Wendy the Good Little Witch
Encyclopedia
Wendy the Good Little Witch is a fictional comic book
character
from Harvey Comics
. Wendy was introduced as a back-up feature as well as a companion for Casper
in Casper the Friendly Ghost #20, May 1954. Soon, she was trialed in Harvey Hits
, starting with #7. After a total of six appearances, she received her own title, Wendy the Good Little Witch, in 1960. Other ancillary titles featuring the pleasant young witch include Wendy Witch World (October 1961 - September 1974), and Casper and Wendy (September 1972 to November 1973). Another Wendy the Good Little Witch comic ran from April 1991 to August 1994, and a three-issue Wendy and the New Kids on the Block saw print in 1991.
In addition to Casper, the Wendy comics frequently feature Wendy's "aunties" Thelma, Velma and Zelma, with whom she shares a cottage in a haunted forest. A popular plotline has the aunts becoming frustrated over Wendy's determination to use her magic powers to do good only. Unlike Wendy, her aunts have green wartish skin of the type associated with Halloween
witches; most adult witches seen in Wendy's stories have similar skin, implying that, in the Harvey Comics universe, it is a trait witches develop after reaching a certain age. One story states that the reason for this is because witches don't get enough sleep.
Like many of Harvey's stable, Wendy is a design variation on the prototype of Casper. So are Richie Rich, Gloria Glad, Little Dot
and others.
She has appeared in various other media including television and film.
Casper cartoon short, Which is Witch (1958). She was voiced by Mae Questel
.
In 1963, she became a frequent supporting character in the animated
TV series
, The New Casper Cartoon Show, and was voiced by Norma McMillan (who also voiced Casper).
Christina Ricci
's character of Kat in the Casper
movie was originally named Wendy in the script but changed at the last minute because otherwise Universal would have been required to buy the rights to her character as well. However, several hints that her character was originally Wendy still made it into the film, such as the red hoodie she wears in the film during one scene that resembles her robe from the comics.
Wendy was played by Hilary Duff
in the 1998 direct-to-video film Casper Meets Wendy
, her first movie.
TDK
published a video game, Wendy: Every Witch Way, for the Game Boy Color
in 2001.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
character
Character (arts)
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from Harvey Comics
Harvey Comics
Harvey Comics was an American comic book publisher, founded in New York City by Alfred Harvey in 1941, after buying out the small publisher Brookwood Publications. His brothers Robert B...
. Wendy was introduced as a back-up feature as well as a companion for Casper
Casper the Friendly Ghost
Casper the Friendly Ghost is the protagonist of the Famous Studios theatrical animated cartoon series of the same name. As his name indicates, he is a ghost, but is quite personable...
in Casper the Friendly Ghost #20, May 1954. Soon, she was trialed in Harvey Hits
Harvey Hits
Harvey Hits was an American comic book series, published by Harvey Comics. The series ran from September 1957 to November 1967; in all, 122 issues were published. Harvey Hits was similar to DC Comics' Showcase in that it was an anthology tryout series which often featured characters that did not...
, starting with #7. After a total of six appearances, she received her own title, Wendy the Good Little Witch, in 1960. Other ancillary titles featuring the pleasant young witch include Wendy Witch World (October 1961 - September 1974), and Casper and Wendy (September 1972 to November 1973). Another Wendy the Good Little Witch comic ran from April 1991 to August 1994, and a three-issue Wendy and the New Kids on the Block saw print in 1991.
In addition to Casper, the Wendy comics frequently feature Wendy's "aunties" Thelma, Velma and Zelma, with whom she shares a cottage in a haunted forest. A popular plotline has the aunts becoming frustrated over Wendy's determination to use her magic powers to do good only. Unlike Wendy, her aunts have green wartish skin of the type associated with Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
witches; most adult witches seen in Wendy's stories have similar skin, implying that, in the Harvey Comics universe, it is a trait witches develop after reaching a certain age. One story states that the reason for this is because witches don't get enough sleep.
Like many of Harvey's stable, Wendy is a design variation on the prototype of Casper. So are Richie Rich, Gloria Glad, Little Dot
Little Dot
Little Dot was a comic book character published by Harvey Comics between 1949 and 1982, and then sporadically until 1994. A little girl obsessed with dots, spots, and round, colorful objects, she first appeared in 1949 as a supporting feature in Sad Sack and by 1953 was given her own series,...
and others.
She has appeared in various other media including television and film.
Other media
Wendy made her first screen appearance in the theatrical ParamountParamount
-Companies:*Paramount Motion Pictures Group, a motion picture holding company owned by Viacom*Paramount Pictures, a motion picture studio*Paramount Vantage, specialty film division of Paramount Pictures*CBS Paramount Television, a television studio and library...
Casper cartoon short, Which is Witch (1958). She was voiced by Mae Questel
Mae Questel
Mae Questel was an American actress and vocal artist best known for providing the voices for the animated characters, Betty Boop and Olive Oyl. She began in vaudeville, and played occasional small roles in films and television later in her career, most notably the role of Aunt Bethany in 1989's...
.
In 1963, she became a frequent supporting character in the animated
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
TV series
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
, The New Casper Cartoon Show, and was voiced by Norma McMillan (who also voiced Casper).
Christina Ricci
Christina Ricci
Christina Ricci is an American actress. Ricci received initial recognition and praise as a child star for her performance as Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values , and her role as Kat Harvey in Casper...
's character of Kat in the Casper
Casper (film)
Casper is a 1995 American comedy fantasy film starring Bill Pullman and Christina Ricci, based on the Casper the Friendly Ghost animated cartoons and comic books. The ghosts featured in the film were created through computer-generated imagery...
movie was originally named Wendy in the script but changed at the last minute because otherwise Universal would have been required to buy the rights to her character as well. However, several hints that her character was originally Wendy still made it into the film, such as the red hoodie she wears in the film during one scene that resembles her robe from the comics.
Wendy was played by Hilary Duff
Hilary Duff
Hilary Erhard Duff is an American actress, singer-songwriter, entrepreneur, and author. After working in local theater plays and television commercials in her childhood, she achieved fame playing the title role in the Disney Channel television series Lizzie McGuire. She also reprised her role in...
in the 1998 direct-to-video film Casper Meets Wendy
Casper Meets Wendy
Casper Meets Wendy is a direct-to-video and second spin-off to the 1995 film Casper. It was released by 20th Century Fox in 1998. The film is a sequel to Casper: A Spirited Beginning...
, her first movie.
TDK
TDK
, formerly , is a Japanese company which manufactures electronic materials, electronic components, and recording and data-storage media, and markets them globally. Their motto is "Contribute to culture and industry through creativity"...
published a video game, Wendy: Every Witch Way, for the Game Boy Color
Game Boy Color
The is Nintendo's successor to the 8-bit Game Boy handheld game console, and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan, November 19, 1998 in North America, November 23, 1998 in Europe and November 27, 1998 in the United Kingdom. It features a color screen and is slightly thicker and taller than...
in 2001.