AVENGERS: TWILIGHT
Fight The Powers
RELEASED OUT NOW! Publisher Marvel Comics
Writer Chip Zdarsky
Artist Daniel Acuña Dark superhero futures never go out of style, but they also need something fresh to stand out from the crowd. Chip Zdarsky’s six-issue miniseries tries to supply this by taking aim at politically resonant themes, while also delivering superhero action.
In a potential dystopian future, an ageing Steve Rogers is living a quiet married life, having been stripped of his super-soldier powers. However, when he discovers that old friends like Luke Cage have formed a resistance against the totalitarian government, Steve chooses to once again don the mantle of Captain America and fight injustice.
Three issues in, and the strengths of Avengers: Twilight are clear: when it works, it’s an engaging thriller, tapping into the politics of resistance while still finding room for satisfying action sequences. None of this is revolutionary – there are echoes of everything from The Dark Knight Returns to recent Catwoman miniseries Lonely City – but the pacing is brisk, some sequences pack real impact, and it’s gorgeous to look at, thanks to the stylised, characterful art from Daniel Acuña.
Unfortunately, these strengths clash wildly with the goofier moments of comic-book storytelling, especially concerning the villains. Any ambiguity inevitably gets thrown out of the window when dealing with one-dimensional adversaries like the Red Skull and Ultron, blowing a hole in the attempts to tackle more serious themes.
Acuña’s art is sensational, and the plot makes some interesting twists and turns, but right now this haphazard saga is suffering from a serious case of tonal whiplash. Saxon Bullock
Zdarsky’s favourite The Simpsons episode is “You Only Move Twice”, where Homer gets a job working for a supervillain.
The pacing is brisk and some sequences pack real impact