Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is the new Netflix Original series based on everyone’s favorite teenage witch, Sabrina Spellman. While the new series promises to be darker and creepier, Sabrina originated as a wholesome Archie Comics character back in the 1960s. Watch the video above for a deep dive into Sabrina’s comic book and TV history!
Sabrina The Teenage Witch made her debut in the comic book magazine Archie’s Madhouse back in 1962. She was created by artist Dan Decarlo and writer George Gladir. The creators envisioned Sabrina as a one shot, but when fans asked for more of the teen witch, she made more Archie Comics magazine appearances. She then got her own comic series, titled Sabrina the Teenage Witch, in 1971.
Volume 1 of Sabrina the Teenage Witch ran until 1983. Sabrina returned for a new comic series in 1997, after the initial success of the live-action sitcom in 1996. In the comic book horror series Afterlife With Archie in 2013, Sabrina was featured in issue #6. It was well received, which led to her own darker comic series, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, in 2014.
Chilling Adventures follows half-witch Sabrina, first giving us a look at her childhood and then focusing on her teen years in the 1960s. As she nears her 16th birthday, she must choose between life as a full witch or to live as a mortal with her boyfriend, Harvey.
Sabrina was given her own animated TV series from 1970 - 1974. She returned to television in 1996, this time as a live action adaptation. Melissa Joan Hart first played Sabrina The Teenage Witch in a TV movie for Showtime, then got her own TV series on ABC. It saw massive success in the late 90s but then switched networks to the WB in 2000, where it lasted 3 more seasons before being cancelled.
And in 2018, we have the darkest and creepiest TV version of Sabrina yet with Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, just released on Netflix. The story is based on the comic series of the same name, and the series stars Kiernan Shipka as Sabrina. As her 16th birthday approaches, she must make a choice between the wicked world and the human world.
For more Sabrina, go check out our gallery for Netflix's Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina: 17 Easter Eggs Paying Tribute To Classic Horror Movies and our feature on how Chilling Adventures of Sabrina looked to horror icon Clive Barker to decorate its creepy world.