Avengers: Twilight Dreaming (Comics) | Review

The latest chapter of Avengers run by writer Jed MacKay (X-Men: Homecoming, X-Men: Hostile Takeover) throws Earth's Mightiest Heroes into their most disorienting conflict yet. This isn't about punching aliens or stopping world domination schemes. Here's the thing: the Avengers are fighting an enemy that rewrites reality itself.

MacKay, working alongside illustrators C.F. Villa, Francesco Mortarino and Ivan Fiorelli across issues 7-11, delivers a storyline building directly from the 2022 Timeless one-shot. What this means is cosmic consequences from that story are finally crashing down on the current roster.

The team features Captain Marvel, Captain America Sam Wilson, Scarlet Witch, Thor, Iron Man and Black Panther facing off against Myrddin and his Twilight Court. They're also dealing with ongoing complications of keeping Kang the Conqueror in custody, which becomes the central problem driving this entire arc steadily forward.

The volume starts with a gut punch. The Avengers are mid-battle, wearing costumes from their past, trapped inside what feels like an alternate timeline. Most of the team is locked in a sleep-induced nightmare courtesy of Nightmare, leaving only Scarlet Witch and Vision conscious.

Myrddin's Twilight Court demands the heroes surrender Kang, who holds crucial intel about the Tribulation Events and the mysterious Missing Moment. This Arthurian-themed villain group operates under a twisted code, treating the entire scenario like a cosmic game between Myrddin and Kang with the Avengers as pawns.

What makes this arc hit differently is how MacKay positions the conflict. Myrddin isn't a typical villain bent on destruction or domination. He follows rules, respects boundaries in his warped way and believes he's doing what's necessary to unlock secrets hidden in a sequence of time.

The first four issues focus on combat sequences as the team breaks free from Nightmare's spell and confronts the Twilight Court. There's massive collateral damage and the uncomfortable reality that the heroes technically lose twice despite everything they have at stopping Myrddin.

This creates a dynamic where victory isn't winning but surviving another round. The Avengers protect Kang not because they trust him but losing him means losing answers about universe-threatening events. It's messy, morally gray and frustratingly realistic in how superhero politics work when time-manipulating folks are involved.

Issue 11 shifts gears completely. After cosmic chaos, MacKay zooms in on something grounded: Jarvis training the Avengers' orbital fortress, the Impossible City, to serve the team. Mad Thinker launches a scheme that tests whether the fortress can protect its inhabitants.

This breather works because it reminds you these larger-than-life heroes need moments of normalcy, even if that involves an AI butler learning breakfast duties. It's a palette cleanser after inter-dimensional warfare and MacKay uses it to develop often ignored supporting cast.

The pacing stumbles occasionally. The middle issues feel stretched, like two issues worth of plot expanded into four with repetitive action beats. Some readers might question why this conflict requires so much page space when the outcome feels somewhat inevitable, especially since Myrddin achieves his goals regardless of efforts.

Kang's inclusion divides opinion. He's supposed to be this crucial linchpin, the source of answers about Tribulation Events but his role feels more theoretical than impactful. The Avengers protect him for information yet he remains passive, making cosmic stakes land less effectively.

The Twilight Court members function well mechanically as their honor code creates interesting complications. However, individually they don't leave strong impressions beyond Arthurian gimmicks. You remember the concept more than the characters, which weakens emotional investment when they clash with the Avengers.

What MacKay nails is team dynamics. When characters interact beyond throwing punches, the script showcases why this roster works. The connection to the larger run matters, as this arc builds toward something bigger with the Missing Moment mystery and looming Orchis threat.

C.F. Villa, Francesco Mortarino and Ivan Fiorelli share illustration duties and while each brings technical skill, shifting art styles create inconsistency. Villa's work dominates action sequences, delivering clean linework and dynamic compositions that capture inter-dimensional battles, though designs shift when other artists step in.

Federico Blee's coloring saves visual discontinuity. His palette creates atmosphere, whether nightmarish reds during sleep sequences or ethereal blues surrounding Myrddin's magic. The Twilight Court looks otherworldly without tipping into generic fantasy villain territory.

MacKay's dialogue moves efficiently. Characters sound distinct, the banter feels natural and exposition never weighs down scenes unnecessarily. He pulls from deeper Marvel continuity, which many long-time readers will appreciate while even newcomers won't feel lost navigating those references scattered through every issue.

What the writing doesn't nail is making individual Twilight Court members memorable beyond their group concept. They work as obstacles but lack personality that would make battles with the Avengers feel personal rather than mechanical, a missed opportunity given their page time.

Twilight Dreaming delivers solid superhero action wrapped in cosmic stakes, though it doesn't reach the heights of MacKay's other Marvel work like Doctor Strange or Moon Knight. The core team dynamics shine, especially when the script gives them room to interact between crises.

The arc works better as part of the larger run than as a standalone story. It's clearly building toward something bigger, pushing essential pieces into place while delivering enough spectacle to justify the journey. The Avengers lose battles, question their purpose and still find ways to keep fighting, which captures the team's essence.

This isn't MacKay's strongest outing but far from a misfire. If you're following this run, Twilight Dreaming is essential reading advancing ongoing mysteries. Jumping in cold, you might feel lost navigating cosmic concepts and wondering why these battles matter to the team's trajectory.

The Jarvis-focused issue proves MacKay understands characters need grounding moments. Those quieter beats make cosmic warfare feel earned rather than exhausting, reminding readers why the Avengers fight to protect a world that doesn't appreciate their sacrifices.

Twilight Dreaming collects Avengers (2023) #7-11 into one volume Avengers by Jed Mackay Vol. 2: Twilight Dreaming trade paperback. Physical editions are available at local comic-book shops, bookstores and online retailers. Digital edition is also available on Amazon Kindle, ComiXology, Marvel Unlimited and major e-Book platforms.