Your typical comic book universe tends to be full of pseudoscience, with superpowers all over the place and convoluted yet grounded explanations for how they can exist. Then in the corner you have a handful of characters who defy explanation — they are simply magic. DC has Zatanna, John Constantine and Madame Xanadu; Marvel has Scarlet Witch, Doctor Strange and Agatha Harkness. No explanation is needed. They just have magic powers.
The worst thing you can do in fantasy, at least in this reporter’s opinion, is ground magic in rules, or try to explain it. That takes the mystique away. You’re trying to tie down imagination itself. You shouldn’t do it! But Marvel‘s not listening to me and they’re gonna do it. If you ever wanted to know how Wanda Maximoff’s spells work…well, there shouldn’t be an answer, but one is coming in the form of The Grimoire Of Agatha Harkness, to be released by Marvel in a month.
This is allegedly written by Harkness herself, with commentary and notes from Strange and Scarlet, but real-world authors Andrea Hannah (Where Darkness Blooms) and Danny Lore (Bloodline: Daughter of Blade) will also provide some guidance. The grimoire reveals how the characters cast energy, project force fields, scry, teleport, transmutate objects, and many other acts, plus there are chapters on familiars, magic circles and enchanted items.
Agatha Harkness shares her own spellbook, compiled over decades, to take readers on a journey through the supernatural world of Marvel, featuring history, spells, potions, and more! Narrated by the witch herself, Agatha has created this grimoire to teach budding witches how to harness their gifts, but as readers progress, Agatha’s words of wisdom continue down a darker path …
The Grimoire of Agatha Harkness: A Magical History and Spellbook will be released on November 11. You can preorder it here but knowledge is a dangerous thing.
