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In the midst of mutantkind's marquee event, the Hellfire Gala, a person once considered one of their own - Wanda Maximoff, AKA the Scarlet Witch - was found dead in X-Factor #10. Presumed murdered, the main culprit is the person that readers last saw her with - her one-time father Magneto. Thus begins the upcoming Marvel Comics series The Trial of Magneto.
Debuting August 18 with The Trial of Magneto #1, this series delves into the first real fissure inside the utopian X-Men era that has manifested on Krakoa. X-Factor series writer Leah Williams is using her mutant team to investigate the murder, and find out what truly happened - for Scarlet Witch's sake, and also for Magneto.
This is the latest in a decades-long string of Scarlet Witch stories where unfortunately she's more of a victim - we looked into Wanda's agency more recently.
While The Trial of Magneto is outwardly investigating one mystery, it's also hovering over another that crisscrosses the Marvel U - the complicated parentage of Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. At different times they've been mutants, superhumans, and even experiments gone wrong - but most famously they've been the children of Magneto. All that was thrown into disarray when, during the 2014Axis event, the High Evolutionary revealed that the twins were in fact the children of Ana and Mateo Maximoff, and they weren't mutants - but rather cast-off experiments of the mad scientist.
Fans, and even Magneto and Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, have had a difficult time coming to terms with that, understandably.
"When has Magneto ever allowed bureaucracy to get between himself and what's just?" Williams asked rhetorically in the announcement of The Trial of Magneto. "In the island paradise of Krakoa, safe haven and home for mutants - Magneto's hard-fought, greatest desire of seeing his people at peace and thriving has finally been achieved. But Magneto's loyalty extends only as far as it is first earned, so after the Hellfire Gala, when he learns that even a paradise could still be filled with lies...the Trial of Magneto will begin."
Long-time X-Men fans will remember Magneto was put on trial by the World Court in 1985's Uncanny X-Men #200 for his various crimes. The trial was interrupted by an attack from some villains, and in a bizarre turn of events Xavier asked Magneto to take over as head of his mutant school - and by extension, mentor to the New Mutants. As part of that storyline, Magneto joined the X-Men for the first time.
The Trial of Magneto series artist Lucas Werneck is looking forward to the series, calling it "layered and mysterious."
"I am so looking forward to working with Leah, especially with this project,” Werneck said. "Leah has incredible sensitivity in her writing and is able to craft stories that are layered and mysterious and fun for readers so I think she is perfect to write this story. Participating in the Hellfire Gala and now being invited to be part of this project is really a dream."
Valerio Schiti has drawn the primary cover for The Trial of Magneto #1, along with variants by Alan Quah (two for Big Time Collectibles), Artgerm (2 variations), Greg Capullo (a remastered piece), Elizabeth Torque, David Finch, Mark Brooks, Peach Momoko, John Romita Jr., Todd Nauck, Felipe Massafera (IGComicstore). Check them out here:
The Trial of Magneto #1 (of 5) goes on sale on August 18. A collected edition of The Trial of Magneto is already available for pre-order, with an expected February 8, 2022 release.
Although The Trial of Magneto is about Wanda's death, celebrate her life with the best Scarlet Witch stories.
