DC's Illuminati

For two comics universes that are in many ways very different, Marvel and DC are actually pretty similar in the teams they have. You have the misfits team, the team that's more like a family, and the big hitters, along with the inevitable teen teams. One group that stands out is the Illuminati, Marvel's think tank of big brains created by Brian Michael Bendis in 2005. He presented a shadow history of very powerful characters taking steps to make sure that the milestone events of the Marvel Universe didn't happen again, interfering in the wake of the Kree/Skrull war and the first Secret Wars. They also shot the Hulk into space so, you know, it's not all good (even if Planet Hulk is an amazing arc and the animated film is very good).

Made up of Iron Man, Mr. Fantastic, Professor X, Namor, Dr. Strange, and Black Bolt, the group represents almost every part of the Marvel Universe (I think only the Eternals are left out) and are almost unarguably the most powerful members of their requisite communities. A new version of the team was created by Black Panther, under Jonathan Hickman's skillful Avengers run, with a similar membership.



There is no equivalent to this group in DC's universe. Jonathan Hickman's run on New Avengers gave readers a snapshot of what a DC version might look like but... I'm not convinced by the group he assembled, if only because it had a Superman equivalent among its ranks, and the secretive nature of the Illuminati seems at odds with the Man of Steel's way of doing things. If it were up to me, I wouldn't put him in there at all...

So who should be there?


Let's start with Batman. He's an everyman (sort of), the best detective on the planet, and not above going off the books to get things done. He's a link to the JLA and provides a good lot of brain power. Also, this is the guy who comes up with plans within plans to fight villains and has contingencies for if his friends go off the rails...

Next up, Queen Hippolyta of the Amazons, leading one of Earth's most advanced and secretive groups she would be ideally placed to resume her Wonder Woman role (from World War 2) .

Another Queen gets added next, Queen Mera of Atlantis, pulling strings behind her husband's back and running with dark and dirty types to maintain his kingdom might well be her style.

Green Lantern... by which I mean Alan Scott should get a seat too. Aside from being a powerhouse, he's another link to the Justice Society and represents the older heroes better than Hippolyta.

Amanda Waller... yes that Waller, the one from the Suicide Squad and the DC's Queen Bitch. She has to be at this table, if only because she's hugely influential behind the scenes.

Lastly (because it would be wrong to go over six members), we need a mystic, and I think that means Dr. Fate, as the DC Universe's answer to Dr. Strange.

The only other character I would add would be the Martian Manhunter, because of his link to space.

I think that covers all the bases, but I'm not sure. I'm assuming that the Wildstorm characters are out of the picture at DC for the foreseeable future,so have left them out.