Sabrina the Teenage Witch has been a staple of Archie Comics since 1962. Not only that, but if you are of certain age (you were a child in the 90s), there was little chance that you hadn’t at least once seen her hit live action sitcom.
This comic is not like either of those iterations.
Part of Archie’s wildly successful horror imprint, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is a haunting re-imagining of this classic franchise. Shortly before her sixteenth birthday, Sabrina finds herself torn between staying a witch and having a normal life with her mortal boyfriend. But a foe from her family’s past known as Madame Satan has arrived in Greendale may mean she needs to decide fast.
Very much in the spirit of his previous series Afterlife With Archie, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa creates a shockingly dark take on the Sabrina Universe which will be a shock to the system to those who are familiar with previous versions of the character. Even the usual source of comic relief Salem the talking cat is played straight and not for laughs. The latest incarnation of classic Archie horror character Madame Satan is especially terrifying and her backstory pulls no punches. Series artist Robert Hack is also a perfect fit, who plays on his horror and pulp roots to great effect and is a perfect accompaniment to Francesco Francavilla’s work on Afterlife With Archie.
A must read for horror comic fans and anyone with nostalgic memories of Sabrina looking to be shocked.
The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is out now from Archie Comics
(9781627389877, p/b, £14.99)
And be sure to check out Chilling Adventures in Sorcery too!