The Vision and The Scarlet Witch Issue 1 is published by Marvel Comics. Work by Steve Orlando, with art by Lorenzo Tammetta, colours by Ruth Redmond and letters by Travis Lanham.
In this issue, Scarlet Witch investigates a cult obsessed with death, which leads to her former husband coming to help. This issue combined two series into one world. The Vision & The Scarlet Witch Issue 1 really does converge the two characters. It is written and has the atmosphere of Orlando’s Scarlet Witch series, but it’s also a sequel to Tom King’s highly regarded Vision series.
The Vision and The Scarlet Witch Issue 1 begins like a Scarlet Witch issue, with Vision appearing in the sky to try and help. After a brief period of reconnection, it transitions into a Vision comic. What connects the two is an obsession with death, created by the villain running the show. But even that morphs depending on who the hero is on the page. With Wanda, the threat is more magical, fitting her wheelhouse. Whereas for Vision, it has transformed into a familiar face for them.
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Mixing those two lives is seamless, not as drastic or cavernous as one might have thought. Orlando uses a sudden burst of pace to create a surprise. A feeling of dread begins to build, but there isn’t time to dwell on that because the danger is right on the doorstep.
The Vision and The Scarlet Witch Issue 1 shows how independent these two are and how connected they’ll always be. Wanda and Vision were married and had children. They were one of the great but weird love stories of Marvel’s history. But then they were forced apart and have spent the last several years in a strange period of separation.
The Vision and The Scarlet Witch Issue 1 shows that healing has already happened. The conversations are gentle, showing that there is still care and affection for both adults. They’ll always come to each other’s aid. It felt like people who had since moved on with their new families. It’s warm and enjoyable, showing how compassionate both Scarlet Witch and Vision are.
But that softness also creates a vulnerability that can be struck and torn apart. Vision is very funny in The Vision and The Scarlet Witch Issue 1, and he can make the occasional quip. Meanwhile, in the same book, Scarlet Witch shows how she can be a sweetheart and a scary sorcerer.
The art embraces the merging of the two series. When it starts, the comic is mystical in nature. Scary creatures and spells fill the streets of New York. Tammetta’s style is terrifically clean and sleek. The details are precise instead of scattered. Then, in Vision’s home, the memories of Gabriel Hernandez Walta’s art return. It’s the same suburban house.
The art is so reminiscent of that series, with the faux Americana. This issue has some terrific fight scenes, both in the city and at Vision’s home. But the closeness of the duo creates the heart of the comic. All those memories come flooding back when they stand opposite one another, with love and care in their eyes.
The colors are phenomenal. These two Avengers have iconic color schemes. Scarlet Witch’s, well, scarlet, and Vision’s yellow, green and red. The shades are beautifully vibrant. Even the times of Vision’s house created flashbacks to the original series, highlighting how important colors are to storytelling. The lettering is very easy to read, even in Vision’s signature yellow word balloons.
The Vision and The Scarlet Witch Issue 1 is a wonderful reconnection. The fusion of the two series is stunning, blending genres and tones and showing how the former lovers miss each other. It’s delicate and delightfully written. That first encounter is charming, with all the famous moments circling in the reader’s mind. But there is also a lot of pain.
So much time has passed, and there is an enormous distance between the two. I don’t think there’s a suggestion that they rekindle the romance; it’s more of a statement of where they once were and where they are now. And the pain gets much worse by the end of The Vision and The Scarlet Witch Issue 1, emotionally and physically.
The Vision and The Scarlet Witch Issue 1 is available where comics are sold.
