has written her for the page and the screen, and is even married to a stage magician (Misty Lee).

Well, our pal Des did this fab commission for Dini some years back, playing off Zee’s Silver Age roots:

“That was the first time I’d ever designed her,” sez Des.  “I added my own little touches. Ribbon on hat, long tie, diamond tie brooch. He replied to me: WOW!!! The piece is awesome! The expression, the staging, the costume, everything. In fact, the costume is so perfect that my wife, also a stage magician, is planning to incorporate the tie and stickpin into her look.

“Which of course was a major honor as I worshipped what Paul had done with Batman: The Animated Series. (There’s a funny story where I dumped a girl I was seeing at the time, just to meet him and get my BTAS book signed at the Warner Bros. store in London… but I digress.)

“Since then, I’ve enjoyed designing outfits for her,” Des added. “In my eyes she’s a magician, showgirl and entertainer who would sell out more stadiums than Taylor Swift. Fishnets or not, Zatanna is always a fun character to draw.”

He’s not kidding. Here are other versions Des has produced starring the sdrawkcab-gnikaeps Sorceress Supreme.:

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Want more DESPOP TUESDAYS? Come back next week!

Want a commission? Buy prints? Buy Des’ comics? Check out his Despop Art website!

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MORE

— SET PHASERS ON STUNNING: Des Taylor’s Women of STAR TREK. Click here.

— THE BLUE LOTUS STRIKES: Dig This SNEAK PEEK at DES TAYLOR’s Sumptuous and Sexy New Retro Project. Click here.

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DES TAYLOR is the man behind creator-owned comic properties Scarlett Couture, The Vesha Valentine Story, The Trouble With Katie Rogers and a new property in the works The Blue Lotus Strikes. His client list includes DC Comics, La Perla, FHM, Cosmopolitan, Universal Music, ITV Studios America and many more. When he’s not working on his own properties or churning out commissions, Des spends his spare time… working some more, hating Arsenal and raising his two baby daughters, Scarlett and Leia-May.