List of DC Comics characters: Z

Giovanni "John" Zatara, simply called Zatara, is a fictional magician and superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Action Comics #1 in 1938 during the Golden Age of Comic Books, making him one of DC Comics' oldest characters.

The son of Italian immigrants and a descendant of Leonardo Da Vinci, Giovanni becomes a successful stage magician and superhero. Originally depicted as human, the character is later depicted as a homo magi whose teaching from Phantom Stranger helped control his magical abilities at a young age. In his adult hood, the character garners a reputation among his contemporaries, rivaling Doctor Fate, and is the father of Zatanna and uncle of Zachary Zatara. He is also a love interest of Madame Xanadu prior to meeting Sindella.

At the conclusion of the 1986 Swamp Thing storyline "American Gothic", John Constantine assembles Zatanna, Mento, and Sargon the Sorcerer to battle the entity known as the 'Great Evil Beast'. The four hold a séance at Wintersgate Manor, the home of Baron Winters in Georgetown, to summon the Beast. The Beast burns Sargon to death and attempts to kill Zatanna as well. Zatara absorbs the Beast's attack, sacrificing himself to save his daughter's life.

Zatara has made sporadic appearances in the afterlife since his death. In the Reign in Hell miniseries, Zatara is part of a resistance movement operating in Hell. As with most of the 'dead', he risks becoming fodder for Hell, where the physicality of the damned is used for general resources. At his request, Zatanna sends Zatara's soul to the Abyss, a realm that Hell cannot touch. In the Blackest Night event, Zatara is resurrected as a member of the Black Lantern Corps and attacks Zatanna. Zatanna is successful in banishing the Black Lantern, but is left psychologically crushed from having to kill her father.

A master magician, Zatara invokes magical effects and casts spells by speaking a spell or phrase backwards for a desired effect (known as "Logomancy"). Additionally, Zatara is a capable stage magician, skilled in prestidigitation, a skilled escape artist, and can be manipulative and deceptive against other magicians.

Zatara makes a cameo appearance in Superman via a mural.

Zatara appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.

Philo Zeiss is a mercenary, contract killer and bodyguard, surgically enhanced to augment his speed and reflexes, and equipped with vision-enhancing goggles and extensive martial arts training. He is brought to Gotham City by the Sicilian Mafia, where he battles Batman to a standstill and nearly kills Catwoman.