Concept
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. 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. The names of the five characters form the titular acronym, despite the characters not actually being witches. The series was first published by Disney Italy in April 2001. The final issue of W.I.T.C.H. was released in October 2012, concluding the series' 139 issue run. 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, 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. As a result, Canepa founded her own comics company. 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.
