Scarlet Witch, Vol. 2: Magnum Opus

Scarlet Witch #2

by Steve Orlando

The Scarlet Witch continues her new direction of helping those in need with all things magical!

Family matters! But the Scarlet Witch’s loyalties are tested when an enemy of the Kree/Skrull Empire falls through the Last Door, desperate for help avenging their fallen comrades. Will Wanda honor the commitment she made to helping those in need — whoever they are — or will her love for her son Wiccan and his husband, Hulkling, who happens the be the Emperor of that Empire, triumph over all? A familiar figure appears at Wanda’s shop…and it seems that rumors of his death have been greatly exaggerated. But does he come as friend or foe? Wanda swore to help anyone who walked through her door…but what happens when that person is a villain? And why has a corner of Oklahoma been transformed into the Emerald City?!

Scarlet Witch (2023) 6-10

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Graphic Novels Comics, Superheroes, Fiction

120 pages, Paperback

Published February 6, 2024

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 2 out of 5]

The store, the Last Door, the leading characters, the Wanda refresh and totally delicious art is not enough to distract from the filler stories and ongoing 'guest star' twist greater arc across this volume. Wanda finds herself on opposing sides to her son Wiccan before she takes a chance with a returning character from the Chris Claremont era! The art is so delicious across both volumes Sara Pichelli is with Lorenzo Tammetta are just turning it up! A 5 out of 12, Five Star read. What kills me are the fawning the letters Marvel prints in each comic book issue, gone are the days of critical letters and discussions on characterisations and plots.

2025 read

[Tyler Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wanda is just so amazing. What can’t she do? Sad to see this series end but excited to see her team up with her twin for the first time in ages next year.

[Mattthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a bit all over the place, but still thoroughly enjoyable. Wanda is really amazing. I love the way she is written here by Orlando. She has learned from her mistakes and is wise, gracious, and forgiving and still as powerful as ever.
Recommend.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

More small-time witchy stuff for Scarlet Witch from Steve Orlando. Magneto's clone shows up for an extended cameo, which is an interesting bit...if you knew Magneto had a clone? Felt like a real throwback. Scarlet Witch also battles against a witch villain who seemingly comes out of nowhere.

It all feels a bit tame and predictable, but generally looks good and goes down smooth. Like lesser Jed MacKay.

[Adam Fisher · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars.
This title started with a bang with the first Volume, and continued good stories here, but they became single issue and slightly episodic.
Highlights:
- Ganymede, last survivor of the Archsisterhood, gets Wanda to seek out Wiccan and Hulkling to address a rogue group of Skrull terrorists
- Joseph, clone of Magneto, shows up and reconnects with Wanda, both getting involved in a story where an author with powers brings a twisted version of Oz to life
- A mountain giant comes through the Last Door and Wanda must get Loki involved to help him
- Joseph turns traitor when the Last Witchfinder comes to take out Wanda, losing his life in the battle (though not dying, merely going back to his home universe)

Overall, not a bad Volume, but I am hoping to see more when Quicksilver shows up in the next one.
Recommend.

[Mohan Vemulapalli · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Scarlet Witch, Vol. 2: Magnum Opus" is a decent follow on to the first volume of this series but it does flag in comparison. The book is a bit of a hodgepodge and the story only comes together in the end and even then it feels a bit weak, transitional and derivative.
Expect unexpected family reunions, daddy issues, clone drama , a lackluster witch hunter and a respectable amount of Darcy snark,

[Khurram · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a big letdown from the first book. I would have given this 2.5 stars the first and last issue/chapter rounded the book up to 3 for me. The way this book it I can imagine the writing ream being told we have five remaining issues to show Wanda in every role, relationship, and storyline in Marvel currently. Go!!!

Wanda's secret door is still the last resort for anyone on with no choice left. Wanda is duty bound to do everything in her power to help them. Even if it brings her into conflict with her own family. What happens when a estranged family member needs help as well as helping others, teaching at the Strange Academy, saving space and the multiverse, hiding from mutant haters (she does not seem to be hiding at all), and being hunted for being a witch as well.

This book was just too many elements, and none of them done well. I am actually worried when a chaotic speedster like Quicksilver is added to the next series. The book finishes with a thumbnail cover gallery.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

In un solo fumetto abbiamo avuto Wanda che flirta con Loki e poi con Drumm, missioni compiute con la nipote e il fratello, riscattato l'anima di un sosia del padre e vendicata la morte di Magneto, per finire a bersi una birra sul terrazzo del proprio appartamento a New York con Darcy. Lei non sa proprio cosa significhi perdere!!

[Melia Glubka · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Guilherme Smee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steve Orlando tem perdido muitos pontos comigo em seus últimos trabalhos com os X-Men e com o Homem-Aranha 2099. Quando eu lia ele na DC Comics, costumava gostar, mas na Marvel tem sido pedrada atrás de pedrada (na nossa cara). No entanto, esse novo título da Feiticeira Escarlate tem me agradado bastante (muito mesmo). Orlando tem usado o recurso de série procedural ligada com tramas que se acumulam. Neste segundo volume, ele usa o movimento procedural da "porta dos desesperados" de Wanda com a trama de fundo do reaparecimento do clone de Magneto, o Joseph, após a morte do então pai da Feiticeira Escarlate. Esse mistério de fundo somado aos mistérios pontuais vão dando mais tesão em acompanhar as histórias, fazendo um ótimo conjunto juntos e agradando a novos e velhos fãs. Além disso, os fãs latinos da Marvel irão gostar também de uma historinha curta incluída nesse encadernado, feita por uma equipe inteiramente latina, em que Wanda ajuda uma feiticeira latina integrante da Academia do Estranho a se libertar de uma criatura mágica maligna. Espero que a PaniniTM continue trazendo as próximas minisséries e volumes de Feiticeira Escarlate, porque tem sido uma boa jornada acompanhar essas histórias.

[Mel]

Fun to see Billy and Teddy again! And the space warrior nun was cool. Not an Oz fan so I skimmed that one. And I'm not current on anything X-Men so the Joseph/Magneto stuff went over my head. The wrap up was fine but felt a bit rushed.

My beef is with the Loki issue, because it seems like Al Ewing is the only one at marvel who takes his redemption arc seriously. For some reason Wanda thought it was totally cool to recognize that she and Loki are kindred spirits as villains trying to be better.....and then immediately cut him down saying he'll never be his true self? What? She's all about healing in this miniseries but can't extend any grace to Loki who literally explains his entire journey truthfully. It's her book not his, so I get why she needed to win the word battle, but the way she cut him down was ice cold and antithetical to her touchy feely approach to everyone else. Loki gets kicked when he's down so often that it gets tiresome and it wasn't fun to watch Wanda get a turn.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.8 stars
An interesting tale thaht continued this series of Scarlet Witch.
Though the finale felt very rushed but with interesting twists.
I hope to see more in this series.

[María Alonso · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me ha gustado, sobre todo el arco de redención de José, un máquina si me preguntan

[Jamie Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this whole series. Very stoked to see Darcy in the comics!!

[Christian Zamora-Dahmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Wanda. I think Orlando really knows the character and plays to her strengths. That being said, this second volume lacked a hook. I mean, anything about Joseph was quite compelling, but the main stories in the first three issues were so irrelevant. The fourth issue was a series of unimportant events. And finally, by the fifth issue Hexfinder takes a center role but she never was interesting and her motivation was so bleh. What a waste of a villain. I think the whole potential of the series got lost and that’s too bad, because this series could have gone for quite a while. Of course, I’m looking forward to the Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver mini-series, but once again, this title hit an unnecessary wall.

[sam]

Meh

[Kendra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was only my second comic ever—or the first I’ve read in a long time—and I flew through it in one sitting (just two hours!). It’s fast-paced, beautifully drawn, and overall a fun and easy read.



The structure mirrors Volume 1: in that one, Darcy is introduced early on and the tension builds to a confrontation with Scythia. Here in Volume 2, Joseph (Magneto’s clone) shows up wanting to make amends. But there’s a twist—he’s working with the Hexfinder, and then another twist—he changes sides and sacrifices himself to help Wanda.



He briefly appeared in Volume 1—I remember him in a cave looking all gloomy and mysterious, and I thought that was setting up something really cool for the next volume. But here, he just kind of appears out of nowhere like a nice, innocent guy. I get that that’s his character, but I wish we’d gotten more of that eerie or complex vibe. He had potential to be more interesting or intense, but it felt like a missed opportunity.

Most of the book feels more like leisure reading than something with heavy emotional weight, but there are moments that hit—especially Joseph’s final scene where he creates magical stones to help others. That was simple but touching.

Some of the conflict resolutions (like with Loki) felt a bit rushed, but I’m still getting used to comic pacing—I come from reading 300-page novels where things unfold slowly. This was a much quicker ride.



Wanda is definitely the highlight of the story. She’s written as wise, empathetic, and grounded. She gives sincere advice and really seems to have learned from her past mistakes. Even though I’m not familiar with all the other universes and characters, I still enjoyed exploring different realms with her.



Overall: A relaxing, visually beautiful read with fun moments and a great lead character. Not the most emotionally deep comic, but still a great time—especially for Scarlet Witch fans or people new to comics.

[Nico D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wouldn't call this Wanda's 'Magnum Opus', but there's so much to like here. The art continues to be absolutely gorgeous. Whether it's the characters standing around and talking or Wanda manipulating the space around her with magic, every panel is a real treat on the eyes. Wanda herself is still well-written, fully in her mentor-witch era. I also like some of the guest stars (okay, Billy. I like Billy) and so much of the book is Wanda interacting with various guest stars. I dig the return of Joseph, who's really doing his best to embody Magneto's Hot Girl Summer.

The main issue, if you wanna call it as such, is the stakes never feel especially high. We got told they are, but things tend to resolve so quickly, and Wanda is so powerful I'm never under the impression she might fail. It's great if you want to see Wanda totally cleaning house consistently, but I would like to see a longer struggle for her. (Of course, this might just be the nature of modern storytelling in the Big Two needing to get stories to much quicker conclusions, so this could just be a preference thing)

Overall, I'd put the story and writing at a 3-3.5, but the art pops it up and out.

(Don't ask why it took so long to finish this particular book.)

[Matthew McElroy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genuinely excellent storytelling and very good artwork.
Real question: are Scarlet Witch and Black Panther the breakout characters of Marvel, thanks to the MCU? Growing up in the 90s, a Top 10 list would have included Ghost Rider, Punisher and several X-Men.
I don't think Iron Man would have made it, and Black Panther and Scarlet Witch certainly would NOT have made it. Now, she is getting multiple stand alone anthologies.I love that she has a complex relationship with her brother. It truly affects her ability to be a hero. Still, she is always intetesting, and her goal is always to help. she is never selfish. Most of the stories help her learn more about herself.

One thing I have come to question in my Scarlet Witch binge over the last few months- would her story benefit from less traditional artwork?
I don't think the stories they are telling lend themselves to the spandex and heels commonly associated with female heroes. In this anthology we get pretty standard art, with some cool variations when she ventures into the supernatural. In the previous anthology I read, the art, which was done by multiple artists, captured the ethereal nature of the story better. But the indecisiveness of choosing a single artist hindered the story overall.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scarlet Witch's current series comes to a close for now, but she's not finished dragging her family into her messes. Wiccan and Hulkling, Quicksilver, and even her father (though not in the way you'd expect) get involved here, as the ultimate villain of the series is revealed.

Orlando's quiet confidence for Wanda shines through, as well as her capacity for forgiveness, something that she often isn't afforded herself. The way in which Wanda solves her problems is always unexpected, and not just a hand-wavey 'I did it with magic' explanation. Plus the artwork's still beautiful - Sara Pichelli predictably doesn't end up pencilling most of the volume, but Lorenzo Tammetta picks up the slack in such a way that it's easy not to notice.

Wanda closes The Last Door for now, but I'm sure it won't be long before the witch comes calling again. Hopefully her next outing will be just as good as this series was.

[Joey Nardinelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

It always impresses me how staying tightly focused on a very few characters over the course of a TPB volume can make a story feel so much more compelling. That’s been the case with Rowell’s recent run on She-Hulk, and it proves to be the case here with Orlando’s run on Scarlet Witch. It even has one of the more compelling fights I’ve seen in a while, a duel of truths between Loki and Wanda that ends in a real solid emotional gut punch even for people who may not know the characters all that well. It’s the stuff about life and death that leaves me maybe a little less engaged, since this volume isn’t really saying a ton new or all that thought-provoking given the potential background context of another mutant genocide. Also…if people are seeing Joseph and contacting Orchis, how are they otherwise entirely missing from this and not killing humans for finding a mutant on Earth? Isn’t that the whole threat?

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wanda Maximoff continues running her witch shop and Last Door redemption business, along with Darcy, but with the addition of her father, who isn’t really her father, Joseph.

Their working partnership works out really well for the both of them. Redemption feels more real to Wanda, while Joseph gets a taste of what redemption can feel like.

(I have no clue why Magneto who isn’t Magneto needs redemption, but I can glean enough during the touching talks between him and Wanda, his daughter who isn’t his daughter, that while Joseph isn’t Magneto, they sure do share the same DNA)

But redemption becomes revenge against Wanda, until the Scarlet Witch manages to transform her own lessons of redemption into a lesson of self-forgiveness.

Plus, Loki and Wanda dance, but for not nearly long enough.

[Mariah · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars

Scarlet Witch continues to help those who need it. Her shop is connected to The Last Door which allows those who seek help to stumble through it. Scarlet Witch helps get justice for an intergalactic Paladin, she teams up with a Magneto clone and has a battle of wit with Loki.

I have loved Steve Orlando's take on Scarlet Witch, but this felt like a big letdown. For someone who's so noble, why is she tearing Loki down? I get it, that's what the story needed, but still. I thought there were too many characters and things felt rushed at the end.

I hope the next volume focuses more on Scarlet Witch and Darcy instead of introducing all of these different characters that I don't care about.

[Ellie Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second half of the series carries on nicely from the first half, bringing in Wanda's family (including her son, """""father"""" (?), brother and niece) for roles ranging from cameos to guest star appearances. The overall plot was really well done (focusing on Wanda's active decision to move on whilst making amends for what she's done) and leads on nicely into the upcoming Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver series. I'm interested to see how this series interacts with Wanda's current stint in the Avengers line up.

[L · Rating 1 out of 5]

I liked the Red Door and the randomness of the situations Scarlett Witch had to face in the first volume.
Here, we have that for half of the TPB but it is not working. The worst is the OZ situation, not as witty as the author thought.
Then just as the fist Volume, we have the overarching nemesis but she is so weakly written that we couldn't care less.
Orlando can write great comics such as Midnighter or Martian Manhunter but can also write very bad ones as with this series or, worse, The Unexpected.

[Jos Trinidad · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was by no means a bad iteration of what I thought could come out of what was set up in the previous volume. However, it did not meet my creative expectations, nor did its pages give me a subversion that was equally as epic.

Parts of this volume were extremely cool, building Wanda's and other's character, creating amazing highs in the volume. But there were other sections that just felt like anime filler arcs that were just snapshots of things accomplished.

Overall, not bad, but didn't live up to the hype established in Vol. 1. 4/5

[Rahul Nadella · Rating 2 out of 5]

Scarlet Witch ends this series on a high note. The final issue of this comic wraps things up quickly, but is no less a fun read. Scarlet Witch ties everything together and sends the series out on a low note. I didn't really like the fight, Stephen promised a big fight and didn't deliver, we didn't know much about the villain's past, can't Wanda resurrect the dead? Does Wanda still have a weakness to metal? Though Pichellis art is dazzling.

[Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun little diversion in the MU...

This wraps up the 'Red Door' story of the Scarlet Witch. She's been fighting for those that don't have any place else to go. It's a nice change from having the magic user just have super amazing magic adventures.

Bonus: Battleworld Avengers make a cameo with Crusader (What If #114) getting the Scarlet Witch assist

[Alex Sarll]

Whether in Jotunheim, Hala or Oz, whatever obscure Marvel characters it digs out for guest spots, this can't help feeling half-formed next to the previous volume. Not that I can altogether blame the creative team; Marvel have been so ready to cancel after five issues lately that having 6-10 fully planned is verging on a mug's game.