‘Scarlet Witch’ #3 has big feelings in a tiny setting

Swords, coffee, and sass.

March 8, 2023

As Wanda and Darcy return from a coffee run, they are greeted by Wanda’s sister, the mistress of magnetism, Dr. Lorna Dane, Ph.D. It turns out Dr. Dane has discerned that the mysterious stone from the first issue is not a stone at all, but an “unstable ore” not unlike the mutant metal “mysterium” from the contemporary X-Men books. What this means is left unexplored, however, as the latest lady in need, Mardj of Tryfa, enters through the Last Door sending Lorna and Wanda on an adventure in the Quantum Realm.

SPOILERS AHEAD for Scarlet Witch #3!

Once Lorna and Wanda get their bearings, they begin a quest for a mythical sword so that Mardj may lead her people to victory over the dark forces occupying their home. This middle part of the issue is presented as a series of 10 stunning vignettes and accompanying narration. The narration is written in the second person with Wanda as the subject. The result is a unique, stylized description of the action, appropriate for the otherworldly setting. Once it is revealed that the mythical weapon in question does not exist, Lorna and Wanda combine their powers to create a sick-ass sword. This moment is somehow both touching and cool as hell. Seeing the sisters bond with words and actions throughout the issue is a delight, and the medium of comics is a more than appropriate vessel for their unique narrative.

And the art? Lemme tell ya: Sara Pichelli could hit me with her car and I would apologize to her for having been in her way. Every image she produces is a gift we don’t deserve. God damn…

Each issue of Scarlet Witch so far, including this one, has contained an adventure bookended with personal drama. This structure works well and allows for uniquely Scarlet Witch-style adventures accessible to new readers, while still exploring the more dialogue-heavy aspects of Wanda’s life established over decades of comics. Orlando captures the sassy wit of Darcy Lewis’s MCU origins well and she is a welcome presence when she’s on panel. How she differs from and is comparable to her MCU counterpart is a fun question to ask each month and it seems we will be getting some answers to those questions soon.