Draft:Cultural impact of Scarlet Witch

Scarlet Witch is a character introduced in Marvel Comics in 1964, and she remains a significant figure within the superhero genre. Initially conceived as a supervillain, she evolved into one of Marvel's most complex and enduring heroes. Beyond comic books, the Scarlet Witch has made substantial impacts across various media, including television and film, cementing her status as a central character in the Marvel Universe.

The character's cultural influence has grown considerably over time, evolving from early portrayals as a troubled villain to becoming a key symbol of both personal and cosmic struggles. As a result, the Scarlet Witch has appeared in a wide range of media, including movies, television series, and merchandise, and continues to inspire numerous adaptations and references in popular culture.

In media

George Marston of Newasrama called the Scarlet Witch "one of the most important characters in Marvel Comics history," writing, "Before Wanda was the growing center of the MCU, she was the heart-and-soul of the Avengers in comic books for years, with her long narrative sowing the seeds of some of the greatest - and most tragic - Marvel Comics stories ever. In comics, Wanda is considered a Nexus Being, an entity of unique Multiversal power. But in a more metatextual sense, she's something of a nexus being for the Marvel Universe's larger narrative thanks to the vast, wide-reaching array of characters to whom she is directly related - and whose lives she's had influence over. [...] Whether it's on the page or on-screen, any time Wanda Maximoff shows up, she has a way of magnetically drawing in all the subplots around her directly into her own complex story and bringing the characters involved into her ever-growing family. Whether Marvel is ready to admit it or not, we'll say it: Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch, is one of the most important characters in Marvel Comics history." Dalton Norman of Screen Rant stated, "As Scarlet Witch recently proved in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, characters from Marvel Comics can sometimes walk a fine line between heroism and villainy. The Avengers are known as the greatest collection of heroes in Marvel Comics, but occasionally a former villain can switch sides and join the squad. From Avengers mainstays such as Hawkeye to short-lived members such as fan-favorite Spider-Man foe Venom, even the most dastardly villains can have a change of heart. Though many former villains have joined the team, only a few left an impression on readers to be counted among the best the Avengers have to offer.Like her brother Pietro, Wanda Maximoff was created by the High Evolutionary, even though fans were led to believe she was a mutant for most of her existence in the comics. The powerful sorceress debuted as part of Magneto's Brotherhood of Evil Mutants but very quickly turned good after fighting the X-Men. Though she wasn't an original member of the team, Wanda's tenure as an Avenger has been one of the longest and most impactful. Her brushes with antiheroism have made her a fascinating character to follow, and her Avengers status carried over when she joined Hawkeye as a leader of the West Coast Avengers." Mason Downey of GameSpot asserted, "Much like her on-again-off-again romantic interest, Vision, Wanda Maximoff AKA Scarlet Witch has been rocketed into the pop culture mainstream by her prominent role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe--and that spotlight is only going to get brighter now that she's making her way to her very own show. [...] Wanda's publication history has stretched on for almost six decades, and in that time, the character has defied strict definition. Even her powers, which started as "hexes" and then gradually became cosmic-level reality warping, have never been easy to pin down or explain. But for as esoteric as Wanda is, and probably always will be, she does have some pretty easy to spot throughlines. Thematically, Wanda's existence in the Marvel Universe hinges on both change and evolution—she's used to explore the fear of things far outside our control and the complex balance of power and responsibility. If you think Peter Parker has it bad as a guy who can sling webs and do cool acrobatics, imagine being a person who can speak any idea she has into existence—even at the cost of hundreds of thousands of lives." David Harth of CBR.com wrote, "Powers like Scarlett Witch's have led her to achieve things that other heroes and villains can only dream of, be they for good or ill. Scarlet Witch has long been one of Marvel's most important characters, first battling the X-Men as a member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and then finding a home with the Avengers. Over the years, she's gone through a lot, as the trials and tribulations of her life proved to be too much for her more than once. Over the years, Scarlet Witch has done some amazing things. Powers like hers have led her to achieve things that other heroes and villains can only dream of, be they for good or ill, sometimes doing things only gods can do."

Donald D. Markstein of Don Markstein's Toonopedia asserted, "The Scarlet Witch is unique among superheroes, and not just because she's the only one who wears a wimple. Her super power is unlike any other — she can alter probability so as to cause mishaps for her foes. In other words, she "hexes" them. At first her hexes were rather haphazard, but with years of practice, they've become both stronger and better controlled." Eric Diaz of Nerdist referred to the Scarlet Witch as one of the "comic book medium's most witchiest witches of all time," saying, "She's maybe the most famous superhero with the word "Witch" as part of her name. But did you know she wasn't originally a real witch at all? When she was introduced in 1964's X-Men #4, as a character who had the mutant power to project "hexes". Basically, she could make bad stuff happen at random moments. But in the '70s, Wanda discovered that she could use her powers to tap into Chaos magic, and became a true sorceress. She became powerful enough that she once altered all of reality itself in House of M." Darren Franich of Entertainment Weekly stated, "The weird beating heart of the Avengers, the Scarlet Witch has been a hero and a villain, a strongwilled leader and an eternally tormented subject of untold psychological trauma. She can be cosmically powerful, or she can just cast lots of red energy at a problem; she's a mutant, but she also has magical powers. In stark contrast to her petulant drip of a brother (see No. 63), Wanda's main problem is that she cares too much. This simple character trait makes her important no matter what the context—she can be a trusty teammate or a half-crazy reality-warping godling. Her powers are ridiculously goofy in theory—"chaos magic"—and it makes sense that Age of Ultron tries to normalize her special abilities into a recognizable assortment of brain powers. But normalizing Scarlet Witch just makes her a duller Jean Grey. The character is supposed to be a bit hard to pin down. The Avengers with their own solo titles are constants; they need wild variables like Scarlet Witch." Sara Century of Syfy said, "In the years since Avengers Disassembled and House of M, Wanda Maximoff has been in a state of constant flux. This is a character who was always at a loss to understands her own power, and she's been working to stabilize since her first appearance in 1964's X-Men #4. Though Wanda is good-intentioned, more often than not, she ends up a pawn in other people's schemes. Despite her extraordinary, reality-shifting power, Wanda Maximoff spends most of her time trying to balance the complexities of her own personality. Ever since she whispered "No more mutants" at the end of House of M and very nearly wiped out the mutant race, she has worked towards a redemptive arc that never quite seems to come. On Krakoa, among the X-Men, she is now known as The Great Pretender, considered to be a traitor, a murderer, and a liar. Yet, as always, Wanda's story is a lot more complicated than that."

IGN called the Scarlet Witch one of the "greatest Avengers of all time", stating, "By far the most controversial character on this list, Wanda Maximoff the Scarlet Witch has performed as many heroic deeds as its finest members, but also caused more damage than some of its worst villains. Wanda joined the team with her brother Quicksilver when the pair wanted to defect from their mutant terrorist father Magneto, and they proved themselves time and time again to be great heroes and dependable members." Jo-Anne Rowney of Daily Mirror referred to the Scarlet Witch as one of the "best female superheroes of all time", saying, "Scarlet Witch is one of the most dangerous heroes in the Marvel world. The daughter of Magneto and sister to Quicksilver, she was originally on the side of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants in the comics, but she saw sense. Her powers were always a bit vague, but later they became more defined and her true power became evident." Tanzim Pardiwalla of Mashable wrote, "Scarlet Witch is so powerful, its scary. The sorceress specialises in altering reality and is one of the coolest mutants. In one of the comic book arcs, she rebuilds reality and subverts the status of mutants, creating a world in which mutants are higher in hierarchy than humans. Now, that's someone you wouldn't want to mess with. There's something chaotic in her magic and we love the complexity that the character has as she switches between being the hero and villain in the comicverse." Alex Abad-Santos of Vox called the Scarlet Witch "one of the most powerful beings the Marvel universe has ever seen," saying, "This being has decimated supergroups, wiped out wide populations of people, and, in some circles, is one of the most hated characters ever created. And this individual has, in the comic books, the power to cause utter devastation. We're not talking about Ultron. Her name is the Scarlet Witch, a.k.a. Wanda Maximoff (played by Elizabeth Olsen). She'll be making her big cinematic debut in AOU, some 51 years after her first appearance in Marvel comic books. That long delay between print and film isn't because Wanda is boring. Indeed, it's the opposite. Her origin is as complex and bizarre as any you'll find at Marvel. She was abandoned at birth and raised, at various points, by a sentient humanoid cow, gypsies, and Magneto, the villainous master of magnetism. Her powers — being able to alter probability and tap into chaos magic — are strange, too, and seemingly difficult to depict in a movie. In fact, there's enough to the Scarlet Witch's story that it could easily fill three Avengers movies."

Jamie Gerber of The Mary Sue wrote, "There has long been a great duality within the character—hero and villain, mutant and witch, creator and destroyer—due in no small part to the litany of writers who've struggled with which direction to take her in. However, throughout her long journey in comics, she hasn't had much agency, often being defined by her romantic relationships and manipulated, sidelined, or both. Many comic fans will point to House of M as an important arc for Scarlet Witch, and yet, even there, she was little more than a plot device in the major Marvel event. Calling that series to mind is an understandable impulse, since the truth is that Wanda doesn't have an overwhelming number of great stories to pull from. Writers have made an effort to rehab the character's image in the past few years, but Scarlet Witch has long languished in comic book storylines that failed to allow her to live up to her full potential. Meanwhile, on the screen, WandaVision just wrapped its impressive nine-episode run and has already shown the Marvel Cinematic Universe version of Wanda Maximoff far more compassion than House of M ever did for her comic counterpart." Andrew McGrotty of MovieWeb stated, "Throughout Marvel Comics, The Scarlet Witch has been a key character both as a villain and as an Avenger. Since her first comic book appearance, Wanda Maximoff has had solo adventures and worked with many other heroes to save the world, while also struggling to control the darker side of her abilities. Her unique journey walking the line between light and dark and good and bad has made for some of the most exciting and complex storylines Marvel Comics has had to offer, many of which would be prime stories for the Marvel Cinematic Universe." Chris Vazquez of The Washington Post asserted, "The Scarlet Witch's popularity skyrocketed after her 2021 solo television series "WandaVision" — especially among LGBTQ fans. In interviews with The Washington Post, many say that Wanda's experiences with loss, her nontraditional romance (with an android) and her search for family resonate with their journeys. As she returns in Marvel Studios' "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" this week, many have hopes and fears about what she'll face next. [...] Across comics and films, Wanda receives little support from other characters. The MCU portrays her grieving alone, and in the "House of M" comic-book storyline, other characters consider killing Wanda as she experiences a mental health crisis. For Brandon Bush, a comic book journalist, this absence of support also mirrors systemic injustices. "When you see people like Wanda who aren't getting the resources that they need, you relate to that because you see your own communities and them not getting the resources that they need," Bush said."

In feminism

Though later incarnations took on feminist overtones, the character of Scarlet Witch was not conceived with ideas of female empowerment in mind. At her debut in the 1960s, the readership for superhero comics was assumed to be mostly male, and the Scarlet Witch was originally seen by some fans and Marvel creators as a token female character with a passive power, used mainly for interpersonal relation plots, perhaps to draw female readers who were believed to prefer romance comics. Avengers writer Roy Thomas even created a group of female superheroes, the Lady Liberators, in order to mock Second-wave feminism. The team is formed by Amora the Enchantress who uses her magic to influence the women members of the Avengers into turning against their male teammates. Wanda realizes the truth and resists Amora's spell, then defeats her single-handedly. The story's last scene depicts Hank Pym warning that "women's lib" is a ridiculous cause, but Wanda answers back that if sexism continues then the Lady Liberators may rise again. Despite the story mocking feminism, this final scene is now considered an early example of Wanda being a positive feminist character. In the 1970s, writer Steve Englehart preferred to make Wanda a more assertive and proactive character who pursued her personal goals and desires. In the 1980s, the first and second The Vision and the Scarlet Witch limited series both underlined Wanda as a woman who appreciated her time with the Avengers but also wanted to have her own life and agenda independent of the team, purchasing a house with Vision so they could have a relationship and even a family that was entirely their own. Englehart, who enjoyed the marriage of Wanda and Vision and created their children Thomas and William, lamented that later stories annulled the marriage, ended the relationship, removed the children, and repeatedly put Wanda in positions where she became temporarily evil due to emotional trauma and the manipulations of others.

Literary reception

Volumes

In March 2021, Marvel Comics announced that Scarlet Witch: The Complete Collection, Vision & Scarlet Witch: The Saga of Wanda and Vision, House of M, and Vision: The Complete Collection sold out. In June 2021, Marvel Comics announced that multiple comic books starring the Scarlet Witch sold out.

The Vision & The Scarlet Witch - 1982

Max Nason of CBR.com wrote, "Easily the most essential read for anyone getting ready for WandaVision is the two-volume limited series from writers Bill Mantlo (Volume 1) and Steve Englehart (Volume 2) simply titled The Vision and the Scarlet Witch. After their wedding in Giant-Size Avengers #4, these two series help expand and explore the relationship between the two heroes. Both volumes are equally as essential for understanding the characters as individuals as they are for understanding them as a married couple. The series both explore some of Wanda Maximoff's most notable storylines including her relationship with her father as well as her journey into motherhood. If there is any comic to consider reading in order to help better understand what you'll see in WandaVision, it has to be this classic title series for one of Marvel's most complex couples." Darby Harn of Screen Rant included The Vision And The Scarlet Witch (Vol.2) #12 in their "10 Best Scarlet Witch Comics Ever" list, asserting, "The Vision And The Scarlet Witch (vol. 2) #12 is the final issue of the 1985 mini-series and one of the most important in the history of the Scarlet Witch. She gives birth to Billy and Tommy in this issue after a difficult birth. It's a joyous occasion for her and The Vision, who have retired from the Avengers and live in the suburbs in relative normality. This series had a major influence on the storyline of WandaVision."

Avengers Origins: Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver - 2011

According to Diamond Comic Distributors, Avengers Origins: Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver #1 was the 148th best selling comic book in November 2011.

Peyton Hinckle of ComicsVerse said, "Origin stories make superheroes. They tell us about a character's motivations, dreams, and memories. They're the perfect insight into why a character becomes a hero (or a villain). As readers, we need origin stories to understand the heroes we love. For a long time, Scarlet Witch and her brother Quicksilver had a half-formulated backstory. At first, they were just members of Magneto's brotherhood. But, eventually, they realized that they were also Magneto's children. The older comics don't give us an up-close look at Wanda's childhood, so in 2011 writer Sean McKeever tackled retelling Wanda and Pietro's story in a modern climate. The result was Avengers Origins: Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, which finally gave readers the origin story they wanted. If you want to read about Scarlet Witch, but have no idea where to start, this is the issue for you." George Marston of Newsarama ranked Avengers Origins: Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver 6th in their "The best Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch stories of all time" list, asserting, "In comic books, Wanda and Pietro's time as villains was short-lived, and their prior history wasn't largely explored until years later, through glimpses and scattered stories. But 2011's Avengers Origins: Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver takes a deeper dive into the histories of the titular heroes, showing their past and the lead-up to their time with the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants in a way that wasn't previously told on the page. Wanda and Pietro's history is one of the most unlikely backbones of the Marvel Universe, with their simple origins growing from a throughline between the X-Men and Avengers to the saga of a family tree that has branches throughout Marvel Comics, and Avengers Origins: Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver presents a concise and engaging take on their earliest days."

Scarlet Witch - 2015

According to Diamond Comic Distributors, Scarlet Witch #1 was the 29th best selling comic book in December 2015. Scarlet Witch #1 was the 278th best selling comic book in 2015.

Beat Staff of ComicsVerse called Scarlet Witch #1 "bewitching," saying, "The real gems of the comic are the art of Vanesa Del Rey and the coloring of Jordie Bellaire. The way the lines blend with the color shows the painstaking care that the artist and colorist took. The art is so strong though that I feel much of the heavy, one-sided explanation made through the dialogue could have been done away with. The scenes and the comic as a whole look as if it were a painting, inspired by the colors and style of the early comics (in a good way), but yet with a dash of Dave McKean. Look at an issue of Sandman by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean. The dialogue and art flow so well together, but if you took away the text you could still understand what was going on in the story. The art can carry the brunt of the weight if need be. The dialogue is a little heavy in anything Neil Gaiman writes, but heavy in a good way. [...] Overall, I did enjoy Scarlet Witch. The art was refreshing in a market that requires a comic to stand out from the rest. The dialogue was a little tedious, but again it's a first issue. I would love to see the introduction of other characters to act as catalysts with the Scarlet Witch. If they build on the look of the comic and tune up the text a bit, James Robinson's Scarlet Witch will do fine." Chase Magnett of ComicBook.com gave Scarlet Witch #1 a grade of B, writing, "The beautiful thing about Scarlet Witch #1 is that it utilizes a long established character with nothing that even resembles an iconic interpretation. Much like the beginning of Matt Fraction and David Aja's run on Hawkeye (a character shown in the first page of Scarlet Witch #1) there's no sacred burial ground that writer James Robinson and artist Vanesa Del Rey must fear treading upon. Instead they are capable of crafting their own mythos and reshaping their main character into the best form for their story. It's something they do well in this first issue, providing an intriguing, if flawed, initial take on this classic Avenger. [...] Scarlet Witch #1 is a comic with a lot of promise. It's premise and creative team deliver a solid first issue, albeit one that could have used a more challenging editorial hand. Wanda Maximoff's voice has never been stronger though, and as long as the depiction of her adventures remains this compelling, it will be worthwhile seeing where she goes next." Abhirup Sengupta of Sportskeeda called the Scarlet Witch comic book series one of the "5 best comic storylines featuring Scarlet Witch's true extent of powers," stating, "The comic run featuring one of Wanda Maximoff's best solo series was written by James Robinson. This run has become one of the most definitive character studies for the Scarlet Witch and follows the witch in a journey of self-discovery. It follows Wanda, who wants to repair her magical powers and travels throughout the globe. The series by Robinson serves as the best starter comic for Scarlet Witch fans. According to multiple fan polls in Reddit, this comic has been deemed the best run to explore Scarlet Witch."

Scarlet Witch - 2023

According to the online trade magazine ICv2, Scarlet Witch #1 was the 3rd best selling comic book in January 2023.

Rebecca Oliver Kaplan of ComicsBeat called Scarlet Witch #1 a "solid start to Scarlet Witch's first solo series in a while," asserting, "In Scarlet Witch #1, Orlando and Pichelli pull from continuity old and new to weave a tale that is both full of continuity while simultaneously transcending its historically characteristic limitations. This inaugural issue represents the foundation for an intricate, well-woven tapestry… and hopefully one that will run more than 6 or 12 issues." Jenna Anderson of ComicBook.com gave Scarlet Witch #1 a grade of 5 out of 5, saying, "From the second this Scarlet Witch series was first announced, it was clear that it would be something distinct – not only Wanda's first (well-deserved) solo book in nearly a decade, but the first title to reckon with how she has been interpreted on the big screen. The team of Steve Orlando, Sara Pichelli, and company take that task and have fun with it, crafting a timeless and spellbinding look at Wanda's new status quo. It's an understatement to say that Wanda has a legacy—on the page, screen, and otherwise—like no other, and Scarlet Witch #1 is an excellent addition to that."

Sources

• Eury, Michael (2017). Hero-A-Go-Go: Campy Comic Books, Crimefighters, & Culture of the Swinging Sixties. United States: TwoMorrows Publishing. ISBN 978-1-60549-073-1.
• W. Wright, Bradford (2001). Comic Book Nation: The Transformation of Youth Culture in America. United States: The Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 0-8018-6514-X. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
• Zimmerman, David (2004). Comic Book Character: Unleashing the Hero in Us All. United States: Inter Varsity Press. ISBN 0-8308-3260-2.