Meet W.A.N.D., S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Secret Magic Division

Since its inception, the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division—better known as S.H.I.E.L.D.—has created several different important subdivisions dedicated to keeping Earth and its inhabitants safe. However, one has remained more secretive than the others: the Wizard Alchemy Necromancy Department, AKA W.A.N.D. 

Thanks to their specialty in dealing with magical and supernatural threats, W.A.N.D. played a key role in STRANGE (2022). Now, the group has returned for DOCTOR STRANGE (2023). Here’s everything you need to know about W.A.N.D. 

W.A.N.D.’s Origins

At this time, it is not exactly clear when W.A.N.D. began operating, and much of the organization’s history remains shrouded in mystery. However, the Marvel Universe has recently showcased two of their latest exploits. 

In THUNDERBOLTS ANNUAL (2013) #1 by Ben Acker, Ben Blacker, and Matteo Lolli, W.A.N.D. made Thunderbolt Ross’ team aware of a threat posed by Doctor Stephen Strange, who was actually being impersonated by King Oberoth’m’gozz of the True Faeries. W.A.N.D. director Pandora Peters gave the group access to special weapons that helped them defeat the Strange impersonator, then used special magic to wipe any knowledge of the S.H.I.E.L.D. subdivision from the team’s memory. 

As revealed in STRANGE (2022) #8, W.A.N.D. once called in Doctor Strange to help with what seemed to be a war game gone wrong at Bigbox, the organization’s secret prison for dead magicians. Initially, Strange was reluctant, since W.A.N.D. had at some point staged a Mindless One attack to distract him while they put listening devices in his Sanctum Sanctorum. In the end, though, Strange helped Peters shut down the incident, and the director punished the task group responsible for what happened: Bravo Charlie, AKA the Blasphemy Cartel.

The Blasphemy Cartel Strikes

W.A.N.D. and the Blasphemy Cartel recently played a key role in STRANGE (2022). At the start of that series, Clea—who had taken up the mantle of Earth’s Sorcerer Supreme following Doctor Strange’s death—found herself up against the Blasphemy Cartel. After they attacked the Shrouded Bazaar, a magical marketplace under Clear’s protection, the mysterious organization began resurrecting dead superhumans as Revenants, who acted only under the Blasphemy Cartel’s control. This spurred Death to strike a deal with Doctor Strange, so that he could return to life in exchange for dealing with the problem. 

When Wong investigated further, he discovered his own memories of W.A.N.D. had been altered. Soon, he found Peters, who went into hiding when the organization started targeting her. The former W.A.N.D. director revealed that, when S.H.I.E.L.D. disbanded following SECRET EMPIRE (2017), the Blasphemy Cartel formed its own splinter group by using a special spell called the Incantation of Mass Distraction, which made everyone forget about its existence. 

The aforementioned incident at Bigbox involving Doctor Strange had actually been a test run for the Blasphemy Cartel to see if it could make such magic work. Additionally, the group’s leader used that same weapon to wipe his identity from the universe, in the process becoming the faceless Director None. 

At the end of STRANGE, Doctor Strange, Clea, and their allies successfully stopped the Blasphemy Cartel and Director None. His deal with Death complete, Doctor Strange returned to life. However, there are still magical threats out in the Marvel Universe, and that means it’s time for W.A.N.D. to return, this time with Peters and Wong at the helm.

Wong and Peters’ first mission together takes place in the pages of DOCTOR STRANGE (2023) #1 by Jed MacKay and Pasqual Ferry–and it’s a trippy one. Pick up the issue now!

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