“Wiccan – Witches’ Road” Issue 1 – Comic Book Review

The debut issue of Wiccan – Witches’ Road had Billy take center stage in his first-ever solo comic miniseries, featuring a narrative that is ready to make him explore more of his destiny as the Demiurge.

As a longtime fan of Billy, I’ve been excited to pick up Wiccan – Witches’ Road issue 1 by writer Wyatt Kennedy. The story takes place after the events of the recent Imperial Saga, with Billy and Teddy returning to Earth. However, there’s no time to take a break for the young wizard because it’s time for him to go down the Witches’ Road.

Certain comic book readers were worried about the latest miniseries only existing to create some kind of synergy with the live-action Wiccan from the MCU. But having read the first chapter, it’s safe to say that Kennedy is playing a completely different game, even though the title has the term Witches’ Road in it. This is a tale that makes sense for developing Billy further in the comic book space instead of morphing him to resemble the version of himself from the MCU. And I’m so glad for that!

I liked how Kennedy opened the comic book. In a single page, he’s able to mention the many “beginnings” for Wiccan (something that happens a lot with comic book characters, especially if a character is related to retcon nepo-baby Wanda), and immediately sets the stage that encourages readers not to think too much about Billy’s origins. It’s a comic book story, after all. So, relax and enjoy the adventure that’s currently unfolding for the young witch boy.

Having said that, the discrepancy between the current miniseries and the conclusion of the Imperial Saga wasn’t easy to ignore due to the Imperial Saga by Jonathan Hickman being so recent. For those who might not know, the events in Imperial led to Billy being gravely injured, with America Chavez rescuing him and Teddy. In contrast, Wiccan – Witches’ Road had Teddy being the one who was severely injured, with the married queer couple crash-landing on Earth without any mention of America Chavez.

I don’t know what happened between the creative teams and the editors over at Marvel Comics for such a mistake not to be caught or rectified before publication, but yeah, seeing said error in the premise of Wiccan – Witches’ Road had me worried about how Kennedy would proceed.

The good news is that Kennedy made sure that I did not dwell too much on the mistake by weaving a very engaging story for Billy. Magical beings needing to survive after losing their powers isn’t something new. But I’m here for what Kennedy is bringing to the table, because I have a feeling that when we do see Billy tapping into his magical abilities again, it’s going to be epic.

The narrative brought up his affinity for elemental magic. Fans of the original Young Avengers run would remember how Wiccan fashioned himself after Thor and used a lot of lightning attacks. This particular preference took a backseat as the character continued growing as a superhero across the decades. I’m interested in seeing how Kennedy will bring Wiccan back to his OG attacks and how embracing his elemental connection will strengthen his identity. Take note that Wiccan – Witches’ Road issue 3 will include Storm (Mistress of the Cosmic Elements). So, you bet I’m excited as heck!

With Billy sensing his powers had gone numb for some reason upon returning to Earth, I liked how he used his survival skills to protect Teddy while trekking through a dense forest. It made sense for Billy to have picked up survival skills after spending time with Kate Bishop. There’s a line about Billy pitching a tent that made me laugh because you know it’s got a double-meaning. I really enjoyed Kennedy’s take on Teddy and Billy’s dynamic. That’s the kind of healthy banter I want to see more of when it comes to loving queer couples.

Their first foe was an aggressive Leshy. Seeing Billy use Teddy’s sword made for a cool moment. Also, from what I know about a Leshy and other shapeshifting spirits, I just can’t bring myself to trust the village doctor who came to Teddy’s aid. He swiftly pointed all of the blame at a forest-dwelling witch.

With how the magical scape is designed in Marvel Comics, I agreed with Teddy when he brought up the mysterious witch possibly knowing about the iconic Scarlet Witch and even Billy. Our young witch boy should have been more cautious walking up to a scary house in the woods.

The forest witch made quick work of Billy and Teddy, which made sense. Numerous magical tales have showcased how an immensely powerful magical being can be defeated or harmed by a basic spell if you catch them off guard. The forest witch was more than prepared for Billy. She had been waiting for his arrival, because it was time for Billy to accept his destiny to bring back balance to the magical world. According to the witch, Billy’s been spending a whole lot of time chasing the cosmos. He needed to reconnect with Earth. Apparently, his so-called abandonment of Earth had led to elemental magic leaving him. Thus, Billy’s inability to use his magical powers (for now).

I enjoyed Wiccan’s conversation with the forest witch. Her motivation to assist Billy made sense. I was wondering about the witch’s identity and thought it was an original character from Kennedy. However, I was wrong. A major reveal in the debut issue was that the witch who captured Teddy and Billy was none other than the famous Baba Yaga, or as she put it, “The Mother of All Witches.”

Amazing! Cue the applause!

Wiccan’s journey down the Witches’ Road is going to be tough with trickery abound. I’m very excited about seeing Billy face challenges that will test his resolve.

As for the art, we have Andy Pereira on pencils and Bryan Valenza on colors. I have to say that the art didn’t do it for me. I’m not saying it’s bad. Because it’s definitely not!

It’s just that I was expecting something that resembled the style featured on the cover art instead of the more “cartoon-ish” style depicted on the interior pages.

What did you think of Wiccan – Witches’ Road issue 1? Are you excited about the second chapter in the 5-issue miniseries?

Let us know.

Author: Farid-ul-Haq

Farid has a Double Masters in Psychology and Biotechnology as well as an M.Phil in Molecular Genetics. He is the author of numerous books including Missing in Somerville, and The Game Master of Somerville. He gives us insight into comics, books, TV shows, anime/manga, video games, and movies.

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