Comic Review-New Avengers: Illuminati

New Avengers: Illuminati
Written by Brian Michael Bendis and Brian Reed; Art by Jim Cheung
Published by Marvel Comics, 2008

3 stars

Have you ever wanted to know more about your favourite Marvel tale? Who really was the Beyonder? Where did the Infinity Gauntlet go? Who really started the Secret Invasion? Bendis, Reed and Cheung answered these questions in New Avengers: Illuminati.

Bendis has bee spreading himself very thin at Marvel lately. Not only does he have regular titles like New Avengers and Ultimate Spider-Man to write, but he was also almost single handily responsible for House of M

and Secret Invasion. That’s not a selling point for a writer these days as most fans are so fed up with major event crossovers that even the good stuff from a writer gets tossed aside.

Illuminati was good, but not great. It was a revival that no one had expected they wanted until they read it. Getting to relive classic Marvel events like the Secret and Kree/Skrull Wars with bits of comedy and major plot hints tossed in made it a fun read for long time House of Ideas fans.

Jim Cheung’s fabulous art is what I think brought the book up from the okay level and made it a worthwhile read. But without knowing who between Bendis and Reed was more responsible for the story, it’s hard to say who caused its mediocrity.

Reviewed By Amy Chop