RADIANT BLACK #42 (IMAGE COMICS/MASSIVE-VERSE)
Jack Marlow’s plans are coming into full bloom.
The Franklin Group’s occupation of Chicago has forced Marshall Ward to question the city around him. His girlfriend is one of many held captive under Marlow’s rule. A new “hero” named Horizon is causing havoc on his reputation and efforts.
Even with Shift and Radiant Red at his side, Marshall’s struggle against the Group hasn’t been flawless. With a parade staged to further the Group’s agenda, Marshall has one shot to take down Horizon and Marlow once and for all!
RADIANT BLACK #42 by Kyle Higgins, Joe Clark, Marcelo Costa, Rod Fernandes and Becca Carey (IMAGE Comics/MASSIVE-VERSE) delivers a special edition of the Massive-verse’s flagship series.
Let’s take a deeper look at the monumental issue!
RADIANT BLACK #42 by Kyle Higgins, Joe Clark, Marcelo Costa, Rod Fernandes and Becca Carey (IMAGE Comics/MASSIVE-VERSE)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
Higgins and Clark open events with Marlow’s planning of his parade. The mood is more cautious than celebratory. This feeling carries right into the start of events. Crowd reactions are boiling over with the paranoia surrounding the Second Earth refugees. Marlow’s speech is polished and unphased by the uproar. As Horizon is called in, readers now see the fire lit on the impending social explosion. The replacement Radiant wastes no time goin into his own business of crowd control. This forces Marshall to play his hand with mixed results.
Readers watch as Marshall attempts to step into a role he’s still learning. The dialogue with Pulse and Vector shows his acceptance of leading the inexperienced duo into combat. The writing allows the moment to breathe before the heavy action begins. Never does a panel go by that doesn’t feel impactful. Even when events misfire, Marshall’s composure steps into try righting the wrong. It leads to a definitive finish. The aftermath shows there’s more work to be done, but Marshall a small change in the air. From here, the closing pages …. no one is ready for! Readers need to buckle in for what’s on that last page because there is going to be a whole lot of questions heading into the next era of radiant storytelling.
READ LAST ISSUE’S REVIEW HERE!
The art team teases Marlow’s plans with a solid insight. Marlow’s expressions never break as he works out final details. Once he’s delivering his speech, the mood changes. Panels show the restless crowd taking action. This leads into a cold response. Horizon’s entrance carries a dark tone with it. It launches into some worrisome acts. Even Marlow has a look of dread watching his weapon at work. This allows for “Team Radiant” to crash the party via half page shot. There’s no delay form here in bringing the action.
The initial response to Horizon shows Marshall stepping his game up to the fight. Panels move frantically as Horizon starts powering up. The art allows Marshall to show the senior heroic skills in talking down Pulse. His mannerisms display unique poise under pressure. This perfectly sets up a two page spread to end the fight. Following panels safely ground the heroes in the aftershock of the battle. Events are well staged here as the final pages usher in a real glimpse of Marshall’s ramifications. Fernandes’ coloring makes panels pop before dropping the mic on the last page. A full image will stop readers in their track. Expect to hear the Massive-verse faithful buzzing about this one.
FINAL GRADE: 9
Marshall looks to rain on The Franklin Group’s parade with the state of the city at stake. Higgins and Clark deliver on a strong finish and incredible final act. The art elevates the political schemes with huge action. For five years and counting, Radiant Black continues to raise the benchmark on superhero storytelling.
Let me know your thoughts about RADIANT BLACK #42 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
