New Avengers, Illuminati [Anglais] [Broché]

Illuminati is a different mini-series with an interesting concept, like a Marvel correspondent of "The New World Order". The Illuminati (Iron Man, Reed Richards, Professor X, Namor and BlackBolt) are the masterminds of the Marvel Universe and they gather only when our planet needs them the most. This collection contains the 5 issues of the mini-series, which are all one-shots, that explore Marvel continuity, without requiring the reader to have deep knowledge about it, as well as laying ground for Marvel's upcoming "Secret Invasion".

The first story, takes place right after the Kree-Skrull war and its a solid, very solid start for the series, in it the Illuminati go to the Skrull planet after the war is over to deal with the remains of the Skrull empire. They're made prisioners in their escape and have to flee once again, this time pratically destroying their empire. The sequence is spectacular, not only due to the great writing by the Bendis - Reed team, but large part of this is due to Jimmy Cheung's spectacular pencils. This issue is from where Secret Invasion started building from, putting the first clue in the first character that was replaced by a Skrull.

The second issue is about the Infinity Gauntlet and the Illuminati's quest to recover all the Infinity Gems. The writing is very solid and the idea stablished at the end, wont spoil it too much for you, is interessting, and I wonder if it will ever be picked up again, by Bendis or any other writer.

Issue three is the weakest issue of the series, not to say that its bad tho, its just not up to the standards set by the rest of the collection. This issue is set in between Secret Wars I and II, and it talks about the origins of the Beyonder, I dont see any relevance in this issue, apart from retconing the origin of the Beyonder, but at the end, we find out that it may all have been a trick by him, so it feel somewhat pointless. It's not without its merits though, as the writing is still really good and the art is brilliant, its great to see Cheung drawing lots of marvel character, even if its only one panel or two.

The fourth issue, was in my opinion the funnest issue of the lot, its not the best, but its extremely fun. The beggining with the Illuminati talking about women is great and I loved Namor's reply to Stark when the later reveals he hooked up with Madame Masque. The issue brings Marvel Boy (the one created by Grant Morrison) back into the fold, as he is supposed to play a role in Secret Invasion. The issue also highlights the different personalities of the Illuminati and its just plain fun, to see the different methods the Illuminati use to teach Marvel Boy the same lesson.

The fifth issue is the best proof of leaving the best for last.This is set in the present day in the Marvel Universe (After World War Hulk, The Sub-Mariner, etc...). This issue reveals which of the Illuminati is a Skrull and I recommend that right after you read this issue, you re-read the opening instalment closely, as Bendis most definately gives us a clue back then. The moment of the Skrull reveal was one of the best written moments in comics all year and it gave me chills. This meeting may be the last one the Illuminati ever have and if it is, its most definately a worthy send off. Last, but most definately not least, Jimmy Cheung draws the action sequence in an absolutely brilliant way, it was extremely intense and the visuals, couldnt be better.

When I started writing this review, I had New Avengers:Illuminati as 4 star-book, but after talking about it, I realise that my complaints in this book are very close to being non-existent. Bendis and Reed are a great partnership and they write some great dialogue. Another of the series strenghts is the art by Jimmy Cheung, he is one of the best in the industry, he caused some delays in this series, I honestly wouldn't mind if the output was always this good, but reading in a collected edition, should take that problem away.

Brian Michael Bendis is one of the most popular and most controversial writers in modern comics. He began his career as an indie writer in the 1990s, and was recruited by Joe Quesada to write for Marvel in 2000, when he launched "Ultimate Spider-Man" (which he continues to write to this day), followed by the success of "Alias", which was the beginning of Marvel's MAX mature readers imprint; there followed the most significant run on "Daredevil" since Frank Miller in the 80s. So far, so good. Then, in 2004, the controversial phase of his career began when he took over the Avengers, starting off by disassembling the team and launching "New Avengers", which is a sales smash but also attracts virulent criticism from classic Avengers fans personally, I've found the book rather meandering; his more recent "Mighty Avengers" title is closer to a good mainstream superhero project). He changed many things about the franchise, and many of its characters (Scarlet Witch most of all); one of his ideas was the Illuminati, introduced in 2005 and said to have existed since 1971 (publishing time).

Bendis' concept is that after the "Kree-Skrull War" story of 1971, a secret society dedicated to protecting the Earth from threats was formed by six of the Earth's greatest heroes: Iron Man (financier of the Avengers), Mr. Fantastic (leader of the Fantastic Four), Professor X (founder of the X-Men), Doctor Strange (the Sorceror Supreme), Namor the Submariner (Prince of Atlantis), and Black Bolt (King of the Inhumans). They between them command most of the world's major heroes, quite apart from their own not-inconsiderable powers. There was a special issue (not included here) chronicling their initial formation and ultimate dissolution; now, Bendis and his wingman Brian Reed, with artist Jim Cheung, deliver this miniseries, which has the dual purpose of telling one-shot stories set during past Marvel history about the team, and introducing pieces important to 2008's upcoming "Secret Invasion" event.

Of the five issues, the first and fifth issues deal with the alien Skrulls, the villains of "Secret Invasion." The first is set just after the Illuminati's formation in 1971, and the fifth is set during the present day, in the leadup to "Secret Invasion." The third issue is the weakest of the five, centred around the Beyonder creature from "Secret Wars" I & II in the 1980s, and is purposefully inconclusive about whether what ensues is the Beyonder's true origin or merely a game he plays for his own amusement (although this story does feature an absolutely priceless moment with Doctor Strange). The fourth issue is one-part the Illuminati discussing their personal lives, and one-part setup for "Secret Invasion", focussing on Grant Morrison's Marvel Boy. My personal favourite is the second issue, a follow-up to the "Infinity Gauntlet" crossover that sees the Illuminati seek to recover the gems to keep them out of the hands of villains. This imaginative story includes trips to the mystical universal unconscious and the edge of reality.

Bendis is at his best when doing small stories (long arcs bring out the worst in his style). Paired with Reed ("Ms. Marvel", "Captain Marvel"), who has a similarly tight sensibility, results in his strongest Marvel work in the last few years. It is a very enjoyable series. The art by Jim Cheung ("Young Avengers") is excellent, and provides grand opportunities for him to range throughout the Marvel Universe, drawing numerous characters in numerous different periods of Marvel history; Cheung is rather slow, but that is obviously not an issue for a collected edition. One final note would be that, as previously described, there is considerable setup here for "Secret Invasion" (coming this April) that is not resolved within these pages, most notably the fate of one of the Illuminati. So stay tuned...

Professor X...Iron Man...Namor...Mr. Fantastic...Dr. Strange...and Black Bolt. An unlikely group of Earth's most powerful super-heroes band together after the Kree/Skrull War to protect their world from future alien invasions. The writers, Brian Michael Bendis and Brian Reed, are at the top of their game here. While you won't be entirely lost without a thorough knowledge of the Marvel Universe, a rich understanding will reap rewards. You should at least read Secret Wars; Infinity Gauntlet; Avengers: The Kree-Skrull War; Marvel Boy; and The Road to Civil War.