The Avengers must stop the Red Skull, but can their old bones keep up with a world that hates them? Find out in Avengers Twilight #5 by Marvel Comics!

AVENGERS TWILIGHT #5

Writer: Chip Zdarsky
Artist: Daniel Acuna
Colorist: Daniel Acuna
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: April 17th, 2024

Previously in Avengers Twilight: Old Man Captain America now lives in a world where the horrid H-Day happened, an attack from Ultron that resulted in the death of many heroes. When the government tried to extend its propaganda, he took another dosage of the super serum and joined Luke Cage’s Defenders. Now, he has assembled Ms. Marvel, Thor, Tony Stark, and a new Hawkeye to wage war against the Red Skull and Tony’s son, James.

AND THE TRUTH IS RAIN

Avengers Twilight #5 shows Red Skull betraying Ultron while still having James Stark within his grasp. He puts on a suit and plans to send his men to kill the president and blame it on the Avengers. Tony Stark rushes in to stop the fight but is too late. Thor and Captain America try to stop the police and army from attacking the White House, and Iron Man battles with the Red Skull while the media paints the Avengers as the bad guys.

Red Skull launches missiles into the air and sends men to attack every Defender hideout simultaneously. Iron Man tries to intercept the rockets while Hawkeye and Ms. Marvel evacuate Luke Cage’s crew. James Stark attacks Tony with many robots and warns him to stop. Tony hacks the robots and sends them after the missiles. James then reveals that Red Skull will now drop a nuke. As Captain America and Thor fight the Red Skull, they see the nuke in the sky. But it isn’t a bomb; it is the Hulk.

FALLING OUT OF IT

It took me three days to review Avengers Twilight #5. This comic is well-written and well-drawn, but I was hindered by the fascist themes that use future America as a battlefield. I am reminded that art imitates life, and this story feels quite close to home with its themes, especially as we hit election season. This is odd because the comic mostly involved action, with some lines of dialogue during the fights. And the choreography of the battle was engaging to look at. I wish Ms. Marvel and Hawkeye got more page time, but I can live with that overall because the page economy is different to manage. However, with the revelation that the nuke was Hulk, I knew it was coming, but I didn’t like the decision. I would have liked a literal bomb instead of a symbolic one.

The art in this story is excellent. The backgrounds that look like brush strokes have a terrific aesthetic. The colors aren’t as vibrant as expected, but this works for me. Great job.

BOTTOM LINE: ON THE FENCE

Pick up Avengers Twilight #5 if you are ready for the themes of the Avengers fighting a fascist American government led by the Red Skull and, to a smaller extent, Ultron. The comic is good and doesn’t touch on the themes heavily, but it made me think quite a bit about the state of the world. 4 out of 5 stars for Avengers Twilight #5.

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