New Avengers Illuminati

This has been a bit of a controversial series for writer Brian Bendis, because in telling the secret history of his secret organization of very powerful superheroes, he is touching some of the key events in the Marvel Universe's timeline. The Kree-Skrull War, Secret Wars, the Infinity Gauntlet, and Marvel Boy all get their issue to reveal how the Illuminati were secretly involved in each event.

I'll confess that I wasn't as familiar some parts of Marvel history as I was with others. Which is why I felt relatively disconnected from this story. Bendis is delivering continuity candy here to fans who are both studied in the events of the Marvel Universe and open to watching them relived and in some cases altered. Unfortunately, if you don't fall into that camp, this can be a distancing book--it's much ado, and pretty good ado, but still about nothing.

At least part of each issue, however, is devoted to some classic Bendis that is well worth your time--these superpowerful men shooting the proverbial crap about the most meaningless and at the same time profound of topics. Issue four, for example, boasts a free-ranging chat between Stephen Strange, Tony Stark, Reed Richards, Charles Xavier, Black Bolt, and Namor about...women. "Why would you sleep with a woman who looks like Doctor Doom?" Genius.

On the art side, Jim Cheung's pencils stun as always, but they're somewhat wasted on the talking heads portions of these books. When the action is unleashed, however, it's great stuff.