"CHAOS Magic Woman!" Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff Appreciation 2022

[Drops Of Venus]

I read the Wanda and Dr Strange kids reading book. Pietro appears in flashback and a few other guest stars and like most kids stories it has a happy ending.

I really feel like them being held by the High Evolutionary is Marvel's not so subtle way of showing the retcon still remains. Between nothing being undone by Trial Of Magneto and this, it seems like they are pretty set on not changing things any further.

Also, doesn't it look like little Wanda is wearing the 2015 MCU outfit on this particular page? It's kind of a weird mix up, since that Wanda never had anything to do with the HE... but I guess we shouldn't be surprised at those attempts of MCU synergy anymore. I guess they see it as a draw for the movie audiences, so a little kid who watched Age Of Ultron might instantly associate that image to the Wanda they know.

[Covetous_One]

I appreciate every bit of enthusiasm! But you'll never hear me answer blanket questions about character power levels, because power level is not story, or character, which is what interests me. I'm interested in Wanda as a character, not a device. A power level is just a stat.
~Steve Orlando

This sums up how Wanda has been viewed in the past and how she should be viewed going forward very nicely. If Wanda does it get a solo book in the future I’d like to see this mindset in his writing.

[jmc247]

I really feel like them being held by the High Evolutionary is Marvel's not so subtle way of showing the retcon still remains. Between nothing being undone by Trial Of Magneto and this, it seems like they are pretty set on not changing things any further.

Also, doesn't it look like little Wanda is wearing the 2015 MCU outfit on this particular page? It's kind of a weird mix up, since that Wanda never had anything to do with the HE... but I guess we shouldn't be surprised at those attempts of MCU synergy anymore. I guess they see it as a draw for the movie audiences, so a little kid who watched Age Of Ultron might instantly associate that image to the Wanda they know.

I think Wanda and Magneto have entered a phase similar to the one Lorna and Magneto entered into in '98 thru 2004. Lorna had been Magneto's daughter in her very early days in the 60s until someone, probably editorial managed to get cold feet on the story idea. Suddenly its nearly three decades later and Marvel hadn't replaced her parentage with anything better and begin tip toing back towards the story gradually. By 1998 they are family in AU Marvel comics like Mutant X. By the time 2000 rolled around they were all interacting in the fashion of blood isn't needed to make us family as we saw in Trial of Magneto.



Just a few years after that they were all related. Trial of Magneto sort of stands as a similar goal post to Dark Seduction where Marvel is trying to warm fans up to the idea they are related without committing to it as yet. Its win/win for them as they get to eek out a few more high sales miniseries like ToM and keep fans baited while also avoid having Magneto as her father in character summaries for the next film or two.

Stage one of such a retcon coming down is it being relaxed and we are at that stage where if there is an AU comic series one just might see Wanda and Pietro to be related to Magneto. The X-Men animated series out next year will likely also continue to depict them as related. Merch that is clearly MCU tie ins or promotion like that kids book will continue on their current trajectory.

The penultimate stage I would refer to as preparing the ground and the search for 'the truth'. After its all over that is when merch clearly intended for film promotion will start to switch over. The Dr. Strange and Scarlet Witch kids book was clear above all targeted at MCU promotion.

[Journey]

I'm just sick of Marvel trying to make the High Evolutionary a thing he is not nor will he ever be THAT GIRL! Stop trying to make Fetch happen!

[MaximoffTrash]

I appreciate every bit of enthusiasm! But you'll never hear me answer blanket questions about character power levels, because power level is not story, or character, which is what interests me. I'm interested in Wanda as a character, not a device. A power level is just a stat.
~Steve Orlando

This sums up how Wanda has been viewed in the past and how she should be viewed going forward very nicely. If Wanda does it get a solo book in the future I’d like to see this mindset in his writing.

Yeah, power level doesn't matter nearly as much as the structure/system of said power which can be a source of storytelling.
While I don't particularly care about power levels, I do want to see potential storylines coming out of this status quo.

[MaximoffTrash]

I think Wanda and Magneto have entered a phase similar to the one Lorna and Magneto entered into in '98 thru 2004. Lorna had been Magneto's daughter in her very early days in the 60s until someone, probably editorial managed to get cold feet on the story idea. Suddenly its nearly three decades later and Marvel hadn't replaced her parentage with anything better and begin tip toing back towards the story gradually. By 1998 they are family in AU Marvel comics like Mutant X. By the time 2000 rolled around they were all interacting in the fashion of blood isn't needed to make us family as we saw in Trial of Magneto.



Just a few years after that they were all related. Trial of Magneto sort of stands as a similar goal post to Dark Seduction where Marvel is trying to warm fans up to the idea they are related without committing to it as yet. Its win/win for them as they get to eek out a few more high sales miniseries like ToM and keep fans baited while also avoid having Magneto as her father in character summaries for the next film or two.

Stage one of such a retcon coming down is it being relaxed and we are at that stage where if there is an AU comic series one just might see Wanda and Pietro to be related to Magneto. The X-Men animated series out next year will likely also continue to depict them as related. Merch that is clearly MCU tie ins or promotion like that kids book will continue on their current trajectory.

The penultimate stage I would refer to as preparing the ground and the search for 'the truth'. After its all over that is when merch clearly intended for film promotion will start to switch over. The Dr. Strange and Scarlet Witch kids book was clear above all targeted at MCU promotion.

I mean, I doubt the Animated Series will even use the twins.

[jmc247]

I mean, I doubt the Animated Series will even use the twins.

We don’t know. I do think it’s likely they will at least guest star if they manage more then one season, but that is not a given. Ironically Lorna’s parentage is not established where they are starting off from, but Wanda and Pietro’s have been established. My suspicion is that Marvel does see the family as a potential marketing money maker like Fantastic Four, but they are going to play out their immediate MCU plans.

Wolverine and the X-Men had the superior concept for pretty much all of the family except Magneto. TAS had a superior Magneto.

[MaximoffTrash]

I wouldn't really call WATXM Magnus family concept is superior. I find the idea of island princess Wanda only slightly better than goth teen Wanda from Evolution.
The basic characterization is mostly fine, but she severely lacks her more unique components.
As for TAS, they kinda kept the Wundagore origin but I seriously doubt they can do anything interesting with her in an X-Men only world. WATXM is the best out there and even that isn't much.

Also FF is like a single franchise, every character is always in their natural habitat with their full poyential for storytelling, while Magnus family is far from that, like how Wanda in X-Men animation is most likely gonna be a character with barebone charaterization/elements of the original but none of her actual important story beats. Her real story began when she left X-franchise.(Pietro has a larger share in X-franchise, but his story elements are more scattered across different franchises.)

A long rant for my simple sentiment that I don't find the idea of Wanda in TAS particular exciting. I actually would prefer them to just ignore her. It's not a cut she need.

[leokearon]

I mean, I doubt the Animated Series will even use the twins.

Yeah, especially as their main appearance in XTAS, was a strange episode

[Relugus]

I just think the preview they chose was funny, it looks like those old superdickery things.

The Batman and Superman making Robin and Jimmy dig their own graves cover might be my all time favourite.

Maybe Wanda is following Agatha's example. Agatha likes scaring cleaners as a ghost.

[GenericUsername]

The X-Men animated series renewal is very short. And likely won't feature Wanda and Pietro. Judging by everything it's just the regular cast, and it's ten episodes long. They've been doing this a lot with 90s revivals. Having them come back for a short time. They are doing it again with Futurama. They did it with Beavis and Butthead and Ren & Stimpy.

[GenericUsername]

I think Wanda and Magneto have entered a phase similar to the one Lorna and Magneto entered into in '98 thru 2004. Lorna had been Magneto's daughter in her very early days in the 60s until someone, probably editorial managed to get cold feet on the story idea. Suddenly its nearly three decades later and Marvel hadn't replaced her parentage with anything better and begin tip toing back towards the story gradually. By 1998 they are family in AU Marvel comics like Mutant X. By the time 2000 rolled around they were all interacting in the fashion of blood isn't needed to make us family as we saw in Trial of Magneto.



Just a few years after that they were all related. Trial of Magneto sort of stands as a similar goal post to Dark Seduction where Marvel is trying to warm fans up to the idea they are related without committing to it as yet. Its win/win for them as they get to eek out a few more high sales miniseries like ToM and keep fans baited while also avoid having Magneto as her father in character summaries for the next film or two.

Stage one of such a retcon coming down is it being relaxed and we are at that stage where if there is an AU comic series one just might see Wanda and Pietro to be related to Magneto. The X-Men animated series out next year will likely also continue to depict them as related. Merch that is clearly MCU tie ins or promotion like that kids book will continue on their current trajectory.

The penultimate stage I would refer to as preparing the ground and the search for 'the truth'. After its all over that is when merch clearly intended for film promotion will start to switch over. The Dr. Strange and Scarlet Witch kids book was clear above all targeted at MCU promotion.

Lorna didn't have the MCU dictating her future. Nor Marvel's change towards a lot of their mutants that they have still not changed back (Wanda, Pietro, Squirrel Girl, Quake, Franklin). That's not to say many years from now, that couldn't change. I don't see it changing now though. They had ample opportunity to do it in ToM and they didn't because Leah admitted that Wanda is controlled by something outside of comics.

So they resorted to, we still feel like family because we thought we were for some odd years in canon (30 years out of canon). I don't expect them to go into it much more than that. Because even when they were related, they weren't around each other much.

[GenericUsername]

We don’t know. I do think it’s likely they will at least guest star if they manage more then one season, but that is not a given. Ironically Lorna’s parentage is not established where they are starting off from, but Wanda and Pietro’s have been established. My suspicion is that Marvel does see the family as a potential marketing money maker like Fantastic Four, but they are going to play out their immediate MCU plans.

Wolverine and the X-Men had the superior concept for pretty much all of the family except Magneto. TAS had a superior Magneto.

I wouldn't count on what you think is marketable as a predictor. It definitely hasn't been for Wanda being in comics at all, or animated anything. Most of these past 7 years have been that if she weren't in the movies, she wouldn't be anywhere at all.

[Force de Phenix]

Lorna didn't have the MCU dictating her future. Nor Marvel's change towards a lot of their mutants that they have still not changed back (Wanda, Pietro, Squirrel Girl, Quake, Franklin). That's not to say many years from now, that couldn't change. I don't see it changing now though. They had ample opportunity to do it in ToM and they didn't because Leah admitted that Wanda is controlled by something outside of comics.

So they resorted to, we still feel like family because we thought we were for some odd years in canon (30 years out of canon). I don't expect them to go into it much more than that. Because even when they were related, they weren't around each other much.

I think they were related for 8-9 years in comics because that's when Luna was born, and she was around 8-9 years old when they retconned them back to not being family.

Sometimes when they make these editorial decisions it takes the magic out of comics and makes you remember they are money making franchises with suits controlling everything. I mean Disney's almost an entertainment monopoly. If only independent comics could make merchandise and video games.

[Relugus]

Yeah I'm not heightening expectations when they whiffed completely on WandaVision. She's been in the MCU for seven years as well. They only gave her the one solo and put a different artist on each issue. Even though artist changes usually sink books.

Meanwhile we see Moon Knight getting a big push to coincide with his Disney Plus show, with him even getting two books.

Marvel under Cebulski seems to be very narrowly focused and recycling old events ad nauseum, to the point it verges on parody. I think momentum is important in comics, if a character appears regularly, other writers know their relationships, so are more inclined to use them. That creates a cycle of appearances if they appear, but it creates a lack of appearances if they don't, as writers have little to build on.

But maybe, putting on my optimism hat, perhaps it's now just a case of Marvel editorial moving at a glacial pace, and there is a lag between ToM and her re-integration into regular comic appearances (Darkhold was delayed by nearly 18 months).