Magica De Spell
Magica De Spell is a fictional character of the Scrooge McDuck universe, a witch created by Carl Barks. She constantly steals or attempts to steal Scrooge McDuck's Number One Dime, which she believes will play a vital role in magically obtaining the same fabulous wealth of its owner.
The Sorceress first appeared in "The Midas Touch", first published in December, 1961. According to Barks, he intended to create her as another recurring antagonist for Scrooge, in addition to The Beagle Boys and Flintheart Glomgold. But in contrast to the Wicked Witch Queen of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, first released on December 21, 1937, and Witch Hazel of Trick or Treat, first released on October 10, 1952, she would not be in the image of the old hag usually associated with witches. He wanted to create a youthful and attractive Enchantress, so he took inspiration for her look from Italian actress Sophia Loren. He also wanted her to be seductive, amoral, and somewhat threatening. In a later interview, Barks identified a similar figure from the comic strips of Charles Addams as another source of inspiration for Magica, namely Morticia Addams of The Addams Family. Maleficent, the malevolent fairy from Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty, first released on January 29, 1959, has been suggested as a third source of inspiration. The latter is considered one of the most visually impressive characters appearing in Disney's films, along with Chernabog of Fantasia.
According to Barks and his successors, Magica lives on the slopes of the Vesuvius, next to Naples, Italy, where the sorceress was born in 1908. Her primary motivation is to steal Uncle Scrooge's Number One Dime and melt it in the Vesuvius into a powerful magical amulet.
She sometimes teams up with The Beagle Boys or her best friend and sometimes housemate Mad Madam Mim. She also has a raven named Ratface in the comics. Other characters closer to Magica include her grandmother, Granny De Spell, who, although claiming be one of the most powerful of witches, has been no more successful in obtaining the Number One Dime. There is also her niece, Witch Child (Séraphine Sorcerette in French, Nocina Maghetta in Italian) a mischievous little girl witch who can be a playmate and a thorn in the side of Huey, Dewey and Louie, depending on the story. Magica even has an apprentice, Samson Hex, a bungling no-hoper.
Magica was also a semi-regular on the animated television show DuckTales, where she was voiced by June Foray (which, in turn, made her sound like Natasha Fatale from Rocky & Bullwinkle). According to the show, her brother is Poe De Spell, who was transformed into a raven and serves as her magical familiar — this is an obvious reference to Edgar Allan Poe's poem The Raven. Sometimes Magica antagonizes Donald Duck and his nephews when they are not with Scrooge. She has also antagonized Gyro Gearloose, Gladstone Gander, Daisy Duck and her nieces, and Goofy on occasion.
An actual date of the death of Magica De Spell is indeed unknown. Rumors that Magica De Spell died in 2004 aged 96, have neither confirmed nor denied yet.