Darcy Lewis has a secret. And that secret may be the end of The Scarlet Witch! Your Major Spoilers review of The Scarlet Witch #4 from Marvel Comics awaits!

THE SCARLET WITCH #4

Writer: Steve Orlando
Artist: Sara Pichelli/Elisabetta D’Amico
Colorist: Matthew Wilson
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
Editor: Alanna Smith
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: April 5, 2023

Previously in Scarlet Witch: The Scarlet Witch’s shopkeeper, Darcy Lewis, has a secret – and when the consequences of that secret result in the annihilation of Wanda’s shop, Wanda Maximoff must choose between protecting her new life or saving her friend’s.

THE SHOP IS GONE ALREADY?

As her Emporium burns to the ground, The Scarlet Witch finds herself facing down Hippolyta herself, in the guise of Scythia, avenger of dead Bacchae. To hear her tell it, Darcy killed one of her sect, which means that her blood must be spilled in return. But seconds before she would have been impaled, Darcy escaped through the Last Door to arrive on Wanda’s doorstep. The goddess isn’t willing to slow down and talk things over, but in her haste, she fails to realize just how powerful The Scarlet Witch is. Of course, Scythia has the benefit of not caring about collateral damage, collapsing an apartment building full of innocents to distract her foe and kill Darcy. Still, The Scarlet Witch isn’t that easily beaten, even when you have a “bullet” of anti-magic ore.

Of course, a full suit of anti-magic armor might be another matter entirely.

OH, RIGHT! MAGIC!

I think my favorite part of this whole issue comes when a literal Olympian stares our hero in the eye and admits that the Witch is actually more powerful than she is. That’s what you call a compass statement, and the rest of their battle fills in the blanks, with Scarlet Witch actually taking her punch (and a fire hydrant) to the face. It’s visually stunning, especially when Wanda fires back by summoning her shop once more… and DROPPING IT ON SCYTHIA FROM ABOVE. Sara Pichelli’s art is wonderfully evocative in that moment, but again throughout the issue, such as when Wanda turns bystanders into crimson leaves that blow away and reform elsewhere, or the last page reveal of Scythia’s next move. The integration of the flashback sequences is especially nicely done, with Darcy’s revelation that the accusations are (at least mostly) true occurring against a red backdrop that makes me think of rivulets of blood. It’s good stuff.

BOTTOM LINE: NEXT FIGHT OUGHT TO BE GOOD

in short, The Scarlet Witch #4 keeps up the string of well-crafted issues, showing us her first meaningful challenge in this series, but maintaining both her mystique and her new status quo, with really well-done art earning 4 out of 5 stars overall. I’m very much looking forward to the next issue (though, if I know my Marvel six-issue trade paperback publishing strategy the way I think I do, it’s probably going to be part two of three).

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