Sabrina the Teenage Witch #2 – Kelly Thompson, Writer; Veronica Fish, Andy Fish, Artists; Jack Morelli, Colorist
Ratings:
Ray – 9/10
Kelly Thompson has quietly become the writer with the golden touch in recent months, revitalizing old properties like Nancy Drew and making the most interesting team book at Marvel out of a group of cast-offs from canceled titles and a baby land shark.
That touch continues in her reinvention of Sabrina the Teenage Witch, which finds a perfect balance in its second issue between the lighthearted high school antics of the original comic and the darker-edged supernatural horror of the Netflix reboot.
When we last left off, Sabrina was only seconds away from being mauled by a Wendigo when it suddenly split into two people – her new friend Ren and her high-school rival Radka. Before she can get any answers, she has to protect the two unconscious teens (and her friend Jessica) from a kraken that rises out of the ground. This massive monster is only distracted by a spell that makes its targets invisible – a choice that comes back to haunt her.
An injured Sabrina gets help from her aunts, and I have to say the depiction of Hilda and Zelda’s secret magical sanctum is one of my favorite parts of the series. A surreal and creepy environment, it feels inspired by classic gothic fantasies. At school the next day, a chance encounter reveals the identity of the Kraken – and sets up more questions about just what is going on in Greendale.
Many times with supernatural teen books, the two sides of the story feel at odds but Thompson never lets the more normal stuff drag down the plot. We’re invested in both halves of Sabrina’s life and her complex juggling act is very entertaining. There’s maybe a bit too much going on and the supporting cast still feels like they could be fleshed out, but the combination of excellent dialogue and great art by Veronica Fish makes this one of the best books to come out of Archie in years.
Disclaimer: GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
