Visions of Hate!

Coming to the rescue of the Scarlet Witch who has been put on trial during the 1692 Salem Witch trials by Cotton Mather, the Vision, and Spider-Man free her. They are then attacked by Cotton Mather and his followers. During the fight, Spider-Man is knocked out by the followers, Scarlet Witch is grazed by a bullet, and the Vision is taken out by Cotton Mather.

Spider-Man awakens in a prison cell with people who have been accused of being witches and are slated to be hung. He is greeted by John Proctor, who tells him how Cotton Mather had come here to increase fear of witchcraft so that he can exploit the genuine witches. He paints a picture of a town caught up in hysteria thanks to a witch woman named Tituba, who hailed to Barbados. She caught the children in the art of witchcraft and convinced them to accuse others of witchery.

Vision arrives and frees Spider-Man and the still unconscious Scarlet Witch, and the two heroes go to capture Cotton Mather. They find him speaking to his master, a being called the Dark Rider. When the Dark Rider reveals his plan, the Vision lashes out blowing their cover. Right when Spider-Man is about to tell Dark Rider where he came from, they are interrupted by the arrival of Dr. Doom.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Vision, Scarlet Witch, Cotton Mather, Dark Rider, Doctor Doom

Continuity Notes

• The Scarlet Witch refers to herself as a mutant. However, this is not accurate at all. As revealed in Uncanny Avengers (vol. 2) #4-5, she was experimented upon by the High Evolutionary. In order to cover up his work, he made all DNA scans register as such. Scarlet Witch (vol. 2) #1-15 reveals that she is actually a sorceress.