Season of the Witch: Comic Book Witchery

Witches, sorceresses, magicians, and other supernatural practitioners have long been popular characters in the comic book medium. It’s no surprise, as they’re clearly fun to write and draw. Plus, witches are popular across every medium, from film to television to novels and more, so why wouldn’t the same hold true for comics?

As the Season of the Witch rolls on, here’s a gallery of some of my favorite magic-wielding comic book characters. When known, I’ve listed the artists of the accompanying illustrations.

Illyana Rasputin

Known by the awesome code name Magik, Illyana is one of the most fascinating and complex of Marvel’s mutants. For most of her existence in the Marvel universe, writers have explored her relationships to trauma and recovery (among other things) in powerful, nuanced stories. Plus, after becoming Doctor Strange’s disciple, she is a Sorceress Supreme. She also wields the mighty Soulsword, forged from her own life force. Magik isn’t just a badass though, she’s one of the most inspiring characters in the X-Men pantheon.

Zatanna

Zatanna Zatara, known as Zee to her friends in the Justice League, is one of DC’s premiere practitioners of magic. She’s also a legacy character, the daughter of the great magician Zatara. Like her dad, Zatanna is mystically endowed with innate magical powers and abilities. Alongside her pal Black Canary, Zee has also done more to popularize fishnet stockings than anyone in the DCU. She also sported a pretty fantastic Bronze Age costume for a stretch, too.

Scarlet Witch

Wanda Maximoff is one of Marvel’s most prominent heroes. A longtime member of the Avengers, she has a power set that ranks among the most powerful in the Marvel universe.

Doctor Strange and Clea

Doctor Stephen Strange and his protege, lover, and eventual wife Clea are two of superhero comics’ greatest sorcerers, with each having held the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme within the Marvel Universe. Their various cosmically inclined adventures are some of the trippiest in comic book history.

Morgan le Fay

A prime antagonist of several series, including Mike W. Barr and Brian Bolland’s epic 1980s science fiction/fantasy maxi-series Camelot 3000, Morgan le Fay is DC’s take on the infamous evil sorceress of Arthurian legend.

Winnie the Witch

I only recently discovered the existence of horror comics host Winnie the Witch, but boy am I glad I did. A leggy, blue-skinned witch with a mod spin—she gives off a sexy librarian vibe with those glasses—Winnie cheekily hosted a series of horror comics published by Charlton during the 1960s and 1970s. At some point she was redesigned with green skin and a new outfit, but the classic Winnie look reigns supreme. I like Winnie so much I did a little drawing of her, just for fun:

Enchantress

Marvel’s Amora, aka the Enchantress, is an alluring and powerful Asgardian sorceress who has repeatedly clashed with The Mighty Thor over the years. Of her large array of magical powers, one in particular is her signature, wherein she can plant an enchanted kiss upon a hapless victim and turn them into her adoring slave for several days at a time.

Doctor Occult

One of DC Comics’ oldest characters, created by Siegel and Shuster a few years before they introduced Superman, Dr. Occult (alter ego unknown) uses a variety of mystical abilities and world-class detective skills to battle supernatural evils. One of the great, unsung pulp heroes of the Golden Age, he’s been woefully underused over his nearly ninety-year existence.

Raven

Daughter of the demon Trigon, Raven is an empath and a master practitioner of magic. One of the cornerstones of the Teen Titans, the mysterious Raven has been a DC favorite among discerning fans who find feel a kinship with her quiet introversion and her powers of empathy.

Madame Xanadu

Madame Xanadu is an immortal mystic who can wield magic and interpret various supernatural phenomena. DC’s resident expert with tarot cards, Xanadu is a less-heralded but integral part of the publisher’s magical/mystical/witchcraftian corner.

Brother Voodoo

Brother Voodoo first appeared during Marvel’s horror boom in the 1970s and has remained a mainstay since. He’s even outgrown his blaxploitation style beginnings to become Doctor Voodoo, holding for a time the title of Sorcerer Supreme (one of several characters on this list to do so).

Satin Satan

Sabrina Sultress was the premiere fashion model of her time, who was possessed by an extra-dimensional demon called Sataroth and became the evil sorceress Satin Satan. I read her first appearances in Justice League of America as a kid and instantly fell in love with her goofy name, her crazy origin (fashion model plus demon equals awesome), her Satanic garb, and that raven hair streaked in white to frame her face. As abscure Bronze Age villains go, she’s a keeper.