The Illuminati was established to exist (via story retcon) in their first published appearance in New Avengers #7 (July 2005),[1] written by Brian Michael Bendis.

Reed Richards refuses on the grounds that such an organization would be too large to run effectively, that the heroes would spend more time dealing with bureaucracy than actually helping people.

The only individual present who outright refuses to meet or even participate with the others is the Black Panther, who fears the association will end in less than altruistic actions.

Bendis, along with co-writer Brian Reed and artist Jim Cheung, produced a five-issue miniseries filling out what the group does behind the scenes between their formation and dissolution.

The others in attendance debate the effectiveness of such a body, pointing out issues of trust amongst heroes and the bureaucracy that would result; however, most agree that continued secret meetings such as this one could help deal with larger threats in the future.

With that in mind, Tony left Los Angeles after leaving the Pride a warning message to inform them that he would be back if he had any reason to suspect that they were acting against his new company.

Iron Man presents a solution to the problem of the Hulk to the Illuminati (excluding an absent Professor X), suggesting that they shoot him into space toward an uninhabited world.

[11] Despite deciding not to meet again, Iron Man calls together the Illuminati (excluding Professor X, who is in exile in Scotland after the "M Day" event) to introduce them to the Superhuman Registration Act.

He illustrates the fact that recent events have raised suspicion of all super-powered individuals and groups, and that one wrong move on the part of a hero will trigger disaster.

Until the unrest that is already bubbling over will boil over... and every politician looking to make a name for himself will run right on TV and they will tell America how they are going to save the world from these out-of-control costumed characters who think the law does not apply to them.

In order to avoid it, Iron Man reiterates his idea of a representative body of superheroes, and urges the group to come out in favor of registration prior to a disaster.

Faced with this failure and a reprimand from Uatu the Watcher, he makes the controversial decision to give each Illuminati member one gem to hide so that they may never be combined and used again.

Doctor Strange stayed out of the conflict, meditating and fasting,[20] though he later admits, after joining the New Avengers and finding new love, that he regrets his lack of involvement.

This included avenging the death of his cousin in the Stamford tragedy, and coming to the aid of his friend Captain America's forces in the final battle.

Hulk arrives on Earth and sends a transmission to hand over Doctor Strange, Iron Man, and Mister Fantastic to him while giving the citizens of New York City time to evacuate.

After learning of the mutant population's recent severe losses as a result of "M-Day" from Mercury, the Hulk decides that the X-Men have suffered enough and departs.

[24] Hulk then implants the Illuminati members with obedience discs and forces them to fight each other in his makeshift gladiatorial ring in Madison Square Garden.

Iron Man brought the Skrull corpse to the world's top minds, and summoned Criti Noll (in the form of Henry Pym) and Mister Fantastic to examine and dissect the body.

Richards and Brand arrive, with Reed using a self-designed machine to reveal the Skrulls in the midst of the Savage Land battle, which are quickly disposed of by the heroes.

[31] Before the meeting with the Illuminati, Black Panther privately confronts Namor (who had previously killed hundreds of Wakandans) in a locked and guarded room.

Afterwards, Captain America argues that the Illuminati are wrong to consider building a world-destroying weapon to help save Earth, and that doing so will corrupt them.

[36] Later, the Illuminati face off against the Great Society (Sun god/Zoran, Boundless, Doctor Spectrum, The Rider, The Jovian and Norn) a team of heroes from the latest parallel Earth that involved in an Incursion.

[37] Black Panther initially intends to destroy the Great Society's world by using an antimatter bomb, but relents at the last minute after realizing he cannot commit mass murder.

Amadeus Cho, Captain Britain and Hank Pym have joined the team in the aftermath of Namor's expulsion, and work against the Avengers to protect the Earth by any means necessary.

[46] The Cabal was a more villainous and antiheroic counterpart of the Illuminati consisting of the supervillains and anti-heroes Norman Osborn, Doctor Doom, Hood, Loki, Emma Frost, Magneto, and Namor.

Besides Hood, the members consist of a rebuilt Black Ant (a Life Model Decoy of Eric O'Grady that was created by Father), Sylvie Lushton (the current Enchantress), Mad Thinker, Thunderball and Titania.

storyline, Hood and Titania raid Pleasant Hill to retrieve Absorbing Man when Baron Helmut Zemo and Fixer restore the memories of the inmates there.

They consist of Black Bolt, Cleook, Doctor Doom, Nicole Furry, Hulk, Iron Mandrill, Professor X and Silverback Surfer.

The Council is composed by world leaders of the incorporated nation-states created since history started to diverge with the Maker's arrival in 1963, functioning as a worldwide form of shadow government.

It follows his personal philosophies, perpetuating a constant state of war economy between the members' power blocs as their populace is kept controlled and unaware of the artificial nature of international conflicts.