The Illuminati have always been a covert team of Marvel’s greatest heroes who often make less than heroic decisions. I’m talking about you Tony Stark and Namor!
But in the All-New, All-Different Marvel Now, the Illuminati becomes unquestionably evil.
In Illuminati #1 Joshua Williamson and Shawn Crystal brings back the Hood to organize a new super group of villains working together.
You may remember Hood (aka Parker Robbins) got his powers from a demonic hood and became a crime boss during the Brian Michael Bendis New Avengers run. Robbins also joined The Cabal, a secret team of super villains. For a rookie rogue, it was pretty impressive to see Robbins at the table of power with Doctor Doom, Loki and Norman Osborn. Continue reading MARVEL’S NEW ILLUMINATI OF EVIL
The Avengers have jumped in the far future but their darkest hour may be in May 2015 as writer Jonathan Hickman races to the climax of his run with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
Marvel recruits an all-star art team for the oversized Avengers #35: Jim Cheung, Dustin Weaver, Nick Bradshaw and Paco Media.
Time Runs Out flashes forward eight months to a war weary Marvel Universe of tomorrow. Hickman gives us look a a bleak future of May 2015 and brings the stories from Avengers and New Avengers into a clash of heroes. Continue reading AVENGERS TIME RUNS OUT Preview
The Avengers may have defeated the Builders and Thanos in Infinity but the Illuminati are still trying to save Earth from…Earths.
Jonathan Hickman’s secret plot within a plot starring this secret society of heroes takes a very dark twist in New Avengers #14 this week.
Black Bolt, Namor, Reed Richards, Iron Man, Beast and Black Panther have committed unheroic acts and made terrible sacrifices to save our world from “incursions” from rival Earths. Continue reading NEW AVENGERS #14 Review
Professor Xavier is dead but the X-Men founder is back in New Avengers #3. The new series by Jonathan Hickman and Steve Epting stars a new version of Marvel’s biggest brains – the Illuminati. The late Charles Xavier was a member of the original gathering of Marvel’s most powerful leaders. The new brotherhood is gathering the Infinity Gems in an effort to stop alternate universes from crushing ours.
Is this a secret the telepath buried in the Beast’s mind or is Henry McCoy engaging in more time travel like he did in the first arc of All-New X-Men? (Just in case you missed it – Beast brought back the original five X-Men into the present Marvel Now!)
I wanted to share some of this Comics Newsarama exclusive preview of the next issue.
As the pages reveal – the Professor has left a trail for Beast to follow. Could this be the key to saving the Earth? Could this lead to the resurrection of Professor X?
New Avengers #3 courtesy Marvel
If you haven’t checked it out yet- you should definitely jump on the new New Avengers – a must for Marvel fans.
Beast, Cap, Black Panther, Namor, Black Bolt and the potential reunion of the Infinity Gems? This is a can’t miss book!
2013 begins with the assembling of Marvel’s biggest brains! Jonathan Hickman and Steve Epting create a new Illuminati to save the world! Some of Marvel’s most brilliant minds gather to prevent our universe’s collision with another universe in this week’s New Avengers #1. Black Panther will lead Mister Fantastic, Doctor Strange, Black Bolt, Iron Man, Beast and Namor against a swarm of invading parallel realities.
New Avengers #1 courtesy Marvel
Marvel shared these images by Steve Epting from inside New Avengers #1 in which Wakanda becomes ground zero for the invasion.
New Avengers #1 courtesy Marvel
Black Panther’s homeland is recovering from Namor’s invasion in Avengers vs. X-Men. T’Challa is coping with the end of his marriage to Storm and the destruction of his country.
T’Challa is a formidable warrior but a brilliant scientist too. Black Panther refused to join the original Illuminanti but this time he’s leading the secret cabal of Marvel’s biggest brains.
New Avengers #1 courtesy Marvel
New Avengers #1 arrives January 2, 2013. I’m thrilled to see Black Panther back on the front burner in comics and hope this is a sign T’Challa may appear in a future Avengers movie.
Earth’s Mightiest Heroes faced a new trio of villains on Mars in Avengers #1. Now Earth’s Biggest Brains are assembling to prevent a cosmic collision in New Avengers #1 this week. Jonathan Hickman is writing both series and explained the mission for each team and how they work together on Marvel.com.
“It’s about the guys who quietly, secretly run the world. It’s thematically much different than Avengers. The plan I’ve worked out is that the Avengers are the utopian Avengers, the ideal ones we want, whereas the New Avengers are real world, they live in the dark, apocalyptic world as it is,” revealed Hickman.
“The books will work in tandem. You don’t have to read both, but they are two sides of the same coin. Two different stories,” he added.
Wakanda was devastated by Namor’s invasion during Avengers vs. X-Men. Hickman says T’Challa’s home will be rocked again. In the original Illuminati stories Black Panther refused to join the inner circle but he will need them in the Marvel now.
New Avengers #1 courtesy Marvel
“The catalyst is an event in Wakanda with Black Panther, the only man who told the original Illuminati it was a mistake. Something occurs so earth-shattering he sees no other course of action than to call on them,” Hickman teases, “This event is so huge than even the people in the Illuminati who do not currently like each other are forced to put differences aside.”
Hickman recently sent the Fantastic Four to Wakanda. It looks like Hickman was planting the seeds for his upcoming Avengers run.
“Going into Fantastic Four, Jonathan hadn’t even wrapped up Secret Warriors. Going into this, people know from FF what a big thinker Jonathan is and how he plays the long game. It’s an even bigger canvas here,” explains Editor Tom Brevoort.
“My Avengers pitch probably could have gotten approved as is on its own, but if I hadn’t done FF, I don’t think there’s any way my New Avengers would have gotten approved. I think it’s gonna be a sleeper hit. It’s so cool. I’m so jacked that I get to write it,” revealed Hickman.
New Avengers courtesy Marvel
Hickman confirmed the logo with the Avengers A and the Omega symbol is the logo for the New Avengers.
“Avengers is the day book and New Avengers is night. Avengers is how we want the world to be, New Avengers is how it is. One book is about life, one is about death. The logos reflect all this,” he said.
The new era begins in the aftermath of AvX, bad blood and old rivalries between some heroes.
“I don’t think people will be surprised to learn that even as these guys go about their job, some will grow to hate one another,” Hickman explained, “This is not a cheery happy story. This is the ‘Death Avengers.'”
I’m thrilled to see T’Challa as a central character in the Marvel Now. He’s a single man now. He’s the leader of a broken country.
“Black Panther is the lynchpin character of New Avengers. The central character. He’s very important to the Avengers franchise as a whole,” Brevoort explained.
“Black Panther is certainly the moral center of New Avengers,” adds Hickman.
In 2013 Jonathan Hickman and Steve Epting assemble a new Illuminati to save the world! Some of Marvel’s most brilliant minds gather to prevent our universe’s collision with another universe. Black Panther leads Mister Fantastic, Doctor Strange, Black Bolt, Iron Man, Beast and Namor against a swarm of invading parallel realities.
New Avengers #1 courtesy Marvel
Marvel shared new Steve Epting art from inside New Avengers #1 in which Wakanda becomes ground zero for the invasion.
New Avengers #1 courtesy Marvel
Black Panther’s homeland is recovering from Namor’s invasion in Avengers vs. X-Men. T’Challa is coping with the end of his marriage to Storm and the destruction of his country.
T’Challa is a formidable warrior but a brilliant scientist too. Black Panther refused to join the original Illuminanti but this time he’s leading the secret cabal of Marvel’s biggest brains.
New Avengers #1 courtesy Marvel
New Avengers #1 arrives January 2, 2013. I’m thrilled to see Black Panther back on the front burner in comics and hope this is a sign T’Challa may appear in a future Avengers movie.
Captain America (under the guidance of writer Brian Michael Bendis) attempts to reconvene the Illuminati in order to stop the Phoenix Force in New Avengers #29. A secret group (Tony Stark, Namor, Doctor Strange, Reed Richards, Professor X and Black Bolt. Black Panther declined) went on covert missions. Bendis revealed the secret history of his this covert team had saved Earth in critical points of Marvel history. The group eventually disbanded.
Cap hopes this Illuminati reunion might lead to the end of Avengers vs. X-Men. What I love about this tie-in issue is how it goes right into the minds and weary hearts of the heroes caught up in this epic battle. Bendis really captures what I expected Professor Xavier to be feeling. This a father figure anguishing over what his children are doing and what he must do to stop them. Bendis creates great moments for Professor X and Reed Richards who questions Cap’s desire to stop the “good work” of the Phoenix Five.
The heart of the story is Cap and his relationship with Namor. Will the Phoenix possessed ally show up and poses a great moment: can a lifelong friendship hope to defeat the cosmic power of the entity?
Artist Mike Deodato paints a somber portraits of beleaguered heroes. His shadowy art is perfect for the covert proceedings and the dark places these characters must go.
This issue takes me back to the first story featuring the secret group of heroes. Here’s a link to New Avengers: The Illuminati if you’d like to check it out.
