Saturday, June 29, 2024

Zatanna: London, Two Nights Only (Book 1) [TrUzApalOOza cardstock wraparound variant cover]

[my rough proposal for a two-part Zatanna Zatara storyline for DC Comics]

In the city of magic and wonder, where the lights of the West End shine bright, a legendary illusionist is about to take the stage. Zatanna Zatara, the enchanting mistress of magic, has arrived in London for a limited two-night engagement at the historic Garrick Theatre in the heart of Westminster.  As she prepares for her opening night, Zatanna is approached by an old family friend, the enigmatic and mysterious Sargon the Sorcerer. His eyes gleam with an otherworldly intensity as he whispers a cryptic message in her ear. "Zatanna, my dear, I have a favor to ask of you. A dear friend of mine, a collector of rare and ancient artifacts, has gone missing. His name is Silas, and he was last seen in the city, searching for the Orb of St. Edward. It seems that the Cult of Mithras, a secretive and ancient organization, has stolen the Orb from the British Museum, and Silas was tracking them down. I fear he may have gotten himself into trouble, and I need your help to find him and recover the Orb."

Zatanna's eyes narrow, her mind racing with the possibilities. She knows that Sargon's friends are often involved in the darker side of magic, and she senses that this is no ordinary case. "I'll help you, Sargon," she says, her voice firm and resolute. "But I need to know more about the Orb of St. Edward and what kind of danger we're facing."  Sargon's smile is like a crack of thunder on a stormy night. "Ah, Zatanna, you always were one for the thrill of the chase. Very well, I'll tell you what I know. The Orb of St. Edward is a powerful relic, said to grant the power to control the very fabric of reality. It's been passed down through the centuries, and its last known resting place was the British Museum. But now it's gone, and I fear that if it falls into the wrong hands, the consequences will be catastrophic."

Zatanna's eyes flash with excitement. She knows that she's in for the adventure of a lifetime, and she's ready to face whatever dangers lie ahead. "Then let's get started, Sargon," she says, her voice dripping with determination. "I'll find Silas and the Orb of St. Edward, no matter what it takes." And with that, Zatanna Zatara sets off on a journey that will take her to the very limits of her magical abilities, and beyond. The game is afoot, and the stakes are higher than ever before. Will Zatanna emerge victorious, or will the darkness consume her?  The world of magic is full of surprises, and Zatanna is about to find out just how true that is...

I am proposing this would be written by Paul Dini, interior art by Jamal Igle, and exclusive painted covers by TrUz ApalOOza.

[Workflow: A series of image prompts from Bing Co-Pilot and NightCafe to give me a chunk of starter images, which I then composed and merged within Affinity Photo. Lots of layers, overlays for shadows and lighting, texture layers for lens flares, sparkles, fireworks, distorted/warped/twisting all over with a large dash of masking.]

Image list:
  1. final TrUzApalOOza cardstock variant wraparound cover of Zatanna London book 1
  2. raw version of the painting (reduced resolution), without final book layouts/logos
  3. front cover view
  4. back cover view
  5. The series logo which I worked within both Affinity Photo and Designer
  6. Letter Z, applied to her tuxedo lapel
  7. and a glance at my Affinity Photo layering panels with Fx filters












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