An ancient evil is nothing compared to boy troubles.
Creative Staff
Series created by Elisabetta Gnone
Art Direction: Alessandro Barbucci, Barbara Canepa
Translation/Adaptation: Linda Ghio & Stephanie Dagg at Editing Zone
(Each chapter was originally published as a standalone comic book, and like most series each book has a rotating creator list consisting of artists, colorists, letterers, etc. The book credits everyone involved, but for brevity and my own sanity I’m only noting the leads.)
What They Say
W.I.T.C.H. Part II: Nerissa’s Revenge Volume 3
Nerissa has the Heart, and all of Kandrakar is at her mercy! The W.I.T.C.H. girls must face her again, but are they prepared for the sacrifices required for victory…? Will Nerissa finally have her revenge??
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
This is a very packed volume of W.I.T.C.H., both in events and in emotions. After the last volume ended with Narissa snatching the heart of Kandrakar away from Will by using a cheap trick, she now had the power to invade Kandrakar with her four minions.
It’s not really explained how the fallen former guardian was able to take the heart and corrupt it, other than the idea the heart’s nature might not be fully good. The current guardians have the diary translated and are able to make contact with the spirit of the former leader of the previous group of guardians. Cassidy gives Will the fragments of power left in her soul and the girls are able to confront Nerissa in Kandrakar.
The actual battle is more a battle of wills and determination rather than power. The last trick Nerissa pulls is actually very clever, and it’s only through Cornelia’s memories of Caleb that the group survives to win the battle.
The main conflict with Narissa is over by the middle of this volume, leaving plenty of time for the fallout and clean-up from the situation. A large majority of that involves returning a few errant world hoppers to their rightful locations. One of those people happens to be Ms. Rudolph, who has retired and seeks to return to her homeworld now that the danger has passed. The other is Caleb, who resigns as his position as a herald of Kandrakar.
He doesn’t explain the decision to Cornelia and she remained shook about forgetting about him. When she appears before him as a normal girl he seems surprised that she has a meek side. The whole fated lovers’ thing between the two felt forced from the start, but to see that relationship fall apart so swiftly felt just as messy and contrived, even if it makes sense that neither really belong together. Plus, Cornelia is only 14 or 15 years old at this point. A little early to be making grand statements of love, fated or not. With that fairytale romance shattered that leaves time for the other girls to explore their relationships.
Every single relationship is this series is mired in jealousy and miscommunication. It’s the inevitable weakness of any teenage romance in any story I can think of. Communication breakdowns strike adult relationships as well, but the sheer possessiveness on all sides in this series is tiring from an adult standpoint. Probably very relatable for the age group this series is aimed at though, kids don’t think rationally.
I love the fact the astral drops continue to be a problem for the girls. Will’s actually gains free will of its own at one point in this volume. The disappearing act it pulls gets the police involved. (They become involved again later in the volume, which means the girls have a quite the rap sheet for middle-schoolers.) There are a few throwaway panels were Will wonders where her astral drop goes when she isn’t being used as a body double and we see it sitting looking haunted in a void. Yikes, that’s a little darker than I expected.
That’s not the only unexpected dark moment of this volume. Taranee is slapped by her mother in front of her friends after a failed extracurricular trip downtown, which begins a spiral of rebellion in Taranee. Then there’s the return of Will’s father, who left on the worst possible note and returns with an invasive presence.
At first, I had the idea that maybe her father was actually working for the government in some secret way, but as the chapter went forward there are just too many red flags on his personality. He comes across as manipulative and a colossal asshole, even if there was some larger reason he bailed it doesn’t excuse any of that. Especially when Taranee discovers the divorce documents in her mother’s office. (Which is the second big ‘yikes’ of the volume.) That’s where this volume ends, with a rolling start into the next story arc.
Extras for this volume are looks inside Cornelia and Hay Lin’s rooms.
In Summary
This volume of W.I.T.C.H. is drama cranked up to 11. Nerissa’s attack on Kandrakar nearly succeeds despite the guardians best efforts. A gift from the remaining previous generation of guardians allows Will and the others to strike back and regain the power that they lost. With that shadow of the past defeated the story shifts to dealing with the messy aftermath of the confrontation back on earth. The trouble with her astral drop double lands Will in a mess and nearly every guardian is mired in jealous and miscommunicated relationship troubles. The worst of the new troubles involves the return of Will’s deadbeat father into her life, and that interestingly enough feels far more sinister than any magical evil. It’s an unusual conclusion to a story arc, but a fascinating start for whatever is going to come next in the story.
Content Grade: B
Art Grade: B +
Packaging Grade: A
Text/Translation Grade: A
Age Rating: All Ages
Released By: JY (Yen Press)
Release Date: January 30, 2017
MSRP: $11.00 US / $14.50 CN
