Wicca (English pronunciation: /ˈwɪkə/), also termed Pagan Witchcraft, is a contemporary Pagan new religious movement. It was developed in England during the first half of the 20th century and was introduced to the public in 1954 by Gerald Gardner, a retired British civil servant. Wicca draws upon a diverse set of ancient pagan and 20th century hermetic motifs for its theological structure and ritual practice.

Wicca has no central authority. Its traditional core beliefs, principles and practices were originally outlined in the 1940s and 1950s by Gardner and Doreen Valiente, both in published books as well as in secret written and oral teachings passed along to their initiates. There are many variations on the core structure, and the religion grows and evolves over time. It is divided into a number of diverse lineages, sects and denominations, referred to as traditions, each with its own organizational structure and level of centralisation. Due to its decentralized nature, there is some disagreement over what actually constitutes Wicca. Some traditions, collectively referred to as British Traditional Wicca, strictly follow the initiatory lineage of Gardner and consider the term Wicca to apply only to similar traditions, but not to newer, eclectic traditions.

Wiccan (real name William "Billy" Kaplan) is a comic book character, a member of the Young Avengers, a team of teenage superheroes in the Marvel Universe. He is a mutant, and his appearance is patterned on that of two prominent Marvel superheroes, Thor and Scarlet Witch, both of whom are members of the Avengers. Like the Scarlet Witch, Billy possesses very powerful magical abilities which make him a key member of his superhero team.

Wiccan is a homosexual superhero. His story sees him discover that he and the super fast teen hero Speed are in fact long lost twin brothers, and that the pair are the sons of the Scarlet Witch and her husband Vision. Significant story lines for the character include him and his brother's search for their missing mother, learning to master his powers, and his ongoing relationship with his alien teammate Hulkling.

Publication history

Wiccan first appeared in Young Avengers #1 (April 2005). The issue was scripted by Allan Heinberg and drawn by Jim Cheung. One of the original four members of the Young Avengers, the team was founded after the Avengers disbanded in the story line Avengers Disassembled.