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Archie Comics introduces Sabrina’s nemesis

Chris Well

“As Sabrina turns 60, we enter a whole new realm of fun!”—Dan Parent

Archie Comics couldn’t possibly enter Halloween season without celebrating Archie’s main witch, Sabrina Spellman, as much as possible. Celebrating the character’s 60th anniversary, Archie is releasing an anniversary special issue, as well as a 500-page trade collection featuring classic Sabrina stories.

Sabrina Anniversary Spectacular #1 kicks off the term by introducing a brand-new nemesis for Sabrina. The new character—Amber Nightstone—is an evil witch born at exactly the same time as Sabrina. Only one witch born that day may live amongst mortals, and Amber wants her turn, so she has to erase Sabrina from history!

The story leads a collection of classic-style spell-binding stories in the Sabrina Anniversary Spectacular #1, celebrating Sabrina’s bewitching 60-year publishing history. The new story is written by Dan Parent.

“The creation of Amber Nightstone is super fun because believe it or not, in Sabrina’s 60-year history, she’s never had a true nemesis,” Dan said. “Sure, she’s had her adversaries in the past, but Amber is basically the evil version of Sabrina. And Amber is tired of being cast aside and wants her time in the limelight. So now as Sabrina turns 60, we enter a whole new realm of fun!”

Amber Nightstone development art by Dan Parent w / color by Rosario “Tito” Peña

“I started referring to her as ‘Dark Sabrina,’” added Archie Comics Editor-In-Chief Mike Pellerito, “and that’s where the thinking was originally. Sabrina has a great cast of characters in the comics but didn’t have a magical teen rival until now.

“That’s how I think of the cast of characters: Is there a way to challenge something established? Do we need someone who can do something different and give us some fun story points? Having Dan Parent on this kind of thing is great; he’s a (not so) secret weapon!”

Buy Sabrina Anniversary Spectacular #1 from Amazon. (affiliate link)

Also coming out is Sabrina: 60 Magical Stories, which collects more than 500 pages of classic and beloved comic book stories—the best from each of the six spell-binding decades of Sabrina’s history. Celebrating 60 years of Sabrina the Teenage Witch, this full-color commemorative collection of magical and mischievous stories also features special behind-the-scenes and fan-centric anecdotes that shed light on each decade and iteration of Sabrina.

Buy Sabrina: 60 Magical Stories from Amazon. (affiliate link)

After Sabrina’s debut in ARCHIE’S MAD HOUSE #22 back in July 1962 (in a story by George Gladir and Dan DeCarlo), she went on to captivate fans for decades with magical adventures in comics, TV animation, a hit sitcom, and the blockbuster Netflix streaming series, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, starring Kiernan Shipka.

SABRINA ANNIVERSARY SPECTACULAR #1 releases September 7, boasting a cover by Dan Parent and several reprint milestone stories from throughout Sabrina history. SABRINA: 60 MAGICAL STORIES releases September 20.

Watch the video below to learn the complete history of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch!

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