REVIEW: ‘Scarlet Witch,’ Issue #2

Scarlet Witch #2 is written by Steve Orlando, illustrated by Sara Pichelli with Elisabetta D’Amico providing inking assistance, colored by Matt Wilson, and lettered by VC’s Cory Petit. Marvel Comics publishes it. Wanda Maximoff has vowed to help others in need whenever they walk into her magic shop, the Emporium. The latest person to walk into the Emporium? None other than Viv Vision, the daughter of her former flame the Vision. Viv has been suffering intense nightmares, and Wanda decides to delve deep into her memories, and what she finds there isn’t pretty.

What I love about this series so far is that Orlando is tackling Wanda’s history, but not letting it define her. A lesser writer would have stirred up drama between Viv and Wanda or constantly brought up Wanda’s relationship with the Vision. Orlando doesn’t do any of that; he keeps the focus on Wanda’s new mission. He also pushes Wanda’s powers to new and impressive limits – seriously, the more I see of this series, the more I’m convinced that the Scarlet Witch is one of the strongest beings in the Marvel Universe. And then there’s the lingering question of Wanda’s assistant Darcy Lewis. Behind all the snark, she’s hiding a secret, and said secret rears its ugly head at the end of the issue—which will no doubt pose problems for Wanda down the line.

Pichelli continues to push her art to new limits, and the detail she puts into her work is immaculate. You can see the seams in Viv’s face, as well as the folds in Wanda’s Scarlet Witch costume. And the nightmare sequences will haunt your dreams, especially a sequence featuring the Vision. The android Avenger is depicted as a rotting corpse, with Pichelli drawing wires spilling out of his wounded body and his signature red face literally melting. Another impressive moment features Wanda battling a flock of crows; with a wave of her hand, the flock swirls together, transforming into a whip in the space of three panels.

What really makes the art stands out is Wilson’s vibrant color work. As in the previous issue, he mainly uses red throughout the issue. Various hues of red run through the Emporium. And Wanda’s chaos magic is of course a vibrant, fiery red. But Wilson also differentiates between the real world and the dreamscape with his color art. In the real world, things are more warm and inviting. But in Viv’s dream they grow darker, colder, and more menacing. It’s a creative choice I can’t help but admire.

The issue also contains a bonus story, “An Unlikely Forecast.” It’s written by Stephanie Williams and illustrated by Chris Adams, with Dee Cunniffe on colors. Wanda is approached by Storm, who seeks her help following the death of Magneto during Judgment Day. At this point, Williams could make an art form out of heroes hanging out; her banter between Ororo and Wanda is delightful, and the idea of Storm entering the world of magic is way too fun to pass up. Allen alternates between the mundane (heroines sharing tea) and extraordinary (a battle on the moon) with ease, and Cunniffe gives the moon an eerie glow that’s extremely alluring.

Scarlet Witch #2 delivers a marvelous tale of mutants, machines, and magic, and continues to impress. I highly suggest adding this series to your pull list—it’s got something for everyone. And the next issue looks like it’s going to continue everything that’s made this title a standout.

Scarlet Witch #2 is available wherever comics are sold.