Scarlet Witch #1 does what different Wanda-focused Marvel tales have but to perform: it tells a cohesive, Bechdel Check-approved story that pulls collectively components from the witch’s on-screen and comedian ebook historical past. In the event you haven’t learn Wanda’s first solo title in seven years but, watch out for the primary evaluate as a result of it incorporates a complete emporium filled with spoilers; nonetheless, there’s a spoiler-light evaluate of Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #8 in case you scroll right down to the Fast Rundown!
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Scarlet Witch #1
Author: Steve Orlando
Artists: Sara Pichelli
Inking Assistant: Elisabetta D’Amico
Colour Artist: Matthew Wilson
Letterer: Cory Petit
Most important Cowl & Up to date Costume: Russell Dauterman
I’m a full-blown Wanda Maximoff, a.okay.a. the Scarlet Witch, stan. Actually, I used to be Wanda stan earlier than it was cool (obvi, as a result of no cool particular person would ever let that sentence go to print), when all of the mutant followers would ex-communicate you for even whispering her identify. Earlier than Wanda’s suicidal redemption arc in 2022’s Trial of Magneto by Leah Williams, the X-fandom was grossly, aggressively unwelcoming to followers of “The Nice Pretender.” However for me, she is greater than that, as Elizabeth Olsen‘s interpretation of the character modified my life ceaselessly (actually, examine it on Comics Bookcase). Till the character turns into a TERF, I’m a die-hard Wanda stan for all times. #MakeMineMarvel
Regardless of Scarlet Witch repeatedly being dealt a unclean hand by the lads writing her throughout her 50+ yr historical past, Lizzie’s interpretation of the character on-screen has been a strong reclamation of the feminist potential of the character. Nonetheless, since Orlando, Cian Tormey, Roberto Poggi, Marc Deering, Walden Wong, Jesus Aburtov, and Clayton Cowles concluded the Darkhold Saga virtually precisely one yr in the past as we speak, Scarlet Witch followers haven’t seen this highly effective, feminist model of Wanda on the web page.
So I’ve been eagerly awaiting this comedian ebook because it was introduced. A lot of my love for the Marvel Comics model of Scarlet Witch in 2022 hinged on, “A minimum of Orlando is returning to write down the character in a yr. She’ll be nice in his succesful palms,” quite a lot of stress for the primary difficulty of any solo collection. Fortunately, the feminist potential of the character is achieved in Scarlet Witch #1, reflecting the character’s on-screen growth in 2021’s WandaVision and 2022’s Physician Unusual within the Multiverse of Insanity.
Who’s Scarlet Witch?
For these studying this who aren’t Scarlet Witch mainstays, she first appeared in Marvel Comics in 1964’s X-Males #4 by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Paul Reinman, and Artwork Simek (the truth is, Wanda’s retailer, “The Emporium,” is situated at 1964 Most important St.). Though Wanda was initially a member of Magneto’s Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, she questioned the group’s core ideology from day one: she used her hex powers to cease Magneto from blasting the X-Males out of an airlock, questioned Erik Magnus’ use of concern techniques and homicide, and scolded the Grasp of Magnetism for permitting harmless individuals to get harmed in his struggle for mutant justice.
After all, all of Wanda’s recommendation was ignored repeatedly by Magneto, who advised his adopted daughter to spare him her “weak whimperings” — however now, with Orlando on the helm and Darcy Lewis by her aspect (sure, like Agent Phil Coulson earlier than her, Darcy Lewis has managed to cross the MCU/616 divide), Wanda can transfer past the times of being a “proud mutant maid” combating over a person with “swish grim rage!” (For an early instance of this, see 1974’s Avengers #126 by Steve Englehart, Bob Brown, Dave Cockrum, John Costanza, and D. Goldberg.)
Though Wanda is a long-time Marvel Comics character, she hardly ever seems in her solo titles. After spending barely lower than 30 years of her storybook life hooked up to a person, Wanda’s first solo collection, Scarlet Witch by Andy Lanning, Dan Abnett, John Higgins, Mark McKenna, Kevin Somers, and Jim Novak, launched in November 1993 and was a story of two witches.
Within the story, Agatha Harkness is an integral mentor to Wanda, providing perception and steerage as she undertakes her hero’s journey. With out veering into Hypothesis Land for greater than two strains, I hope to see Orlando and Pichelli take Wanda and Darcy on an analogous apprenticeship journey. Plus, in case you add Wanda’s sorta daughter to the combination, Viv Imaginative and prescient, we get the Witches Three (which might be a pleasant name again to Wanda’s relationship together with her Romani mom from the 2015 solo collection, Scarlet Witch, written by James Robinson).
In Scarlet Witch #1, Orlando and Pichelli pull from continuity previous and new to weave a story that’s each filled with continuity whereas concurrently transcending its traditionally attribute limitations. This inaugural difficulty represents the muse for an intricate, well-woven tapestry… and hopefully one that may run greater than 6 or 12 points.
Wanda’s Previous: Pietro Maximoff and the Half-Human Baby
One component of Scarlet Witch’s continuity that comes into play on this difficulty is her relationship together with her brother Pietro Maximoff, a.okay.a. Quicksilver, and his daughter, Luna, who he had along with his ex-wife, the Inhuman princess, Crystal. Each ladies, Wanda and Luna, have sophisticated relationships with Quicksilver. This difficulty features a few key strains of exposition that point out these thorny acquainted dynamics will play an integral position within the coming panels.
So who’s Luna? Named after her birthplace on the Moon, Luna Maximoff was initially believed to be powerless. Nonetheless she was later revealed to be a strong empath when her father kidnapped her and uncovered her to the Terrigen Mists towards her will (and towards the recommendation of the Inhuman Royal Council). Her empath powers permit her to sense, take away, and alter the feelings of others at will.
Like her aunt, Luna’s relationship with the Maximoff males is considerably poisonous, with Pietro hating that his daughter is half-human and mendacity to her repeatedly. Actually, Luna’s relationship was so dangerous together with her father after he lied to the Inhumans about stealing the Terrigen Crystals that she minimize off contact with him. Finally Quicksilver owned as much as his deceptions on nationwide tv, and his actions so moved Luna that the 2 totally reconciled (and in Scarlet Witch #1, they nonetheless seem like reconciled).
Later, Pietro’s daughter started attending courses on the Braddock Academy in England (sure, that Braddock, a.okay.a. Captain Britain). After most Inhumans died, Luna relocated to a secret location with the remainder of her individuals. She was final seen in Marvel Comics giving recommendation to “Uncle Johnny” in Unbelievable 4 #32, “Bride of Doom, Half 1: Guidelines of Engagement,” by Dan Slott, R.B. Silva, Aburtov, and Joe Caramagna.
Wanda’s Current: Darcy Lewis and The Final Door
Scarlet Witch #1 is the definition of “en media res,” even in a fourth-wall leaning capability. Identical to Marc Spector and his Midnight Mission in 2021’s Moon Knight #1, Wanda has already set herself up in a brand new scenario that places her within the excellent place to assist her group. Higher but, this set-up already comes with an individual she’s in the course of serving to: Darcy, whose connection to Wanda is essentially knowledgeable by her supporting position in 2021’s WandaVision.
In WandaVision, Wanda’s grief course of is unwittingly compartmentalizing her trauma in others’ brains. When she comes again from The Blip, with out the Imaginative and prescient to drag her again or the coping abilities to deal with her feelings, the overwhelming waves of disappointment are an excessive amount of for her mind to deal with and she or he unleashes Chaos Magic in town of Westview. In distinction, the villain of the inaugural difficulty, the “Uncanny” Corruptor, a.okay.a. Jackson Day, who first appeared in 1976’s Nova #4 by Marv & Michele Wolfman, Sal Buscema, Tom Palmer, Denise Wohl, and Irving Watanabe, unleashes his trauma and interior ugliness on the world by “forcing small, repressed individuals to confront how they actually really feel.”
The Corruptor is the right villain for Scarlet Witch’s current, as his story touches on her historical past in each the MCU and Marvel Comics. Jackson Day started as a manufacturing facility employee for a pharmaceutical firm specializing in psychoactive chemical compounds in Jamaica, Queens. However after a fireplace broke out contained in the manufacturing facility’s chemical provide room, Day was doused with a large dose of the chemical compounds, remodeling him into the malevolent persona generally known as the Corruptor. The publicity not solely turned his pores and skin blue however unleashed man’s most evil tendencies, granting him the power to subvert the wills of virtually anybody he touches (e.g., Thor, Nova, and Hulk).
Looking for a house the place he’s free to dwell amongst these he has corrupted (the one firm he ever has or will know), Scarlet Witch #1 isn’t the primary time Marvel readers have seen the Corruptor take over a metropolis. In 2005’s New Warriors #6 by Zeb Wells, Skottie Younger, Jean-Francois Beaulieu, and Randy Gentile, Day returned to his hometown, Smyrna, Delaware, and rapidly set himself up as mayor. Utilizing flowers grown in his harvested sweat, he launched his chemical affect over your entire city and took management till the New Warriors uncovered his scheme on actuality tv, including to the WandaVision parallels.
These WandaVision parallels match neatly with the inclusion of Darcy, who solely obtained to admire Wanda from afar onscreen, however will get to work carefully alongside her on this storyline. Plus, within the difficulty’s last pages, there’s a teaser that there’s something extra to Darcy’s inclusion on this story, and I’m desperate to see how that performs out.
Wanda’s Future: Viv Imaginative and prescient and Anti-Magic Stone
Created by Imaginative and prescient, the android hero Viv Imaginative and prescient first appeared in 2015’s Imaginative and prescient #1 by Tom King, Gabriel Hernandez Walta, Bellaire, and Cowles. Imaginative and prescient used Wanda’s mind patterns to make Viv’s mom, Virginia’s thoughts, then created Viv from a mixture of his and Virginia’s minds. Viv shares her father’s powers and ambition to be peculiar. Like her mom(s), Viv has already proven her willingness to sacrifice herself for the better good — and now, I’m excited for her to place that previous behind her.
Whereas the connection between Viv and Wanda is uncommon, Wanda isn’t any stranger to bizarre associations with the subsequent era. Her twin youngsters, Billy and Tommy, have been initially created out of nothing, vanished, and have been later reborn to totally different mother and father. Nonetheless, they nonetheless contemplate Wanda to be (considered one of) their mom(s); in 2015’s New Avengers #11 by Al Ewing, Gerardo Sandoval, Dona Sánchez Almara, and Caramagna, Billy and his then-boyfriend Hulkling even search Wanda’s recommendation, which is of course served alongside a steaming cup of tea (a witchy specialty).
In different phrases, Viv arriving on the Emporium to obtain Wanda’s recommendation is in step with the Scarlet Witch’s continuity, whereas concurrently taking the narrative in a contemporary course by analyzing the beforehand unexplored relationship between the teenage synthezoid and her different mom Wanda (Viv’s “bio mother” dedicated suicide on the finish of King’s Imaginative and prescient collection).
General, a strong begin to Scarlet Witch’s first solo collection shortly. As I shut The Final Door, I dream of being someplace that’s Scarlet.
VERDICT: BUY! This difficulty and the subsequent one.
Fast Rundown!
- Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #8
- Writers Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, together with artist Carmen Carnero and colour artists Nolan Woodard up the ante because the Outer Circle makes use of A.I.M. to lure Decrease Manhattan in a drive subject. New Mayor Luke Cage, the Avengers, and Thunderbolts are on standby as Steve Rodgers and his band of resistance fighters recuperate from a psychic assault that has them lacking 5 days. Not as action-packed as the previous couple of points however is offset by the extent of drama and humor, giving readers a breather for the subsequent chapter within the Invader storyline. Fully price it for the white Captain America line and the psychic name that Steve makes for assist. – GC3
Marvel Comics’s Scarlet Witch #1 is obtainable now. Decide it up at your native comedian ebook retailer or obtain it on-line. Extra reporting by Agatha Harkness fangirl Avery Kaplan.
