Dream Team

This is one of those rip the band-aid off reviews. So let’s cut to the chase – ILLuminati by Charlamagne Tha God and AWA isn’t good, and I’m not sure who to hold accountable for dropping the ball. Charlamagne has entered the comic book space with an all-star creative team: writer Bryan Edward Hill, penciler Denys Cowan, and Bill Sienkiewicz on inks. This is like an NBA team loading up with superstar players in hopes of making the playoffs and possibly getting a ring. However, in spite of this team’s prestige, ILLuminati #1 unfortunately fails to live up to any of the hype.

The narrative, written by Bryan Edward Hill, centers around the mysterious death of a rising pop star named Jackie. Her identical twin sister Lilly begins to follow a trail of breadcrumbs into the dark and seedy world of the entertainment industry to uncover the truth of her death. Whether it’s a “mutant” power of hers or an artistic storytelling device, Lilly is guided by the looming presence of her dead sister, pointing her in the right direction.

No Diddy

According to Charlamagne Tha God, ILLuminati promised to, “feel like hip-hop…the energy, the rawness, the authenticity, and the evil.” In this vein, I was hoping for a narrative at least as compelling as the testimonies we’ve been following in the Diddy trials. Instead, what we received feels more like a Black Dahlia mystery in the way it presents Los Angeles using old Hollywood motifs, or perhaps it’s Cowan and Sienkiewicz art that gives the work its classic noir aesthetic. Although executed beautifully, this is not the dark hip-hop tale I was promised. Furthermore, the script at this point feels uninspired and doesn’t even keep pace with the world invented by conspiracy theorists on YouTube and entertainment blogs.

Who do I hold accountable for this misstep? Charlamagne, who’s been steeped in hip-hop’s dirty little secrets for decades? Hill, who’s been delivering some of the most action-packed superhero stories in the past five years? Or Cowan, who literally defined the Black comic book aesthetic during the Golden Era of Hip-Hop? Frankly, there’s no way to tell where Charlamagne’s inspiration ends and the creative team’s execution begins.

Hail Mary

Despite this disappointing start, there’s a flicker of hope for ILLuminati. This undeniable dream team of creators possesses the talent to course-correct and truly tap into the raw potential of this premise. While ILLuminati #1 is a stumble, the pedigree suggests a miracle—a truly compelling, authentic, hip-hop-infused thriller—might still be within their grasp. The question isn’t just who dropped the ball, but whether they can pick it up and run with it in subsequent issues.

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