tahW si eht emirP sugaM?
So, I've been thinking a lot about this, and have come to some conclusions, mostly based on the first issue, a bit of history, and this quote by Campbell in a recent interview:
>The Prime Magus is a title new to us, but fans will find it reaches far back into the history of magic in the DC Universe. Also known as “The Greatest,” the previous Prime Magi—Hecate, the Upside-Down Man and Zehuti—were all figures of immense power who had great influence in forming magic into what it is today. Zatanna has stepped into the role in hopes of adding to that legacy and becoming a leader to the Realms of Magic, protecting, uniting and guiding them through the dark days approaching.
Now, what's first noticeable is that, as seen in the gallery above, the Shades of Magic are identical to the prior Prime Magi: Hecate, the Upside-Down Man (hence, UDM), and Zehuti. And the order may be relevant... in ancient times, one of Hecate's titles was Megista, or "Greatest", and when he was later merged with Hermes, Zehuti (or, as he's more commonly called, Thoth) was given the title Trimegistus, or "three-times greatest". In issue #1, Zatanna was given the title "four-time greatest" by one of the people she saved. Does this mean UDM was "two-times greatest?"
But what does the title actually mean?
A careful reading of the story suggests a possibility. On the very first page, magic is given three labels: "Magic is Boundless Wonder. Magic is Unfathomable Horror. Magic is Unfettered Knowledge."
Later on, each of the Shades describes a situation differently:
- Hecate: "I want to help it!"
- UDM: "It's terror tastes so delicious."
- Zehuti: "It has forgotten itself."
And, at the end, Zatanna says that Magic needs three things.
- Someone who can grab reality itself and mold it into something better.
- Someone who looks in the face of horror with not fear, but defiance.
- Someone who is willing to understand it and steer it away from chaos and into the light.
Always the same three ideas: Healing, Fear, Knowledge.
This makes me think... each prior Prime Magus gave magic a different vibe:
- Hecate saw it as a thing of wonder, a boon to mankind.
- UDM saw it as a thing of power, something to elicit fear.
- Zehuti saw it as a thing of mystery, something to be understood.
For whatever reason, over time, each paradigm was replaced when it no longer served its purpose. And now, because magic is changing, Zatanna wants to define it again... not just roll it back to the beginning, but something new, embracing all its aspects.
I'm not sure where she is going with this... but the fact that she frames it as a tour is almost certainly relevant.