THE ILLUMINATI

 

 Comprised of several of the world’s most powerful heroes, the Illuminati is a secret organization that shapes the superhuman world and protects Earth from catastrophic threats.

CURRENT MEMBERS

Doctor Strange (Stephen Strange)Black Bolt, Black Panther (T'Challa)Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards)Beast (Henry McCoy)Iron Man (Tony Stark)Hulk (Bruce Banner)Hank Pym Captain America (Steve Rogers)Captain Britain (Brian Braddock)Medusa Amadeus Cho

FORMER MEMBERS

Professor X, Namor

Following Earth’s involvement in the interstellar Kree/Skrull war, Tony Stark, AKA Iron Man, of the Avengers invited other leading Super Heroes to discuss preventive measures to ensure Earth’s future safety. In response, Wakanda’s King T’Challa, AKA Black Panther, hosts a secret meeting attended by Iron Man, Earth’s Sorcerer Supreme Dr. Stephen Strange, AKA Doctor Strange, the X-Men’s founder Professor Charles Xavier, AKA Professor X, Reed Richards, AKA Mister Fantastic, of the Fantastic Four, the Inhumans’ king Blackagar Boltagon, AKA Black Bolt, and Atlantean ruler Namor MacKenzie, AKA Namor, the Sub-Mariner.

Iron Man proposes that they form an alliance to pool resources and information, and, despite Namor’s initial misgivings, the majority of the group agree. To ensure trust between the members, they decide to keep their pact secret from everyone, including teammates and families. T’Challa is the sole dissenting voice, expressing concern over what might happen if the group ever disagrees on a course of action, and as such he declines to join the alliance. The group then discusses the living island Krakoa before adjourning to go their separate ways.

During a subsequent meeting, the group confronts the Skrulls and warns them not to attempt another invasion of Earth, but the Skrulls then capture, torture, and take cell samples from the heroes. Despite being stripped of his armor, Stark resists the Skrulls’ interrogation efforts and escapes his cell. Freeing the others, together they steal a ship and escape back to Earth.