Charlamagne Tha God and AWA Studios Reveal First Look Preview of Supernatural Thriller ILLuminati (Exclusive)

The world of comics and hip-hop collide in new ILLuminati series from Charlamagne and AWA on Kickstarter

By Matthew Aguilar - September 20, 2024 03:38 pm EDT

The worlds of hip-hop and the supernatural are set to collide in a new series known as ILLuminati, and there's a true all-star team at the helm. That team includes AWA Studios, Emmy-award-winning producer and radio host Charlamagne The God, acclaimed writer Bryan Edward Hill, legendary artist Denys Cowan, Eisner Hall of Famer Bill Sienkiewicz, and award-winning artist Sanford Greene, and they have crafted a new supernatural thriller that will delve into the world of secrets, fame, pop culture, and the black Illuminati. The project is now live on Kickstarter, and we've got an exclusive preview to get you hyped for the series on the next slide.

The Legend of The Black Illuminati

"For me, The Black Illuminati is the most enduring urban legend of our day," said Charlamagne Tha God. "I am tremendously passionate about merging the hip-hop and comics genres and wanted this story to be told authentically. Through my media endeavors, I'm committed to celebrating Black creators in all forms, and I couldn't be happier with what Bryan Edward Hill, Denys Cowan, Bill Sienkiewicz, and the AWA team have achieved with ILLuminati. This story introduces a brand-new hero who embodies the definitions of grit, determination, and love, and I'm thrilled her story will soon be available for the world to fall in love with just as I have." You can find the official description of ILLuminati below.

"The story is set in Los Angeles, a city of secrets where fame has a price. In ILLuminati, when a rising hip-hop star dies under mysterious circumstances, her twin sister Lily – a young woman with psychic abilities – journeys to the City of Angels for answers and becomes enmeshed in a dark conspiracy that snakes its way through the pillars of power, fame, and popular culture. ILLuminati is a relentless supernatural thriller that tackles head-on the most enduring urban legend of our day: The Black Illuminati."

The Kickstarter

ILLuminati has successfully funded, but those who haven't jumped in yet still have a chance to pick up the 128-page original graphic novel. There will be a cheaper digital edition as well as softcover and hardcover versions available, and then there's the stunning Kickstarter exclusive slipcase and hardcover edition designed by Sienkiewicz. That said, the covers I'm most looking forward to are the single-issue hip-hop homage variant covers, which will honor five of the greatest and most influential hip-hop albums, and all were personally chosen by Charlamagne.

"When Charlamagne Tha God said he wanted to produce ILLuminati, I was down from day one. With ILLuminati, we have assembled a team of the best Black talent to create a gripping story that explores the most enduring urban legend of our time." – Axel Alonso, AWA Chief Creative Officer

You can check out a full preview of ILLuminati on the next slide, and you can find the Kickstarter campaign right here.

Are you excited for the series? You can talk all things comics with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!