Marvel's New Illuminati Unleashes the Hulk on Thanos

The Illuminati — the secret alliance of Iron Man, Mister Fantastic, Doctor Strange, and Black Bolt — banished Bruce Banner, the Hulk, to outer space after a rampage that destroyed Las Vegas. "I'm sorry, Bruce. But for your sake and ours, we're sending you away," Reed Richards told Banner after luring him aboard a spaceship that would transport him somewhere the Hulk couldn't hurt anyone — and no one could hurt him. After landing on the savage planet Sakaar, where he started and later lost a family, the Hulk returned to Earth... and waged war against the Illuminati as the World Breaker. 

That was then. In this week's Thanos #2, the new Illuminati — Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man; his wife, the telepathic mutant Emma Frost of Krakoa; Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four; the sorcerer Stephen Strange; and Dr. Adam Brashear, the Blue Marvel — call in their secret weapon: the Hulk.

After the Guardians of the Galaxy shot Thanos into a black hole, the Mad Titan returned to Earth and decimated Fresno, California, with his ship The Sanctuary. Thanos then ripped the city from the Earth and threatened a culling unless they handed over Roberta Marshall: a goth cashier who may or may not be Marie Collins, the dead daughter of an elderly woman named Christine. 

When the Illuminati convened to collect Roberta, Emma told Tony that her psychic block is still intact. The Illuminati — who insisted that they're not the Avengers, and that their operations must remain clandestine — warned Roberta that Thanos came for her, but didn't offer any explanation before Thanos attacked to end issue #1.

Wednesday's issue #2 begins with Thanos rampaging through the streets of Fresno, which is encased in a protective atmospheric shield as it moves higher into orbit. Emma almost lets slip that Roberta asked the five heroes for help, but there are more pressing matters. Reed dispatches Adam to disable The Sanctuary's weapons system in order to return the city of Fresno to Earth and then devises a plan to remove Thanos from his Space Throne, which makes the Titan nearly untouchable as it can travel nearly any place or time.

Tony and Strange agree to work together to unseat Thanos, but Tony — wearing his stealthy Mark Nil Iron Man armor — suggests they call "him." Tony and Emma want to bring out the "big stick" to handle Thanos, a strategy that concerns Reed. "I don't have a problem with calling him," Reed says, "but once we do, it's a little hard to 'hang up the phone.'" It's decided that Strange — not Tony or Reed — should be the one to contact him telepathically to catch him up on the situation.

As Strange sets off in an attempt to mystically inhibit Thanos' energy powers and allow the Big Stick to better bring the hurt, Reed instructs Emma to mentally protect Roberta as he devises a plan to evacuate the citizens of Fresno. Adam absorbs a blast from Sanctuary's starburster cannon to become supercharged, then direct that energy back at Sanctuary — disabling the ship's weapons systems without destroying the beams holding Fresno in place. With Adam manning the ship's tractor beam controls to safely send Fresno back to Earth, Strange informs Tony that he called the Big Stick... and he wasn't happy to hear from the Illuminati.

Strange and Tony — a master of the mystic and a master of technology — attempt to penetrate the mystical componentry of Thanos' Space Throne. "I ripped myself from the lip of an event horizon, all to find the one who must be mine," Thanos swears. He will not be deterred from completing his most sacred errand. Strange has difficulty identifying which precise incantations might have an effect on the throne's ancient and otherworldly magicks, only for the throne to be damaged as Adam brings Fresno back to Earth.

Meanwhile, the big green feet of the Big Stick traverse Colorado, then Utah, then Nevada — and California. Before Thanos can strangle Strange, the Big Stick arrives. "You can swat away puny iron and smash a magic man... BUT CAN YOU STOP A HULK?" As the Hulk and Thanos trade blows, the Titan threatens to kill Strange and deduces that the Illuminati are hiding the one he seeks.

Elsewhere, Reed modifies the relay signals of a satellite tower to hijack The Sanctuary's teleportation system and safely beam Fresno's citizens to safety. "I don't care much about you. Or the others. Or Fresno," Hulk growls, sending Thanos hurtling with a punch. "But I do hate the Titan very much."

Reed and Adam transport the citizens to Sacramento just as Iron Man enters the fray. Hulk doesn't know who she is or where she is — he's just here to SMASH. With his Space Throne disabled, Thanos hotwires a car and gives chase after Roberta. Just then, Christine arrives for "Marie," leaving Emma alone to defend Roberta against Thanos. Transforming into her diamond form, Strange reminds Emma she must protect Roberta at all costs. Strange telepathically tells Emma to disorient Thanos, but she plans to kill Thanos and shatter his mind into oblivion once and for all — until the Titan swats her away.

Thanos then takes Roberta and tells her to remember who she truly is. Not Roberta Marshall, but Thanos' greatest love. His reason for being. "You are Mistress Death."

Thanos #3 is on sale February 7 from Marvel Comics.