This delightful new iteration of everyone’s favorite teenage witch is sure to delight all her fans. At least I was sure delighted. In fact, I loved it. The first pages where Sabrina wakes up for her first day in her new school and banters with Salem about the use of her powers, you know exactly what you’re in for. Magical hijinks with a dash of supernatural danger.

Thompson puts her own spin on Sabrina and no where is that more apparent than when she’s defining the magic system. Every spell has a price, exacting balance within the universe. To put it most succintly with her own quotes: “When it comes to witchcraft, people tend to see it in extremes. It is either all evil. . . used only for wicked ends. Or it’s all sunshine and rainbows. . . all sisteerhood and the natural world. But like most things, it’s both. And also like most things, how good or bad it is depends on the character of the person wielding it.”

Not to mention the magic system is a delightful blend of all mythologies, Greek, Merlin, Mayan, ancient France, Wiccan earth practices etc. that shows that Thompson put research and thought into it.

Everything is complex, that’s the underlying message with all the characters. There’s Sabrina, obviously, as she goes through her coming of age journey and coming to realize she is a lot more powerful than she realizes. But even with that raw power, she still has a lot to learn and must forge a path for herself outside of the sheltered protection of her aunts.

Her aunts are also not what they seem, as least that’s what Sabrina suspects when she starts investigating the weird going-ons of Greendale and its monster attacks. Zelda seems to be based on the live action one from the Melissa JOan Hart show, straight hair, serious, very knowledgable. Hilda is the nicer, earthier type.

Monsters who turn out to be students? Students like the mean girl at large Radka and her handsome brother, Ren who transform into a Wendigo. I heartily enjoyed both characters with Radka’s haughty toughness, Ren’s hotness and their sweet sibling relationship.

But to focus on Ren for a bit. Not only is handsome but he is charmingly handsome. Who knew that talking about apple-related superstition could be so romantically-charged. With his connection to the supernatural world, he is big competition for Sabrina’s affections as he can relate to both Sabrinas-the witch and the normal girl.

But don’t count Harvey Kinkle out yet. He’s also handsome, though I do wish the illustrator drew Harvey as consistantly handsome as he did Ren because in the first pages he was out-and out gorgeous which could be attributed to Sabrina’s rose colored glasses. But the following issues he was dialed down to just cute. I just wish that he got equal amount of handsomeness.

But enough about his looks, Harvey is a sweet guy and provides the normality that Sabrina wants to experience in her life. I love how open he is and the wish for more communication that is needed to make the relationship shine. So even though Ren has the allure, I still root for Harvey because he is like a golden retriever, he’s a sweet, loyal boy who deserves the best.

And don’t worry about the love triangle, it’s not messy and annoying. Sabrina shuts that toxic masculinity down quick and both guys respect her space and again, it makes you root equally for both ships.

Sabrina’s new fun, Jessa is an adorkable girl that provides a nice amount of levity and normalcy, much like Harvey and I can see why Sabrina would be friends with her. I’d be friends with her too.

Salem is the best. That’s all you really know. If you like him for his snarky albeit a bit ruthless personality, you’ll love him here.

Also I can’t forget to mention the town itself that immediately sets itself as a spooky Salem-like town. Now a suburb with witch-related past.

Additionally, the art by the Fish team is amazing. Not just with its color palette that shows off the magic blasts, spells and mists contrasted with the horror-movie shadows of the dark woods but it portrays it with an epic scale when it comes to the final battle that is amazing.

The only tiny quibbles is the sliding scale of Harvey hotness consistancy in regards to the art and numbering the spells. I understood the joke in the first issue but I found it unnecessary to continue it for the next four issues.

So lovely addition to the new Archie universe. 5 stars