REVIEW: ‘Sorcerer Supreme #1’ - A New Supreme Rises

Keith M.
6 hours ago
3 min read

Sorcerer Supreme cover art featuring the Scarlet Witch — © Marvel

The Sorcerer Supreme is dead. Long live the Sorcerer Supreme.

In less than two years, Earth has lost its mystical guardian twice. During 2024’s Blood Hunt event, Doctor Strange was killed amid the vampiric onslaught, passing the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme to Doctor Doom in a desperate bid to save the world. Now Doom has fallen as well, leaving the title vacant until Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch, steps forward to claim it.

Wanda has enormous shoes to fill, and she wastes no time proving she belongs in them, opening the issue in a clash with Dormammu himself. Steve Orlando immediately establishes that Stephen Strange isn't wearing the mantle anymore and it belongs the Scarlet Witch now. The distinction Orlando draws between sorcery and witchcraft is one of the issue’s greatest strengths. Wanda’s magic is fundamentally different — chaotic, instinctual, deeply personal — and yet no less effective. It feels uniquely hers.

Orlando also does an admirable job of quickly orienting new readers. Wanda’s history with Chthon and the Darkhold, the role of the Vishanti in shaping the Sorcerer Supreme, and the philosophical divide between Wanda’s approach to magic and Strange’s are all laid out cleanly and efficiently. It’s a lot of ground to cover, but it never feels like a lore dump.

Dormammu’s defeat comes swiftly, and while it’s an impressive display of Wanda’s power, it does make his recent confrontation with Earth’s heroes — and Doom, the former Sorcerer Supreme — feel almost laughable by comparison. Whether that speaks to the story’s power scaling or to a lack of respect for the Faltine lord is debatable. Still, Dormammu is a familiar obstacle for any Sorcerer Supreme, and clearly not the true focus here. His ominous warnings about the Darkhold’s lingering influence suggest he’s far from finished.

Despite Wanda stepping into the role, it’s clear the mantle was neither bestowed nor universally welcomed. Wong voices concern over her claim, noting that neither Stephen Strange nor the Vishanti sanctioned her ascension. Yet the Eye of Agamotto and the Cloak of Levitation, symbols of the office itself, have chosen her. This tension between tradition, authority, and destiny becomes a central theme, particularly as it relates to Wanda’s complicated place within the magical community.

Wanda calls herself a survivor, and the story supports that claim. Rather than being consumed by the True Darkhold, she weaponizes it. Rather than isolating herself, she seeks counsel even from those who have hurt her or whom she has failed. She grows not just from allies, but from adversaries, embracing perspective wherever it can be found.

This leads to the formation of Wanda’s council, featuring familiar faces like Wiccan, Speed, and Amaranth, alongside others such as Clea and even Chthon. Their collective goal is to help Wanda “redefine the ties between mortal and magic.” While the intent is clear, some choices feel odd. Speed, while her son, has little experience with magic. Somnus, a dream-manipulating mutant, feels like an unconventional inclusion. Wiccan and Amaranth possess immense raw power, but aside from Clea and Chthon, the group lacks the wisdom and experience of other established figures in Marvel’s mystical hierarchy. It’ll be interesting to see what Orlando has planned for them.

Doom’s shadow looms large over the story. Despite his intellect and power, he was brutalized by Dormammu and ultimately sacrificed himself to the Living Tribunal, leaving Earth unprotected. The eye and cloak were thought lost with him, until Wanda heard their call and reconstituted them herself. That moment where she defies the Vishanti’s protests and claims the mantle anyway, sets the stage for the issue’s final turn, as the Vishanti select a champion of their own to challenge Wanda’s legitimacy.

Visually, the book is stunning. Russell Dauterman’s new design for Wanda is phenomenal, blending elements of her recent looks with the iconic Sorcerer Supreme aesthetic. Bernard Chang’s art and Ruth Redmond’s colors bring the costume to life with elegance and power, making Wanda feel every bit the mystical heavyweight the story demands.

Steve Orlando is clearly in his element here, drawing deeply from Wanda’s history —witchcraft, chaos magic, the Darkhold, and the legacy of the Sorcerer Supreme — to elevate her to a new status quo. This is Wanda Maximoff at her best: seasoned, self-aware, and ready to face the immense responsibilities and dangers of Earth’s magical frontier as its new Sorcerer Supreme.