I don’t really remember too much about The Enchantress growing up. She didn’t make too many appearances in the so-called “bronze age”, at least in the comics I was reading at the time. The first time I actually took notice of her was in the Jackson Guice pencilled Dr. Strange, and man, after that I was constantly vigil about noting whenever she was in any issues I read!
As I slowly started buliding my back-issue library of the Marvel Comics Silver age, I was actually kind of surprised at how often she appeared in key issues. My first exposure to her was as the sassy and sexy gal in Dr. Strange, so I had no idea she was such an established and respected villain in the Marvel Pantheon! It wasn’t until I finally completed my Avengers collection that I discovered the “golden era” of The Enchantress. I’m talking the Avengers run from about issue #9-30 or so.
In those early Avengers issues, the only “feminine touch” the group had was the Wasp. And not to knock on Jan too much, but she really never struck me as the sultry type. She was firmly set as the wife to Henry Pym, (yeah, yeah, I know, they weren’t married at that point, but you get my meaning) and that left a space to fill for an “alluring” female character.
Enter The Enchantress! As a member of Baron Zemo’s Masters of Evil, she was hands down the sexiest and most intriguing character in the strip, and would continue to dominate that role until Wanda joined the ranks in issue #16. Back then, The Enchantress (and her right-hand man The Executioner) appeared in so many issues, it was almost like they were co-stars of the book!
While I loved Jack Kirby and John Buscema’s depictions of Ms. Amora Incantare, the artist that really did it for me was Don Heck. If there was one thing illustrator Don Heck could do, it was draw exotic girls, and his interpretation of Amora just has to be the DEFINITIVE version in my book- In fact, the illustration above (the far right head shot) is probably my very favorite drawing of The Enchantress, ever! Don’s take infused shades of Veronica Lake into Jack Kirby’s creation, and to me it was the perfect amalgam.
Of course, once Wanda joined, there were TWO exotic chicks Don Heck had to draw, and those stories that featured both the Scarlet Witch AND the Enchantress were just as good as it gets!
The Enchantress
First Appearance: Journey into Mystery #103
By Stan Lee & Jack Kirby
Favorite Artists:
Don Heck
John Buscema
Jack Kirby
Jackson Guice
