Avengers #234: Review

Aug 1983

Roger Stern, Joe Sinnott

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Story Name:

The Witch’s Tale

Review & Comments

Rating:

Avengers #234 Review by T Vernon (December 3, 2022)

Comments: First appearance of Hawkeye’s Sky-Cycle. First appearance of Sheila Danning whose only other appearance is in HAWKEYE (1983) #1. Captain America finds Tony Stark in the Bowery in IRON MAN #172; as far as we know, Thor doesn’t see Tony again until after these problems are resolved.

Review: Offbeat issue is largely a retrospective of Scarlet Witch’s career, with some small character bits for the other Avengers added. And it is capped off by an extremely brief (one panel) link to a crossover which is reviewed in its place. Nice issue but it mainly looked backwards not forwards. The oddest bit: on the cover, Wanda resembles Elizabeth Montgomery who starred as a witch in the popular sitcom BEWITCHED (1964-1972).

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Avengers #234 Synopsis by T Vernon

The Avengers bring the stasis tube containing the comatose Vision back to Avengers Mansion. Once it is secured in place, Scarlet Witch asks to be left alone with her husband. Captain Marvel goes home to New Orleans while She-Hulk and Starfox take a night out on the town. Captain America takes Thor aside privately to air his concern that Tony Stark has given up his Iron Man identity and is falling back into alcoholism. Thor says he will consider Cap’s suggestion he speak to Tony and flies off….

That night, a gang of burglars breaks into the offices of Cross Technological Enterprises; they are met by Hawkeye riding his new Sky-Cycle to compensate for his broken leg. The heroic archer looses a series of arrows that disarm the villains and then pin their clothing to the wall. The company’s new public relations officer, Sheila Danning, arrives with a photographer to take pictures of Hawkeye’s victory for the news….

The next morning, She-Hulk rises late, sees Starfox head out to tour the city, and goes to the dining room for breakfast. Jarvis meets her, concerned that Scarlet Witch was not in her room. She-Hulk finds Wanda still by the Vision’s side and suggests Wanda get something to eat; her insensitive insistence leads to a fight which is broken up by Wasp, who manages to calm the two heroines. Jan persuades Wanda to join her for breakfast and then Captain Marvel arrives and Wanda is delighted to discover her new teammate speaks French. Monica asks about her life….

Wanda relates her story: Born with her twin brother Pietro in Wundagore, their mother then vanished, leaving them to be raised by Bova. The High Evolutionary gave them to a Romani couple, the Maximoffs, to raise and they discovered their powers. An irate mob killed the Maximoffs but Pietro and Wanda escaped. A few years later, Wanda was accused of being a witch by a mob but Magneto rescued them and made them part of his Brotherhood of (Evil) Mutants as Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch. They left Magneto and joined the Avengers; Wanda fell in love with Vision which estranged her from her brother and she and Vision married. Scarlet Witch was possessed by the demon Chthon for a time. Later, Wanda and Vision left to establish an independent life of their own, moving to a home in Leona, New Jersey. They went to the moon to visit Pietro who was married to Crystal of the Inhumans; Magneto showed up and revealed he was Wanda and Pietro’s father which was not received well. And now she is confused over whether Magneto’s tempering of his hatred for humanity is sincere or not. Jan tells her not to worry about it….

Wanda goes back to her home in New Jersey to pick up some items she will need at the Mansion. As she pauses to look through a book, Doctor Strange in his astral form appears, asking for her help….

Story continues in DOCTOR STRANGE #60.

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