W.I.T.C.H.

*W.I.T.C.H.*
W.I.T.C.H.
	File:Witchcover.jpg The first W.I.T.C.H. graphic novel
Publication information
Publisher	Disney
Schedule	Monthly
Format	ongoing
Publication date	April 2001 ~ present
Main character(s)	Will Vandom; Irma Lair; Taranee Cook; Cornelia Hale; Hay Lin; Orube
Creative team
Written by	Elisabetta Gnone
Penciller(s)	Alessandro Barbucci, Donald Soffritti, etc.

For American feminist organisation formed in 1968, see W.I.T.C.H. (organisation)

This is about the W.I.T.C.H. comic book series. For animated version of this series, see W.I.T.C.H. (animated series).

In W.I.T.C.H., five teenage girls are chosen to be the new Guardians of Kandrakar, who protect the center of the universe from people and creatures who wish to cause harm to it. For this purpose, they have been given powers over the five elements. W.I.T.C.H. considers itself a fantasy comic, although it also relates to the superhero genre in the sense that the girls are using super powers to fight otherworldly threats while trying to lead a normal life.

W.I.T.C.H. is currently being published in over fifty countries and translated into over twenty different languages around the world. It is currently the most purchased comic in the world.

For reasons unknown, the comic was never published in Japan, and instead a manga based on the comic was created, which was cancelled after only two volumes. In the beginning, America only had chapter books which were also adapted from the comic. In 2005, graphic novels (containing two issues each) began being released with only a bit of nudity censored.

Lene Kaaberbøl has written nine books taking place in the W.I.T.C.H. universe, published 2002-2003 [1]. (In America, these books are also published.)

Characters

Guardians of Kandrakar

Will Vandom - red hair, brown eyes, she is 14 years old. Her birthday is January 19, making her a Capricorn. She is in class 3a at Sheffield Institute. Leader of W.I.T.C.H. and keeper of the Heart of Kandrakar, which allows the girls to magnify their powers. She first came to Heatherfield after leaving her hometown of Fadden Hills. Will has issues with trusting people because she is scared of being let down. She is a bit of a tomboy, but is also sensitive towards other people. Will didn't trust the other girls at first, because her former friends talked about her behind her back, but she soon began to trust her teammates through friendship. Her favorite animal is the frog, and she used to have a dormouse, but it was ran over by a car and could not be saved. She excels at biology and swimming, and loves caring for animals. Her powers include giving life to appliances, which allows them distinct personalities and the ability to speak; animals are empathetic to her feelings and she can understand them. She has the ability to teleport people wherever she wants and can sense strange phenomena. Will lives with her divorced mother and her father left them when she was only a baby. Her theme color is fuchsia (pink) and her symbol is an orange equal sign. Her big crush is Matt Olsen.

Will shares quite a few traits with "fellow witch" Willow Rosenberg from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, particularly as she (Willow) is depicted in seasons 1-4. Apart from having similar names, they are both small of stature, have shoulder-length red hair, like to wear bib-and-brace overalls and possess a somewhat tomboyish, but still feminine, charm. This may be mere coincidence, but it is notable nonetheless.

Irma Lair - Light brown hair, blue eyes. Birthday is March 13 (Pisces); Irma is 13, class 2b. Funny, unpredictable, and always late, Irma is a bit sassy and has a distinct personality. She is always late for events and can be found using her powers for personal gain rather than the good of humanity. She owns a pet turtle, Leafy, who is the only one in the world to know her deepest secrets. She loves shopping, rock music, making up nicknames for her friends, and indulging in long baths and showers. Her powers include intuition and manipulating water to do her bidding. She lives with her father, who is a police officer, and her step-mother, Anna, who she often finds herself at arms with. She also has a younger brother, Chris, who annoys her to no end. Her theme color is turqoise (blue) and her symbol is a blue wave crest. Irma is crazy about boys, and her crush is varied every week. Martin Tubbs thinks Irma likes him, but really, he is just an annoyance to her.

Taranee Cook-- blue hair, brown eyes. Birthday is March 23 (Aries) Taranee is 13, class 2b. She may be shy and laid-back, but Taranee can be very determined when she sets her mind to a goal. Out of all her friends, she is usually the one that has to remind every one about an important task at hand. Her hobbies include basketball, photography, listening to classical music, and even math. Her powers include bending fire to her will and being able to communicate with people telepathically. She is very close to her family, which consists of her mother, father, and older brother Peter who is very nice to her. Though she is shy and somewhat sensitive, Taranee gets extremely annoyed when someone hurts her feelings and she becomes dangerous after it happens. Her theme color is orange and her symbol is a red triangle. Her big crush is Nigel Ashcroft, and she does go out with him later on.

Cornelia Hale- long blonde hair, blue eyes. Birthday is May 10 (Taurus); she's 14, class 3a. Cornelia comes off as tough and overconfident, but buried deep within her is a romantic girl begging to be released. She is a competitive ice-skater and has won numerous medals for her achievements on the ice. Her best friend is Elyon Brown and she owns a cat named Napoleon which she received from Will. She can manipulate and speak with the Earth,make plants and flowers grow big and tall, and move objects with her mind (telekinesis). Cornelia can also be extremely cold. She makes Will cry a few times, questions her position as leader, and she often argues with Irma and Will, though she does open up at times. She has a younger sister, Lilian, who is a big pain in her neck. Her theme color is green and her symbol is a circle with a dot in the center. Caleb is her true love ; they had dreams about each other before meeting in person.

Hay Lin - black hair, light brown eyes. Birthday is June 4 (Gemini); she's 13, class 2b. Hay Lin is cheerful, creative, and always full of energy. Her family owns a Chinese restaurant called the Silver Dragon where she often works to help out. Her favorite thing to do is draw and her favourite subject is art. Hay Lin loves to collect comics and alien collectables. She can always be seen writing on her hand so she won't forget important things like names, dates, and numbers. Her powers include the control over air, the ability to fly, and being able to recall the past by the use of sound, . Her theme color is silver and her symbol is a light blue swirl. Her grandmother, Yan Lin, was the previous Guardian of Air. Eric Lyndon is her new crush. She met him while rollarblading shakily, and her purse got caught on his electric scooter's handlebars.

Orube - An indigo-haired female warrior who was trained since birth to be a destructive warrior. She bears some feline

- features. Unlike the other Guardians, she originates from the planet Basiliade. Assuming the name of Rebecca Rudolph and posing as a college student, she lives on Earth with the other girls and has a bad case of culture shock when it comes to fitting in with humans. She controls no elemental powers, but is an expert in martial arts and is able to conjure up small blasts of energy from her hands. She has an advanced form of smell and hearing which she uses to track her prey and has amazing agility, strength, and reflexes. She also has the miraculous sense of receiving radio signals. Orube is very good with pets, and this ability enables her to apply for job in Matt Olsen's grandfather's pet shop. In the later chapters she falls in love with Cedric.

The boys

Matt Olsen - He sings and plays guitar for his band “Cobalt Blue”. He works part-time at his grandfather’s pet store along with Will and shares the same interest in animals as she does. He is strong, kind, and a bit laid-back. He finds Will a bit strange, but also has feelings for her and has a hard time admitting them. His grandfather owns a pet shop.

Martin Tubbs - Honor student and totally dependent on his glasses, Martin is what most people would call a nerd. Despite this, he has proven himself to be brave when he stood up to Uriah and his gang. He is madly in love with Irma, who only views him as a friend. He is a member of the Happy Bears, a boy-and- girl-scout group located in Heatherfield. He is good friends with Nigel.

Andrew Hornby - Andrew Horby is Irma's real crush; tall, handsome, and popular. She has tried to flirt with him by making her body look more mature using her magic, but that backfired when she turned him into a toad for a few days out of nervousness when he tried to kiss her.

Nigel Ashcroft - Silent and reflective, Nigel is viewed as a hoodlum by Taranee’s mother, who does not trust him with her daughter since he was once part of Uriah’s gang. He tries his best to prove himself to Taranee and her family that his feelings are pure and of good intentions. He is good friends with Martin. He has an older brother who holds a grudge against Taranee's mother.

Caleb - Once a Murmurer conjured up by Phobos to do his bidding, Caleb developed a will of his own and broke free of Phobos’ control. He became the leader of the rebel forces who were opposed to Phobos' rule and has quickly gained popularity in Meridian.

Rick Fortwort - Handsome, popular, and with an ego to match, Cornelia met Rick when she partook in the exchange program with Redstone Institute. Their first encounter was anything but pleasant; in fact, she purposely beaned him in the head with a frisbee after he tried to kiss her. But since then, Cornelia has been growing more and more interested in the exotic young man from another country. Although she has feelings for him, she tried to keep it a secret from the other girls due to her relationship with Caleb.

Peter Cook - Peter is Taranee's older brother. He is very kind and wholesome and loves to spend time with his family. On his free time he loves playing basketball, surfing, and other sports that require physical endurance. Despite Cornelia being in love with Caleb, she can not help but find Peter cute; which makes being around him uncomfortable for her, so she tries to avoid him at all costs. When that fails, she often tries not to start any conversations with him.

Eric Lyndon - Hay Lin's new crush. A new boy in town, Eric lives at the Heatherfield Observatory with his grandfather, Zachary Lyndon, who is an astronomer. He is crazy about science and technology and his brain is bursting with imagination, which is no wonder he has grown so attached to Hay Lin. He owns an electric scooter and loves to play basketball with Nigel and the other boys. His mother and father are named Louise and Charles; Hay Lin met them when she spilled soup on them! Louise and Charles travel to an island in the middle of the ocean.

Council of Kandrakar

The Oracle - The being who gave the girls their powers. He is literally the God of the universe and has unimaginable powers. It can be argued that he rules the element of Spirit. After being banished to Basiliade and having his title as Oracle renounced by Endarno, he lives peacefully under the name Himerish. He is allowed to return later, but his experience as a mortal made him much more human and friendlier towards the Guardians.

Tibor - The Oracle's faithful advisor who believes 100% in the Oracle's abilities. He often argues with Luba. Irma said once when they visted Kandrakar, that Tibor looked like Santa Claus.

Yan Lin - Hay Lin's grandmother and a member of the Kandrakar Council. She offers advice and words of wisdom to the girls when they need it. She was the previous Guardian of Air and the only ex-Guardian to remain faithful to the Oracle, which disappoints him.

Luba - The first keeper of the Aurameres. She is against the Oracle's decision of giving the job of Guardianship to young, inexperienced Earth teenagers. She caused a lot of trouble for the girls by fusing the Auramere together on purpose. She was then put on trial. During the Guardians' battle against Nerissa, it is revealed that Nerissa used Luba for her plans. Luba also sacrifices her immortality for the Guardians.

Caleb - The Herald of Kandrakar, also Aylin's boyfriend.

Ex-Guardians

Kadma - a tanned/black haired woman, the past Guardian of Earth. She and Halinor were banished from Kandrakar for questioning the Oracle's power when Nerissa killed Cassidy out of envy; if he knew what was going to happen, why did he entrust the Heart to Cassidy? She is secretly guiding Will through the Rising Star Foundation in Fadden Hills. With the little power of Earth she has left, Kadma continues her favorite hobby - gardening.

Halinor - a blonde haired woman, past Guardian of Fire, now deceased. She kept a diary that contained information on the Star of Cassidy. Like Kadma, Halinor was a part of the Rising Star Foundation.

Cassidy - Russet haired woman, past Guardian of Water. She was entrusted with the Heart after Nerissa's betrayal, but was later killed by Nerissa in retaliation. Cassidy's star appeared at Will's birth and she later makes a spiritual connection with Will.

Yan Lin - Hay Lin's grandmother, who was once extremely good friends with Nerissa and Cassidy. She had powers to sense evil and was a telepath. Now a member of the council of Kandrakar, Yan Lin watches over the new Guardians in the temple.

Villains

Part I villains

Prince Phobos - Sly, arrogant and ruthless, Phobos rules as prince over Meridian while searching for his sister to rule with him. He spends most of his time in the confines of his castle, which is surrounded by a field of poisonous black roses. He communicates with the public mostly through his Murmurers (beings that he has conjured himself from flowers), only granting auditions to those he deems worthy to see his face. Having drained Metamoor nearly dry of its magic, he seeks to move on to other worlds and dimensions. To counter this, the Oracle of Candracar set up a barrier around Metamoor to separate it from the rest of the universe. Phobos' devious plan is to absorb the immense magical powers of his long-lost sister, Elyon-killing her- and thus incite the denizens of Meridian to tear down the barrier. The only ones standing in his way are the five Guardians of Kandrakar.

On a side note, the word "phobos" means "fear" in Greek language. This is indeed a fitting name for this villain, who does not hesitate to use dread to his advantage. Late in the series, after a recent and resounding defeat, he even manages to materialize on Earth and affect the Guardians physically by drawing on the almost subconcious fear the prospect of his return inspires in them. Phobos himself appears to be plagued by fear and insecurity, as hinted at by his cowardly ways and obsession with gaining power.

Cedric - Faithful lieutenant in Prince Phobos’ army, he was entrusted with the task of finding Phobos’ lost sister, Elyon. To this end, Cedric opened "Ye Olde Book Shop" on Earth, from where he could plan his tactics to defeat the five Guardians. The shop also held a secret portal which Cedric used to travel back and forth between Meridian and Heatherfield. He serves under Phobos in the hopes that he will one day be granted the honor of becoming a Murmerer in Phobos’ garden and allowed to drink from the legendary Black Spring. Despite his orders to deceive Elyon, he felt a certain affection for her.

When Endarno assumes the position as Oracle in the fourth arc, the imprisoned Cedric believes he has met a kindred spirit, since the new Oracle displays manners similar to those of Phobos.

Later still, Cedric is sent back to Earth and his occupation at the book shop. Although stripped of his powers, he still manages to threaten the Guardians in insidious ways. He later falls in love with Orube.

Cedric has been stated to be a personification of lies and deceit, which is less-than-subtly reflected in his true form - an amalgamation of serpent and human.

Frost the Hunter - Foremost among Phobos’ warriors and a formidable tracker, Frost had never lost a battle prior to his defeat at the hands of the five Guardians. Since then, Frost has sworn revenge and has been devising plans on how to best destroy them. In combat, he rides a large, green, rhinoceros-like mount named Crimson and wields a magical blade that can deflect enemy spells and fire energy blasts at his opponents. In the beginning of the second part he appeared on Earth, stalking Taranee. After he failed to take revenge on the Guardians he was imprisoned in the Tower of Mists alongside Phobos and Cedric.

Elyon Brown (Elyon Portrait in the original Italian version) - sandy blonde hair, light blue eyes. Her birthday is October 31 (Scorpio), she is 14 years old and she is in class 4a. Like Hay Lin, Elyon's passion is art. Shy and a bit naive, Elyon is really a long-lost princess: the Light of Meridian (located in the world known as Metamoor), a savior position exclusive to the females of the Royal Family. The name Elyon can be interpreted as a Hebrew language term for "the highest". Her adoptive parents, known as Eleanor (Miriadel, captain of the Meridian army) and Thomas (Alborn, commander of the royal guard) Brown, took her to Earth when she was just a baby to escape Phobos' sinister plans for her. Her best friend is Cornelia, who is also the only one who believed in her after she betrayed the girls and tried to kill them while under Cedric’s influence.In a clasmatic battle with her brother she is rightfully restored to the throne. Her power is Matter; her symbol is a green and white circle with triangles (the Seal of Meridian's royalty). She is currently ruling over Meridian along with Vathek and (later) Caleb as her advisors.

Part II villains

Nerissa - The previous keeper of the Heart of Kandrakar, Nerissa was consumed by the immense power the heart gave her and eventually began to descend into evil. The Oracle sensed this and eventually decided that she was no longer fit to keep the Heart. When he entrusted it to Cassidy (who was then the Guardian of Water), it drove Nerissa over the edge. Mad with jealousy, she turned on her fellow guardians and killed Cassidy. When she was defeated, she was sentenced to be sealed in a sarcophagus located in Mount Thanos until the day all of the Aurameres were joined together. That eventually came to pass through the efforts of Luba, who was convinced that the girls were unworthy of their status as Guardians. Awakened from her slumber, Nerissa rejuvenated her withered body and created the Four Knights of Revenge, declaring war against Kandrakar.

One of Nerissa's more insidious powers is her ability to influence the girls' dreams, turning them into nightmares. The dreams may occasionally affect the physical world as well. At the beginning of the second arc, Will's arm is branded with Nerissa's special seal (shaped like the Heart of Kandrakar, but with two scar-like lines crossing it) during a dream.It is implied that Hay Lin is less susceptible to these fiendish assaults, since her grandmother, Yan Lin, shared a "special bond" with Nerissa before their group was dispersed. One sequence sees the team confronting their tormentor in the so-called "World of Nightmares", entering a "mutual dream" by going to sleep in the same room. This is another episode which stresses the importance of unity - the girls manage to survive the dream because they are together, as opposed to being attacked one by one. They succeed in trapping Nerissa in the Heart, and then wake up. The parallels to the A Nightmare On Elm Street movies (as well as the battle against Death 13 in the third arc of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure) are obvious, but needless to say, there is no gore involved.

Shagon, the Hate - Most powerful, and dangerous, of the Four Knights of Revenge, Shagon is a tall, insubordinate, ominous-looking humanoid wearing armor that (like those of his fellow Knights) has Nerissa's seal on it. His face rarely betrays any emotion, and his hair resembles a nest of snakes (giving him a Medusa-like appearance). As a human, he worked as a geologist and was doing research near the mysterious Mount Thanos. While searching for his dog, Miska, he eventually came across Nerissa, who wanted a human as "material" for her right-hand man. Shagon represents Nerissa's hatred for Kandrakar, and feeds on expressions of hate. Hence, his power increases whenever he is struck by anger.

Khor, the Destroyer - Khor was the first of Nerissa's Four Knights of Revenge, and also the first to encounter the Guardians. He used to be the dog Miska, who had the misfortune of crossing paths with Nerissa. Transformed into a hulking, brutish goblin-like creature (not unlike Vathek in appearance) who carries a pair of massive axes, he represents Nerissa's desire to destroy Kandrakar. Even in this form, Khor still has the qualities of a loyal dog, and even senses a bond with his former master, Shagon.

Ember, the Pain - One of the Four Knights of Revenge, given life by Nerissa. Ember was created from the lava which flowed around Nerissa's tomb and looks like a slender woman made of smoldering lava, with bat-like wings on her back and hair made of flames. Befitting her nature, she attacks foes with blazing hot beams from her weapon - a type of trident or halberd. She represents the pain that Nerissa felt while being locked away - that which she now wants to inflict on Kandrakar.

Tridart, the Despair - One of the Four Knights of Revenge, animated by Nerissa. Tridart was made from the numerous icy stalagtites found in the cave which Nerissa was sealed in. His form is that of a bald, muscular man with large, angel-like wings, and his weapon of choice is a short, double-edged axe. He represents the despair Nerissa felt in her prison.

Part III villains

Ari - Ari was a young farmer in the world of Arkhanta. A man of little means, he struggled to make ends meet. His wife, Jamayeda, died giving birth to his son, Maqi, who was born mute and obviously a loner, for he lived in his own little world. Since then, Ari searched incessantly for a way to rid his son of his strange affliction. He had heard stories of how anyone who could capture a banshee would be granted three wishes in exchange for their freedom. Ari caught Yua, the most powerful of the banshees, and would have her help his son. Alas, for all her power, Yua was not able to cure Maqi's illness; her magics extended only to material wishes. Devastated, Ari instead wished for the Scarlet Citadel, a palace that would serve as their home, and enough wealth to satisfy any earthly desire his son could have. Lastly, he wished for the banshee's eternal servitude, and she could not refuse. With Yua's aid, Ari soon became Lord of Arkhanta, doing his best to improve the lot of the common man.

Time and again, Ari made pleas to the Oracle of Kandrakar. The Oracle, though, reasoned that such matters were not his concern, as they had little impact in the universe as a whole. Disgusted at this, Ari eventually made war on Kandrakar, hoping that the Oracle would reconsider the statement that his pain was of no consequence. This jeopardized the order of the entire world, and so the Guardians were assigned the task to stop Ari at any cost.

Yua - Yua is the banshee whom Ari managed to capture on his journey to find a cure for his son. This sly and evil being promised to grant Ari three wishes if he were to release her. However, Ari's final wish was for her to fulfill any and all of his future wishes, and thus she was forced remained in his servitude. She is kept chained up in Ari's basement and is only called upon when he needs her magic to assist him. Her hatred for Ari grows more and more each day, and she enjoys frightening her custodians by magnifying the sound of the waterdrops that fall around her.

Astral Will, Irma, Taranee, Cornelia, and Hay Lin - The Astral Drops were tired of being treated like slaves to the girls, who only called upon them when they needed chores done or to take their place when they needed to go on a mission. They soon turned against them, causing horrible problems for the girls' lives on Earth, such as turning friends and family against them in acts of revenge upon the girls. The distrust the Astral Drops caused to the girls' social lives had everlasting effects on their boyfriends, families, and teachers. The girls continue to feel the aftershock of the Astral Drops' deeds even to this day.

Riddle - An elite psychic detective that was brought in to combat the W.I.T.C.H. girls when their supernatural secret was exposed to the Government. Although his skills are impressive, which range from mind control to telepethy, he is not powerful enough to combat W.I.T.C.H. directly. He also carries a handgun due to his motto "bullets are always faster than the mind" in case he is in trouble. His goal is to experiment and analyze the W.I.T.C.H. girls and uncover how their powers work. Although he was hired by Interpol, he seems to have his own agenda.

Part IV villains

Endarno - As ruthless and sneaky as Phobos, Endarno is the new Oracle after the previous one has been banished to Basiliade. He played a major role during the Trial of the Oracle, and was also the cause of Oracle's banishment. People took his side during the Trial because of his reasons for blaming the previous Oracle. He protested that the Guardians he chose did not run their tasks as asked. Will and the other Guardians do not refer to him as the Oracle, but instead call him by his name. The Council of Candracar calls him Endarno the Wise. He is the Guardians' biggest villain so far, since he is doing everything to get rid of the Guardians, as he sees Will and her friends as being incompetent. He also despises other people who remain loyal and faithful to the previous Oracle Himerish, such as Tibor and Yan Lin. Currently he is showing signs of Phobos' attitude and behavior in the past. Could he be Phobos' double?

Other characters

Uriah Dunn, Kurt Van Buren, and Laurent Hampton - The three bullies that make up Uriah's gang. They love to cause trouble such as lighting fireworks in school, vandalize property, and commit robberies. Nigel used to be a part of their gang until he left to continue a relationship with Taranee. Since then, Uriah has held a strong hatred for Nigel and often times tries to harm him and get him in trouble.

Agent Maria Medina - An Interpol agent from the crime psychology department who was assigned to investigate the Brown family’s disappearance. Due to her experience on the job, she believes that Will and her friends know something about Elyon’s family's disappearance that they are not sharing and has decided to keep an eye on them.

Agent Joel McTiennan - Another Interpol agent who was assigned to investigate the Brown family’s disappearance with Agent Medina. He is a friendly and little-speaking guy who thinks that Agent Medina’s theories are off-the-wall and that the case is just a dead-end and they should return empty-handed.

Because of their different builds, McTiennan and Medina are affectionally monikered "Big Guy and Small Fry" by their colleagues.

Agent Raphael Sylla - Handsome and charming, he poses as Sheffield Institute's newest computer teacher when in fact he is a colleague of Maria and Joel who was hired to keep tabs on the W.I.T.C.H. girls. His goal is to uncover what secret the girls are hiding and if it does in fact involve supernatural powers.

Yarr - A Commander from Basiliade, who met the banished Oracle (now referred as Himerish) while travelling with his two faithful minions, Kilubi and Ih-Sui. He recognized him from the past as a battle partner. Now he serves Himerish loyally. His weapon is a sword.

Kilubi - The feisty and colder minion of Yarr. She has dark purplish hair (like Orube) and pointy elf ears. She has red paint around her eyes. Appears somewhat tomboyish, with gold breastplates and shoulderplates as her battle attire. Her weapon is a sword.

Ih-Sui - The calmer and tranquil minion of Yarr. She hardly talks, but shows true spirit of a warrior. Like Kilubi, Ih-Sui has Orube's hair color and uses a sword to battle. She has slanted eyes. Her battle attire is a Chinese suit with long, wide sleeves.

Issues, Titles and Storylines

Special Issues

U.S. Titles

Saga

The War on Meridian

1. The Power of Five
2. The Disappearance
3. Finding Meridian
4. The Fire of Friendship
5. The Last Tear
6. Illusions and Lies
7. The Light of Meridian
8. Out of the Dark
9. The Four Dragons
10. A Bridge Between Worlds
11. The Crown of Light
12. The Return of a Queen

Nerissa's Revenge

13. A Different Path
14. Worlds Apart
15. The Courage to Choose
16. Path of Revenge
17. The Darkest Dream
18. Keeping Hope
19. The Other Truth
20. Whispers of Doubt
21. A Weakened Heart (unreleased)
22. A Choice Is Made (unreleased)
23. Farewell to Love (unreleased)

Upcoming U.S. Titles

A Weakened Heart
A Choice is Made
Farwell to Love
Graphic Novel #6: Forces of Change

Adventures

Will: When Lightning Strikes/ A Salamander's Heart
Irma: Enchanted Music/ Brimstone Music
Taranee: Heartbreak Island/ Merefire
Cornelia: Stolen Spring/ Green Magic
Hay Lin: The Cruel Empress

Graphic novels

1. The Power of Friendship
2. Meridian Magic
3. The Revealing
4. Between Light and Dark
5. Legends Revealed (unreleased)
6. Forces of Change (unreleased)

Influences

The origins of the Heart of Candracar are tied to the story of the Emperor's Four Dragons.

Yellow Dragon - the dragon of Earth.

Black Dragon - the dragon of Air.

Red Dragon - the dragon of Water.

Pearl Dragon - the dragon of Fire.

Golden Dragon-the dragon of Thunder.

Jade Emperor - a cruel and uncaring ruler who punished the dragons for bringing rain to the people, (much like how Zeus punished Prometheus for bringing fire to man). He had the dragons sealed away in five mountains.

Xin Jing - a nymph, her names mean Heart of Crystal. When the Emperor sealed away the dragons, Xin Jing used all her powers to gather those of the five dragons together and turn their bodies into the five rivers of China. All that remained of Xin Jing was a small crystal: the Heart of Kandrakar. Will reminds Nerissa about the origins of the Heart.

Special items

Heart of Kandrakar - a small crystal kept on a chain, held by Will (the past keepers were Nerissa and Cassidy); the Heart was absorbed into Will's body and emerges when it is needed. Created by (and containing the spirit of) Xin Jing, the Heart possesses the power to turn the five basic elements into pure energy; it transforms the girls into Guardians (they age to 16 and wear special costumes) and strengthens their elemental powers. At first, the Heart's primary function is to transform the girls and close portals, but after absorbing the seal of Phobos, it is able to open portals as well. It also has various other powers: the gift of regeneration, creating Astral Drops, and putting up force fields. According to Cassidy, the Heart leaves a 'spark' of itself in its Keeper.

Map of the Twelve Portals - an ancient map given to Hay Lin from Yan Lin. It displays portals to Metamoor when the Heart is held over it. Destroyed when the girls first visited Kandrakar.

Seal of Phobos - kept in a secret book in Elyon's basement, the seal has the power to open anything that's hidden. Absorbed both with the secret book into the Heart of Kandrakar.

Crown of Light - especially reserved for the Light of Meridian (Metamoor's matriarchal savior), the crown absorbs Elyon's immense powers under the influence of a spell. Should that spell be broken, it would make her even more powerful.

Star of Cassidy - a copy of the Heart of Kandrakar, previously part of Cassidy and later absorbed into the Heart itself.

Animated Television Series

W.I.T.C.H. was made into an animated series, styled after the designs of anime. The series premiered in the USA and the United Kingdom first and other countries were shown it afterwards. Jetix first premiered it. There are twenty six episodes so far, the series focusing on the storyline of Part I of the comics. New characters exclusive to the animated series include Blunk, a green frog-like goblin creature who acts as a scavenger taking things from Earth to Meridian and vice versa, to trade for food and money; the Mage, a bald cloaked woman who hides deep within the Infinite City; and Phobos' most scariest servant, the Tracker, a terrifying skeleton who has a dog with an incredible scent and an electric chainball. For information see W.I.T.C.H. (animated series).

Notes

Template:Fnb In Italy and most of Europe, Will's full name is "Wilhelmina", while in Anglophone countries her full name is "Wilma".
Template:Fnb Orube first appeared in issue 28 during the Arkhanta saga, therefore she is not part of the W.I.T.C.H. acronym.
Template:Fnb Unlike the five other Guardians, Taranee goes through a hair change from her ordinary self to her W.I.T.C.H. costume.
Template:Fnb It is slightly ironic that Hay Lin is the Guardian of Air. While the group stays with the Classical Elements (Air, Water, Fire, and Earth), Hay Lin is of Chinese culture and in Chinese culture, Air is not one of the five elements; rather, they are Earth, Fire, Water, Metal (gold), and Wood. This also counts for the ancient Chinese myth of the four dragons and the nymph Xin Jing.
Template:Fnb In France W.I.T.C.H. started in Minnie Magazine #76. By the time, the name "Minnie Mag" changed into "W.I.T.C.H. Mag". The numbering of the issues however is counted through. Therefore each comparison with editions from some other countries issue numbers should be added or subtracted with 75.