GoCollect Blog: Women's History Month - Scarlet Witch (womens-history-month-scarlet-witch )

In celebration of Women’s History month, we’re going to profile some of the most important heroes in comics. Let’s take a look at Scarlet Witch.

Scarlet Witch’s First Appearance

Easily one of the more troubled of Marvel’s characters, the Scarlet Witch would in turns be a villain, a hero, a wife, a mother, and the destroyer of the vast majority of mutants’ abilities. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1964, Wanda Maximoff got her start, along with her twin brother Quicksilver, as a member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants in X-Men #4. Pietro Maximoff would be a crucial part of Scarlet Witch’s exploits throughout the 1960s.

There are 3,143 graded copies of X-Men #4 in the CGC census. Recent sales include a 2.0 selling for a slashed $1,200 on March 20, a 5.0 for $2,195 on March 19, and an 8.0 for $5,313 on March 18. The 8.0 and 5.0 graded copies are down roughly 11% from their one-year average, while the 2.0 is actually up 17% from its one-year average.

All are down a bunch from 2021 peaks, more a reflection of current comic book market trends than an indictment of the desirability of this issue. In fact, when the market begins to turn upward, this comic will likely be one of the first to rise.

Scarlet Witch Becomes an Avenger

Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, along with Hawkeye, would answer Captain America’s call and join the Avengers beginning with Avengers #16. This issue marks the start of a long and illustrious – and sometimes twisted – run for Wanda as an Avenger, the team and comic book with which she is most closely associated. There are 1,312 CGC graded copies for this currently inexpensive classic. In the mid-grades and some higher grades, however, we’re beginning to see a rise in prices. 30-day averages in the 8.0, 5.5, and 5.0 grades are topping 90-day averages and, in some cases, the 1-year average. This first turnover in the Avengers roster has always been somewhat underrated considering its importance in Marvel history. You probably don’t want to wait too long to purchase a copy if prices continue to rise, particularly if we see similar increases in other grades.

Scarlet Witch and the Vision

For a couple decades, you couldn’t say the name Scarlet Witch without including the name of the android the Vision. The two first met in Avengers #76 and would eventually marry in Giant-Size Avengers #4. Avengers #76 is more of a run filler than a key issue, sought after primarily by Avengers completists.

There are 266 graded copies in the CGC census, and the most recent sale is a 9.2 selling for $155 in a March 19 eBay sale. That’s pretty cheap for an early Bronze Age Avengers.

As with many of Marvel’s Giant-Size comics of the mid-1970s – excepting those with key first appearances – Giant-Size Avengers #4 is really inexpensive. The only sales in 2023 are a 5.5 selling for a slashed $30 and a 9.0 selling for a slashed $125.

At those prices – both below FMV and 1-year averages – I would definitely consider purchasing a copy if you’re a Scarlet Witch fan.

First Dark Scarlet Witch

In wrestling terms, Scarlet Witch would take her first of many heel turns in a three-issue storyline in Avengers #185, Avengers #186, and Avengers #187. Including the then origins of Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver (origins that would be retconned multiple times), these issues also featured the possession of Wanda by the demonic entity Chthon and would serve as a basis for her encounters with the Darkhold that featured so prominently in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. '

Prices are low for all three, despite the MCU story, with prices dropping quite a bit since the film’s release. Avengers #186 is the most sought-after by collectors, but even in this case, 9.6 values have dropped as low as $160 recently.

Mother – Sort of

Scarlet Witch became a mother when she gave birth to twins Billy and Tommy in The Vision and the Scarlet Witch #12. In what would prove to be the start of a long and convoluted storyline, the twins were actually a portion of the soul of Mephisto, were destroyed, and then somehow came back as the Young Avengers Wiccan and Speed. Comic book storytelling at its finest.

This comic was a hot commodity in 2021, its peak coinciding with the WandaVision Disney+ series, which was in many ways the start of the recently ended comic boom. Prices are down a boatload from the near $800 peak; you can find 9.8s nowadays for around $225.

Latest Heel Turn

Wanda went completely off the rails in 2004 and 2005, killing a bunch of Avengers and Agatha Harkness in the Avengers disassembled storyline that culminated in Avengers #503, with Avengers Finale #1 serving as a denouement for the story and the series. Avengers #503 is a dirty cheap modern comic; you should be able to find high grade copies for under $50.

Scarlet Witch also played a prominent role in 2005’s House of M. Declaring that there would be, “no more mutants,” she singlehandedly caused all but 100 mutants to lose their powers in House of M #7. Again, this is another very inexpensive modern comic. The latest sale of a 9.8 was for $45 on January 18.

The Future for the Scarlet Witch

Values of Scarlet Witch keys are, for better or worse, likely tied to the character's next appearance in the MCU. While she supposedly died at the end of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, few expect the death to stick. When she returns is very much open to conjecture, but it will happen at some point.