House of HARKNESS: Agatha Harkness Appreciation 2022

[Confuzzled]

Anyway back to Agatha, I heard she was dead, so did she come back here for this court? Is that her ghost or did she magically revive herself? So many Agatha questions I have.

As gurkle said, she was restored to life at the end of the previous Scarlet Witch solo.

She was the antagonist (kinda) in last year's Hulkling and Wiccan Infinity comic by Josh Trujillo and Jodi Nishijima

[Phoenixx9]

An appreciation thread is long overdue. Nicely done Thirteen! Here's her first appearance in Fantastic Four #94

This shows that even long ago, Agatha could change her looks!

From window-to-door, Agatha went from grey hair to white and from a shorter style to a bit longer!

And she always dressed elegantly, even from her 1st appearance!

[Thirteen]

I've been stanning Agatha since Evolution. I think it was the first time I ever watched an elderly witch train an unstable teen witch to master her incredible powers. Completely ate that dynamic UP.

X-MEN:EVOLUTION was an unexpected place for Agatha to show up but she did have a very good showing as the mentor witch of record, helping not only Wanda, but also Rogue... the only other animated incarnation that I recall was in the AVENGERS:UNITED THEY STAND series.
I'd be really surprised if Agatha didn't make some kind of appearance in those late 60s animated from static comic page cartoons from Marvel...
Almost as surprised as I am to see that someone pitched an AGATHA HARKNESS PRINCESS OF DARKNESS series, once upon a time.

[Albert1981]

I never agreed with Agatha appearing as old in the comic books. Other magic users with long lifespans at Marvel don't seem to age that much, so I'm okay with her looking like Anna Paquin.

[Phoenixx9]

I never agreed with Agatha appearing as old in the comic books. Other magic users with long lifespans at Marvel don't seem to age that much, so I'm okay with her looking like Anna Paquin.

What about the Ancient One? The one in the comics, that is, you know, the one that was mentor to Dr Strange?

[Albert1981]

What about the Ancient One? The one in the comics, that is, you know, the one that was mentor to Dr Strange?

I actually liked how the MCU handled the Ancient One. I wouldn't mind that approach adopted in the comics.

[ComicNoobie]

That would be Agatha presiding over the magical tribunal for Carol Danvers in CAPTAIN MARVEL #39. Carol's crime? Causing the death of Ove, the son of Enchantress (and another Marvel character that I won't spoil in case you go back and read the story) from a future timeline, in a previous storyline in the CAPTAIN MARVEL title.



I am unsure what Agatha's living/dead/whatever status is currently. She was seen in ghostly astral form in the SCARLET WITCH series by James Robinson et al. after her supposed death back when the Scarlet Witch went bonkers and caused HOUSE OF M alternate reality...but she got better, as they say...

Carol Danvers standing on a magical trial. I must read this, especially if Illyana is on the court too.

As gurkle said, she was restored to life at the end of the previous Scarlet Witch solo.

She was the antagonist (kinda) in last year's Hulkling and Wiccan Infinity comic by Josh Trujillo and Jodi Nishijima

I remember seeing her in that and wondering how she returned to life and why she was the antagonist (kinda) as well. It's nice to know the issue in where she returned from now.

[Phoenixx9]

I actually liked how the MCU handled the Ancient One. I wouldn't mind that approach adopted in the comics.

I actually prefer the comics version.

It seems agism is alive and well....

[gurkle]

An appreciation thread is long overdue. Nicely done Thirteen! Here's her first appearance in Fantastic Four #94

That line about "Barnabas" refers to the main character of the supernatural soap opera "Dark Shadows," which was huge at the time.

I suspect the popularity of that show, with its vampires and witches, was behind Lee and/or Kirby's idea to introduce a witch character into the comic, though she didn't end up doing much, which is why Steve Englehart was able to borrow her and use her as Wanda's mentor in "Avengers."

[Thirteen]

I never agreed with Agatha appearing as old in the comic books. Other magic users with long lifespans at Marvel don't seem to age that much, so I'm okay with her looking like Anna Paquin.

It seems agism is alive and well....

AGATHA: Maiden, Mother, Crone...
(I'm reaching, I know)

[Albert1981]

I actually prefer the comics version.

It seems agism is alive and well....

I guess my comments do SEEM pretty ageist, but I do think superheroing is for the young. I feel the same way about professional athletes. I think Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Tiger Woods and Tom Brady should have retired a LONG time ago. I like it when old folks get to chill out after a lifetime of hard work. It just feels weird to me when "younger" characters in the comic books never age, but others are just "old" right from the get-go.

[Albert1981]

AGATHA: Maiden, Mother, Crone...
(I'm reaching, I know)

By making Harkness younger, it might make her more popular.

[Thirteen]

By making Harkness younger, it might make her more popular.

...or interchangeable with Jennifer Kale, Topaz, Clea, Satana, and all of the other young witchy types. Meanwhile the ancient face of an experienced witch is underserved and unrepresented. Seeing a youthful Agatha is a novelty, not something we should have everyday.
#AgathaOldAllAlong

[Phoenixx9]

...or interchangeable with Jennifer Kale, Topaz, Clea, Satana, and all of the other young witchy types. Meanwhile the ancient face of an experienced witch is underserved and unrepresented. Seeing a youthful Agatha is a novelty, not something we should have everyday.
#AgathaOldAllAlong

Exactly.

The secret to Life: It is an experience you won't get out of alive. So, one either ages and thereby grows old----or they outright die young.

I know many people that would be labeled by others as "past their prime"--that you would not want to mess with--they are powerful men and women.

Agatha is like them. Agatha is mighty powerful.

[Albert1981]

...or interchangeable with Jennifer Kale, Topaz, Clea, Satana, and all of the other young witchy types. Meanwhile the ancient face of an experienced witch is underserved and unrepresented. Seeing a youthful Agatha is a novelty, not something we should have everyday.
#AgathaOldAllAlong

To me she felt like a "magical Aunt May" and I never got to see the "prime of her life" in the comic books. Which can be fun. I don't mind an Agatha in her 40s/50s though. Just don't want her looking like a cast member of the Golden Girls.