W.I.T.C.H. (television) In Candracar, a team of 13- and 14-year-old girls, W.I.T.C.H. (acronym of their names—Will, Irma, Taranee, Cornelia, Hay Lin), has magical powers. The girls, a new generation of an ancient and venerable group, the Guardians of the Veil, stress the positive values of courage, loyalty, togetherness, tolerance, and team spirit as they are charged with protecting their world from the evil warlord, Prince Phobos, in a parallel universe. When the girls are at home and school, they face very contemporary and universal teen issues. Created by Disney Publishing Worldwide, launched in Italy in 2001, and appearing first in international magazines, W.I.T.C.H. debuted in the United States in a series of nine paperback books in April 2004, and in an animated television series airing as part of Jetix on ABC Family beginning January 15, 2005 (after a preview on ABC on December 18, 2004).
