Each Friday, we'll be letting a different DC.com writer share what they'll be reading over the weekend and why you might want to check it out. Here's this week's suggestion for a perfect Weekend Escape!
 

History and magic crash into each other in Zatanna & The Ripper Vol. 1! Written by Sarah Dealy and illustrated by the talented Syro, this collection first saw life as a now-completed WEBTOON series. The first volume finds everyone’s favorite magician, Zatanna, in Victorian-era London tormented by history’s first serial killer. Oh, and everyone’s not-so-favorite magician, John Constantine, has also been dragged along for the ride.

Let’s take a trip back in time to the dark streets of Whitechapel in this edition of Weekend Escape. Or perhaps we should say…Dnekeew Epacse.
 

The Premise:

It’s Zatanna Zatara’s 21st birthday, but her day doesn’t go as well as she hoped. For one thing, her unstable magic keeps going haywire. Even so, her dad, the famous magician Zatara, insists it’s time she leave his show to start her own. And, to top it all off, a mysterious sorceress attacks her father! To save Zatanna, he spirits her away and she crash lands in the East End of London in 1888.

This is Whitechapel, and a serial killer is on the loose. His name? Jack the Ripper. He just might hold the secret to Zatanna getting back home—if she survives his reign of terror, that is…
 

Let’s Talk Talent:

This might be the first DC Comics work for writer Sarah Dealy and lead artist Syro, but their love for the character of Zatanna shines through on every page of the story. Dealy wonderfully captures Zatanna’s spirit in the compelling coming-of-age tale. I’m also a huge fan of Syro depicting magic as a twirl of energy hiding the backwards-spoken spell in its wisps.
 

A Few Reasons to Read:

  • Atmosphere, atmosphere, atmosphere. If you’re looking to add some lovely gloom to your spooky season, this book delivers all the gaslit streets and shadowy figures you might want. And, to be expected with a story about a killer on the loose, there’s some suspense and a little bloodshed perfectly timed for the scariest days of the year.
     
  • Zatanna in her early days. Zatanna is a fantastic heroine no matter the age a story finds her in, but getting a glimpse of her in the pre-Justice League days is always fun. In this tale, the future superhero is learning to stand on her own two feet. She might have magic in her arsenal, but Zatanna depends just as much on the practical skills her father taught her. Despite the strange place she’s found herself in, she often relies on her wits to get herself out of trouble. (Although the magic spells definitely help.)
  • John Constantine. The young magician isn’t completely on her own during this adventure, although she doesn’t know it yet. Zatanna accidentally summons her friend, Constantine, to the past where the beleaguered sorcerer immediately recognizes the handiwork of the Ripper and begins an investigation of his own. Zatanna also has another ally…
     
  • Roz. Zatanna finds an unexpected friend when she starts looking into the murders in Whitechapel’s dark alleys. Roz is a colleague of two of the victims, and she happens to see Zatanna using real magic. Instead of calling her a witch or running away in terror, Roz sits down and gives Zee a sympathetic ear. “It turns out empathy is timeless,” marvels Zatanna.
     

Why It’s Worth Your Time:

Zatanna & The Ripper takes some of our favorite magical heroes from the DC Universe and throws them (literally) into a time and place we don’t get to see them in often. When their magic doesn’t immediately get them back home, it’s a treat to see Zatanna and Constantine using their other considerable skills. Courage, smarts and charm go just as far as magic in 1888. The first volume of the story sets up a mystery that will keep you turning pages—and maybe sleeping with the lights on tonight.
 

Zatanna & The Ripper Vol. 1 is available in bookstores, comic shops and libraries. The series can also be read digitally on WEBTOON.

Kelly Knox writes about all-ages comics and animation for DC.com, and the author of several nonfiction books about some of your favorite film franchises. Follow her on Twitter at @kelly_knox to talk superheroes, comics and pop culture.

NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Kelly Knox and do not necessarily reflect those of DC or Warner Bros. Discovery, nor should they be read as confirmation or denial of future DC plans.