SCARLET

The effects of “Civil War II” spill over into James Robinson and Joelle Jones’ “Scarlet Witch” #9 when Wanda’s twin brother Pietro visits her Manhattan home and takes the conflict to a personal level. Readers will likely be so accustomed to “Civil War II” titles featuring multiple characters that Robinson and Jones offers a welcome alternative in this issue, which features just two. In fact, with its single setting (Wanda’s home) and simple cast (one male lead and one female lead), the issue is composed like a play and the dialogue could just as easily be performed by pairs in an acting class. RELATED: Marvel Gives Official Details on “Civil War II’s” Extra Issue Wanda’s efforts to master herself and her abilities have been at the forefront of this title, and — while previous issues have offered the Scarlet Witch a new mission and challenges from without — Robinson’s compact and empowering script for issue #9 uses the vehicle of “Civil War II” to present a test of her conviction from

In “Scarlet Witch” #4, Wanda and Agatha walk the witches’ road in pursuit of the Emerald Warlock. Chris Visions’ artwork gives their mystical journey a heaping dose of moody chaos, and James Robinson writes an able — if formulaic — script. Steve Dillon and Vero Gandini, who are responsible for the scenes in Ireland, aren’t given much to do in this issue, but they do go gangbusters on that final page. Overall, though, “Scarlet Witch” still struggles to build drama, but — in its approach to chaos magic and character relationships — it feels full of possibility anyway. Chris Visions’ rendering of the witches’ road feels wonderfully confusing and blustery. His bold, broad lines are so organic that they almost look like they’re unfurling; as a result, everyone and everything on the page seems as if it could curl or flourish away at any moment. He’s really a perfect match for a book about chaos magic. It’s difficult to create a landscape that’s nebulous but not ethereal, and Visions’ figu

James Robinson and Vanesa Del Rey’s “Scarlet Witch” #1 opens up with a charming blast from the past, a link to Wanda’s old days in the Avengers. However, with an ominous white-on-black epigraph on the second page, Robinson indicates that what’s past is past, and Wanda’s new life indicates the new re-framing of Wanda’s powers will focus on witchcraft instead of superpowers. The last “Avengers” movie gave Scarlet Witch wider name recognition. There, Wanda was defined by her relationship with her beloved brother Pietro and her traumatic childhood. In captions, Robinson spells out that “Scarlet Witch” #1 is going to be about who the character is when she’s not someone’s sister, daughter or teammate. It’s a worthy goal, but even characters who operate solo are defined by their relationships. Appropriately, then, Robinson brings back Agatha Harkness, Wanda’s mentor in witchcraft. Unfortunately, her presence is unsubstantial in “Scarlet Witch” #1. She doesn’t serve any function in the plo

“Scarlet Spiders” #3 ends the spinoff title and closes the Mike Costa-written chapter of “Spider-Verse” while Paco Diaz draws the last rally of a hero. Three Spiders — Kaine, Ben Reilly and the Ultimate Jessica Drew — start this comic but, by the final page, there are only two Spiders left to fight the Inheritors. Costa layers in a story over the action. It adds depth to the comic but, unfortunately, it also highlights Diaz’s apparent preference for dynamic shots over solid storytelling. The parallel between asynchronous art and story underscores a disconnect in this creative team and is certain to foster flagging interest as Costa’s narrative proves more compelling than the art, rather than working in sync with each other. The two pieces aren’t quite at odds but simple things, like a clawed swipe in the art being referred to as a shoulder-dislocating move in the story, stand out. Each portion of this comic would be fine on its own merit, but the two differing halves detract from the

As a piece of the larger Spider-Verse event, “Scarlet Spiders” is shaping up to be an entertaining but not independently compelling miniseries. Its strength is in the enjoyability of its team-up, bringing together Ben Reilly, Kaine and Jessica Drew (Ultimate Black Widow) to take down the Inheritors’ main clone laboratory. Issue #2 builds on that strength, focusing on how these three problem-solve together while still expanding the Inheritors mythology. In addition, Paco Diaz and Israel Silva’s art creates an uber-defined, artificially slick world that feels as spiderlike as it does futuristic. Unfortunately, writer Mike Costa is still over-obvious, with predictable plotting and ham-fisted narration that detracts from what would otherwise be a brisk, accomplished book. Whatever my other reservations, Costa writes a well-balanced trio with a smart, believable dynamic. It’s such a pleasure to follow them through the laboratory as they alternately debate with and turn to one other. From

One of the radial lines spinning out from the center of the “Spider-Verse” web, “Scarlet Spiders” #1 sends a trio of Spider-People to the dimension where the Inheritors craft their clones. Written by Mike Costa with art from Paco Diaz, this comic features Kaine (the Scarlet Spider of the 616 Marvel Universe) Ben Reilly, Spider-Man from another, wearing the “Clone Saga” era Spider-Man costume and Ultimate Jessica Drew. Costa wastes no time and takes the path of crossover convenience to drop Spiders and readers into Jennix’s cloning facility. Using their mission as the main story device, the writer is able to define the threat, identify the personae dramatis and set the story in motion. Curiously, Costa chooses to provide third-person narration in the caption boxes that define the transition moments of the adventure, offering clinical, objective observation and definition for characters rather than injecting the passion of a first-person chronicle. Sterilized notes about the co-stars

The opening of “Scarlet Spider” #25, written by Chris Yost with art from David Baldeon serves as an excellent mirror to the opening of “Scarlet Spider” #1. As with the start of this series, its final issue opens with Kaine trying to shed what he is and become something new. The best way for him to wrap his head around what that might be, however, is to get violent with some bad guys. Like that first issue, Kaine walks away after putting a hurt on the thugs and taking their cash. Yost’s commitment to this title and perseverance through the end of the series is impressive, especially as he weaves things together from the start to now. After all, it’s not very often that a writer sticks it all the way through on a big two series that has to fight to find readership. Essentially, Kaine has become Yost’s character, as the series is his from start to finish. Yost has found comfortable ways for all of the characters to behave, grow and engage readers, making “Scarlet Spider” #25 an unfortu

“Scarlet Spider” #20 is the second part of a two-part crossover with the newly minted “Superior Spider-Man Team-Up.” While the latter title is solo-scripted by Chris Yost, the writer is joined on “Scarlet Spider” #20 by co-writer Erik Burnham. The issue brings the Superior Spider-Man together with Scarlet Spider for a much more team-up oriented experience than in “Superior Spider-Man Team-Up” #2, where they mostly fight. Yost and Burnham use the relationship between Spider-Ock and Scarlet Spider to illustrate the differences between Peter Parker, Octo-Parker and Kaine as their expectations of each other fall short or are completely torpedoed by reality. In the end, Octavius’ snobbery gets the better of the would-be hero and he puts the Jackal’s clones on the endangered species’ list with a shrug. Unbeknownst to Kaine, he’s not working with Peter Parker, but Otto Octavius, which complicates the relationship and magnifies the differences that both characters have endured in the past y

“Scarlet Spider” #16 does what every issue of this series has done under writer Chris Yost: it entertains. Yost’s work is filled with adventure and action, character moments, bits of intrigue and slivers of suspense, but at the heart, Yost writes believable characters that find ways to hook readers. I’ve dipped in and out of “Scarlet Spider” as interest and finances allow, but seeing Armadillo in a preview last week made this book a must-see for me. As goofy as the character is in concept and execution, he intrigues me. A one-note character since his first appearance in “Captain America” #308 from 1985, Armadillo is a public menace once again bemoaning his lost love, Daisy (in that “Captain America” issue he was heartbroken due to his then-estranged wife, Bonita, but times change and ancillary characters to story antagonists do as well). Yost uses that one note to drive Kaine’s personal journey forward, but it sure is fun while it lasts. When the threat of Armadillo presents itself,

It’s been close to two years since the last issue of Brian Bendis and Alex Maleev’s “Scarlet” hit shelves. Originally the story of a woman forgotten by the system, it ended with the promise that having drawn the attention of those running it, she was now going to bring it down. “Scarlet” #6 picks up where the original story left off. Thoughts that the book might have lost momentum are dispelled on the first page. Rather than coyly acknowledging and apologising for its absence (as many late comics do), “Scarlet” is actively on the offensive. If anything, this book has become more angry, more fired-up about the injustices it addresses. It reads, in all ways, like the first work of young upstarts — not two creators with a huge body of work behind them. There’s definitely a tone in “Scarlet” #6 that isn’t found in the Bendis’ other books. It appears to have a point to make — not just a general point about injustice, but a specific commentary about the city it’s set (Portland), which non