As October begins, Halloween is once again around the corner, making this a great time to explore the mystical in the comic book world. When it comes to magic in comic books, witches have long been a popular option with creators because they offer so many possibilities. Here are some recent comics that have witches as their main characters.
Toil & Trouble by Mairghread Scott with illustrations by Kelly Matthews and Nichole Matthews – Have you ever wanted to know more about the witches in Macbeth? This comic retells the classic tale from their perspective, offering a completely new take on Shakespeare’s work. See what happens when these three sister fates delve into Scottish politics. This is a fresh take on a work that many have read in English class and is a great way to get comics fans more interested in the story of Macbeth. It is also a strong work of horror in its own right, making it a good option even for those who aren’t fans of Shakespeare.
Scarlet Witch Vol. 1: Witches’ Road by James Robinson with illustrations by Vanesa R. Del Rey, Marco Ruby, Steve Dillion, Chris Visions, and Javier Pulido – With her inclusion in Avengers: Age of Ultron and Captain America: Civil War, Scarlet Witch has been introduced to a whole new group of fans. This comic offers the perfect continuation for both long time and new fans. In this volume, Scarlet Witch must travel across the globe in an attempt to save magic and witchcraft from a mysterious figure who would destroy it. The series combines compelling artwork by a strong group of artists with an exciting story, resulting in a great reading experience.
Spell Checkers by Jamie S. Rich with illustrations by Nicolas Hitori De and Joëlle Jones – High school can be a hard enough time without also being a witch. At first, Jesse, Kimmie, and Cynthia might think that their magical powers will make their life easy and enjoyable, but as rumors start to circulate about them and their powers begin to falter, they are going to have to find their nemesis and come together to fight back. This is a darkly humorous take on high school witchcraft that has a strong style.
Black Magick: Awakening by Greg Rucka with illustrations by Nicola Scott – Rowan Black leads a dual life as both a police detective and a witch, but these two sides of her life come together when a powerful magical force starts attacking her. In volume 1 of this story, readers begin to see the larger forces of both good and evil at work in these events while leaving just enough mystery to keep them wanting more. The almost entirely black and white artwork adds to the dark atmosphere of the story and helps to make this a great read for fans of horror and supernatural. This book is definitely for an older audience due to its depictions of violence and brief nudity. It will particularly appeal to fans of Coffin Hill by Caitlin Kittredge and Inaki Miranda.
Spell on Wheels by Kate Leth with illustrations by Megan Levens – Later this month an interesting new comic about witches is debuting. The story follows three witches as they go on a road trip to recover lost magical objects. Road trips and witches seems like a great combo and with the creative team of Kate Leth and Megan Levens, this one is sure to be great!
I hope this list will help you find a great read in time for Halloween! These are some of the best comics about witches to feature female authors and illustrators, but there are a lot more out there. Let us know your favorites in the comments.
— Carli Spina, currently between books
Great post (I just did a display of ‘witchy books’ at my library). Another good read is “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. Not the Sabrina the Teenage Witch of WB (CW?) fame, though. This comic is dark and creepy and definitely not for the faint-hearted. A great seasonal choice.