W.I.T.C.H.

This article is about the comics series. For the animated version of this series, see W.I.T.C.H. (TV series). For the video game adaptation, see W.I.T.C.H. (video game). For feminist group, see Women's International Terrorist Conspiracy from Hell. For other uses, see Witch (disambiguation).
W.I.T.C.H.
Promotional poster featuring the five members of the current generation of Guardians of the Veil, with leader Will holding the mystical Heart of Kandrakar
Publication information
PublisherDisney Italy
ScheduleMonthly
FormatEnded
Genre
Publication dateApril 2001 – October 2012
No. of issues
  • 139 (main series)
  • 16 (specials)
Main character(s)
Creative team
Created by
Written by
  • Elisabetta Gnone
  • Francesco Artibani
  • Bruno Enna
  • Teresa Radice
  • Paola Mulazzi
  • Alessandro Ferrari
  • Augusto Macchetto
Penciller(s)
  • Alessandro Barbucci
  • Daniela Vetro
  • Donald Soffritti
  • Paolo Campinoti
  • Alessia Martusciello
  • (main pencillers)[3]

W.I.T.C.H. (stylised as W.i.t.c.h.) is an Italian fantasy Disney comics series created by Elisabetta Gnone, Alessandro Barbucci, and Barbara Canepa.[4] The series features a group of five teenage girls who become the guardians of the classical elements of energy, water, fire, earth, and air, and protectors of the mythical Kandrakar, the center of the universe. The story follows them as they handle their new magical powers and responsibilities, as well as their lives as adolescents. The comics art style draws heavy inspiration from manga and its drawing conventions.[5][6] The names of the five characters form the titular acronym, despite the characters not actually being witches.[7]

The series was first published by Disney Italy in April 2001.[8][9] The final issue of W.I.T.C.H. was released in October 2012, concluding the series' 139 issue run.[10]

The comics spawned a franchise with a variety of printed media, including both reprinted and original content, as well as audiovisual media. The first two arcs (The Twelve Portals and Nerissa's Revenge) were loosely adapted into an animated series, itself influenced by anime,[11][12] which aired from 2004 to 2006. In 2005, a video game based on the franchise was released in Europe, and in 2007 a soundtrack album including theme songs for the TV series as well as music inspired by the comics was released.

In 2004, series creators Alessandro Barbucci and Barbara Canepa unsuccessfully sued Disney for rights to W.I.T.C.H. after issues with management at the publishing company.[13] As a result, Canepa founded her own comics company.[14]

On October 4, 2023, a reboot graphic novel, W.I.T.C.H. - Il cuore dell'amicizia, was published in Italy.[15]

  1. ^ Altehenger, Jennifer (2013). "Chapter 4: Comic Travels: Disney Publishing in the People's Republic of China". In Fung, Anthony Y.H. (ed.). Asian Popular Culture: The Global (Dis)continuity. Routledge. pp. 66–70. ISBN 9781134089956.
  2. ^ Bellerby, Grace (August 15, 2012). The History of Magical Girl Anime: Sparkles Without Cullens (Speech). Amecon 2012. Keele University: SlideShare. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
  3. ^ "Italy: W.i.t.c.h". inducks.org (in Italian). Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  4. ^ "W.I.T.C.H.: gli ingredienti del successo, vent'anni dopo". Lo Spazio Bianco (in Italian). April 29, 2021. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  5. ^ "Disney's journey to the teen heart". en.tefen.com. Archived from the original on 2 July 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
  6. ^ Locatelli, Leone (April 2, 2021). "W.I.T.C.H. compie 20 anni: intervista ai creatori del fumetto". Heroica.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  7. ^ "Divide and Conquer". W.I.T.C.H. Season 1. Episode 7. February 26, 2005. Jetix. We're not witches. It's just our initials.
  8. ^ Caprioli, Roberta (March 31, 2021). "Tornano le WITCH con un'edizione speciale per festeggiare i vent'anni del fumetto". Tvserial.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2023-07-15.
  9. ^ Marcucci, Federica (April 13, 2021). "W.I.T.C.H. 2001-2021 Vent'anni di Magia: intervista a Francesco Artibani". GingerGeneration.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2023-07-15.
  10. ^ "In ogni fine c'è spazio per un nuovo inizio". Il Blog del Direttore (in Italian). Archived from the original on November 5, 2012.
  11. ^ Cutler, Jacqueline (6 February 2005). "FOR YOUNG VIEWERS; Growing Up Galactic". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  12. ^ "Animators' Hall of Fame". www.agni-animation.com. Archived from the original on June 26, 2020. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference antonio was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference pw was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ "Le W.I.T.C.H. Tornano con un nuovo fumetto". 2 October 2023.