This totally counts as an X-Book.
In Lotkill, New York, Wanda uses magic to build up her shop. Later, in the Pacific Ocean, Wanda flies around and saves a cruise ship from
Doctor Hydro and his hydro-fauna kaiju. Wanda teleports the monster to Monster Isle, so it can have a home. Hydro is probably trapped a bubble reality woven from the New Jersey DMV. She also fixes the ship. The cruisers explain that they came to the ocean to look at the monster, not be eaten by them; they're very rich, you see. Most likely
not seeing this as some sort of set-up for a future villainous group she'll have to face, Wanda's like, "Okay," and leaves.
She goes back to the shop, where she's late for work. Luckily, her employee Darcy is already manning the store for her. Unprompted, Wanda turns the discussion about the kaiju into a story about herself, how she her crib was a mad scientist's incubator, how crazy her life is been, and how she's ready to make a fresh start. She magically changes from her hero costume, to an ugly dress with flowers on it.
Quicksilver shows up!! He makes light, playful jabs about the shop, reads all her books, then gets some food for everyone. He and the women sit down to chat. Wanda explains that, while she helped people, she was held back by darkness. She didn't reckon with herself sooner, and many people suffered for it. The shop is her way of helping people and ensuring no one slips through the cracks again. She also reveals the Last Door: a door that's part seeking spell, part portal. It finds the lowest, most desperate people and brings them to her. Which is probably bull, because I've been desperately begging for a Hellion book and this witch hasn't lifted a finger to help me once.
But you know who she can help? This lady speaking Italian, who walks right through the door. She expresses confusion, as she was just going to the farmer's market. Jarnette explains how she was in Italy earlier, in her wife's hometown. Wanda's eager to help her and believe her unconditionally, motivating her to tell her story.
A month ago,
The Corruptor showed up and took over. Everyone but her is under his spell, and they work themselves to the bone for him. Even Jarnette's wife, who insists that Jarnette is crazy and everything else is normal.
Wanda reveals that the stone Jarnette wears around her neck, which she got from her father, actually repels magic. If polished enough, it could shield others from magic. This would normally take hundreds of years, but Quickie can do it in a short amount of time.
Wanda pays a visit to the Italian town, where the people immediately go after her. One of them even tries to run her over, but she puts a stop to that. She puts the town to sleep so they won't get involved with further shenanigans.
Wanda meets with the Corruptor, with Jarnette's wife by his side. He taunts her, and flashes a
shocker (???) to summon forth Jarnette. Through the power of love the magic stone, Jarnette is able to break her wife free from the Corruptor's control. The Corruptor turns his attention to Wanda, using his power to make her remember some of her past stories. But since Wanda remembers the moral lesson from Trial of Magneto, she states that she doesn't forget or shun her mistakes. She knows who she is.
Wanda turns him to stone, then wakes up the people of the town. She explains that they can free him. They can do whatever they want with him, too. But she guilts them into not just smashing him, because his power preyed on their worst impulses in order for them to be manipulated, and killing him would show that he was successful in corrupting him, and blah blah blah. A Batman speech that doesn't fully address all the issues, but still carries a sweet sentiment.
Wanda tell the people how Jarnette's bravery and unwillingness to give up saved the town. Then she asks Jarnette if she can take her rock and study it. In exchange, she gives Jarnette her business card and tells her to stop by any time.
Wanda returns to the store. Just as she and Darcy are closing up shop, someone comes through the door. It's Hellion, and he's asking them for help getting a New X-Men revival.
Actually, it's less exciting than that. It's Viv Vision, who's also cool in her own way. She keeps having dreams that won't let her go, and they keep killing her.
Notes:
- I didn't get to go to my usual comic store for this one, since I was training my puppy all day. He's so smart, he's already learned to shake paw after only a little bit of training. Literally a genius, I think. I can and will go on about how amazing he is.
- The stone can repel magic, but the Last Door can get around this, I guess. Just touching the stone numbed Wanda's fingers, and all magic seems to bend around it - not just malicious stuff. Maybe it resists direct magic or something. I hope they clarify the mechanics of the stone later on.
- I have no idea if Darcy is a pre-established character or not, but she looks exactly like Kat Dennings, who played a Darcy in the Thor movies no one liked. She apparently came through the Last Door, but refused to tell Wanda why she went through it. But if she's a new character, then I think the story is implying that Wanda created her with magic.
- Wanda asked about Luna, her niece. I like when Orlando drops little bits of continuity for no reason.
- Wanda tells Darcy, "You could say [Viv] is my daughter."