Charlamagne Tha God and AWA are bringing ILLuminati back this summer in a complete collected edition.
Arriving July 14, 2026, the 128-page trade paperback gathers all five issues of the supernatural thriller into one volume. The collection features a wraparound cover by Eisner Hall of Fame artist Bill Sienkiewicz.
Originally released as a five-issue series, ILLuminati blends hip-hop culture, urban legend, and supernatural suspense. The story centers on Lily, a young woman with psychic abilities who travels to Los Angeles to investigate the mysterious death of her twin sister, a rising hip-hop star. Her search pulls her into a shadowy conspiracy tied to the Black Illuminati and the hidden forces shaping fame and power.
The series was produced by Charlamagne Tha God and published by Artists Writers & Artisans. Writer Bryan Edward Hill teamed with Denys Cowan and Bill Sienkiewicz to create a thriller rooted in cultural commentary and conspiracy.
During its initial run, ILLuminati featured variant covers inspired by classic hip-hop albums, curated by Charlamagne himself. The collected edition spotlights those covers once again, reimagining iconic records from DMX, Ice Cube, Redman, De La Soul, and Ol’ Dirty Bastard through a comics lens. Contributing artists included Keron Grant, Shawn Martinbrough, Irvin Rodriguez, Kyle Baker, and Denys Cowan.
“The Black Illuminati remains one of the most compelling urban legends in modern culture,” said Charlamagne Tha God. “This story is about honoring Black creators and expanding where our stories can live. This collected edition celebrates that vision, bringing the full experience together for readers in one powerful volume.”
“From its first issue, ILLuminati was designed as a cohesive narrative that brought together a high-quality creative team,” said Axel Alonso, Chief Creative Officer, AWA. “The collected edition presents this in its most complete form. Bringing each issue together into a single edition allows readers to immerse themselves in the story’s emotional arc, bold visuals, and themes that tie back to the cultural zeitgeist. This relentless thriller truly captures the heart of how AWA and Charlamagne have sought to redefine urban legend storytelling through comics, and we’re proud to combine these issues into a single edition for fans to enjoy.”
The ILLuminati trade paperback will be available in stores and digitally on July 14, 2026.
You must be logged in to post a comment.