I like it a lot, despite seeing several problems with it – but, I think it works only for someone who has a strong interest in Wanda to begin with. The main plot is just a weak excuse for what is mostly episodic. For many of the issues one could have anything at each’s beginning and it would work just as well as a one-off. Then there is the art. And to me its not so much that it changes from issue to issue, its especially the one from the first issue. I don’t know what the artist was trying there, but to me it looks plain ugly. It looks like that in the last one, maybe it’s the same artist, but there it doesn’t mater anymore. I imagine someone who is not a die-hard Wanda Fan, but wanting to check that out, pulling that first issue from the store, and be “eeewww”, and puts it back again. From the first to the second issue the sales dropped by half, if I remember correctly. I assume the art and the lackluster setup of the main plot in the first issue are main responsible for that.
I do like how witchcraft was explored. However, I whish that also Wanda’s probability manipulation would have been used – as one can guess by my avatar name
. It can allow for a writer to have Wanda use her environment in creative ways. Can. Sometimes even that is just used as *she makes stuff break*.
I think the fights are to short. I guess this is done to show how both powerful and experienced Wanda is, but it usually just was a two-spell combo and she was done with it. After a few issues I was like: “Ok, I get it. Do something interesting with it or let it be”. Now to me this is mostly offset by this not being about the battle anyway. Often it was about understanding the overall situation, where the enemy is, who he is. I also liked that it became almost a running gag, that Wanda was kinda trying to be undercover, but everybody recognized her anyway.
Obviously more crossovers/cameos could have helped, and it could have done carefully, without really taking away from her presence. But I understand now that this was not the writer’s fault. I think it was particularly striking through Agatha Harkness, who seemed to be mostly there so that Wanda isn’t monologuing the entire time. Ironically, for me there I experienced Agatha as an actual character, and not just an exposition device. I really liked her British Humor.
I loved the concept of the Witches Road. I could have an entire series just with that.
I like the family roots stuff. Should say, back when I read that first, I didn’t know how convoluted that background already is and with that now even more so. Still like it though.
So, if one goes into it without such specific expectations, I think one can enjoy that little run for exploring Wanda’s character, exploring some of her background, and see her having some adventures.