Scarlet Witch #1 // Review
Wanda Maximoff has opened a quaint, little occult shop in Lotkill, New York. Darcy Lewis works there. It seems like it might be a cool place to hang out. There’s a rather interesting door in the establishment. It’s the Last Door. It’s a fun concept at the heart of Scarlet Witch #1. Writer Steve Orlando works with a clever idea that is rendered for the page by artist Sara Pichelli. Inking assists come courtesy of Elisabetta D’Amico. Matthew Wilson handles the colors. The opening issue of the new series offers a lot of potential in a fun premise.
The door finds those at their lowest. Those with nowhere else to turn. They open a door and suddenly find themselves in a cozy occult tea shop in Lotkill, New York. The Scarlet Witch is there to help them out. The Sorcerer Supreme is way too busy dealing with the big issues of the multiverse to handle the concerns of individual people. Wanda works with individuals. The first month, an Italian woman finds her way through the door. Her wife has been placed under some kind of mind control along with the rest of the inhabitants of the village that she lives in. If Wanda’s going to help her out, she’s going to have to face a blue-skinned mayor with dark powers.
Orlando crafts a clever premise for Wanda to work with and firmly establishes the mood and tone of the series with a respectably enjoyable opening adventure. Orlando lowers in articulate bits of humor around the edges of the action, which shows a deep appreciation for the complexity of Wanda’s life. She’s a part of a big, messy family that touches nearly every aspect of the Marvel Universe in one way or another. Orlando’s casual acknowledgment of this is sharp, sophisticated, and classy.
Pichelli has developed a specific look for Wanda that feels stylish and distinct. Wanda’s heroism is confident and assertive in both close-up conversations and bigger action panels featuring her elegant posture while conjuring magic. Marvel magic has had a very specific language on the page from Kirby and Ditko on. Pichelli respects the style of what has gone on before while giving the visual magic her own tilt. Orlando’s drama-heavy adventure demands an artist with the ability to ground magic and mysticism in a very down-to-earth visual reality. Pichelli walks the balance between magic and mundane in a world that feels deeply engaging thanks to Matthew Wilson’s colors.
The Last Door is such a simple idea that it almost seems like it’s TOO easy. What could be simpler than Wanda and Darcy and the door? New adventures will pop through the door every couple of months or so. It’s nice and tidy. No need for any greater complexity. Themes can spin out in 1-2 issue arcs. Lots of different things can be explored. It all feels so well-defined right from the first issue. The challenge is going to lie in keeping the form from overwhelming the emotional center of the series.
