W.I.T.C.H. (2023 graphic novel)

W.I.T.C.H. is a reboot graphic novel initially released starting from the 4th of October 2023 (Italy), 25th of October 2023 (France)^[2][3] and 22nd November of 2023 (Poland)^[4]. Listings for the French version, titled Le Cœur de Kandrakar (not to be confused with the 2007 Hachette-published W.I.T.C.H. book), showed up earlier than any other store listings.
Italian cover was titled differently, former title highlighting the story being new beginning (Un nuovo inizio), while current title focusing on friendship of the girls (Il cuore dell'amicizia). Polish edition's title is almost identical to Italian, only adding 'New story' to its first part (Czarodziejki W.I.T.C.H. Nowe historie: Serce przyjaźni).

The first issue is scheduled to be 100 pages long for French edition, 128 pages for Italian edition (including extras like interviews), and 108 pages for Polish edition, with the printing format being hardcover A4. The plot restarts from a point soon before the main characters received their guardian transformations.

Synopsis[]

"Will has just moved to Heatherfield, where she makes friends with Irma, Taranee, Cornelia and Hay Lin. Her quiet life is turned upside down when the mystical Oracles of Kandrakar entrust her with an ancient power to defend the world against the forces of evil. With the help of her new friends, she must fight to protect those she loves while learning to master magic."

"This is Elyon. Elyon always had stressful dreams. Now that Elyon discovered who she really is, the barrier between Earth and Metaworld is endangered. Kandrakar needs a new Guardian, but she won't be alone. They'll have to be ready to fight...
What about you, do you believe in power of friendship?.."^[5]

Plot[]

As of 3 October 2023, previews of more than 12 pages are known to exist, of which 2 are in English from an unknown source, 6 were found in French on the Amazon Netherlands product page,^[6] with significant gaps between each batch of 2 pages each. Remaining few (including pages meant as cover art, interview with Italian pop star etc.) come from Italian listing on Amazon^[7] and Italian previews ^{[8] [9]}

Batch 1 has Elyon create a magic spell at a glass case in the library (with the Oracles talking among themselves about the situation), while Will and her mother, Susan Vandom, eat fastfood at a restaurant.

Batch 2 has Will walk around on Heatherfield's campus observing, until she walks onto a football pitch and gets knocked by a hard shot from what seems to be Taranee.

Batch 3 has Elyon call the main characters to a meeting at the library, to show off her magic skills despite the disbelief of everyone else present.

Batch 4 has the Oracles enter Will's kitchen to explain her the situation and giving her the Heart of Kandrakar, instantly resulting in her first transformation.

Batch 5 covers pages 100-101, with Guardians transforming to solve a problem in environment appearing to look like a library with either a portal or dangerous magic.

Batch 6 misses numbers of pages marked, but it could be from very beginning, as it focuses on Elyon's routine.

Batch 7 includes unknown page, then pages 14, 23, 34, 46, focusing on Oracles, Elyon, ordinary life of Guardians and them interacting with each other and Will talking with mom.

Known changes from the original comics[]

• Elyon's portrayal has changed sharply, now having some extent of magic powers of her own even before learning about Kandrakar. The Oracles of Kandrakar also consider Elyon a significant danger to the Veil, rather than as a queen.
• Will Vandom's Guardian form places much more focus on purple, also adding swirly formations on the sleeves and legs.

Preview pages[]

Art for one of covers

Batch 1, covering pages 2 and 3.

Batch 2, covering pages 11 and 12.

Italian preview of Page 14

Italian preview of Page 23

Italian preview of Page 34

Italian preview of Page 46

Batch 3.

Batch 4, covering pages 54 and 55.

Batch 5 - pages 100-101

Batch 6, unknown pages

Italian preview of Page 33

Italian interview with a pop star about W.I.T.C.H franchise's impact

Italian backcover

Preview page transcripts[]

Page 23:[]

• Taranee: Whoever's not part of the team shouldn't enter the field.
• Will: I didn't do it on purpose...
• Irma: Don't take it to heart, Taranee doesn't like people
• Cornelia: You're new here, right? I've never seen you before. My name's Cornelia.
• Tanaree: My name's Taranee Danai Shoniwa Cook. Don't get it wrong.
• Will: ?

Translated from French to English by mcls899 on Tumblr. Copied unchanged to the wiki page except for minor formatting.

Page 2:^[10][]

“And when she reached the magic veil… she discovered her true identity! Elyon is dangerous, she will provoke the destruction of the worlds. Kandrakar will need to be protected by a new Guardian.”

Pages 54 and 55:^[11][]

Golden thing: We’re not ghosts. We’re the Oracles of Kandrakar, chosen one.
Will: Chosen one? Yeah sure, can you all just please leave?
Radio (I’m guessing one of the Oracles is possessing it lol?): We can’t, or the Veil will fall.
Will: The Veil? So what Elyon said was true…
Oracle: Elyon is not your friend. And she’s not a witch.
Will: No, it’s just a nightmare, Will!
Oracle: Elyon is a spy, from Meridian, the obscure dimension.
Will: She used all my energy…
Oracle: She wants to destroy the Veil which is protecting all the dimensions against the evilness of Meridian. If she succeeds, Earth will be invaded and the black sand will consume everything. You know how it works. Kandrakar has the duty to protect the Veil. But we are just shadows. We need you.
Will: ?!
Oracle: You’re special Will. You’re our Guardian.
Will: You really have some trouble, huh?
Oracle: Let the Heart of Kandrakar be the judge of that. The strengths (I guess it translates better as “the powers”?) are within it, and starting today, until the end, they will be with you. The power of water, the power of earth, the power of fire, the power of air, and the power of the heart that commands them. Keep Elyon from destroying the Veil! Save Earth!

References[]