New Avengers: Illuminati

In 2008, Marvel assembled a secret cabal of its most powerful and influential heroes—a shadowy group known as the Illuminati—to tackle threats too dangerous for the wider superhero community. Crafted by a team anchored by artist Jim Cheung, this single-issue series delves into the clandestine meetings and moral compromises of figures like Iron Man, Mister Fantastic, and Doctor Strange as they grapple with catastrophic events. A concise but pivotal chapter in Marvel lore, it explores the cost of operating beyond the public eye and the fragile trust that holds such a coalition together.