Avengers: Twilight #6 review

Chip Zdarsky and Daniel Acuña have been delivering something special with Avengers: Twilight. Far from being your usual alternate universe story, it tackled themes of authoritarianism and legacy in the mighty Marvel manner. Not to mention that it contains artwork and a story that’s worthy of the Avengers title. So how does it all end?

Avengers: Twilight #6 hits the ground running from its very first page – especially with the revelation that the Hulk is under the Red Skull’s control. Not only do Captain America and the rest of the Avengers have to deal with the Skull’s overwhelming forces, but the nigh-unstoppable force of destruction the Hulk poses. When the dust settles, the world will be forever changed…but whether it’s for good remains for the reader to find out.

Without spoilers, I can say that Zdarsky’s writing remains stronger as ever. He not only writes some great action sequences, but he has a handle on the characters – particularly Captain America and Iron Man. The former has seen everything he’s fought for being buried under the Skull’s reign, yet he still continues to fight. The latter is more focused on saving his son James from the Skull’s thrall, leading to some utterly heart-wrenching moments in the back half of the issue. This strong character work is what permeated Zdarksy’s runs on Daredevil and Batman, and it’s what makes Twilight such a great read.

The other half of Avengers: Twilight #6 lies in Acuña’s artwork, and it’s a feast for the senses. Most of that can be chalked up to a battle between the Hulk and Thor, which sees the two ping-ponging across America. Mountains explode and the sky grows dark with thunder, selling you the idea of an unstoppable force of rage colliding with an actual god. Acuña also keeps bringing out designs that mix the retro with the modern, including a surprise appearance from one Avenger that is more than worth the cover price.

Avengers: Twilight #6 delivers a triumphant and tragic ending, resulting in one of the best comics of the year. Marvel may have billed it as the answer to The Dark Knight Returns, but it feels more in line with Kingdom Come: a story that reinforces what’s great about the heroes you love and one you’ll return to again and again.