| Billy Kaplan Wiccan | |
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance |
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| Created by |
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| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | William "Billy" Kaplan-Altman [1] |
| Species | Human mutant[2] |
| Place of origin | New York City |
| Team affiliations | |
| Partnerships | Hulkling (husband)[3] Speed (twin brother) |
| Notable aliases |
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| Abilities |
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Wiccan (William "Billy" Kaplan-Altman)[1] is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has been depicted as a member of the Young Avengers, a team of teenage superheroes, as well as Strikeforce and New Avengers. Created by writer Allan Heinberg and artist Jim Cheung, the character first appeared in Young Avengers #1 (April 2005).[4] The character's appearance is patterned on that of two prominent Marvel superheroes, Thor and Scarlet Witch (Wiccan's mother), both of whom are members of the Avengers. Like the Scarlet Witch, Wiccan possesses powerful magical abilities which make him a key member of his superhero team.
Recruited to the Young Avengers by Iron Lad, Wiccan's story includes the discovery that he and fellow teen hero Speed are in fact long-lost twin brothers, and that the pair are reincarnations of the sons of Scarlet Witch and her husband Vision, Billy reincarnated from William Maximoff. Significant storylines for the character include his and his brother's search for their original mother, learning to master his powers, and an ongoing relationship with his teammate (later husband) Hulkling.
Alongside his permanent role as a member of the Young Avengers, Wiccan has also been a member of Avengers Idea Mechanics, Strikeforce, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and Avengers. He is known for being a prominent Jewish and gay character in Marvel Comics.
Billy Maximoff appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) Disney+ miniseries WandaVision (2021), played by Baylen Bielitz and Julian Hilliard, with Hilliard returning as an alternate version of Billy from an alternate universe in the film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022). Maximoff returned in his teenage reincarnation, William Kaplan's body, in the series Agatha All Along (2024), portrayed by Joe Locke.
- ^ a b Empyre: Aftermath Avengers #1 Marvel Comics.
- ^ Avengers: The Children's Crusade #7 Marvel Comics.
- ^ Empyre #4 Marvel Comics.
- ^ DeFalco, Tom; Sanderson, Peter; Brevoort, Tom; Teitelbaum, Michael; Wallace, Daniel; Darling, Andrew; Forbeck, Matt; Cowsill, Alan; Bray, Adam (2019). The Marvel Encyclopedia. DK Publishing. p. 408. ISBN 978-1-4654-7890-0.