W.I.T.C.H. Part III: A Crisis on Both Worlds, Vol. 2

W.I.T.C.H. Graphic Novels #8

by Elisabetta Gnone (Series Creator), Alessandro Barbucci (Comic art direction), Barbara Canepa (Comic art direction)

Problems on Every Front

Ari, the lord of Arkhanta, has a grudge against the Oracle and will go to any lengths to destroy him. The Guardians must stop Ari's rising power at the source to protect Kandrakar, but who is the real threat?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Graphic Novels Manga, Urban Fantasy, Graphic Novels Comics

256 pages, Paperback

First published May 29, 2018

About the author

Elisabetta Gnone is an Italian writer. In April 2001, she co-created the Italian comic/magazine W.I.T.C.H. with Alessandro Barbucci and Barbara Canepa. The publication was later made into the television series of the same name. Gnone also wrote the children's trilogy Fairy Oak: Il segreto delle gemelle (The Secret of the Twins), L'incanto del buio (The Spell of Darkness), and Il potere della luce (The Power of Light). She expanded the Fairy Oak Universe with four more books, "The four mysteries": "Captain Grisam's love", "Shirley's wizarding days", "Flox smiles in autumn", and "Good-bye Fairy Oak".

information taken from wikipedia.com

Reviews

[daria ❀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

i decided to do a bit of a throwback and revisited the iconic magical girl gang of my childhood aka W.I.T.C.H. ✨

https://youtu.be/sWxYq8UjfZo

[Sharm ♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books were my childhood and still continue to be my favorite 😩💙

[Mirjam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was spicier and more interesting. I find it pretty funny that they just come back again and again to Ari's castle without having any consequences. Interested as to how they will get rid of Yua in a credible way.

[Hólmfríður Bjarnardóttir]

Borgarbókasafnið á ekki fleiri svona bækur - gæti þurft að leita heim í gömlu blöðin til þess að fullnægja fortíðarþránni. Þetta er svo notalegur lestur. Teikningarnar eru fallegar og vel unnar og sagan er unglingadraumur.

[Anne (ReadEatGameRepeat) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rtc

[Roos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just can't get enough of this and it is so much fun to reread this!

[Émi (Slavic Reader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably my favourite volume in a while. Lots of things happening as well as hints being dropped about what might happen next. Excited to see how this story arc concludes.

[Daniela González · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️

[Anniken Haga · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a lot of character growth in this volume, as well as the story is really starting to pick up.

I've also always found stories of how "normal" humans reactions to magic and theor greed affect them, and so that story arc within this book is really interesting to me. About how cruel and selfish we can be to get what we want, and how we make what we want less human to make it OK.

Also, I love Will's style! Always have, and wish I had some of her clothes!

[Narra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume is more complex with the special agents issue, and their failure to beat Ari. I remember reading some of these chapters as stand-alones when they first were translated into Arabic. Good times 😄💖

[Hannah Belyea · Rating 4 out of 5]

With Taranee off the team for the time being, Will and the rest of her friends team up with the Oracle's protégé to stop an evil ruler from falling prey to the banshee he wields, all while trying to figure out who's hunting them down on their world. Gnone is sure to keep fans enthralled with every chapter of this suspenseful entry to the series. What will it take for Taranee to return to her Guardian responsibilities?

[L'Abri des Pages · Rating 5 out of 5]

The arc begins with a few chapters that revolve around the daily life of girls, inspiring for Irma, complicated for Will and unequivocal for Taranee. Three of them go in exchange for school on the coast, while Will and Irma watch over Orube. Cohabitation is not easy, but the part about Redstone is great, the plot with Ari captivating. We come across a paranormal investigator, a telekinetist and a more than mysterious neighbor, in short the story goes on and this time the guardians take a critical look at what we ask them.

Unfortunately, the resolution of the battle against Ari is too fast, in the end we do not know what harm Maqi suffered and it is a shame. The astral twins want their freedom and do anything, but our five protagonists are gradually questioning themselves. They have even forgotten that these invocations were beings of flesh and that thus they also had a heart and feelings. They aspire to live and every dialogue is very interesting. We are not talking about their adolescence, but about their deep aspirations, their suffering to be treated badly by their own creators. I enjoyed it very much and I believe, or at least I hope to see these astral drops again.

What do you think of this series? It makes you want to read it?

Link to my Instagram post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CctCV1MoAwL/

[LC · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this and the next two books in the series from my work for cheap because I didn't even realise they had made graphic novel versions of the comics! Unfortunately my work only had a few in so picking up at this point (the earliest I could find) was a bit odd however I do remember most of the plot points! Very nostalgic!

However, like revisiting any past relationship, you notice the flaws a lot more with hindsight. The comic is generally very poorly made with confusing panel structures, speech bubble placement and stiffly translated Italian. The art is beautiful! More expressive than I even remembered. There was one page that was completely pixelated which was quite jarring considering this is a professionally made publication.

All this being said, I can see why I loved these comics so much as a kid! They're bright, vibrant and the characters are all so cool even now. It's funny being 24 and reading the feelings of teenagers as childish when I originally thought of these girls as so mature because they had boyfriends and hobbies and I was 7 or something. Worthwhile read for me for sure!

[WendyTheOwl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vol. 7 -> 9 (no spoilers)
FR
Quand je lisais le magazine, c'est environ au tome 8 que j'ai arrêté. Donc c'est maintenant une découverte totalement pour moi.
Et je dois dire que je suis contente de ma lecture. Bien sur les filles sont jeunes, mais c'est aussi ce qui fait le charme de la série.
Je suis plus que ravie que Orube soit là, car je me souviens que je l'aimais beaucoup, et c'est toujours le cas. Même si j'ai hâte de voir ce que son histoire nous réserve pour la suite !

ENG
When I read the magazine, it was around volume 8 that I stopped. So this is now a discovery totally for me.
And I must say that I'm happy with my reading. Of course the girls are young, but that's also what makes the charm of the series.
I am more than happy that Orube is here, because I remember loving her very much, and still do. Although I can't wait to see what her story has in store for the future !

[Aqua · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book the guardians continue their attempts to stop Ari of Arkhanta while simultaneously trying to get to know and trust Orube. Orube is turning out to be a great new character. We find out more about her past, and, since Ari isn't really a personal villain to the guardians, the continued building of the relationship between Orube and the guardians is the best part of this book.

It still never quite reaches the same level as the original story arc with Meridian. But then again, I'm not sure these novels ever will. Nonetheless they are still an enjoyable read. The artwork is still amazing, and I like the direction they are going in setting up conflict with this new character of Orube and setting up conflict with the astral drops.

Elyon is teased for two pages here, I wish she would get a renewed role in the story.

[Lilith · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 /5 stars
[7 /10 stars]

- story [0.5 /2]
- worldbuilding & consistency [1 /1]
- art [1! /1]
- characters [1! /1]
- length & progress [1 /1]
- ending [0.5 /1]
- originality [1 /1]
- enjoyment [1 /2]

~quick thoughts~
• the plot of the Arkhanta conflict feels a bit all over the place, with how they keep hopping in and out and not really accomplishing anything
• the agent incident could've been explored more with Riddle's power and I hope Ray gets included in the story later
• Ari is ANNOYING

~quick story summary per chapter~
• Chapter 29: Orube is adjusting to life on Earth and dealing with they mysterious neighbor as the guardians save Arkhanta from a tornado sent at them by Ari
• Chapter 30: Orube gets possessed by Yua, which the guardians successfully counter and Sylla uncovers their powers after catching them snooping on him
• Chapter 31: Taranee rejoins the team as they venture to Arkhanta to speak to Yua, saving Maqi in the process and being accused of hurting him
• Chapter 32: Sylla is unhappy with what Riddle plans and clues the guardians in, so Will has her astral drop kidnapped, which results in Riddle and Brooke not finding anything magical as Interpol seizes them and The Oracle decides to step in and erase their memories

~long story summary per chapter~
Chapter 29
• Ari spies on the guardians via banshee's eyes
• Cornelia meets Rick but isn't impressed by him, while Will and Irma deal with Orube adjusting to Earth as they get a mysterious note, pointing to Orube having a stalker, with them assuming it's the neighbor
• Yua tells Ari their weaknesses that they observed - lack of trust in their powers and in The Oracle
• the guardians travel to Arkhanta, get caught up in preparations for the harvest festival by grape-treading and the village gets attacked by a tornado, caused by Maqi's toy
• Cornelia returns to a room full of flowers, sent by Rick, which she is first upset by but then starts liking it
• Orube puts on the red dress the mysterious note suggested and hears the music coming from the neighbor's house

Chapter 30
• Orube reminisces of how Luba taught her to become a warrior, as the guardians at Redstone spot Sylla snooping around their room
• Will and Irma try to help Orube adjust but she's still too stubborn
• the guardians (minus Taranee) and Orube heed the call of The Oracle, as Ari's powers grow stronger, and travel to Arkhanta but get instantly trapped in a box, while Orube is possessed by Yua
• the box starts shrinking, but the guardians teleport out, locating Orube who refuses to return to Kandrakar but isn't strong enough to tell them of the possession
• Sylla hunts down Taranee and Hay Lin after finding her snooping and makes Taranee confess she has special powers
• after teleporting her to Kandrakar, Yua attacks The Oracle through Orube, but the guardians stop her without hurting Orube
• Sylla mildly threatens them to make sure Taranee doesn't do anything stupid

Chapter 31
• the girls at Redstone email Will and Irma about Sylla
• Sylla reports to his boss, who decides they'll collect the guardians once they're together again
• Orube visits Irma and Will at school, witnessing two professors fighting, which Irma explains is them saying 'hi' to each other and as Matt arrives, Orube punches him, thinking she's just saying 'hi'
• the Redstone girls teleport to Orube's temporary home and Taranee officially rejoins the team, just as Orube is starting to feel like a part of the team, but deals with it gracefully by counting herself as one of the six guardians
• they go to Arkhanta again, this time finding Maqi, who escapes to the dungeon where Yua is held and almost drowns him but Irma saves him
• Yua calls Ari back and tells him the guardians hurt the child, so he orders her to attack and they have to teleport to Kandrakar again
• in the Epilogue 1, the exchange is coming to an end and Cornelia's luggage is finally found
• in the Epilogue 2, Orube starts working at Matt's grandpa's animal shop as Rebecca

Chapter 32
• The Oracle observes Ari putting on a play for his son, called A Play of Many Parts
• the boss of the Interpol agents, Nora Frieder, asks them to spy on Sylla
• the guardians are once again being spied on, this time by a man called Mr. Riddle that has mental powers, which he means to use to hear them speak, but the neighbor, presumably a retired composer, Ray Fieldestein, starts playing music to disrupt Riddle from hearing the conversation
• Will and Cornelia follow Sylla, who found out the teacher he was replacing is returning, and see him talking to his boss Riddle, while Interpol agents are witnessing this as well and Riddle realizes Will and Cornelia are there, so he pulls Sylla into the car
• Nigel doesn't want to speak to Taranee anymore and her mom knows the reason
• Sylla, unhappy that Riddle wants to take the credit, tries to warn the guardians of what's to come
• the guardians and Orube, armed with this knowledge, sneak into a party where the big boss, called Mr. Brooke, of the operation is also present and Riddle manages to mind control Will and kidnap her
• the guardians and Orube get surrounded by soldiers and Will appears, telling them her astral drop got taken
• the astral drop is being tested but they can't find anything special
• the Interpol agents come in and point the gun at Brooke but Riddle points one at Nora and then The Oracle decides to intervene, sending them to Kandrakar, speaking of the play and erasing their memories
• The Oracle speaks to the astral drop, telling her he won't erase her memory as fate has plans for her and that Will and her will never be the same again

[Soobie is expired · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, on a slow, rainy Sunday afternoon what's better than W.I.T.C.H.?

I've been neglecting the five W.I.T.C.H. lately. Well, there aren't a lot of volumes left for me to read... I wanted to savor my reading slowly.

The characters grow a lot in this volume. Orube has never been one of my favorite character but I can see how she can be an interesting addition to the group. I liked the way she tried to blend in into a life she's not familiar with.

Taranee is still my favorite W.I.T.C.H.; Irma comes in a close second. I love her witty remarks.

Sigh, one more volume and then even part III will be over. Is Part IV already out?

[Citybones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Es un arco que casi no recuerdo y porque está mucho más centrado en los problemas de la vida normales de las witch y no sus aventuras como guardianas. Los problemas en el mundo de la banshee son muy repetitivos y nunca consiguen avanzar con ellos, pero en Heatherfield están el padre de Will, problemas de novios e intercambio de escuela, por no hablar problemas con humanos descubriendo sus poderes y espiándolas. Aunque ese plot acaba de manera muy abrupta y con un deux es machina literal. Me gustó Orube y como se tiene que ir adaptando al grupo, aunque la rabieta de Taranee me parece muy forzada, está entrando en su etapa rebelde.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This arc has to be the weakest one so far. They go to fight Ari, then run away, then go and fight, then run away again. Each time it looks like they are at a disadvantage, they leave his dimension and flee back to Kandrakar. After this happened a couple of times, it got a little repetitive.
Then again, these are very young girls being forced to deal with something not because of the skills with diplomacy or negotiations, but because they are the guardians. They don't know what they are doing, but rather than the Oracle himself do something, he throws them at it, and then gets upset/mad when they don't fix the problem straight away.
Yeah... I really don't like the Oracle at all.

[Danielle Hays · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting installment! I liked Orube's growth and how she's really beginning to gel with the group a lot, and I'm interested to see where this paranormal-hunter-agents-thing goes in the next volume. I'm also intrigued to see what's going to happen with the astral drops, as they're getting more and more autonomous each time they're created.

[MV Isip · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ig?? starting to feel like im only reading w.i.t.c.h. out of habit at this point 😔

not seeing a lot of character devt or interesting subplots or unique lore drops, which were aplenty from the previous arcs. orube and arkhanta are a little more fleshed out here so hopefully the next volume slaps !

[Panda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm glad Orube has learned that Team Work is the best idea and that she's started bonding with the other guardians. Also, how fun wasn't it when she punched Matt lmao
I also love the little we saw of Elyon, I'm always glad to hear more about her.

[Lilienknochen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't get enough of this story ❤

[ReadingFrog · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[Severind Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one got pretty dark and I loved it. It shattered my heart, made me laugh, and made me extremely curious to read the next one, as a good book should.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was quite different - I liked it

[Coda Di Lupo · Rating 3 out of 5]

read

[somebody · Rating 4 out of 5]

sweet nostalgia, enjoying this series so much

[Elise Skeels-Caldwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Orube, Ari, Yue, and the world of Arkhanta. I love the storyline that is being explored here. Taranee leaving the group fit well with her character and what she needs to do at the time. It has allowed for some really great character building, not just for her but others in the group too. Obviously it has allowed for Orube to come into the group, which I love, and am excited to see what they do with her character going forwards. However, they have also planted seeds for what I imagine will be bigger plot points in other volumes/parts. Can't wait to see how this Part is concluded.

Rating: 5/5 or 10/10

Reviews:

W.I.T.C.H., Part I. The Twelve Portals:
Vol. 1 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Vol. 2 ⭐⭐⭐.5
Vol. 3 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

W.I.T.C.H., Part 2. Nerissa's Revenge:
Vol. 1⭐⭐⭐⭐
Vol. 2 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Vol. 3 ⭐⭐⭐

W.I.T.C.H., Part 3. A Crisis on Both Worlds:
Vol. 1 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Vol. 3 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐