Illuminati #4

As nothing much has changed or is changing with this series, this will be an unusually abbreviated review of the latest issue of Illuminati. The synopsis is simple: “the Illuminati”—a super-group comprised of Dr. Strange, Reed Richards, Black Bolt, Namor, Iron Man and Professor X—work behind the scenes saving the Marvel Universe without anyone’s knowledge. In issue four of Illuminati, the great and powerful Illuminati takes time out of their busy schedule to lament failed love opportunities in what can best be described as a “Superpowered Boy’s Night In.” The only thing missing from the scene was a few bottles of Bud Light and an X-Box. After bemoaning lost love, the Illuminati decide to convince a captured Kree soldier that being a bad guy and trying to destroy the Earth is a bad thing and that he should become the new Captain Marvel. What a way to spend a Friday night, eh?

Bendis and Reed continue doing in Illuminati #4 the same things they’ve done with Illuminati #1-3: advertise for future storylines. This whole series is something much akin to movie trailers. Each issue throws the Illuminati in with some forgotten bad guy or mythical power and serves very little purpose other than to remind us that said bad guy or mythical power is still knocking about the Marvel Universe and could return at any time in a summer blockbuster crossover event. Also, as with previous issues, trying to keep all six “big buns” equally involved in the issue translates into considerable “depowering” and an overall feeling that these characters are simply to big to be held together in any one book.

Jim Cheung is as consistent on pencils as with the entire series. The same strengths and weaknesses are still here. Strength: when the fur starts to fly, Cheung does a terrific job of making each punch and energy blast into a visual treat and he’s not afraid to let his characters throw down in a “Where’s Waldo” style melee that, somehow, works beautifully. Weakness: everyone looks the same. Cheung has whatever disease plagues all of Jim Lee’s work. You know, that disease where you keep drawing the exact same head and sticking it on a thousand different bodies. If Cheung can ever get cured of that particular illness, he could become a force to be reckoned with in the industry.

Overall: 3 on 5. Another movie preview, but not a terrible one.