Background and production
Upon seeing the success of '' PKNA - Paperinik New Adventures'' with young male audiences, some of the writers began thinking of a similar concept that would work for young female audiences. Elisabetta Gnone, Alessandro Barbucci and Barbara Canepa came up with the original concepts and designs. Gnone co-wrote the first issue of the series with Francesco Artibani. Gnone and Artibani originally created a concept that would last nine issues, but upon seeing the impressive sales numbers, a further three issues were ordered, rounding out the 12-issue first saga. In 2004, tensions arose between the ''W.I.T.C.H.'' artists and Disney's publishing (Buena Vista). Series creators Barbucci and Canepa unsuccessfully sued Disney for the initial rights to ''W.I.T.C.H.'', with Artibani acting as a witness in support of the two artists in court. After the lawsuit failed, Artibani and other artists decided to end their working relationships with Disney due to the "difficult management and company". After breaking off with Buena Vista and in the middle of her trial against them, Canepa created her own comic book company, Soleil. She described it as a way to become "more sincere and uncensored" with her comics. Soleil was unable to secure the rights to ''W.I.T.C.H.'' from Disney, and instead focused on original projects. Canepa stated that she intended to keep all the rights to her comics; she said, "After my experience with Disney, it's important for me to protect myself." Around the same time as the rights trial, Disney filed an unsuccessful copyright infringement lawsuit against Rainbow SpA, the studio behind '' Winx Club'' (a series cited as the main competition for ''W.I.T.C.H.''). In its April 2004 suit, the corporation claimed the ''Winx Club'' concept copied that of ''W.I.T.C.H.''; all of the claims were rejected in August, when Rainbow SpA won the case against Disney by providing proof that ''Winx Club'' production began before the ''W.I.T.C.H.'' comic was available.Characters
The main characters are the five current Guardians (with respectiveSetting
Heatherfield
Located on Earth, this city is the home of the five Guardians.Kandrakar
A sacred, ethereal, spiritual world in the very center of the entire universe itself, where time and space do not exist. In the Fortress, the wisest of thousands of other planets and worlds are gathered to discuss the state of the worlds which are of their concern. They simply observe and do not interfere. The fifth and last Guardian is rightful Keeper of the mystical Heart of Kandrakar, an ancient and immensely powerful crystal orbicular pendant which gives the girls' their ability to transform into their taller, stronger and more elaborate Guardian costumes. Hay Lin's paternal grandmother lives here with the Oracle when she "dies" unexpectedly on Earth.Metamoor
Metamoor is a world ruled by the Escanor, who originates from Earth. For a long time Metamoor, and its capital Meridian, was isolated from the rest of the universe because it was ruled by the evil prince Phobos. With help of the Guardians and the Meridian people the rightful heiress to the throne, Elyon, could reign again. Elyon is the last of the Escanor.Arkhanta
Arkhanta is an Earth-like world ruled by Ari. Ari accused the Oracle for not wanting to cure his son. Even the banshee Yua was unable to help him. With trickery, Ari could keep Yua in his scarlet citadel forever. Despite all this, Ari brought prosperity to his people. Knowing they had received everything thanks to the powers of Yua, the people are both happy and disturbed. Fortunately, after the Guardians released Yua and healed Ari's son Maqui, any threat of Yua's anger was over. On his turn Ari ended his hostility against Kandrakar.Basiliade
Basiliade is the home world of the Oracle (Himerish), Endarno, and Orube. It makes up part of a binary solar system.Comics
Part I: The Twelve Portals
The first saga introduced a world called Metamoor, ruled by a tyrannical ruler named Prince Phobos. Years ago, Prince Phobos caused the disappearances of his parents and took over the capital city of Metamoor, Meridian. To prevent him from spreading tyranny throughout the universe, the Oracle - the ruler of Kandrakar - lowered a veil over the planet, separating Metamoor from the rest of the universe under Kandrakar's protection. However, twelve portals opened between Meridian and Earth, creating a series of passageways for the desperate refugees and monsters of Meridian to infiltrate Earth. The portals also weakened the veil; in order to prevent its total collapse, generations of Guardians were sent to protect it. In the present day, five girls are chosen to become the new Guardians: Will Vandom, the Guardian of Energy and the Keeper of the Heart; Irma Lair, the new Guardian of Water; Taranee Cook, the Guardian of Fire; Cornelia Hale, the Guardian of Earth; and Hay Lin, the Guardian of Air. Together, they must prevent the collapse of the veil and promote justice throughout the universe under the guidance of the Oracle of Kandrakar. The first saga also introduced Elyon Brown, a childhood friend of Cornelia. The Guardians' first mission was to close the twelve portals, but as they found out for themselves, Elyon had betrayed them. It is revealed that Elyon is Prince Phobos's younger sister who had disappeared from Meridian more than a decade ago. After Prince Phobos's right-hand man, Lord Cedric, revealed Elyon of her true alien heritage, he manipulated her into thinking that the Guardians were her enemies. The Guardians had to find a way to defeat Prince Phobos and bring Elyon back home. In Meridian, however, there is a rebellion taking place led by Caleb, whom Cornelia had seen in her dreams for years. They sought to overthrow Prince Phobos and put Elyon on the throne, as she is the legitimate ruler. The Guardians later worked together with the rebels and eventually, Elyon realized her mistake for trusting Lord Cedric. Prince Phobos had planned to absorb his sister's powers for himself during her coronation, but with the Guardians' help Elyon escaped and later battled against him for the crown. The final battle was successful, but not without some losses. Prince Phobos transformed Caleb back into a crystal flower, his most primitive form as a Murmurer. This devastated Cornelia greatly to the point where it would haunt her in the next series. As Elyon is crowned Queen and the Light of Meridian, the world of Metamoor is finally liberated. The Oracle lifted the veil off of Metamoor and light shines on the world once again. Both Prince Phobos and Cedric are imprisoned in the Tower of Mist.Part II: Nerissa's Revenge
The Guardians must face an old enemy of Kandrakar – Nerissa, the corrupted ex-Guardian and the previous Keeper of the Heart. When the Oracle realized how the immense power of the Heart was corrupting Nerissa, he took it away from her and gave it to Cassidy, the former Guardian of Water. Obsessed with her lost power and blinded by jealousy, Nerissa tricked Cassidy and killed her. As punishment, Nerissa was stripped of her magic and sentenced to sleep, alone and friendless, in Mount Thanos for an eternity, only until all five elements-Part III: A Crisis on Both Worlds
Crisis after crisis threatens to break up the girls once and for all. Will's father, Thomas Vandom, returns into her life after years of absence, and his intentions are anything but loving and trustful. Later, Taranee went on strike because she felt that the Oracle is using them to carry out his missions and sentences. A new character, Orube, joins the remaining Guardians on their new mission to defeat a new enemy; Ari, the powerful lord of Arkhanta and they must prevent him from rising and destroying the Oracle. Ari's son, Maqi, suffered from a strange disorder since birth and the Oracle had refused to help Ari cure his son. Angered and blinded by rage, Ari captured aPart IV: Trial of the Oracle
The members of the Congregation are questioning the Oracle's recent actions, and he shocked everyone by putting himself on trial. The Guardians are called in to recall his recent unsatisfactory deeds and he was later found guilty by Endarno and was banished back into his home world, Basilíade. Back home in Heatherfield, Will confronted Orube and Matt, while Principal Knickerbocker goes to drastic measures to raise the girls' grades atPart V: The Book of Elements
The fivePart VI: Ragorlang
When Hay Lin stayed over at the Lyndons' home, she meets Karl and Tecla Ibsen, an elderly couple who appeared to have a connection with Eric's new school. Karl tells Hay Lin about the Ragorlang, a monster that absorbs the thoughts, the voices, and the sounds of its victims. Coincidentally, a few students at Eric's school are getting inactive as if they had lost their youthful strength. The same evening, Hay Lin gets attacked by a Ragorlang and was saved just in time by the other Guardians. Soon they discover who is behind the new threat: Tecla Ibsen. She wanted to be young and beautiful again and used her magical ability to conjure up and control the Ragorlangs, ordering them to steal the youthful strength of the teenagers by absorbing their thoughts and voices. The Guardians managed to defeat her and her Ragorlang. Unfortunately, Tecla returns, but as a frail, older woman, who cannot summon a fully grown Ragorlang. Tecla brainwashed a magical girl named Erin, making her believe that the Guardians are the Ragorlangs and that it was their fault that her brother, Kader, went missing. At first, Erin uses her magic to make the girls hate each other while posing as an exchange student. The Guardians eventually helped her find her brother despite their hate for her. This saga also introduced a strange optometrist, named Folkner, who stationed himself in Sheffield to monitor the students' health. The Guardians found out that he is a Ragorlang hunter who wishes to hunt down Tecla Ibsen. She later regain full power due to leaked magics from Kandrakar and attacked the Guardians with a new pact of Ragorlangs. Despite being able to use the Shadow Heart against the Guardians, she was defeated when the last of her Ragorlangs was absorbed into a box created by Folkner. Obsessed with the dark power, Folkner unleashed the powers and became a supreme Ragorlang himself. He was later killed by the Guardians and was sucked into his own Ragorlang box at the end of the saga, and Karl and Tecla were both accepted into the Congregation of Kandrakar after admitting their mistakes.Part VII: New Power
The Guardians must face another, more ancient enemy: Dark Mother! She was once Queen Meter of Spring and made flowers bloom beneath her feet. But when she became corrupted, she transformed into "the Dark Mother" and attacked Kandrakar with a vengeance. She was ultimately defeated by the combined strength of the elemental Queens ofPart VIII: Teach 2b Witch
The Guardians must find and teach the magical people of Heatherfield how to fully control their new abilities. Oracle Yan Lin assisted them by giving them new weapons to help greatly strengthen and magnify their powers and abilities as well as the key to the W.I.T.C.H. Van, a special on-the-road-school which houses five magical laboratories connected to each Guardians' elements, personalities, and skills. Kandor, a member of the Congregation is sent to be their new bus driver and care-taker. Meanwhile, a new enemy is watching their every move: Foreman Takeda the CEO and scientist of Takeshita Inc. Takeda vowed to destroy all magic because he believed that it is responsible for his daughter's illness. Mariko, his eldest daughter, discovered the Fast World and her mind now trapped there. Takeda enlisted the help of Liam, a mysterious boy that Mariko met in the Fast World and they fell in love, to spy on the Guardians and ordered him to kidnap Will's little brother. Using Liam and William as bait, Takeda lured the Guardians into his lair and used his cold technologies to trap the Guardians into the 'Fast World forever'. However, his plan was thwarted by his youngest daughter, Shinobu, who saw her father's cruelty and had him frozen by his own robotic minions. While looking for Liam and William in the Fast World, the Guardians encounter the malicious ruler Arkaam, the White Queen, who wished to rule all of the Fast World under her tyranny and possessed a deep desire to kill the Black Queen. It is revealed that the identity of the Black Queen is Mariko's conscious and Shinobu's sister. In the confusing of their escape, Liam was killed by the White Queen after she stabbed him with her sword. Although successful in bringing William back, Will and her friends are horrified that the White Queen and her army had followed them to their world. In their last battle, invading White Queen and her army were dissipated by the Guardians' powerful sound frequency. After hearing Mariko's accusation and Shinobu's forgiveness, Takeda forgot his vendetta and rejoined his family. * Beginning from issue #97 onward, most W.I.T.C.H. comic issue is its own story.Part IX: 100% Witch
Starting from issue #97 of the previous saga, each issue has its own story. The Guardians now face their daily problems from families, friends, and school. The stories ranged from facing their first day of returning to Sheffield Institute to finding out more about both of their parents' pasts and abilities. At the same time, they must face several new enemies who wanted to destroy them. Many of these villains included the Runics, a group of five evil wizards who control the dark powers of the elements; and Nihila, the Queen of Darkness who desire to weave and control everyone's destinies with her magical Loom. The series also introduced new missions where the Guardians must assist the beings of the natural worlds; from listening to the voice of the Earth to helping Mareeve, the Saarineen, avoid marrying the King of the Sharks, Orristurr. Later on, the stories ranged from the girls delivering a letter to the North Pole, Dean's parents visiting the girls and their mothers having lunch together.Part X: Ladies vs. W.I.T.C.H.
From issue number 118 onwards, the concept of arcs is dropped. All issues are self-contained stories, though issues 120, 123, and 126 are connected to each other, as the Guardians deals with siblings Lady Giga, Lady Crash and Lady Kimikal, who wanted to steal their energies. Issues 128 and 129 are also connected as it focuses on Will and Matt's fight.Part XI: Magical Sovereigns
From issue 130 through issue 139, the saga has been named the "Magical Sovereigns", with individual stories. Elyon the Queen of Meridian returns to Kandakar in this saga, giving away missions to the Guardians in order for them to become Magical Sovereigns. Oracle Himerish also returns at Issue 139.Special issues
Aside from the original series, the Walt Disney Company Italia had published several special issues depicting the lives of the Guardians and their friends taking places on the side lines from the original canon issues. The following is a list of special issues that have been published thus far: * The Year Before * Elyon: Return of the Queen * Cornelia and Caleb: A Love Not Meant to Be * Core of Kandrakar * Planet Boys * Orube Special * Two Hearts for a Ball: World Cup Special * Christmas Special 2004 * Christmas Special 2005 * Christmas Special 2006 * W.I.T.C.H. Look Book * Caleb and Elyon - Two Destinies * W.I.T.C.H. on Stage * Halloween Special 2007 * Olympic Games 2008 Special * Night of MagicReception
Sales
In 2004, The Walt Disney Company announced that the ''W.I.T.C.H.'' comic book series was available in more than 60 countries, with more than 1 million copies of the comic book series being sold every month. In France and Germany, more than 100 000 copies were sold monthly. In Italy, more than 200 000 copies were sold every month. The company revealed that the ''W.I.T.C.H.'' comic book series sold more than 20 million copies worldwide and generated more than 100 million dollars.Accolades
In 2004, the ''W.I.T.C.H.'' comic book series won the Max & Moritz Prize for Best German-language Comic/Comic-related Publication: For Children and Young People.Other printed media
After the success of the 2001 release of the ''W.I.T.C.H.'' comic magazines,Chapter books
The ''W.I.T.C.H.'' book series consists of twenty-six books; all are adapted from the comic series by either Elizabeth Lenhard or Alice Alfonsi, but have entirely different titles than those of the graphic novel series. Each contains comic inserts from the original comics. The book series was designed for UK and USA release and preceded the graphic novel adaptation in the United States. * The Power of Five (Elizabeth Lenhard) * The Disappearance (Elizabeth Lenhard) * Finding Meridian (Elizabeth Lenhard) * The Fire of Friendship (Elizabeth Lenhard) * The Last Tear (Elizabeth Lenhard) * Illusions and Lies (Elizabeth Lenhard) * The Light of Meridian (Julie Komorn) * Out of the Dark (Julie Komorn) * The Four Dragons (Elizabeth Lenhard) * A Bridge Between Worlds (Alice Alfonsi) * The Crown of Light (Elizabeth Lenhard) * The Return of a Queen (Elizabeth Lenhard) * A Different Path (Elizabeth Lenhard) * Worlds Apart (Alice Alfonsi) * The Courage to Choose (Alice Alfonsi) * Path of Revenge (Alice Alfonsi) * The Darkest Dream (Alice Alfonsi) * Keeping Hope (Alice Alfonsi) * The Other Truth (Alice Alfonsi) * Whispers of Doubt (Alice Alfonsi) * A Weakened Heart (Alice Alfonsi) * A Choice is Made (Alice Alfonsi) * Farewell to Love (Alice Alfonsi) * Trust Your Heart (Alice Alfonsi) * Enchanted Waters (Alice Alfonsi) * Friends Forever (Alice Alfonsi)Original Adventures
A miniseries of five chapter books were produced in 2004 and 2005, each one featuring one of the five Guardians of the Veil narrating her own story in fighting a certain antagonist relating to one of them, or ancient evil being, with her four fellow Guardians. The second book, told in the eyes of Irma Lair, has not been available at either Amazon or any other book stores; said to be the only out of print. *When Lightning Strikes (by Will Vandom, Energy Guardian and Keeper of the Heart of Candracar) *Enchanted Music (by Irma Lair,Graphic novels
Eight graphic novels were published by Hyperion Books in the United States. They were first released in 2005, each of them containing two issues from the comic book series. Included in every graphic novel was a miniature poster relating to the W.I.T.C.H. franchise. The titles of the graphic novels are as follows: # The Power of Friendship (Halloween and The Twelve Portals) # Meridian Magic (The Dark Dimension and The Power of Fire) # The Revealing (So Be It Forever and Illusions and Lies) # Between Light and Dark (One Day You'll Meet Him and The Black Roses of Meridian) # Legends Revealed (The Four Dragons and A Bridge Between Worlds) # Forces of Change (The Crown of Light and The Challenge of Phobos) # Under Pressure (I Know Who You Are and The End of a Dream) # An Unexpected Return (The Courage to Choose and Nerissa's Seal).Yen Press republication
In 2017,Manga
The comic was never published in Japan, and instead a manga based on the comic, with art by , was published by in their monthly magazine and later collected in two Tankoban volumes, upon which the comic was canceled. The paperback volumes contained covers by . The two volumes were also published in Italy and Eastern Europe by the Italian Disney Manga.''Welcome'' Magazine
''Welcome'' is a side magazine of W.I.T.C.H. In total, there are eleven issues of the magazine. It is only published in parts of Europe, and is not published in the UK or Australia. Its mascot is We, a creature from Basilíade. Welcome was included with the Italian W.I.T.C.H. magazine, starting with issue #64. The Swedish W.I.T.C.H. magazine started publishing Welcome stories much earlier, instead of publishing a separate magazine.Lene Kaaberbøl
Danish author Lene Kaaberbøl has written nine novels set in the W.I.T.C.H. universe, which have been published in 2002 and 2003 in Denmark. The first five of them each have one of the five girls as the main character in the order of the first letters in their names (Will, Irma, Taranee, Cornelia, and Hay Lin). * When Lightning Strikes (The Heart of the Salamander) * Enchanted Music (The Music of the Silencer) * Heartbreak Island (The Fire of the Ocean) * Stolen Spring (Green Magic) * The Cruel Empress (The Gruesome Empress) Her next series of W.I.T.C.H. pockets is called ''Crystal Birds''. It contains the following titles: * The Stone Falcon * The Talons of the Eagle * The Shadow of the Owl * The Golden PhoenixScandinavian releases
Books that have been released in The Czech Republic, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Denmark, Poland, Romania and Russia. Ruben Eliassen * Ibenholt Pyramiden (The Ebony Pyramid) Josefine Ottesen * Isblomsten (The Iceflower) 2004 * Den Gyldne Kilde (The Golden Spring) 2005 Maud Mangold *Queen of the Night *The Flame of Clarity Lene Møller Jørgensen *The Pristine Rose *A Touch of a Star Cecilie Eken *The Wells of Fog *The Storms of WindmorAudiovisual media
TV series
Video game
Soundtrack
A soundtrack album for the series was released in 2007: ''Music From and Inspired By W.I.T.C.H.'' Among other tracks inspired by the series, it includes full-length renditions of the first international TV series theme as well as the US version. The song "The Power of Five" by Jillian Escobosa was used for promotional material and official websites prior to the TV series' launch. An officialReferences
{{Disney franchises Comics adapted into animated series Comics adapted into video games Disney Publishing Worldwide Italian comics titles Yen Press titles