INTERVIEW: Avengers Writer Jed MacKay Reveals Details About New Villain

The Avengers exist to confront the foes that no hero can face on their own, but sometimes those foes have other ideas — like using Earth’s Mightiest Heroes as pawns in larger cosmic machinations. That’s what happened in the opening issues of the latest volume of Avengers, written by Jed MacKay. Kang the Conqueror recruited his arch-enemies to protect him from a mysterious time-traveling wizard called Myrddin and a genetically engineered team of heroes known as the Twilight Court.

Kang’s battle against Myrddin and his heroes began in 2022’s Timeless one-shot, and it came to a head in the “Twilight Dreaming” arc of Avengers when Earth’s Mightiest Heroes had their first clash with the Twilight Court. The latest installment of Earth’s Mightiest Spoilers looks at Avengers #10, by MacKay and artist C.F. Villa — in which Myrddin struck a definitive blow against Kang and his protectors. CBR spoke with MacKay about that event, his inspirations for Myrddin, the mysterious wizard’s agenda, and his plans for Avengers #11. Marvel also provided CBR with an exclusive sneak peek of artist Ivan Fiorelli and colorist Federico Blee’s pages from Avengers #11.

CBR: Much of Avengers #10 revolved around the face-to-face confrontation between Kang and Myrddin. It feels like the conflict between them is being framed as Kang the warrior versus Myrddin the wizard. Was that your intention? What inspired Myrddin’s creation?

Jed MacKay: Coming up with Myrddin was part and parcel of coming up with the Twilight Court. As the Court was going to oppose/rival the Avengers, Myrddin would oppose/rival Kang — though in regards to Myrddin and Kang, “oppose” is much more accurate than “rival.” So yes, while Kang is the Conqueror, Myrddin is very much the Wizard. [He’s] a schemer and sneak, who comes after Kang when he’s on his heels.

Myrddin has an interesting character design in that he has a Cobra Commander-style faceplate. Why did you want to go with that style of mask for the character? Does it make the scenes where he’s emoting difficult for you and artist C.F. Villa to bring to life?

That was largely Daniel Acuna’s design, I think. I don’t remember if I specified that I wanted a mirrored mask or not, but it works! As far as difficulties with emoting, I guess you’d have to ask C.F. on that one. [Laughs] For my purposes, it’s fine, as Myrddin’s emotions have been pretty one-directional up till this moment: [he’s] reveling in his triumph.

Myrddin uses his magic to wake Kang from a coma, immobilize him, steal his knowledge, and then teleport away. What else can you reveal about his powers and abilities? Is it just his magic that makes him dangerous?

There’s not much to get into at this point, I’m afraid. Myrddin is a character who wears secrecy and conspiracy like he does his cloak of smoke, so what can be seen on the page is what we know of him. He’s an adventurer, a rival of Kang after the same prize, and has the resources to create an entire team of superhumans to aid him in his schemes!

Kang may be a brilliant tactician and fierce warrior, but he’s also a very passionate and emotional guy who, at the end of Avengers #10, has been beaten twice by Myrddin. How’s he feeling when he teleports away at the end of the issue? Where or when might readers see him next?

When last we see Kang in this issue, he’s in a bit of a mood. And if there’s one thing we know about Kang, it’s that he’s generally a pretty poor loser. He said it himself: when next they meet, it will be as enemies.

The issue ends with a chat between Thor, Scarlet Witch and Nightmare that reveals the stakes of your ongoing story: the Eighth Cosmos. It also suggests that there might be some other major players in that larger tale that readers may not have seen yet. Is this true?

I think that’s something we’re going to have to find out in the future!

This issue brings the “Twilight Dreaming” arc to a close. How does it feel to have it all out there in readers’ hands?

It’s nice to have this one out there. It brings us back to the first issue we did 10 months ago, checking back in with our overarching story and furthering it. In an ongoing [comic] with a super-arc running through it, it’s tricky to move things along quickly enough to keep people interested while pacing it out slowly enough to tell a long-form story, and I hope we’ve been managing that so far.

Finally, what sort of hints and teases can you offer up about Avengers #11?

Edwin Jarvis makes the scene! As well as a couple other familiar faces from Avengers history, of course. It’s going to be fun!

Avengers #10is now available through Marvel Comics.