Dynamite Announces The Charmed Manga OGN That No One Was Looking For

By Dustin Cabeal

Come on... no one is looking for Charmed comics outside of a small handful of comic readers that just have no self-control. More so, I don't think even those readers are looking for a manga version. I could be wrong. There could be market research behind this, but since no comic company does market resource, I doubt it. I'll read it though, but I'm going to hold it to manga standards.

Press Release

Dynamite Entertainment, one of the most recognized comic book and graphic novel publishers worldwide, is pleased to announce that Charmed is set to return in an all-new tale of magic and mystery - this time in a Manga-style original graphic novel! 

Based on the classic television series, starring Holly Marie Combs, Alyssa Milano, Shannen Doherty, and Rose McGowan as the Halliwell sisters, this new spellbinding story will be written by the talented Katy Rex (Jade Street Protection Service), with art by Amanda Schank (Wayward), and cover art from Jen Bartel (Jem and the Holograms) and hits stores in February 2018!

A blend of supernatural fantasy, horror, humor and heart, the Charmed Manga introduces Delia, a young girl learning to live with her burgeoning supernatural powers. When she accidentally unleashes them - with disastrous results - at her school, the incident gets the attention of Phoebe, Piper, and Paige Halliwell: three witches with a lot of experience managing magical abilities. With the assistance of the sisters and the Magic School, Delia begins to make a new life for herself, but magic has a way of getting out of control... 

Writer Katy Rex says, "I can't even begin to say how privileged I feel to be writing a Charmed Manga. I started watching Charmed when it first came out -- in fact, I wouldn't make plans with friends on Thursday nights so I could be home to watch it -- and have considered myself a huge fan since day one. I think now, as a writer, that background in the fandom is really helping me engage with the spirit of the show and the sisters even as I depart from the main comic series and add brand-new characters. I'm very hopeful that classic fans, like myself, will enjoy revisiting the Magic School as I develop that canon through the eyes of a brand-new witch girl. I look forward to engaging with new fans who are looking for a story with strong, empowering, supportive women. I love that Charmed has always been willing to tackle relevant issues like sexuality and misogyny while still focusing on the best aspects of witchdom: fun, magic, and sisterhood." 

"The Charmed series has proven immensely popular to dedicated fans in any of its incarnations," says Nick Barrucci, CEO and Publisher of Dynamite Entertainment. "We're excited to have the opportunity to tell this story in an innovative and new format, fully accessible to readers and die-hard fans a whole new story and a whole new experience! Having writer Katy Rex join the creative team is immensely exciting thanks to her ability to create strong and inspiring female characters." 

Assistant Editor Matt Humphreys agrees, "We've really got an incredible team of creators working on this project. Katy's written an enchanting story, Manda's art is absolutely beautiful, and as a result, the book they're putting together is really remarkable. (And Jen's cover, of course, is spectacular!) I think fans of the series, whether they're new or long-established, are going to be very pleased with it."

Charmed premiered in 1998 to critical acclaim and commercial success, and by the end of its eight-season run had won numerous awards, aired in more than 20 countries and attracted an average audience of 4.5 million viewers per episode. Dynamite Entertainment's comic adaptation of the series debuted in March 2017, and the trade paperback collection of that first story arc - entitled A Thousand Deaths - will be available in October 2017.

The Charmed Manga Edition, under license by CBS Consumer Products, will be solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors' December 2017 Previews catalog, the premiere source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market, and is slated for release in February. Comic book fans are encouraged to reserve copies of Charmed with their local comic book retailers. The Charmed Manga Edition will also be available for individual customer purchase through digital platforms courtesy of Comixology, Kindle, iBooks, Google Play, Dynamite Digital, iVerse, Madefire, and Dark Horse Digital.