Avengers: Twilight #6 and Marvels Future
Avengers: Twilight #6 from Marvel Comics
Story by Chip Zdarsky art by Daniel Acuna
Avengers: Twilight concludes this week like the elegant last note of a titanic symphony played by a well trained orchestra. If you haven’t been keeping up with the series, then you should read it, cause I’m pretty sure you like superhero comics if you clicked on this review, and if you like superhero comics then you should really see how emotionally stirring and deep these legacy characters can be when written and drawn by experts in their field.
What’s more, Avengers: Twilight is one of the few times in recent memory where Marvel has treated its iconic characters' histories seriously and allowed for their futures to be explored in a way that feels meaningful.
If you are confused as to what I mean by that, then I would point you to the mind boggling number of Marvel comics stories that involve time travel or alternate histories that are never seen or heard from again or completely erase the memory of the characters that experienced them. It’s a tried and true narrative device that to me, at this point in my readership of comics, feels lame and off putting.
Instead, I prefer to see stories that play with the sandbox of the future in an earnest and specific way, that carries that nebulous but pervading weight of, “this could very well be true.”
I would highlight Namor: Conquered Shores and Doctor Doom both by Christopher Canwell and Silver Surfer: Black by Donny Cates as recent examples of this kind of story alongside Avengers: Twilight.
What makes Avengers: Twilight so fresh and intriguing compared to other “else-worlds” comics on the market? First of all, the world of the story- a technologically dependent and controlled United States that censors its’ media to the point that all information regarding foreign wars is suppressed and private civilians are prohibited from filming on their phones- feels EXTREMELY relevant to the context of our own society and not as far removed or fantastical as some other “futuristic” sagas.
Additionally, this series has been legitimately surprising and has big twists and turns and, essentially, emotional stakes which are essential to engaging new readers as well as setting it apart from the serialized superhero fare that develops its narrative at a much slower pace.
I felt like this series did a really excellent job of keeping my attention throughout, avoiding the typical lull of exposition or inconsequential battles, and I think this was largely due to the surprise character introductions that were added to our Avengers roster throughout, as evidenced by each cover of the series.
But I also contribute the lack of issue fatigue to Zdarsky’s capable writing that made every single issue of Avengers: Twilight feel like the culmination of something imperative to the story. I enjoyed that many seemingly small moments in this series were treated like pivotal, defining centerpieces: Captain America’s appeal to Ms. Marvel, now a mother, to help him protect the future generation from itself, Thor pulling a boat of rescued scientists and guards that were enemies moments ago, Bullseye, a soldier, not being able to pull the trigger on her unarmed target. In any other story, these moments would have passed by in favor of grander spectacle, which is not to say this book is without, but I appreciate the deeper, poignant sentiment instilled by Zdarsky.
I also have to say that this simply is some of the best Avengers art comic fans have had in quite some time, and I feel like panels from this book are going to become benchmark character stills for fandoms and wikis in the future. It felt like Daniel Acuna wasted absolutely no space on the page in any issue and gave us some quintessential, classic Avengers imagery with elevated new context. I mean, there is something so empowering yet sobering, seeing Old Cap strike out with his heroic uppercuts and superhero landings. On one hand it’s like, “Hell yeah! I guess heroes never die…” and on the other it’s like, “Man… he really shouldn’t have to keep doing this, that’s a grandfather, somebody help him up!”
Let’s talk about issue #6 more in depth now which means-
WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD!
Issue #6 sees the immediate, earth shattering introduction of the Hulk- controlled by Ultron tech by the Red Skull to do his bidding, which in the past decades has meant fighting one man wars overseas- which is a whole other one-shot comic that I NEED TO SEE EXPEDITIOUSLY, but I digress…
In a final gambit to rid himself of the reformed Avengers, the Red Skull lets loose the Hulk who is immediately intercepted by Thor, causing a cataclysmic, bounding battle across the entire country as the two titans clash.
There is this really quick moment that I absolutely love, where Cap first sees the Hulk- Red Skull sees Cap see the Hulk- and Cap says, “Skull knows my answer, it’s written across every weary line on my face, Bruce… are you even in there anymore? Are you trapped and screaming?” I can’t think of much else to add but… chills.
I think this scene goes to show just how unified the Avengers are after so many years of living and fighting for the same cause together, even after the horrific deaths of their allies in H-Day- at the hands of the Hulk allegedly I might add. So for the Red Skull to pit them against each other as he has throughout this series, truly is the greatest evil he could manage. Instigating brother to fight brother and father to fight son, tearing a family apart one by one. It’s an ingenious, insidious plan that feels absolutely on brand for the likes of the Red Skull.
On the subject of family- next we see the resolution of the overwrought battle between Tony and James Stark from the previous issue where Tony begs James to give him and the world a second chance, which starts with urgently stopping the nuclear destruction of the nation's capital. James fires back with the Red Skulls rhetoric, that “some people have to die in order for others to follow orders” but in so doing, inadvertently displays the ring that Tony left for him in the wake of his disappearance. The ring activates, and releases Janet Van Dyne, the Wasp, James’ mother, from within- and she immediately grows to giant size and catches the incoming missiles like a true hero.
I do wish that the flashback scenes to James’ early struggles and his adoption by “Fake Jarvis” would have been included in an earlier issue. I just feel like the surprise emergence of Wasp might have carried more weight had this heartbreaking scene of abandonment been left to gestate.
Regardless, Wasps’ arrival unbalances Red Skull allowing for an amazing, “all timer” tag team display from all of the Avengers present where they break through the Red Skull’s armor and shoot him in the chest with an explosive arrow.
Meanwhile, Thor battles Hulk into the ocean as Bruce struggles to come to the forefront of his consciousness, begging Thor directly to kill him. Thor plunges Hulk into the watery depths and places his hammer on the creature's chest, pinning him to the bottom of the sea until he draws his last breath. It is a brutal single page, with some of the best, most memorable art I’ve witnessed this year.
After slamming his iconic shield down into the Red Skull’s body, Captain America keels over, suffering from the gaping wound in his abdomen from the Red Skull stabbing him with the American Flag. Yes, there’s irony there but I’m having trouble articulating it.
At the same time, the Red Skull armor begins to crackle and beep, signaling to James Stark that the Red Skull has activated a failsafe to destroy the city even in the event of his death. James leaps into action, piloting the Red Skulls body spaceward to protect his newfound allies. However, Tony is able to catch up to him, chastising his son for his shoddy thruster work, which is hilarious, and takes the burden of the explosive corpse away from his son. As he blasts James back down to Earth he leaves him with the words, “You’re just getting started… Iron Man.”
It is a truly touching moment of forgiveness for all of James’ transgressions as well as, frankly, the best “passing of the mantle” delivery I’ve seen in comics in a while. It almost makes me want this series to continue to see what a “New Future Avengers” story would be like.
As James returns to his mother’s arms she delivers one of the most impactful lines in the series, essentially summing up the themes of the entire premise, “This is the hard truth about being a hero, about being an Avenger, sometimes when you Win… you also lose…”
Typically this is about where a comic like this would conclude, but thrillingly, we get an extended resolution sequence showing the aftermath for all of our Avengers. Thor returns to Asgard, to his duty as King, still reeling from the merciful murder of his long time friends.
As Thor returns to his throne, he is greeted by Loki who reveals that he was the one who allowed the Defenders to contact Thor for aid. Which is a not so subtle nod, but fun reveal, tied to the original Avengers comic which featured a meddlesome Loki.
Then we cut to a scene that, I just have to say, I am 60% ecstatic for existing at all and 40% just pissed that it is so brief. We see an old, troubled looking man in glasses clad in ill-fitting green battle armor with a purple cape sitting alone at the end of a long table in a mead hall. Suddenly, he is approached by Tony Stark as he greets the man curtly with, “It’s kind of ironic that the two heathen scientists ended up in an afterlife together.” LISTEN TO ME. “Avengers: Warriors in Valhalla,” is a concept that I have wanted for years! Sure, I have no legal rights or capacity to make such a series happen but- dammit, that was my idea! I just can’t believe they went there. That is such a shocking, bittersweet, fantastic ending for both of these characters that, once again, I NEED explored.
On Earth, James Stark restlessly rebuilds Avengers Mansion as a bastion of hope and freedom for the world, and as a memorial to his father, as Cap returns to being just an Old man with his wife Rosa. In the final pages, we see James approached by Ms. Marvel and her children alongside our new Hawkeye as they both offer to help rebuild the mansion, ensuring that it will be stronger if they all work together.
I am so happy to have followed along with this momentous series and I can only hope that my enjoyment and love for this innovative Marvel book is shared by the community at large. I may have mentioned several times here my yearning for a future return to this series, or at least to concepts introduced by it- but in the end, I see this as a singular, stand alone work, that definitely fulfilled my need for a “penultimate” Avengers title.
Please support your local comic book stores by grabbing Avengers: Twilight #6 on shelves now!
-Nicholas Aaron Hodge
