Marvel Introduces an All-New Illuminati

The return of Thanos to the Marvel Universe has caused a new version of the Illuminati to resurface. Thanos has always been a force to be reckoned with, and his extended absences only cause our heroes to wonder when and where he will show up again. The Mad Titan was presumed dead after an encounter with the Guardians of the Galaxy, but unfortunately, that isn't the case. Thanos is the subject of a new Marvel limited series, but perhaps the most interesting development in its first issue is the return of the Illuminati, a clandestine group that has helped shape the Marvel Universe from the shadows.

*WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Thanos #1. Continue reading at your own risk!

Thanos #1 comes from the creative team of Christopher Cantwell, Luca Pizzari, Ruth Redmond, and VC's Cory Petit. The issue mostly follows a custodian named Roberta Marshall, who gets caught up in Thanos' attack on the city of Fresno. She's most likely the individual Thanos is searching for, which causes the Illuminati to find her first. The group consists of Iron Man, Emma Frost, Reed Richards, Doctor Strange, and Blue Marvel. Roberta is strangely familiar with the Illuminati members, and there are some clues that lead us to believe that they have tampered with her memories. Somehow she's connected to Thanos, but that remains a mystery for now.

Marvel's new Illuminati team lineup revealed

The Illuminati made their comics debut in 2005's New Avengers #7, with their backstory explained in New Avengers: Illuminati. Iron Man, Charles Xavier, Reed Richards, Namor, Black Bolt, and Doctor Strange were its founding members, with each character representing a different subsection of the Marvel Universe. For example, Professor X covered mutants, Black Bolt the Inhumans, Doctor Strange magic, and Black Bolt the Inhumans. 

They came together to help shape and guide events in the Marvel Universe from the shadows. Different iterations of the Illuminati have appeared since then, with their evil counterparts calling themselves the Cabal. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness introduced the Marvel Cinematic Universe's version of the Illuminati.

Marvel creative team on Marvel's new Thanos series

"I've had the honor and joy of writing some of Marvel's greatest villains, so you can imagine how excited I am to not only tackle the Mad Titan himself, but pit him against some of the most powerful brains and fists out there—this latest lineup of the Illuminati," Christopher Cantwell said when Thanos was announced. "But I think folks will find the backdrop of this story quite unexpected, mischievously funny, and heartbreakingly human, for what has drawn Thanos back screaming into the universe is a singular pain and desire for connection that he believes only one essence in existence (and non-existence) can give him… while this being is in turn grappling with some deeper questions about what they are, and what they want to be. Plus, Thanos hot-wires a pickup truck."

"I could tell right from reading the first panel description that this book was gonna be something else," Pizzari added. "I never even met Chris before and yet it's like he wrote this book reading my mind; there are a lot of characters I've always wanted to try my hand on. Thanos himself is, of course, unbelievably fun to draw, I'm constantly telling myself to make him bigger and bigger!"

Thanos #1 is on sale now. Let us know your thoughts on the new Illuminati in the comments!