AGATHA HARKNESS
A witch, a mentor, a mother, and a master. Agatha Harkness is an ancient mystic who has been an ally (or questionable affiliate) of the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, the Scarlet Witch, and Vision. Grab her full history here!
AGATHA 101
First Appearance
In Fantastic Four (1961) #94
Fantastic Four members Reed and Sue Richards needed someone to look after their newborn son Franklin, and none other than Agatha came out of retirement to do just that. Despite the Thing’s concerns about her occult origins, Agatha proved right away that she was far more than a babysitter. After all, she could defeat the likes of the Frightful Four without breaking a sweat or waking a sleeping infant.
“Nanny” to Franklin Richards
In Fantastic Four (1961) #150
Following her debut, Agatha became an important staple in the FF family as Franklin’s fierce protector. One of her most notable achievements was when Agatha ushered her young ward to safety after Ultron attacked the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and the Inhumans. Her actions led to Franklin single-handedly destroying the robotic menace!
Nicholas Scratch
In Fantastic Four (1961) #185
Read the entire “New Salem” arc through issue #186. After being abducted with Franklin in tow and taken to her former coven community of New Salem, Agatha discovered that her unhinged son, warlock Nicholas Scratch, was now a master of the Dark Arts!
A Mother Torn
In Fantastic Four (1961) #222
After his banishment to a “Dark Realm,” Scratch reanimated himself via a Franklin Richards possession. Agatha once again did what had to be done so that she could keep the Fantastic Four and the rest of the world safe. And, in issue #223, that meant stripping her son of all his magical power.
Training Scarlet Witch
In Avengers (1963) #128
Agatha stayed booked and busy following her care of Franklin. Case in point: Her next gig as a tutor to the reality-altering Scarlet Witch. Agatha taught Wanda Maximoff the ways of mysticism, a perfect pairing given Wanda’s control over chaos magic and hexes. Agatha’s involvement in Wanda’s life was a bit messy, but the two women formed a familial bond over the years.
“Death” of Agatha
In Vision and the Scarlet Witch (1985) #3
Agatha’s reach continued when Scarlet Witch and Vision became embroiled in a battle against the super-villainous Salem’s Seven. The newlyweds’ visit to New Salem turned disastrous once the unhinged Vertigo drew in the entire community’s energies, and Agatha burned at the stake for her “abandonment” to New Salem’s cause. Even in death, Agatha’s astral form encouraged Wanda to channel Vertigo’s magical excess for good.
The Birth of Twins
In Vision and the Scarlet Witch (1985) #12
Spinning out of the “New Salem” incident, Wanda Maximoff tapped into the magical overload she had collected in its fallout, using this power to fulfill one of her deepest desires: motherhood. In issue #12 of their solo series, Wanda and Vision became parents to twin baby boys, a mystical transaction that came at a cost.
The Loss of Twins
In West Coast Avengers (1985) #52
Even before the twins’ true origin came to light, Agatha had her doubts about Scarlet Witch’s ability to spin life out of thin air. So, after the twins’ reabsorption by Mephisto, Agatha “sealed off” Billy and Tommy from Wanda’s memory, wiping out their existence while sparing their mother the agony of grief.
Ghost of Agatha
In Scarlet Witch (2015) #1
Agatha co-stars in this series starring Scarlet Witch! After being killed by a pupil under mysterious circumstances, Agatha returned in ghostly form to aid Wanda on her worldwide mission to restore witchcraft.
A Vision of Doom
In Vision (2015) #3
Read this Eisner-winning run in full! After sacrificing her familiar, Ebony, Agatha received a prophecy that told of Vision’s undoing and the imminent danger his family represents. Who is the untold narrator of this strange, suburban series?
Resurrection
In Scarlet Witch (2015) #14
The great Harkness did not stay a ghost for much longer. Agatha teamed up with Wanda and the spirit of her biological mother, Natalya Maximoff, to take down Chaos, the being responsible for disrupting the world’s magic. Agatha and Natalya channeled their power through Wanda, wiping Chaos out. Natalya wound up sacrificing herself to maintain mystical order, a heroic act that brought Agatha back to life!
Daughter of Liberty
In Captain America (2018) #19
In her more recent appearances, Agatha aided Captain America: Steve Rogers to unite his past with the present. Here, she takes Cap back in time to uncover the hidden history of the “Daughters of Liberty.” Read the Daughters’ first appearance in issue #7!
Hulkling & Wiccan: Possibilities
In Hulkling & Wiccan Infinity Comic (2021) #1
When a magical artifact planted by Agatha Harkness shows them the paths not taken in life and love, will cosmic power couple Wiccan and Hulkling find a way back to each other? Will they even want to? Don’t miss this sensational Infinity Comics series from Josh Trujillo, Jodi Nishijima, and Matt Milla.
Youth Restored
In Midnight Suns (2022) #1
After averting a magical apocalyptic event with the STRANGE ACADEMY staff, Agatha wound back the clock by centuries to reclaim her youth. Now youthful and possessed of new, even darker magicks, she is poised to cause a little mayhem of her own.
"Contest of Chaos" Prelude
In Scarlet Witch Annual (2023) #1
When a newly rejuvenated Agatha Harkness learns of the Scarlet Witch's recent absorption of Chthon, she decides to educate her former student on the dangers of such an endeavor. But Wanda is not the meek pupil she once was—and Agatha's intentions are not so straightforward...