There’s very few comic books nowadays that I would say truly push the medium to its limits, but Image Comics’ Massiveverse takes the lead – especially its flagship title Radiant Black. There’s been a soundtrack, an animated short, and even Twitter accounts dedicated to characters in the series. Now with the Catalyst War, Radiant Black #26 takes its biggest gamble yet by splitting across two timelines: one where Nathan Burnett took the full mantle of Radiant Black, and one where his friend Marshall Ward did.
This split means that readers are essentially getting two different versions of the same comic, but co-creator/writer Kyle Higgins and co-writer Joe Clark take it further than that. Throughout the series, both Nathan and Marshall wielded the Radiant in different ways while also dealing with their own personal issues. It only makes sense that when the Catalyst Empire came to Earth and put them through a series of tests that they would react in different ways. Marshall seeks every amount of help he can, while Nathan chooses to fly solo; both of their approaches lead to some wildly different endings. It’s just another example of how Radiant Black is giving us something truly unique in the comic book world.
Not only do the outcomes of the book differ, but so does the art. Once again, Eduardo Ferigato and Raul Angulo handle the Marshall storyline with co-creator Marcelo Costa and Rod Fernandes handling the Nathan Storyline. Ferigato’s work boasts sharper lines, lending a more intense vibe to the procedures, while Costa maintains the same animated style that he’s utilized since the first issue. Both get to draw some seriously epic moments – especially when Nathan and Marshall engage the Catalyst Empire’s forces in a splash page packed full of exploding ships and blazing blue gravity bolts. They both make the Premier a terrifying figure; his head is wreathed in emerald fire, and his body is far more armored than the respective Radiants. And I haven’t even gotten to the giant robots.
But one constant remains throughout the book: Becca Carey. Her letters have been the glue holding the Massiveverse together, giving each character a distinct voice. Both the Premier and the Colossal within Nathan/Marshall have their own unique language, peppered with phrases in parentheses and corresponding color schemes. <001> has words that phase in and out of space, matching his teleportation powers. Even the sound effects have their own flair; red “BRAM’s” and bright orange “KRAKOOMS” highlight all the laser blasts and explosions, giving the pages the feel of a true blockbuster.
Radiant Black #26 continues to push the boundaries of a comic book event, and the comic book medium, with its bold new approach to storytelling. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: this is a book worthy of being on your pull list.
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