The Illegitimates

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The Illegitimates is a six-issue American spy‑action comic miniseries from IDW Publishing that first came out in December 2013. It was created by Taran Killam and written by Killam with Marc Andreyko, with art by Kevin Sharpe and a first‑issue cover by Jerry Ordway.

Story setup
When legendary superspy Jack Steele is killed, his five illegitimate children—Vin Darlington, Kiken Kaze, Saalinge M’Chumba, Leandros Antonio Caliestes, and Charlie Lordsley—are gathered by the international spy organization Olympus. Their employer has secretly followed Steele’s life through a project called Project Sire and now trains them to take his place if needed. The siblings, ages 18–30 and living in different parts of the world, must learn to work together to stop a dangerous plan by their father’s arch‑enemy, Marcus Dannikor, who can secretly control people’s actions.

Characters
- Saalinge M’Chumba: The strong, capable de facto leader who’s been in prison at the story’s start.
- Vin Darlington: A macho Texan marksman who’s eager for action and to learn about Olympus.
- Kiken Kaze: A Japanese car‑enthusiast who’s skilled but alcoholic and unreliable at times.
- Leandros Antonio Caliestes: A big, strong mixed‑martial‑arts fighter who’s socially awkward and anxious.
- Charlie Lordsley: The youngest, the brains of the group, a sharp tech whiz working for Olympus.

Tone and influences
The book blends humor with serious spy action. It’s not a parody of James Bond, but it takes inspiration from ensemble adventures like The Magnificent Seven and Galaxy Quest, starting light and turning more serious as the story progresses.

Publication notes
Killam pitched the idea sometime between 2007 and 2009. After joining Saturday Night Live in 2010, he could fund the project and push it forward. Andreyko helped shape the writing, Sharpe drew the interior art, and IDW Publishing released the six‑issue miniseries, with the first issue dropping on December 18, 2013.

Reception
Early reactions were mixed-to-positive. The series earned about 6.4 out of 10 on Comic Book Roundup. Reviewers praised crisp writing and solid art, while some critics felt the focus on the mothers’ backstories took attention away from the siblings and their mission.

Future possibilities
Creators hinted there could be more Steele children or further threats if the series continued beyond the initial six issues.