X-Men Monday #181 – Steve Orlando Talks ‘Scarlet Witch’

[JB]

https://aiptcomics.com/2022/11/28/x-...arlet-witch-2/

There's many great questions and answers, and this one in particular I found fun from I believe our own jmc247.

AIPT: (More on Scarlet Witch #3 after the interview, X-Fans!) Now, X-Fan JMC was wondering, what do you see as the main differences between the Scarlet Witch and Polaris?

Steve: Wanda and Lorna have had a complicated relationship in the past, but now that they’re both rededicated to giving family a shot, I think they’ll potentially bond over things that have in the past brought tension. Now, the question of Polaris’s parentage is clear, and she’s secure in being Magneto’s biological daughter. From that security comes her desire to reconnect with her adopted sister (and brother, in time).

Both Wanda and Lorna have struggled with mental health in the past, and both overcome it. But that being said, Lorna remains a scientist. She sees the world through a scientific lens, one where logic and proven answers rule, and physics reigns — even if she’s a mutant who can manipulate magnetism. She still sees herself as manipulating the provable, natural world’s inner workings. And Wanda? She manipulates reality itself, she can make an untrue thing true, make the impossible possible. And so she is more worried about the endpoint, the goal, not the journey. Lorna is the opposite. But as we see when Polaris appears, often times it takes the meeting point of their two philosophies to get the job done.

And this week's eXclusive images are lettered preview pages from Scarlet Witch #1.

[JB]

[Frobisher]

Looks like they're hedging their bets on what skin colour Wanda and Pietro would have based on their many-times-retconned parentage by varying it from page-to-page.

[Triniking1234]

Nah. I'm good.

[Cyclone_Ablaze]

Honestly, what I took away from this Preview is that she is acting like Dr. Strange only in another Town.

I'll give this book a try, after 3 issues and i'm not hooked i'm dropping it.

[Galerion]

SCARLET WITCH #3

Written by STEVE ORLANDO
Art by SARA PICHELLI
Cover by RUSSELL DAUTERMAN

ENTER POLARIS!

When Polaris’ visit to her sister’s new magic shop is interrupted by a microscopic warrior desperate for aid, Polaris and the Scarlet Witch put their own mystery on hold to help on a fantastic journey through Sub-Atomica! Meanwhile, the dark past of Wanda’s enigmatic shop clerk, Darcy Lewis, comes back…with a vengeance.

[JB]

I'm definitely picking up #3 for the sisters. That cover is gorg.

[Uncanny X-Man]

I'm loving what Orlando has to say here, his comments about Wanda and Lorna and the lovely preview art. I think Steve's strengths lie in character work and I don't always see that on display on Marauders, where he's been focusing more on high-concept sci-fi which has been a bit of a mixed bag for me. But I welcome more X-work from him which he seems to be hinting at in the interview.

[PotniaTheron]

I still don't understand why X-readers are talking about a non-X-Line book on 【X-Men】 Monday. Or maybe Thompson could talk about Captain Marvel project next time, since Carol has a closer relationship with X-Men.

[Triniking1234]

It's mostly because the character is X-Men related and the writer is currently part of the X-Office.

[Kingdom X]

Also plenty of folks got introduced to Wanda through animated X-shows like Evolution and WatXM. Weird to pretend like the character’s never been associated with the X-line when she clearly has and literally had an limited series centered around her last year.

[salarta]

Cross-post

In other words, Scarlet Witch #3 is a repeat of All-New X-Factor #14 only this time Marvel's giving it some actual promotion because it's focused mainly on Wanda, compared to how the ANXF issue was Lorna's territory so they gave it no promotion at all. All-New X-Factor #14 started its story with a vague implication that M-Day might be addressed, only for that to be completely sidelined by random hijinks and never brought up again for the rest of the issue. This story seems like it'll do the same.

I'm presuming with this:

AIPT: And while we’re talking family, X-Fans Ian, JMC, Kingdom X, and PolarIceHavok were all wondering if Wanda’s feelings about Magneto’s recent death might be explored.

Steve: They’ll absolutely be explored! You’ll be seeing that in issue 2, for which the solicit just came out, in a killer backup story by Stephanie Williams and Chris Allen that features Storm as well — I can’t wait!

That several of the people actually asked if Polaris' feelings about Magneto's death would be explored, and AIPT "conveniently" ignored that part to cut it down exclusively to Wanda. It's also extremely telling to me that this is going to be addressed in issue 2, rather than issue 3. The synopsis for issue 3 basically confirms Lorna won't be there for that meeting in issue 2.

Meaning right now, we've been told Wanda will get to address Magneto's death... but not Lorna. Despite Lorna being Magneto's biological daughter and intended heir on Genosha.


That said, I do like Orlando's answer about Lorna and Wanda's relationship. It demonstrates he's putting real thought into how they are their own characters. It's also good to see him acknowledging Magneto is Lorna's father, even if the X-Men office refuses to act like it.

And now to watch a few usernames try to hype up Lorna on Scarlet Witch #3 while they completely ignore or downplay how the X-Men office is trying to make Lorna as Magneto's daughter mean absolutely nothing at a time when it should be a huge deal for her.

[Devaishwarya]

Can't wait! I'm really excited for this book.

[Jv565]

I'm really excited for this too. There's a 'cozy mystery' feel about it that I love. The art is nice, and I love Darcy. Orlando's thought process gives me hope that he actually understands these characters. The preview kinda makes Pietro seem like a bad dad, but maybe he is.

[EldonMaguan]

As much as I am a fan of Orlando’s deepcuts , his doubling-down on Wanda and Pietro not being Magneto’s biokids is most offensive to me tsk tsk tsk how is he going to explain in a year or two when they are inevitably restored to their OG genetic relationship ?! For comparison , DC tried to pretend that PowerGirl was NOT SuperMan’s Kryptonian cousin on his father’s side , but in the end , they just restored her OG status anyway . What’s going to be Orlando’s excuse when the same thing happens to Pietro and Wanda , which is ironically the exact same thing that happened to Lorna , when Morrison and Austen restored her OG relationship status to Magneto , as was intended by her creators Thomas and Adams , but retconned by Byrne ?!