So far in DC KO, Superman emphatically defeated Captain Atom, Lobo’s arrogance caused him to lose against Wonder Woman, and Hawkman couldn’t overcome Aquman’s new godly powers. Up next is a match-up that even this writer admits should be one-sided.
It's Zatanna - one of the best magicians in all of comics - taking on the incredibly underrated Harley Quinn. Thankfully, writer Leah Williams (Power Girl and X-Terminators) knows the characters’ personalities and made this fight as believable as possible.
DC K.O.: Harley Quinn vs. Zatanna
- Writer: Leah Williams
- Artist: Mirka Andolfo
- Colors: Romulo Fajardo Jr.
The fight!
At the beginning of round one, Zatanna sees Harley and goes to shake her hand. She starts to ask for a fair fight, but is immediately hit in the throat by Harley’s mallet (because we know she doesn't believe in fair fights). This is a brilliant strategy by Quinn. If Zatanna can’t speak, she can’t cast a spell. Zatanna tries to run away, but her efforts are futile. Harley catches up and wins round one.
When the next round starts, Harley starts by antagonizing Zatanna. As they fight, she asks Zatanna if she's tired of being the better person and points out that she knows Z is holding back, and not just by avoiding using her magic (Z’s throat healed). Eventually, Harley’s annoyance gets Zatanna angry enough to win round two with a knockout punch.
In the final bout, Harley continues to irritate Zatanna by mentioning how Z is only known as Constantine’s ex and Zatara's daughter. As Zatanna powers up for the final blow, Harley smiles and says: “There’s the world’s strongest magic user.” And in her defeat, Harley Quinn is happy that she lost.
In the end, we see what Harley was doing. She knew she had no chance of beating Zatanna. However, she’s aware that her opponent can win the entire thing. The problem is that Zatanna needed, as Harley says, a nudge towards the more morally grey side. After the match, we could get what Quinn wanted.
What could be next for Zatanna in DC KO and beyond?
In the final round, raven colored streaks started forming on Zatanna’s face, and her eyes turned dark. If you’re a fan of the magic genre, you know this means dark magic. This could be a sign of things to come for Zatanna in 2026. And, according to DC, there are plans for her in the future. After seeing how she reacts to killing Harley (the first person she’s killed).
Before we get to the future after the DC KO event, we have to see how her next round goes. Depending on who it is, Zatanna could move on to the final round. Maybe even win it all. Considering how powerful she is, being the Goddess of Magic could be next. Stay tuned to Bam Smack Pow to find out what's coming up for “the best magic user” in DC Comics.
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