RADIANT BLACK #40 (IMAGE COMICS/MASSIVE-VERSE)
Chicago is broken.
After the Catalyst War ended, the Windy City has not healed. Jack Marlow has taken the public paranoia & used it to his advantage. As head of the Franklin Group, Marlow has sent his forces to raid the city’s residents. The latest raid has taken hit close to home for Marshall Ward.
His Girlfriend Mariposa is one of the captives!
RADIANT BLACK #40 by Kyle Higgins, Joe Clark, Marcelo Costa, Paulo Daniel Santos, Rod Fernandes and Becca Carey (IMAGE Comics/MASSIVE-VERSE) pushes the Massive-Verse pillar to extreme measures!
Let’s buckle in for a highly emotional issue.
RADIANT BLACK #40 by Kyle Higgins, Joe Clark, Marcelo Costa, Paulo Daniel Santos, Rod Fernandes and Becca Carey (IMAGE Comics/MASSIVE-VERSE)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
Higgins and Clark open with a very real and very bold opening piece. Marshall intaking the public reaction to Marlow’s moves proves to invoke a quiet rage. The writing walks a fine line with unveiling the constant barrage of news concerning the Franklin Group. It leads to a meeting with another familiar face. Keiran’s return proves to add more fuel to Marshall’s fire. Their talk is very reflective of the current environment. The result pushes Marshall where he needs to go.
The brief interlude with Marlow and Horizon serves to show Marlow’s drive for control. Their talk showcases how Marlow is manipulating the moment. Readers see how he feels in control of the situation. Marshall’s action prove to go against the grain. His rescue attempt sparks up great action. It also shows how the hero is thriving off pure emotion. This leads into an explosive conflict. The fallout leads into a devastating reality. The writing weaves these themes into a strong finish with more intrigue behind it. A more complex issue than expected but still delivered.
READ LAST ISSUE’S REVIEW HERE!
The art team stages the news barrage with pin-point accuracy at Marshall. His reactions prove how much they weight on his mindset. There’s never a moment of doubt concerning his frustration at the state of events. His mood carries over to Keiran’s time in the book. Their talk is reflective of the hysteria in the city, It also begins Marshall’s risky gamble.
Once on the trail of his girlfriend, the panel structure paces his moves out very well. It leads to a direct look at Marlow’s forces holding their captives. Readers watch as this is delivers some incredible full images of the action. Marshall’s emotions peak through his mask when the fists start flying. A bold half panel shows his power surge to get the advantage. The main event comes through on big action. Readers watch at the lengths all parties go for the win. It results in a final image which will have the Massive-Verse faithful buzzing. Get ready for that full page!
FINAL GRADE: 8.8
How much can Marshall Ward handle before he breaks? Higgins and Clark present an unapologetic look with Marshall taking matters into his own hands. Costa and company hit the audience with a fair share of drama and action. The state of the Massive-verse has never been more impressive!
Let me know your thoughts about RADIANT BLACK #40 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
