main image

BLACK WITCH

Real Name: Feritt (first name unrevealed)

Identity/Class: Normal human (World War II era)

Occupation: Lawyer

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: His henchmen

Enemies: Bucky (James Barnes), Captain America (Steve Rogers), Karin Lee

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Virginia, USA

First Appearance: Captain America Comics I#8/4 (November 1941)

Powers/Abilities: Feritt is a trained but greedy and devious lawyer. He has good engineering acumen and technical skills. He acquired/put together a snarling witch's costume.

Height: 5'10"
Weight: 175 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black

History:

(Captain America Comics I#8/4 (fb) - BTS) - The lawyer Feritt was engaged by Karin Lee to ensure the formal execution of her uncle Jonathan's will, which had the unusual condition that she must spend three consecutive nights alone in creepy Hagmoor Castle in order to inherit the entire estate. However, Feritt discovered that the Castle was set on land rich with oil and set in motion a plan to scare away Karin so that the estate would instead go to auction and he could purchase it cheap. He took on the costumed identity of the nocturnal Black Witch and promoted the superstition, and set up various devices to make it appear that the Castle was haunted, such as moving armored suits and film projections of monsters. Feritt also employed burly henchmen to harass Karin.

(Captain America Comics I#8/4) - On the first night, Feritt had his henchmen attack her, but Captain America and Bucky, coincidentally passing nearby, heard her screams and beat off the assailants. Karin explained her predicament just as Feritt arrived and warned them of the Black Witch. Pushed away, Captain America and Bucky kept watch outside; meanwhile, Feritt had changed into his Black Witch disguise and stayed quiet, intending chaos the next two nights. The next night, Feritt as the Black Witch watched Karin refuting the concept of a haunted castle, and he shot off on a broomstick between turrets (presumably on a hidden wire) and triggered hidden film projectors that showed monsters and another that caused empty suits of armor to lurch forward. Karin was woken and was initially scared but the sudden fighting appearance of Captain America and Bucky assuaged her fears and she resolved to stay. The next night, Bucky went alone to check the Castle, but was tricked by Feritt posing as an old woman. Bucky was thrown into the river and nearly drowned but for the sudden intervention of Captain America, who realized the water had traces of oil. The two heroes rushed to the Castle but were overpowered by the Black Witch's disguised henchmen, but still escaped and rescued Karin as she was being menaced the knife-wielding Black Witch. The brave duo pursued the Black Witch as "she" fled across the battlements, but the Witch lost balance and fell to the courtyard and died. Captain America unmasked the Black Witch and explained how he had deduced it had been Feritt all along.

Comments: Created by Otto Binder, Jack Kirby, Joe Simon.

It may be that Hagmoor Castle is another of those European castles that have been hauled across the Atlantic Ocean and rebuilt in eastern USA.

Profile by Grendel Prime.

CLARIFICATIONS :
Black Witch has no known connections to:

Karin Lee

Karin Lee was the niece of Jonathan Lee, who had left his entire estate to her in his will on the unusual condition that she must spend three consecutive nights in Hagmoor Castle or forfeit it. Her lawyer Feritt knew of the will and that the Castle sat on oil-rich land, so he took on the identity of the Black Witch, hoping to scare her away so he could greedily take the property when it was forced to auction. Over successive nights, Karin was subjected to Feritt's elaborate scheme to make the Castle appear haunted, but she was fortunate to be protected by the brave Captain America and Bucky. Once Feritt was dead and unmasked, Karin thanked the two heroes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

--Captain America Comics I#8/4

images: (without ads)
Captain America Comics I#8/4, p6, pan4 (main image)
   p5, pan6 (headshot, out of costume)
   p4, pan7 (Karin Lee)

Appearances:
Captain America Comics I#8/4 (November 1941) - Otto Binder (writer), Jack Kirby (pencils), Joe Simon (inks/editor)

First posted: 10/21/2024
Last updated: 10/21/2024

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™  and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com.

Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix!

Back to Characters