After a Halloween jaunt through Hell’s Kitchen with Daredevil, Scarlet Witch #6 kicks off a new arc for Wanda Maximoff. Steve Orlando, Lorenzo Tammetta, Frank William, VC’s Ariana Maher, and Alanna Smith steer this issue towards the auspicious arrival of Amaranth. Pulling on Wanda’s compassion and sense of responsibility, it remains unclear if accepting the young witch as her apprentice will be for good or ill.
Coming into issue #6, it would be fair to have some concerns about outside forces meddling with the creative process behind the book. Over a year since their last encounter, Agatha Harkness suddenly returns to Wanda’s door just after the finale of her hit Disney+ show, and with an Agatha All Along variant cover to boot. Wading in her wake is Amaranth. The term “industry plant” is a touch too harsh, but the hard launch of the “New Champions” variant cover characters as actual in-universe heroes and sidekicks is an odd phenomenon, of which Amaranth is only the latest to debut. All that is to say that this issue could’ve easily felt off-balance, out of place, or hijacked to advertise tangentially-related content. Thankfully, the book itself is nothing of the sort.
It certainly helps that Orlando was able to set the stage for this story with his entry into this year’s Crypt of Shadows anthology. More than that, the issue maintains a laser focus on Wanda, and doesn’t let her point of view get swept away by Agatha’s charm or the looming mystery of Amaranth’s past. The Scarlet Witch is riding high after accepting her new role as a nexus under the patronage of the Never Queen. Yet, Agatha’s return is a reminder that Wanda’s triumph over Chthon was subverted not once but twice, and the first was by her trusted former mentor. Before any of that can be processed though, Harkness throws another curveball in the form of a new apprentice.
Such a large part of Orlando’s run writing Wanda Maximoff’s story has been about redefinition: how does she stand out as a hero, what is the state of her familial relationships, where is her place in the larger mystical cosmology of the Marvel Universe, who are her friends and enemies? Under Orlando’s pen, the Scarlet Witch has wrestled with these questions head on, excited to showcase the investment she’s put into her own wellbeing and the wellbeing of her community. One thread eludes her though: Wanda as mother, master, and mentor. The Scarlet Witch has been a teacher at Strange Academy, though the entire faculty’s status is in flux thanks to Doom. Wanda tried her best to mentor Joseph, but this led to mixed results for her and the wayward Magneto clone. The Scarlet Witch still visits her children, and has sought to forge a connection with her “niece” Viv Vision, but is she doing enough?
Anyone else going to see Wicked this weekend?
Credit: Marvel Comics
Amaranth’s mere presence tugs on each strand of these insecurities, regardless of whether Wanda recognizes this yet. A young woman, alone and beset by magical troubles she doesn’t understand. A pupil with an instinctual aptitude for very powerful, very rare arcana (in Amaranth’s case its abjuration magic, which leads to a nice shout out to the Witch Queen Ayesha, ancestor of Storm). Seeing so much of herself in Amaranth as well as a fresh opportunity to teach, to mentor, and to mother this witch, it is no wonder that Wanda cannot help but take this girl under her wing. How better to show up Agatha Harkness than to prove that she can do a better job than she did as Wanda’s magical tutor? It’s the perfect trap for the Scarlet Witch, which is exactly why Agatha gave this young ward to Wanda, so that the old witch might avoid the calamity Amaranth is destined to bring.
All told, Scarlet Witch #6 is a well made comic. I was left with one question outside of the those we as the audience are meant to be left with. Abjuration, as described by Wanda and practiced by Amaranth results in similar effects as Mysterium–the anti-magic metal that ended up playing a large role in the previous volume of Scarlet Witch. I’m unclear on if they are supposed to be similar, or am I reading something about abjuration incorrectly. It’s not necessarily a flaw in the issue, but hopefully future installments further define this magical concentration.
Tammetta and William do a lovely job on the art for this issue. The choice to pace Amaranth’s display of abjuration over the course of two pages gives the scene a sense of slow-motion and grandeur that such a moment requires. The Eliminator is fun, if not the most interesting visually; it reads like a cross between Flexo and a Stark Sentinel. It may improve if the color shading was altered to add more depth, but on the whole, its another job well done.
Even with the excitement buzzing around Agatha’s return and the debut of Amaranth, Wanda Maximoff firmly remains the center of Scarlet Witch #6. The Scarlet Witch’s tête-à-tête with Harkness is a brief but fun treat, and Wanda’s new apprentice tugs on the few parts of herself that she’s yet to face head on. It’s a skillfully made comic and an exciting start to this book’s next arc. Issue #7 only seems to be adding to the fun with guest appearances from Wiccan and Speed.
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