Warning: This interview contains spoilers for Avengers #9, on sale now
Superhero action may draw readers to Marvel Comics, but what keeps them coming back for more is the company’s grounded and relatable characters. Those elements make the fantastic ones hit that much harder, and they’ve made many of Marvel’s characters iconic. Avengers writer Jed MacKay knows this. That balance informs every issue he writes, especially the action-packed ones like Avengers #9.
The issue, by MacKay and guest artist Francesco Mortarino, is part three of the current “Twilight Dreaming” arc. It mostly chronicles the clash between the full lineup of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and the Twilight Court, an intrepid band of genetically engineered heroes in service to an enigmatic figure named Myrddin, a being who has targeted the time-traveling conqueror known as Kang, who the Avengers are protecting because of his knowledge of upcoming events. In the latest installment of CBR’s Earth’s Mightiest Spoilers, an exclusive series of post-game interviews about each issue of Avengers, CBR spoke with MacKay about that clash in Issue #9, as well as the moments that preceded and followed it. Marvel also provided us with a sneak peek at pages from next month’s Avengers #10.
CBR: Avengers #9 mostly revolves around a fight between your cast and the Twilight Court, but it still delivers some key character moments. What’s it like writing an issue like this for an artist you’ve never worked with before?
Jed MacKay: Well, a lot of it comes down to confidence in the editorial team. I know they’re working to put together the best book we can, and they’re going to bring in an artist who can excel with the material we’ve put together. As such, I never had any doubts about what Francesco would accomplish with this issue!
Speaking of Francesco Mortarino’s work, which of his sequences in Issue #9 did you especially enjoy?
I think I particularly liked Iron Man and Bedivere throwing down. They’re both very impressed with one another (both embodying the Engineer) but also pitted against one another. There’s something very fun about two suits of powered armor clashing with one another!
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One character moment I found particularly interesting was Carol’s chat with the Impossible City. We know that it had seen and endured a lot of trauma when it served the Ashen Combine — so much so that it considered ending its life. The City seems to be in a much better place as a home to the Avengers, but has it dealt with all the horrors in its past? Does it process trauma differently than humans?
That remains to be seen. An important part of the upcoming [Issue] #11 is the City learning what it means to look after a team of Avengers under the tutelage of Edwin Jarvis, and we’ll explore that a little bit more there!
Another character I’m wondering about is Wanda. During the battle, some of her facial expressions and some of Cory Petit’s lettering suggested this fight had made Wanda more than a little angry. Is that just natural emotion or something sinister that stems from her status as the living Darkhold? What’s your sense of Wanda’s temperament?
I think Wanda is filled with hidden currents. Her enormous power requires her to keep a careful check on her emotions, but hidden beneath the surface is a raging storm. The Court’s attack on the City has got her dander up — all the more so because she’s fighting in her home and has to be aware of not accidentally destroying it in the battle!
The individual Avengers changed opponents during the battle, but there were some very interesting match-ups and conversations during the issue. I found Tony and Bedivere’s fight and dialogue to be especially fun. What inspired it? Do you think they could have been friends if they had met under different circumstances?
Sure. Bedivere was Artur’s first knight and is generally the most level-headed of the Twilight Court. As the Engineer, he’s fascinated with technology, and he and Tony probably have more in common than any of the other archetype matches.
The fight also reveals more interesting information about the Twilight Court, like Galehaut’s hammer and Artur’s armor of Chton. This suggests there’s still a lot of story left to tell with these characters. What can you tell us about your plans for them?
When Myrddin assembled his Twilight Court, quite literally building them from the DNA up (or whatever you want to call the nanohive entity that makes up Bercilak), he also armed them [to] suit their powers and temperaments. Like Kang, Myrddin is a time traveler, and it follows that he would arm his knights with artifacts throughout history, be it the Armor of Chthon or a Hammer of the Worthy! As for the second part of your question, the Court will certainly appear more in the future. As Myrddin’s creatures, they are never far from his schemes, and his schemes have further to unfold.
Finally, you left things on a pretty ominous cliffhanger. If you were to make a “Next time, in Avengers” preview, what can you tell us about the scene(s) you’d include?
Myrddin and Kang! We started this series with Kang after he was almost killed by Myrddin, and now the Wizard finally has the Conqueror at his mercy. With this series being put into motion by the rivalry between these two villains, we’re going to see how that progresses further.
The Avengers
Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, Marvel’s Avengers first appeared in 1963. While Marvel Comics premier superhero team has boasted a rotating cast of heroes, and even spinoff franchises like the West Coast Avengers, heroes like The Hulk, Iron Man, Captain America, The Wasp, and Thor are mainstays of this potent franchise that has helped defined Marvel Comics and the MCU.
Avengers #10 is due out on Feb. 7.
