The Scarlet Witch and Her Powers of Hex

THE TOP 10 SCARY WITCH SUPERHEROES

Superhero Witch #1: The Scarlet Witch

~Scarlet Witch, from Avengers vs. X-Men #12 (2012)

Wanda Maximoff, also beloved (or hated) by fans as The Scarlet Witch, is possibly the greatest superhero to ever wear the title. Then again, she's also single-handedly responsible for destroying most of the mutant race, ending the Avengers, and killing multiple people within the span of days. That's the problem when you're having a mental breakdown.

From an emotionally disturbed past wrought with deception manipulation, Wanda was one of the original members of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, inducted by her (then unknown) father Magneto. This was her first appearance (X-Men #4, 1964). Later, though, she would become an Avenger and serve as one of their greatest members. During that long career, she would study magic and learn the true art of witchcraft, disputably becoming one of their greatest practitioners.

From earlier times, numerous stories and events have seen the Scarlet Witch, a mutant herself with the ability to create probability-altering hexes, as their focus. Avengers Disassembled was the moment she took out the entire group, killing a few of their members. House of M details the aftermath of that time when she created an entirely new world and later removed the powers of 90% of the mutant population. In most cases, it's never been an intentionally destructive act, just misguided suggestions and advice that caused her to do bad things.

But Witches never seem to be that good - they've always got some strange agenda - and let's face it, Wanda is truly "witchy". Although considerably good of heart, she's performed incredibly powerful and destructive acts. She's been judged as an unpredictable ally. There is one caveat, though; in her latest adventures, part of Avengers Vs. X-Men, she turns out to be a force that saves the world. Go figure.

Halloween is one of the best Holidays for comic book fans; that's when it's actually cool to dress up with a cape! To commemorate the occasion we have The Top 10 Scary Witch Superheroes, a Countdown sponsored by The Superheroes List. Spells will fly, incantations may be called, but who can blame them; it's time to be horrified and Read this List!

In Magic, Zatanna Sets The Stage

THE TOP 10 SCARY WITCH SUPERHEROES

Superhero Witch #3: Zatanna

~Excerpt from Zatanna #1 (2010)

She calls herself a magician. Maybe that's because she's - yet another - member of the Homo Magi race. Let's be fair, though, Zatanna Zatara is a pure witchcrafting work of art with backwards incantations and syllabic intonations. With no known limits to her power, this daughter of the infamous Giovanni Zatara started off as a stage magician before it became apparent that she was the real deal.

Zatanna has (pardon the pun) set the stage as DC Comics most important magic-user. After a first appearance in Hawkman #4 (1964), she's been an instrumental part of the universe and multiple plots, including a key component of their Identity Crisis, giving advice and sometimes stretching the lines of morality in all things of mystical importance. She was also witnessed reviving the entire city of Metropolis from devastation. Perhaps it's her sleek, half-stocking tuxedo-suit and top hat that makes her look comical, but don't be fooled; even the Justice League trusts her with important missions.

Things are a little different lately with Zatanna, though. Although she was originally conceived as an additional appearance to some of Batman's encounters, she's grown independent over the years, and become updated to a world where she stands on her own contributions. Now, she's part of an elite magical fighting group called Justice League Dark. The tux seems to have disappeared, but she's still garbed in black and can perform a mean Circle of Invocation.

Halloween is one of the best Holidays for comic book fans; that's when it's actually cool to dress up with a cape! To commemorate the occasion we have The Top 10 Scary Witch Superheroes, a Countdown sponsored by The Superheroes List. Spells will fly, incantations may be called, but who can blame them; it's time to be horrified and Read this List!

Magik Can Be Good...Or Bad

THE TOP 10 SCARY WITCH SUPERHEROES

Superhero Witch #3

~Magik, on the cover of X-Infernus #1 (2008)

Did you know Colossus aka Peter Rasputin had a sister? Well, not many do unless you're a true fan of mutants or the X-Men. First appearing in Giant-Sized X-Men #1 (1975), we barely had an idea what this innocent young child was capable of when her brother went off with Charles Xavier to became an X-Man. But, she grew up. And it turns out she's quite powerful by all observations.

Illyana Nikolievna Rasputina is her name and she's gifted with the ability of Limbo. (No, not the skill that requires flexibility.) Apparently, she has an intrinsic connection to that plane of existence and its demonic denizens. Originally, when she was brought in as a mutant, her power was teleportation. Later, though, it grew to uncanny proportions.

Nicknamed Magik, Illyana has been elevated to the dimension's Sorceress Supreme. She's their elite spellcaster and perhaps one of the most deadliest masters of the mystic arts in existence. It's even debatable that she's a superhero because her latest endeavor saw her attempting to enslave the human race (The Avengers vs. X-Men event).

Regardless of her current status, though, Illyana has served in the capacity of goodness. Maybe she's just misunderstood; you would be too if you were wielding a soulsword with demonic armor.

Halloween is one of the best Holidays for comic book fans; that's when it's actually cool to dress up with a cape! To commemorate the occasion we have The Top 10 Scary Witch Superheroes, a Countdown sponsored by The Superheroes List. Spells will fly, incantations may be called, but who can blame them; it's time to be horrified and Read this List!

Those Who Summon Madame Xanadu

THE TOP 10 SCARY WITCH SUPERHEROES

Superhero Witch #4

~Madame Xanadu, from Demon Knights #7 (2012)

One of the most controversial witches in the DC Universe is Madame Xanadu, whose past originates from the pages of Doorway to Nightmare #1 (1978), where she was actually a supporting character to various, non-connected plots, but actually goes back much farther. In the title, the protagonist would be led through a series of strange occurrences, usually of occult origin, and end up at Xanadu's shop (now housed in Greenwich Village) where she would give a Tarot reading. Typically, the conclusion would be an unnerving finale based on the spiritual and magical advice she imparted.

Based on that concept, Madame Xanadu is mainly a seer or prophetess. It's true that most of her actions in the DC Universe involves looking into the future or past, but her ties to spellcasting and witchcraft cannot be ignored. She's done everything from potion-making to continue her immortality to binding demons for her bidding; the Tarot cards, however, are the penultimate tool of her trade.

Although most super-heroic witches are modern-day, Xanadu has the edge over them all. Her witching-hour past can be traced back to the Age of Camelot, Etrigan, and other fantasy-mythical characters currently being portrayed in the Demon Knights series. Simultaneously, the editors have her operating Justice League Dark - a caste of occult-based superheroes - in the current era. Very few supernatural heroes have this breadth of experience or can hold a candle to this lady, who is even rumored to have had relations with the Wizard, Merlin.

Halloween is one of the best Holidays for comic book fans; that's when it's actually cool to dress up with a cape! To commemorate the occasion we have The Top 10 Scary Witch Superheroes, a Countdown sponsored by The Superheroes List. Spells will fly, incantations may be called, but who can blame them; it's time to be horrified and Read this List!

Megan Gwynn, The Uncanny Pixie

THE TOP 10 SCARY WITCH SUPERHEROES

Superhero Witch #5

~Uncanny X-Man #510 (2009)

The latest witch to appear in the comic books is the mutant, Megan Gwynn, an originally innocent Welsh lass who was all about fairy dust, teddy bears, and unicorns. Gifted with four lateral, multicolored wings and the ability to produce a hallucinogenic toxin, she was benefited with the codename "Pixie". Not quite a decade old to X-Men fans, she first appeared in New X-Men: Academy X #5 (2004) as a recruit to their Paragon team.

Things have changed, though; Pixie isn't as friendly and has had some upgrades. Most importantly, she's learning magic. Even Doctor Strange offered to train her once she gets older. And after a few brutal encounters and adventures, she's lost some of her color and gained the ability to summon a "Soul Dagger" - a magical object bound with her spirit. Her most notorious power is the spell of teleportation by uttering "Sihal Novarum Chinoth!"

Pixie started off as a small side extra to the X-Men family, but has gained increasing popularity and importance in their plots. It appears Marvel writers see great promise for her in the future. Currently, though, she is placed on teams for extraction and invasion strategies. No longer a comedy effect, Megan is coming to her own,  a spell-casting witch of the arts.

Halloween is one of the best Holidays for comic book fans; that's when it's actually cool to dress up with a cape! To commemorate the occasion we have The Top 10 Scary Witch Superheroes, a Countdown sponsored by The Superheroes List. Spells will fly, incantations may be called, but who can blame them; it's time to be horrified and Read this List!

Satana, Marvel's Daughter of Hell

THE TOP 10 SCARY WITCH SUPERHEROES

Superhero Witch #6

~Thunderbolts #169 (2012)

Of Hellish power and origin, notoriously spurned from the demonic heritage of the Marvel Universe, one such femalee has appeared in the dark circles of magic over the years, casting spells and successfully fulfilling the role of witch for many decades. Not too nice, she's mostly a bad guy, but every now and then does something right. This devilish daughter is Satana.

Satana is the sister to Daimon Hellstrom who is known as the Son of Satan...which, probably makes her the Devil's Daughter? (Although they both tend to be stuck with that title of named evil, the demon believed to be their father is now explained to be Marduk Kurios.) Both are mothered by a human, Victoria Wingate, who became maddened when she learned their true heritage, but they rarely associate or work together. In most cases, they shun the others company.

Among spellcasters, Satana is all things witch-ful and macabre. She also happens to be a succubus, known to draw the life's essence from those who receive her unholy kiss. Among her typical practices, she's inscribing circles, studying spell-books, and doing the otherwise horrible things, smiling the whole time. Last check, she has been assigned to the Thunderbolts program, an initiative that allows former criminals to fight on the side of good. It's been a rocky road for her, but things seem to be going for the best.

Satana's first appearance was in Vampire Tales #2 (1973).

Halloween is one of the best Holidays for comic book fans; that's when it's actually cool to dress up with a cape! To commemorate the occasion we have The Top 10 Scary Witch Superheroes, a Countdown sponsored by The Superheroes List. Spells will fly, incantations may be called, but who can blame them; it's time to be horrified and Read this List!

June Moon and The Enchantress

THE TOP 10 SCARY WITCH SUPERHEROES

Superhero Witch: #7

~Enchantress shows Deadman how much she needs June Moon. Excerpt from Justice League Dark #4 (2012)

Sometimes you're a witch and you just don't know it. Other times, you're one and you don't want it! This is the totality of the witch-of-a-good-girl, June Moon, who shares her existence with a powerful, sometimes good, other times bad, spell-caster known as The Enchantress.

First appearing in Strange Adventures #187 (1966), June originally thought she was simply attending a costume party in a strange castle; that's where the entity "Dzamor" taught her to utter the word "Enchantress" to become one of the quintessential witches of the DC Universe. Later, we learned that June's other side was not another being, Enchantress was always a part of her.

This is worse news for June Moon, though, because she mostly doesn't want anything to do with the spellcrafter that shares her innate being. In the past, Enchantress has served the good and benevolent in the form of a supergroup known as The Shadowpact who fought magically maligned forces. Later, she would become a terrible power of her own, facing members of Justice League Dark

Halloween is one of the best Holidays for comic book fans; that's when it's actually cool to dress up with a cape! To commemorate the occasion we have The Top 10 Scary Witch Superheroes, a Countdown sponsored by The Superheroes List. Spells will fly, incantations may be called, but who can blame them; it's time to be horrified and Read this List!

Raven, Daughter of Trigon

THE TOP 10 SCARY WITCH SUPERHEROES

Superhero Witch #8

~Raven, losing control of her emotions, from Titans #5 (2008)

We've explained that some humans are born into the powers of witchcraft and magic; their lives are a blessing and a curse, influencing actions which will eventually turn them into heroes or villains. Strange and mysterious as this lot is though, there are others whom embody the magic internally, for purposes as nefarious and benevolent as pure evil or good.

Raven, one of the earliest members of the Teen Titans, is one such female with powers of magic that make her very complicated in the heroic spectrum. Born of the breeding between a human mother and the powerful demon, Trigon, she spent most of her youth training in the dimension Azarath. Her first appearance was in DC Comics Presents #26 (1980), attempting to gather Robin, Cyborg, and the other infamous members to help her defeat him.

Technically, Raven couldn't possibly be a witch; she only fulfills that role based on her appearance, abilities, and mannerisms. Her powers are demonic in origin, with the ability to health others, teleport, and sense and influence emotions. It is important though that some instances of her story show her practicing spellcasting - usually of a darker sort - which qualifies under the black arts.

Raven's scariest fact comes from the future, one that will hopefully never happen. Born of Trigon, she is one of his "Seven Deadly Sins", and an avatar that would one day help him ravage the earth. She has rebuked him in the past, but as a entity born under evil (most believe she is "Pride"), she will forever be witch-like to others.

Halloween is one of the best Holidays for comic book fans; that's when it's actually cool to dress up with a cape! To commemorate the occasion we have The Top 10 Scary Witch Superheroes, a Countdown sponsored by The Superheroes List. Spells will fly, incantations may be called, but who can blame them; it's time to be horrified and Read this List!

Where in the World is Traci 13?

THE TOP 10 SCARY WITCH SUPERHEROES

Superhero Witch #9

~Flashpoint: The World of Flashpoint #1 (2011)

Are you familiar with the term Homo Magi? That's the rare individual born with magical ability. In DC Comics, it's extremely similar to a mutation and only a handful of notable individuals have so far been recognized.

Meet Traci 13. Originally she was known as Traci Thirteen (big difference). And, not surprisingly, she's the daughter of noted parapsychologist, Doctor Thirteen. With the big chances in DC, she's been increasingly involved in the magical problems of the universe, but has remained near the bottom of the heap when you compare her to the big-name spellcasters.

It might be because Traci is a teenager. This, once again, seems to be the most defining characteristic of witches in their youth: fiery, short temper, a sort of anti-hero philosophy, and a willingness to cross the line to suit their purpose. Traci's first appearance, though, was in Superman #189 (2003), where she helped him survive a magical encounter.

It's hard to tell where Traci 13 is going to show up nowadays. Although she was working with the Teen Titans for awhile, there's been no trace of her lately. Still, the question is not "if", but "when" she'll return. Since her 2003 initial showing, she's had increasing promise, even integral during the Flashpoint event.

Halloween is one of the best Holidays for comic book fans; that's when it's actually cool to dress up with a cape! To commemorate the occasion we have The Top 10 Scary Witch Superheroes, a Countdown sponsored by The Superheroes List. Spells will fly, incantations may be called, but who can blame them; it's time to be horrified and Read this List!

Black Alice Loves To Steal Magic

THE TOP 10 SCARY WITCH SUPERHEROES

Hahahahaahaahaa...(Insert strangled cackle here). Looks like Halloween is only 10 weeks away fellow Comic Book fans. And what are we going to do about that? Why the answer is easy. This year The Superheroes List is going to provide a countdown on The Top 10 Scary Witch Superheroes. Ugly and horrifying (don't count on it), these lurking fems represent the best DC and Marvel have to offer. Are you ready to get psyched for All Hallow's Eve? Let the incantations begin!

Superhero Witch #10

One of the younger witches lurking within the DC Universe, Lori Zechlin, happens to be one by trade and by chance. Early in her teenage story, after her mother committed suicide with pharmaceutical chemicals, she learned that she had the untamed power of Black Alice. Barely a superhero by today's standards, she's more of an anti-hero that needs direction and guidance to stay on the right side of the law.

But that's as if she cares. As Black Alice, Lori is mostly a self-serving adolescent. Originally appearing in Birds of Prey #76, Oracle and Black Canary first noticed her metahuman talents and kept her in their line-of-sight. Later, it was revealed she could steal the powers of magical heroes and villains near her; this includes figures such as the sorcery-empowered Dr. Fate and unbridled Demon, Etrigan.

Little is known of Black Alice's recent whereabouts, but she's a perfect icon of the witch on an All Hallows Eve. Dressed in black, she's a Goth from head to toe, including her overly-thickened eye shadow, and black-leather wear. The only think holding her from the higher rankings is her inability to control the powers she acquires. Either she unable or unconcerned to try.

Halloween is one of the best Holidays for comic book fans; that's when it's actually cool to dress up with a cape! To commemorate the occasion we have The Top 10 Scary Witch Superheroes, a Countdown sponsored by The Superheroes List. Spells will fly, incantations may be called, but who can blame them; it's time to be horrified and Read this List!