Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver #1 Review: A Respectable Refresh for Marvel's Favorite Sibling Duo

Like death and taxes, the relaunch of a beloved comic is something that is essentially inevitable. Countless characters across Marvel and DC have been subjected to such treatment, with their stories restarting with cleaner numbering, a new creative team, or some combination of the two. That fact made the announcement of Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver, a new four-issue miniseries spinning out of the events of Marvel's recent and endlessly entertaining Scarlet Witch series, a bit of an enigma. The new start could be seen as the zenith of a specific story concerning the entire Maximoff family, while capturing the instant classic energy of Steve Orlando, Sara Pichelli, and company's work on Scarlet Witch, or it could be seen as a half-hearted attempt to lump Quicksilver into his sister's long-overdue success as a solo character. Based on Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver #1, the answer seems to exist somewhere between those two extremes, setting up a family drama with a limited amount of space and an unlimited amount of potential.

As the title suggests, Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver #1 follows the ongoing adventures of super-powered siblings Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch and Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver, who join forces to stop a cataclysm from arriving on Earth. The real tension does not come from that event, but from the arrival of a seemingly innocuous tie to their past, which kicks up a lot of drama and sets up the return of a controversial foe.

To an extent, it feels like a misnomer to call this series Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver, as this issue begins to test their familial bond as quickly as it reintroduces it to readers. That premise does soften the blow of this miniseries relaunching out of Scarlet Witch, as it creates a justifiable reason for Pietro to be more closely involved with this particular story. It also, especially in the first half of the issue, allows for grievances to be aired out regarding the two siblings – their relationship with each other, their relationship (or lack thereof) with their father, and their reputations in the superhero world. It has already been abundantly clear that Orlando exhibits a wide-ranging love for Wanda's lore, recontextualizing some of her best and worst moments with a sense of carefulness. With that in mind, the prospect of approaching this conversation from a new angle is exciting, even if there are only three remaining issues to do so.

Despite the weight of Wanda and Pietro's histories being felt throughout Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver #1, the issue is not necessarily bogged down by it, providing a sequel that is accessible on nearly every level. While Orlando's script is littered with callbacks to Scarlet Witch, even those who missed out on the events of that series will not be entirely lost. Instead, the focus is largely on the here and now, from the rift in the siblings' relationship to the mysterious forces that are only making it worse. Even though the entire issue consists of only a handful of small conversations and set pieces, the stakes build upon each other in a meaningful way. It isn't quite as satisfying as some of Orlando's self-contained Scarlet Witch scripts, which evoked the Silver and Bronze Ages in their compact nature, but it feels like a logical step for this miniseries' story. 

Aesthetically, artist Lorenzo Tammetta proves to be a natural fit for Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver, rendering their respective powers and the world around them with a necessary liveliness. Tammetta's work fits well into the de facto "house style" established by Sara Pichelli and other artists on Scarlet Witch, while still playing with panel composition and detail work in a distinct way. Similarly, Frank William's color work captures much of the casual vibrancy set in place on the previous series by Matthew Wilson, setting Wanda and Pietro apart from the world around them with perfect shades of magenta and green. The lettering from Ariana Maher quietly keeps the series' plot afloat, matching the tone of both the harshest and most lighthearted lines of dialogue across the issue.

Although Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver #1 does not immediately cement itself among the best stories concerning its deuteragonists, it clears the runway for an intriguing and meaningful romp for its two heroes. While Wanda has certainly, both on the page and on the screen, established herself as more than a package deal with her brother, the gimmick of reuniting them for this particular tale does have promise. If Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver manages to stick the landing—which, given its creative team, is essentially a guarantee—in its remaining three issues, it could be something special.

Published by Marvel Comics

On February 14, 2024

Written by Steve Orlando

Art by Lorenzo Tammetta

Colors by Frank William

Lettering by Ariana Maher

Cover by Russell Dauterman