For me, if you’re gonna add an adjective to your name or title, you have to live up to the hype. This goes for a team that wants to be remembered as “Mighty” or a boy robot trying to live up to being referred to as “Mega“. Image Comics new series Radiant Black lives up to it’s adjective claim. It shines on so many levels. Even if things aren’t looking too bright for the series star as the issue opens.
Radiant Black # 1
Writer: Kyle Higgins
Artist: Marcelo Costa
Letterer: Becca Carey
Failure – The empty abysmal void that nothing can escape from. It seems like once you’re in that hole nothing gets out.
Nathan Burnett is in a hole, in a hole. After attempting to live his dream as a writer, he now must face reality. Costa’s splash page of a bank account is a perfect snapshot of where Nathan is in his life. He is basically broke and more than likely broken. Higgins does a great job writing the various emotions flowing around Nathan. The scene of Nathan moving back home to live with his parents is a perfect example. His mother’s delight hides a despair for her son’s future. His father is more realistic with his view and words yet still clearly loves and believes in Nathan’s abilities. Last is Marshall, the friend who didn’t get far and is just happy to not be the only one kinda stuck in life.
All of this changes for Nathan after a night of drinking with Marshall. Suddenly, as Nathan finally admits how much of a nothing his life is a miniature black hole falls to him from the sky and encases him in a black suit. Still even with the potential powers of this suit Nathan only sees his past.
Image Comics Radiant Black # 1 is a stellar debut issue for this series. Hopefully we will learn the origins of Nathan’s new abilities, as well as why he was chosen for them. I imagine it saw something in him.