SABRINA'S MAGICAL WORLD IS ROCKED BY THREE NEW FOES
Bad witches Amber, Sapphire, and Jade join forces in THE WICKED TRINITY from Archie Comics in June
There's a whole coven of trouble in store for Archie Comics readers this June (2024). A trio of witches with vengeance and power on their minds hits the halls of Greendale High, Sabrina Spellman's stomping grounds, in THE WICKED TRINITY, an all-new one-shot comic book written by Sam Maggs with art by Lisa Sterle.
“Real witches writing real witches — that's how we do things over at Archie Comics!" Maggs said. I was named after a famous witch — Samantha from Bewitched — and so I grew up absolutely obsessed with everything witchcraft, devouring every book series I could about teen witches. That makes WICKED TRINITY a dream project for me."
The titular trinity — Amber Nightstone, Jade Kazane, and Sapphire Gill — debuted in Archie's classic-look line of kids' comics over the past year, where they embark on an ongoing plot to usurp the status of various magic-wielders. Their abilities and personalities reflect the elements from which they derive their powers: fire, wind, and water respectively. THE WICKED TRINITY will be their first appearance in Archie's line of comics for older readers.
“When Editor-In-Chief Mike Pellerito came up with the idea of the Wicked Trinity, I was immediately intrigued," said Archie Comics Senior Director of Editorial Jamie L. Rotante. "I even had the good fortune to work on the script for Jade and Sapphire’s first appearance in last year’s Sabrina Annual Spectacular comic for younger readers. What I especially loved about these magical teens is that they could seamlessly transcend from classic-Archie stories into more mature, even horror stories. I was eager to start developing their world with a modern sensibility, taking cues from the great work of Kelly Thompson and Veronica Fish on our Sabrina the Teenage Witch series, and Sarah Kuhn and Carola Borelli on our recent Darkling one-shot. Inspired by series like "Charmed" and films like "The Craft," I knew there was so much potential to build up this coven in a story that beautifully blends magical fantasy with horror.”
Those recent comics mark a renewed focus on the "dark academia" genre for Archie, centering teenage friends with magical powers in horror-tinged stories set in mysterious gothic academies harboring dark secrets.
"The power and energy of teen girls is absolutely unmatched," Maggs added, "and being able to harness that metaphorically for a story like this is such a delight. Everything I write focuses on the power of female friendship, and this story is no exception. And what's better than a morally grey female character? I struggle to think of anything. Cat familiars, maybe? Also, I'm totally a practicing witch now. So maybe if you read this, you'll find yourself imbued with magical powers, too."
Sterle added, “I love to create stories in which girls find their own power, both from within themselves and through their friendships and coven. If you’re a fan of my Modern Witch tarot, you’ll find this comic just as magical. Witches, fashion, and Archie Comics; this is truly a magical trifecta and I’m so happy to have the opportunity to put my own personal stamp on this. I can’t wait for people to be re-introduced to The Wicked Trinity!"
THE WICKED TRINITY releases June 12, 2024 in comic shops nationwide, with colors by Ellie Wright, lettering by Jack Morelli, and an open-to-order variant cover by Soo Lee.
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ABOUT ARCHIE COMICS:
Archie Comics is one of the most influential, successful, and longest-running brands in the comics industry. With over two billion comics sold and books published in dozens of languages, Archie characters are immediately recognizable worldwide. It is home to an extensive roster of characters—including The Archies, Little Archie, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Josie and the Pussycats, and Katy Keene—and the critically acclaimed Archie Horror imprint. The CW series Riverdale and the hit Netflix series Chilling Adventures of Sabrina have captivated the hearts and minds of countless fans, a trend that continues with The Archies, the first comics-based Hindi language feature film, now streaming on Netflix. Archie characters have been featured in animation, television, film, and music throughout its more than 85-year history. Follow Archie Comics on X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and online at archiecomics.com.
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