Zatanna and Constantine’s Relationship

Thanks to writer Alan Moore in 1986, we know that Zatanna and Constantine had a courtship of some sort after attending a Tantric Studies group together. Their brief interaction followed by a kiss took place in Swamp Thing issue 49. However, their relationship was expanded later in Justice League Dark. It shouldn’t be surprising how two of DC’s most powerful sorcerers would find magic in each other. Let’s explore the bits and pieces of their history.

Thanks to the New 52 era of DC Comics, which consisted of rebooting many angles of their characters, we finally got to see a detailed background of their situation. In Justice League Dark issue 0, we can see that Constantine travels to New York City because it’s the so-called “center of the world”. There he seeks all the magic he can learn, and becomes a mentor of a man and his girlfriend, Zatanna. When he begins to drift away, pursing other things, Zatanna and Constantine find themselves in a convenient position to start dating each other.

Even before this detailed story, though, there were hints and reminiscences of Constantine and Zatanna’s relationship. For example, in Secret Origins 27 (page 29) there is a panel where Constantine is shirtless and Zatanna is in alluring clothing, almost like lingerie. The page was showing all the people she had been trained by such as Hawkman, Atom, Green Lantern, Elongated Man, and Constantine.

In another comic, Zatanna issue 2 from 1993 (Affiliate Link) has a dream sequence that takes up a full page. On this page, Constantine makes an appearance, with a memory of their coupling. Both of them are naked in this dream sequence, so there’s no other interpretation for what kind of relationship they had together. It is also apparent that the sequence is a reference to the Secret Origins image, since the scenery is similar.

Something that put a wedge in their relationship is when Constantine more-or-less was responsible for Zatanna’s father dying. During a dangerous seance with multiple sorcerers, lives were beginning to be taken. Attendees of the seance included Constantine, Zatanna and her father Zatara. When Zatanna sensed that her life was about to be taken, Zatara did a spell to have his own life taken instead of hers.

And finally, there are a couple of sweet Justice League Dark animated movies that you should check out. Both movies show how their relationship goes beyond friendship, and who doesn’t like a good animated movie based on comic book characters?

Why They Are a Good Match

An important reason for them working effectively as a team is that they both possess magic, with Constantine being strong in the dark side of magic and having an unconventional attitude towards it, while Zatanna is more traditional and respects the rules of ethics. The difference in style adds uniqueness to their cooperation, as they have to learn how to reach agreements at least once in a while. Moreover, this gives an opportunity for people to look into the opposite nature of magic, where it can also be used for evil purposes, or it might even destroy humanity completely.

Similarly, their individual talents also make them a great team to face and fight the supernatural. Zatanna’s use of magic and Constantine’s deep understanding of the occult join together to create a force that cannot easily be defeated. Additionally, they are both well-trained in trickery and deceit, which often proves useful in encounters with powerful enemies who are cunning.

Also, the chemistry between Constantine and Zatanna comes from the different personality types they have. Constantine’s tough and negative attitude complements Zatanna’s sweet and cheerful mood perfectly. They are the right opposites – black Yin and white Yang. Their shared pasts give them an electric sense of tension and connection that really deepens the viewing experience.

However, it is not simply because of their characteristics that they are great comrades, but it’s also due to the way in which they back up and feel for one another. Each of them knows the power of the other and never tries to underestimate him/her. Despite their variations, both have confidence and depend on one another, turning them into essential companions.

The affinity between them comes from their sense of responsibility. Each of them has a strong sense of moral principles, and neither hesitates to risk their life in order to save the innocent. This heroism is what truly makes them heroes, and when they join forces, they form an unbeatable power that embodies goodness.

Although they may not be an ideal pairing, their association stands as evidence that opposite personalities can coexist. Despite having different approaches, temperaments, and strengths, they manage to complement each other well, enabling them to become a very efficient duo. But what makes them truly one of the most underestimated superhero alliances in the universe is not their differences, but rather the shared past, common ground, mutual honor, and wish for every individual to be on the right side of history.

Zatanna’s Other Relationships

It should be no surprise that Zatanna has had varying partnerships with other characters. For one, she had known Batman from childhood. The implications are that she may have had feelings for him, but decided to restrain her feelings and keep him at a distance. This makes quite a predicament when they both end up members of The Justice League, and are forced to interact with each other as adults. Batman is infamous for his lack of emotions, compounding the problem. The irony is that if she were to have remained active in his private life, she could have mended his broken heart and prevented him from pushing away his inner feelings.

A particularly memorable courtship originates from the show Young Justice. Dick Grayson and Zatanna show clear physical attractiveness to each other in scenes during seasons 1 and 2. This spilled over into comic books, where Zatanna’s open and sensual kiss with Grayson makes it crystal clear that they had an intimate relationship.