Few longtime Avengers have had as challenging a modern era as Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch. Despite her status as a regular Avenger since Avengers #16, Wanda became one of the most polarizing “heroes” in the community during some of the 2000’s major Marvel events!
Throughout her history, Wanda has been defined by complication. Right off the bat she’s mixed up with Magneto and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, alongside her brother Quicksilver. Avengers membership grants Wanda a shot at redemption, and also leads to her ongoing romance and eventual marriage with the android Vision.
Fortunately, Wanda’s hex powers (since reclassified as chaos magic, or witchcraft) are significantly more confusing than her comic book history. I’ve outlined a detailed essential reading order for Scarlet Witch comics below!
Scarlet Witch Comic Book Reading Order
Collects: Uncanny X-Men #4 To #7, #11
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Wanda and Pietro join the brotherhood of evil mutants! It’s an inauspicious debut for the future Avengers, as X-Men villains.
Collects: Avengers #16 To #30
Wanda quickly graduates beyond the “We might be the guys” nomenclature of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, and joins the Avengers with brother Quicksilver! It’s the redemption tour Avengers lineup, as Wanda, Pietro, and Hawkeye join Captain America to atone for past criminal activity.
Avengers Origins: Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver
Collects: Avengers Origins: Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver #1
A modern retelling of Wanda’s origins as the Scarlet Witch.
Collects: Avengers (1963) 31-58, Annual (1967)1-2, X-Men (1963) 45, Not Brand Echh (1967) 5, 8
Collects: Avengers Origins: Vision #1
Collects: Avengers (1963) 59-88, Incredible Hulk (1968) 140, Marvel Super-Heroes (1967) 17, Material From Not Brand Echh 12
Collects: Avengers (1963) #89-100
When Wanda and her brother are taken hostage into outer space, the Avengers get in the middle of an intergalactic war to bring them back! Plus, it’s all hands on deck for the big 100th issue!
Collects: Avengers (1963) #101-111, Daredevil (1964) #99
Steve Englehart takes over as regular series writer halfway through and begins his long-term investment in Wanda as a character!
Collects: Avengers (1963) #112-119, Defenders (1972) #9-11
Englehart starts to bring the slow-burn attraction of Vision and the Scarlet Witch to the foreground- but not without a few curveballs! Plus, the Avengers/Defenders War!
Avengers: The Complete Celestial Madonna Saga
Collects: Avengers (1963) 124-125, 129-135; Captain Marvel (1968) 33; Giant-Size Avengers 2-4; Avengers: Celestialquest 1-8
The origin of the Vision!
Scarlet Witch and the Vision
Collects: Marvel Team-Up #41 To #43
Collects: Avengers (1963) #136-149, Material from Marvel Treasury Edition (1974) #7
Wanda and Vision go on a brief honeymoon before returning to the Avengers and an adventure involving the Serpent Crown!
Collects: Avengers (1963) #150-163, Avengers Annual (1967) #6, Super-Villain Team-Up (1975) #9
Wonder Man returns from the dead, sparking off a love triangle with Wanda and Vision lasting until modern day! The Private War of Dr. Doom! Plus, Wanda’s would-be, maybe could-be dad hangs around for a spell: the Golden Age speedster, The Whizzer?!?
Collects: Avengers (1963) #164-177, Avengers Annual (1967) #7, Marvel Two-In-One Annual (1976) #2
The all “Big Guns” volume! Jim Shooter and John Byrne on the Count Nefaria Trilogy! Jim Starlin and Thanos’ Final Threat! Avengers meet the Guardians of the 31st Century in the Korvac Saga! Plus, yet another slow-burn subplot begins surrounding Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch’s origin!
Collects: Avengers #181 To #187
Collects: Avengers (1963) #189-202, Marvel Premiere (1972) #55, Material from Tales To Astonish (1979) #12
Wanda attempts another leave of absence but this time is brought back to the Avengers by the most unfortunate of Carol Danvers plotlines…
Defenders Epic Collection: Ashes, Ashes…
Collects: Defenders (1972) #110-125, Avengers Annual (1967) #11
After finally leaving the Avengers, Wanda and Vision reunite with Beast and the Defenders, guest-starring on an adventure to the alternate Earth of the Squadron Supreme!
Avengers: Vision and the Scarlet Witch
Collects: Giant-Size Avengers #4 And Vision And The Scarlet Witch #1-4
Collects: Marvel Team-Up #129 To #130
Avengers: Absolute Vision Book 1
Collects: Avengers (1963) #231-241, Avengers Annual #11-12, Amazing Spider-Man Annual #16, Fantastic Four (1961) #256, And Doctor Strange (1974) #60
Avengers: Absolute Vision Book 2
Collects: Avengers (1963) #242-254, Avengers Annual #13
Avengers: Vision & The Scarlet Witch – A Year in the Life
Collects: Vision And The Scarlet Witch (1985) #1-12, And West Coast Avengers (1985) #2
Avengers: West Coast Avengers Omnibus
Collects: West Coast Avengers (1984) 1-4; Iron Man Annual 7; Avengers (1963) 250; West Coast Avengers (1985) 1-16; Vision And The Scarlet Witch (1985) 1-2; Avengers Annual (1967) 15; West Coast Avengers Annual 1; Material From Avengers (1963) 239, 243-244, 246; Material From Avengers West Coast 10
Collects: Solo Avengers #5
Hawkeye and Scarlet Witch
Scarlet Witch and the West Coast Avengers
Avengers West Coast: Vision Quest
Collects: Avengers West Coast 42-50
Avengers West Coast Visionaries – John Byrne, Vol. 2: Darker than Scarlet
Collects: Avengers West Coast #51-57 And #60-62
Avengers – West Coast Avengers: Along Came A Spider-Woman
Collects: Avengers West Coast 58-59, 63-75
Collects: Dr. Strange, Sorceror Supreme 31-36
Wanda plays a major role alongside Doctor Strange during the Infinity Gauntlet tie-ins!
Avengers Epic Collection: Operation Galactic Storm
Collects: Avengers (1963) 345-347, Avengers West Coast 80-82, Quasar 32-36, Wonder Man (1991) 7-9, Iron Man (1968) 278-279, Thor (1966) 445-446, Material From Captain America (1968) 398-400
Darkhold: Pages From The Book Of Sins- The Complete Collection
Collects: Darkhold: Pages From The Book Of Sins (1992) #1-16, Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme (1988) #90, Material from Midnight Sons Unlimited (1993) #1-2 & Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #145
With Chthon and the Book of Sins so close to Wanda’s own origins, she lends a hand to the Darkhold Redeemers for a story arc!
Collects: Avengers West Coast 89-91, Annual 8; Vision (1994) 1-4
Doctor Strange and the Secret Defenders
Collects: Secret Defenders (1993) #1-11
Wanda briefly joins Avengers alum Captain America and Spider-Man as part of Dr. Strange’s rotating 90s non-team!
Avengers: The Death of Mockingbird
Collects: Avengers West Coast 92-100, 102; Spider-Woman (1993) 1-4; Material From Marvel Comics Presents (1988) 143-144
Collects: Avengers (1963) #368-369, Avengers West Coast (1985) #101, X-Men (1991) #26, Uncanny X-Men (1963) #307, Black Knight: Exodus (1996) #1
Wanda’s kidnapped niece becomes the focal point of this A+X 30th Anniversary crossover!
Avengers: Scarlet Witch by Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Collects: Scarlet Witch 1-4, Avengers Origins: Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver 1; Material From Marvel Team-Up (1972) 125; Solo Avengers 5; Marvel Comics Presents (1988) 60-63, 143-144; Mystic Arcana: Scarlet Witch
Avengers/Iron Man: Force Works
Collects: Force Works (1994) #1-11, 12 (A Story), 13-15, Ashcan Edition, Century: Distant Sons (1996) #1, Material from Iron Man/Force Works Collectors’ Preview (1994)
Wanda leads Iron Man’s short-lived team of ex-Avengers!
X-Men: The Complete Onslaught Saga – Book One
Collects: X-Men (1991) #53-54, Uncanny X-Men (1963) #335, Onslaught: X-Men (1996), Avengers (1963) #401, Fantastic Four (1961) #415, Cable (1993) #34, Incredible Hulk (1962) #444
Wanda rejoins the Avengers just in time to face a mutant threat so powerful it seems to take the sacrifice of ALL the heroes to stop it!
Collects: Avengers (1996) #1-12
Wanda and the Avengers survive Onslaught and relive a version of their lives as S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives in a bubble universe reboot by a grab bag of talent including Rob Liefeld, Jeph Loeb and Walt Simonson!
Scarlet Witch Enters The 2000’s – Disassembled and House of M!
The Avengers by Kurt Busiek & George Pérez Omnibus Volume 1
Collects: Avengers (1998) #1-23, 0, 1 Rough Cut; Iron Man (1998) #7; Captain America (1998) #8; Quicksilver #10; Avengers Annual ’98, ’99; Avengers Forever #1-12
Avengers by Kurt Busiek & George Perez Vol. 2 Omnibus
Collects: Avengers 24-56, 1 1/2, Annual 2000-2001; Thunderbolts 42-44; Maximum Security: Dangerous Planet; Maximum Security 1-3; Avengers: The Ultron Imperative
Read Avengers issues up to #34 before starting Maximum Security. Annual 2000 is read between Avengers #27 and #28.
Avengers: The Complete Collection by Geoff Johns Vol. 1
Collects: Avengers (1998) #57-63, Vision (2002)#1-4 , Thor (1998) #58, Iron Man (1998) #64
In the wake of a global crisis, Wanda is on hand when the Avengers are reorganized by the UN as a sovereign political entry! Just in time for a dispute with Thor and Asgard!
Avengers: The Complete Collection by Geoff Johns Vol. 2
Collects: Avengers (1998) #64-76
Wanda and the Avengers uncover the Red Skull’s political manipulations and consequently need to go on the hunt for a rampaging She-Hulk!
Collects: Avengers (1998) #77-80
Wanda and the Avengers travel to England, combat the Wrecking Crew and gain an addition to the team along the way!
Collects: Avengers #500-503; Avengers Finale
The biggest Scarlet Witch story of the 2000’s comes hand in hand with the modern Marvel era of events.
Collects: Excalibur (2004) #11-14
Collects: House Of M #1 To #8
Collects: New Avengers #26
The return of the Scarlet Witch following House of M
Mighty Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest
Collects: Mighty Avengers #21 To #26
Collects: Mighty Avengers #27 to #32
Collects: Avengers: The Children’S Crusade 1-9, Avengers: The Children’S Crusade – Young Avengers 1, Uncanny X-Men 526 (B Story)
Following here return in the Children’s Crusade, Wanda is launched straight into Avengers vs. X-Men!
Marvel NOW! Scarlet Witch and the Uncanny Avengers
Collects: Uncanny Avengers #1 To #5
Uncanny Avengers Volume 2: The Apocalypse Twins
Collects: Uncanny Avengers 6-11, 8Au
Uncanny Avengers Volume 3: Ragnarok Now
Collects: Uncanny Avengers 12-17
Uncanny Avengers Volume 4: Avenge the Earth
Collects: Uncanny Avengers 18-22
Uncanny Avengers Volume 5: Axis Prelude
Collects: Uncanny Avengers 23-25, Magneto 9-10, Uncanny Avengers Annual 1
Collects: Avengers & X-Men: Axis 1-9
Uncanny Avengers Vol. 1: Counter-Evolutionary
Collects: Uncanny Avengers 1-5
Collects: Mystic Arcana: Scarlet Witch #1
Wanda After Secret Wars (2015)
Scarlet Witch Vol. 1: Witches’ Road
Collects: Scarlet Witch 1-5
Doctor Strange Vol. 2: The Last Days of Magic
Collects: Doctor Strange (2015) #6-10, Doctor Strange: The Last Days of Magic (2016) #1
Wanda is among the magic wielders helping Doc Strange make a stand against the Empirikul!
Scarlet Witch Vol. 2: World of Witchcraft
Collects: Scarlet Witch 6-10
Scarlet Witch Vol. 3: The Final Hex
Collects: Scarlet Witch 11-14, Uncanny Avengers Annual 1
Collects: Secret Empire #0 To #8
Heaven forbid a Marvel event passes on the temptation to turn Scarlet Witch into a mini Dark Phoenix.
Uncanny Avengers: Unity Vol. 5: Stars and Garters
Collects: Uncanny Avengers 26-30
Wanda makes her return to the Avengers Unity squad, and Rogue is, once again, not happy about it.
Collects: Avengers (2016) #675-690
Wanda is a key part of this large cast assembly as the Elders of the Universe play a deadly cosmic game with the Earth!
Collects: Quicksilver: No Surrender (2018) #1-5
Wanda is her brother’s guiding constant back to reality in this immediate follow-up to the similarly-named Avengers story!
Collects: Avengers: No Road Home (2019) #1-10
Wanda is among this informal squad on a dimension-spanning adventure and encounters Conan The Barbarian!
Collects: Star #1 to #5
Yes, this Captain Marvel spinoff is quite relevant for Wanda, and in writer Kelly Thompson’s hands, quite good!
Collects: Strange Academy #1 to #6
Wanda’s a teacher at the new Marvel school for magic.
Issues: #1, #4
The Jonathan Hickman written issues of the X-Men’s Empyre crossover deal with Wanda’s attempts to atone for her role in the mutant Decimation.
What comes after the last entry here? Trials of Magneto?
Should maybe include Excalibur (2004) #13-14 by Chris Claremont which bridges Avengers Disassembled and House of M with a story of Professor X trying to heal Wanda’s crumbling psyche
where does this take place in the reading order?
Hi I was just wondering what the collects means. Just that part? Like 12-17.
p.s: I’m new to comics
Comics generally come out in numbered issues. Trades, Graphic Novels, Omnibuses, etc. are a collection of several comic issue into one book, to make it easier for people to jump into a specific story.
So for example, if you buy the trade called Avengers West Coast: Vision Quest, it’s really just a collection of Avengers West Coast issues 42-50. Since issues 42-50 are one, interconnected story, they’re collected in that single book to make it easier for readers.
Thank you so much for these! Wanda is my favorite character.