Sabrina the Teenage Witch

Sabrina the Teenage Witch is a comic book series published by Archie Comics about the adventures of a teenage fictional character named Sabrina Spellman. The character was created by writer George Gladir and artist Dan DeCarlo. The comic's characters have also appeared in various other media formats. One format was a long-running television comedy series. Earlier, there had been an animated series produced by Filmation Associates. Another format was a series of paperback novels (see list below) written by various authors, including Nancy Holder, Diana G. Gallagher, and Mel Odom, as well as a retelling in which Sabrina discovers her powers while in junior high.

Sabrina, who is really a half-witch (her mother is a "mortal", while her father was a warlock) lives with her two aunts, Hilda and Zelda (both witches themselves), in the fictional town of Greendale, which is located somewhere near Riverdale, the home of Archie Andrews. Also living with the three women as the family pet is Salem Saberhagen, a warlock-turned-cat for constant world domination activities.

Most of Sabrina's adventures consist of Sabrina either trying to use her powers in secret to help others (witches generally are not allowed to tell mortals about their abilities), learning more about her powers (either through her aunts or from trips to the "Other Realm", an extradimensional plane that is the home of various magical creatures, including witches), or trying to deal with the day-to-day trials of being a teenager. Sabrina also has a mortal boyfriend named Harvey Kinkle, who like nearly all the other mortals in Sabrina's world, is unaware his girlfriend is a witch. In the live-action sitcom, Harvey would eventually learn Sabrina is a witch on his own.

Publication history

Sabrina the Teenage Witch debuted in Archie's Madhouse (the logo sometimes given as Archie's Mad House) #22 (Oct. 1962). Created by writer George Gladir and artist Dan DeCarlo.^[1] She first appeared in that humor anthology's lead story (the logo then spelled "Teen-Age"),^[2] and eventually became one of Archie Comics' major characters, appearing in an animated series and a television sitcom. Gladir recalled in 2007,

"I think we both envisioned it as a one-shot and were surprised when fans asked for more. We continued to do Sabrina stories off and on in Mad House until 1969 when we were flabbergasted to hear it was to become an animated [TV series]. When it came to naming Sabrina I decided to name her after a woman I recalled from my junior high school days ... who was very active in school affairs, and who assigned a number of us to interview prominent people in the media. In addition, the woman's name had a New England ring to it. Some years later I recalled the woman's name was not Sabrina, but actually Sabra Holbrook."^[2]

Sabrina made regular appearances in the comic book Archie's TV Laugh-Out. The title was published from 1969 to 1985, and consisted of 106 issues.^[3]

The comic book Sabrina The Teenage Witch was published from 1971 to 1983, and ran for 77 issues.^[1][2] However, Archie Comics released a series of brand new Sabrina comics when the live action TV series began in 1996. This series ran for 32 issues between 1997 and December 1999. For January 2000 Archie rebooted the series from #1, this time based upon the 2000 animated series (the final issue of the 1997-1999 series had acted as a transition between the two adaptations). This new title was simply titled Sabrina and lasted for 37 issues; issue #38, published in late 2002, again acted as a transition issue as the series was retitled Sabrina The Teenage Witch and resumed being an adaptation of the live-action series. This lasted until issue #57, published in 2004, when the comic book series ceased being an adaptation of the TV version and underwent a manga makeover (see below).

Sabrina also occasionally appears in other Archie Comics as a visiting acquaintance of Archie, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, and Jughead Jones.

Specials

Issue #28 of Sabrina, as well as the Sonic Super Special Crossover Chaos, featured a crossover with Sonic the Hedgehog, in which Sonic was brought to Greendale from Mobius by one of Sabrina's enemies and subsequently brainwashed into attacking Sabrina herself. In this issue, it is mentioned that Salem is a fan of Sonic and has all of his comics and watches Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog.

Manga-inspired version

In 2004, beginning with issue #58 (in the second Sabrina the Teenage Witch comic book series), the comics were taken over by Tania del Rio with her manga-inspired art and design style. Concurrent with this, the comic ceased to be connected to either the live-action or animated Sabrina series. The comics were then released featuring new characters and a slightly more serious, continuity-heavy plot. The manga Sabrina story wrapped up at issue #100 in 2009,^[4] albeit with a few unresolved subplots. Only one manga-sized trade paperback was released during the series' run, reprinting issues #58-61.^[5]

Stories of Young Salem

Currently, a spin-off mini-series featuring Salem as a young boy (predating his attempts at conquest later in life and his transformation into a cat) is in the same continuity as the manga Sabrina story, and was written by Ian Flynn and illustrated by Chad Thomas.^[6] The mini-series continued directly on Sabrina's regular series beginning with issue #101, albeit with a different title known as The Magical Tales of Young Salem.^[6] This was done as a method to cut newsstands costs.^[7] The new series is partially based on a two-part story which occurred during the manga Sabrina series issues #93 and #94, which was a flashback about Salem's near-rise to power.^[6] As of issue #104, the first The Magical Tales of Young Salem mini-series was concluded, but apparently the comic book series is currently suspended for internal reasons^[7] and Archie Comics has yet to announce the next issue.

In other media

• In 1970, CBS debuted a Filmation animated Sabrina, spun off from its popular Archie franchise. It included shorts with her Universal Horror-inspired cousins, the Groovie Goolies and ran for four seasons, with the Goolies spinning off into their own series in 1971.^[8]

• In 1996, the comic was adapted into a live-action made-for-TV film of the same name. In this version, Sabrina lives in Riverdale (fictional hometown of the Archie characters), rather than Greendale, as it was in the comic books. Her last name is Sawyer instead of Spellman , also it is said that both her parents are witches. In September of the same year, the film spawned the Sabrina, the Teenage Witch television series. Both starred Melissa Joan Hart as Sabrina. The fictional home of the series was moved to Westbridge, Massachusetts.^[9] Her name was changed back to Spellman, and her mother was mortal. The sitcom ran for seven seasons and included two television movies and one soundtrack release.

• In 1999, Hart provided the voice of Sabrina's two aunts for Sabrina, the Animated Series. This series lasted one season and produced 65 episodes, the television/direct-to-video movie Sabrina: Friends Forever, and the continuation-spinoff series Sabrina's Secret Life.

• In 2011, Archie Comics announced plans to produce a new animated series based on Sabrina the Teenage Witch to be released in late 2012. The show will feature CGI animation that will be produced by MoonScoop, and a brand new look for the Sabrina characters. As of September 2011, no television network or cable channel has picked up the series.^[10]

Characters

This is a list of characters that appear in the Sabrina comic books. For the characters from the live-action TV sitcom, see List of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch characters.

Main characters

• Sabrina Spellman: the lead character of the series. In the sitcom, she is a smart but impulsive girl. She acts with a good heart and with good intentions without thinking her actions and their consequences through. The first seasons of the sitcom mostly consist of her doing something thoughtlessly to help her friends or punish her enemies, then having to deal with the consequences or begging her aunts' help to deal with the consequences. In the comic book series, Sabrina is the same well-meaning girl, but she struggles with constant pressure to be "bad" from all the other witches around her, especially her aunts. In the TV series, her aunts are not nearly as devious. Her aunts always know best but Sabrina being the typical teenage character type she doesn't often listen to the advice, her magic seems to get her into trouble most of the time but she always manages to get out of trouble.

• Hilda Spellman: Sabrina's aunt. In the comics, she the more mature and logical of Sabrina's aunts. In the sitcom, she is frivolous and bubbly, constantly checking her appearance and avoiding any duties that she can that she finds boring or difficult. Though in both versions, she is prone to mischief. Also, in the sitcom, she's said to have been working for Salem while he was attempting to take over the world, so the Witches' Council sentenced her to take care of him for 100 years and keep him free of parasites.

• Zelda Spellman: Sabrina's aunt. In the comics, she was the more frivolous of Sabrina's aunts. In the sitcom, she is the wiser and more patient of the sisters and is usually the voice of reason in the household. She is also more responsible. In the earlier comics, she was supposed to find a husband within a year or else lose her powers.

• Harvey Kinkle: Sabrina's boyfriend, a mortal who is unaware of Sabrina's being a witch (in the sitcom, Harvey eventually learns, on his own, that Sabrina is a witch). In the comics, he is presented as being sweet and loyal, but also accident-prone (similar to Archie).

• Salem: the Spellmans' American shorthair cat; Salem was formerly a warlock, who was turned into a cat as punishment by the Witches' Council for plotting to take over the world. Salem has the ability to talk and possesses a sarcastic and somewhat self-centered attitude. He has been voiced in the past by Traxy McGea. In the Filmation version, Salem (voiced by Mel Blanc) is a cat of indeterminate breed who can only meow, and has no other name except "Salem". Additionally, this version is simply a cat (as opposed to the sitcom's human-turned-into-a-cat portrayal), and often plays practical jokes on the two dog characters Hot Dog Jr., and Chili Dog. A recurring joke is that he will spray his throat with an atomizer and attempt to meow, but another sound altogether comes from his mouth, such as a horn honking or a chicken clucking. The name "Salem" refers to the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. He is voiced by Nick Bakay in the later TV series. Mark Host was originally considered for the voice, but had to turn it down due to scheduling conflicts.

Other recurring characters

• Witches' Council: A council of powerful witches that oversees the other witches.

• Enchantra: The Queen of Witches, and head of the Witches Council. Her character was replaced by Drell in the live-action TV sitcom.

• Della, the Spellmans' head witch. A strict, short-tempered authority figure, Della does not approve of Sabrina using magic to help others. She only appears in the comics, and more so in earlier ones.

• Ambrose: Sabrina's cousin, a warlock. He had an acute sense of fashion and showmanship and, in the animated series, an effete voice and mannerisms. Ambrose did not appear in the live action TV series.

• Esmeralda: Sabrina's younger cousin from the comic book series who is also a witch, but has an obnoxious, bratty attitude. Her character is similar to Sabrina's young cousin Amanda from the live-action TV sitcom (who was played by actress Melissa Joan Hart's real-life younger sister, Emily Hart).

• Rosalind: Sabrina's arch-enemy in the original comic book stories from Archie's Mad House. She was constantly fighting with Sabrina over the same boys. In later stories, their adversarial relationship is dropped. Instead, Rosalind is depicted as a teenage witch and is much more friendly with Sabrina.

Characters from the Gravestone Heights stories

• Eye-da: A student from Riverdale High with one enormous eye where a head should be. She appeared at least twice in the late 1950s in Archie stories, usually as only an unexpected visual punchline at the end of a typical story featuring Betty and Veronica. However, she became a significant character many years later in one incarnation of Sabrina the Teenage Witch. When Sabrina and her aunts moved to Gravestone Heights, a city inhabited by witches, ghosts and monsters, Eye-da (who seemed less out of place there) became one of Sabrina’s best friends.

• Francine: Sabrina's ghoulish friend that resembles the Bride of Frankenstein.

• Cleara Glass: One of Sabrina's best friends in the Gravestone Heights series. Cleara is an invisible girl.

• Milton: Sabrina's vampire boyfriend. In the original cast list of Gravestone Heights, Milton is listed as a friend of Sabrina's that is a mummy who is "all wrapped up in himself", while Sabrina's "very vein" vampire boyfriend is named Drac.

• Ms. Reaper: A teacher at Gravestone Heights "whose tests are deadly".

Characters from the manga stories

• Batty Bartholomew: Called "Batty", as a nick name because when his memory was originally erased he went kind of crazy. One of the original Four Blades leader. Was Sabrina's tutor and helped her become good again after using the dark side of her wand. Sabrina restored his memory. The "new Four Blades" have joined forces with the "old Four Blades" once Sabrina and the other "new Four Blades" realized the true intentions of the Four Blades movement.

• Libby Chessler: A cheerleader, Sabrina's arch-enemy. Libby always is trying to steal Harvey from Sabrina. Libby was introduced in the live-action TV series and is similar to the original version of Rosalind from the comic book series. She as later integrated into the comic books.

• Galiena: Wizardress, Czarina of Decree (i.e. chief enforcer) of the Magic Council. She was Sabrina's "boss" when Sabrina interned there for a summer.

• LLandra da Silva: Another teenage witch and Sabrina's best friend. Also lives in the mortal realm, but goes to a different high school. Was, but is no longer, dating Shinji Yamagi.

• Professor Lunata: A satyr who is one of the teachers at Charm School.

• Narayan: A teenage merman and LLandra's current boyfriend. He was given the ability to walk on land by Sabrina. He joined the Four Blades after that to get closer to LLandra and also became friends with Sabrina and Shinji.

• Amy Reinhardt: Amy is a popular girl at Sabrina's high school who often competes with Sabrina in various forms, but most notably for Harvey's attention. Amy appeared mostly in the comics in the 1990s and 2000s, though her character is similar to Libby from the live action TV series, and Katy from the 1996 TV movie.

• Gwenevive Ricci: A mortal goth and wannabe witch who is a friend of Sabrina's.

• Queen Seles: Elven sorceress and Queen of the Magic Council. Was "rescued" by Nocturna and Salem, she went around the magic realm with a "family", but that never included Salem, Nocturna read his mind believing that he loved her, but she realized all his thoughts were of war and destruction. She tells Sabrina what the Four Blades REALLY did. She also tells Sabrina her story, how she lost ALL her magic, and why the Mana Tree is dying. And that she wants the Four Blades help again.

• Shinji Yamagi: A teenage warlock whom Sabrina met while attending a spellcasting school. He tries to compete with Harvey for Sabrina's affections.

Paperback Novels

1. Sabrina, The Teenage Witch (by David Cody Weiss, Bobbi J.G. Weiss)

2. Showdown at the Mall (by Diana G. Gallagher)

3. Good Switch, Bad Switch (by David Cody Weiss, Bobbi J.G. Weiss)

4. Halloween Havoc (by Diana G. Gallagher)

5. Santa's Little Helper (by Cathy East Dubowski)

6. Ben There Done That (by Joseph Locke)

7. All You Need Is a Love Spell (by Randi Reisfeld)

8. Salem on Trial (by Bobbi J.G. Weiss, David Cody Weiss)

9. A Dog's Life (by Cathy East Dubowski)

10. Lotsa Luck (by Diana G. Gallagher)

11. Prisoner of Cabin (by John Vornholt)

12. All That Glitters (by Ray Garton)

13. Go Fetch! (by David Cody Weiss, Bobbi J.G. Weiss)

14. Spying Eyes (by Nancy Holder)

15. Harvest Moon (by Mel Odom)

16. Now You See Her, Now You Don't (by Diana G. Gallagher)

17. Eight Spells a Week (by Nell Scovell (Editor), Nancy Holder (Goodreads Author), Cathy East Dubowski, Mel Odom, Ray Garton, Diana G. Gallagher, Mark Dubowski, David Cody Weiss , Bobbi J.G. Weiss, Jonathan Schmock)

18. I'll Zap Manhattan (by Mel Odom)

19. Shamrock Shenanigans (by Diana G. Gallagher)

20. Age Of Aquariums (by Bobbi J.G. Weiss, David Cody Weiss)

21. Prom Time (by Bobbi J.G. Weiss, David Cody Weiss)

22. Witchopoly (by John Vornholt)

23. Bridal Bedlam (by Diana G. Gallagher)

24. Scarabian Nights (by Nancy Holder (Goodreads Author), Nell Scovell (Created by))

25. While the Cat's Away (by Margot Batrae)

26. Fortune Cookie Fox (by Cathy East Dubowski)

27. Haunts in the House (by John Vornholt)

28. Up, Up and Away (by Nancy Holder (Goodreads Author))

29. Millennium Madness (by Nancy Holder (Goodreads Author) )

30. Switcheroo (by Margot Batrae)

31. Mummy Dearest! (by Mel Odom)

32. Reality Check (by Diana G. Gallagher)

33. Knock on Wood (by John Vornholt)

34. It's a Miserable Life (by Cathy East Dubowski)

35. Pirate Pandemonium (by Mel Odom)

36. Wake-up Call (by Diana G. Gallagher)

37. Witch Way Did She Go (by Cathy East Dubowski)

To be continued

References

External links

• Official Archie Comics website
• Toonopedia entry
• Archie Universe