It’s our choices that define who we are, not our abilities. That idea lies at the heart of the latest Radiant Black arc, “The Catalyst War”. With two diverging narrative threads getting further apart on each issue, Radiant Black continues questioning who should hold the power: Marshall or Nathan?
“The Catalyst War” continues, and Radiant Black must face a challenge of choices. The issue gives a lot of backstories to the mysterious world surrounding the Radiants, and it’s exciting to see it develop. However, the real draw of the issue is seeing how much further the timelines continue to split as our heroes make choices reflective of their true characters.
Seeing the two heroes and how their decisions affect their timeline is exhilarating. Writers Kyle Higgins and Joe Clark skillfully create a narrative that lets the readers see who each Radiant Black is (can be? Could’ve been? Hard to tell with the timelines) as a hero.
“The Catalyst War” will no doubt have significant implications for the future of the series, but it’s structured so each moment tells us more about Marshall and Nathan. Every battle, every panel, every bit of changed dialogue between the two timelines lets readers know more about the characters behind the mask and the “true” Radiant who will be taking over (as voted on by fans earlier in the year). It’s exciting to get to see this “what if” style narrative play out each month.
The only downside is that, as a reader, you might prefer one timeline over the other. When there is only one Radiant left standing, it might not be what you want, especially after some of the decisions our heroes make in times of war. But that’s the point, showing that neither hero is perfect. It’s an ambitious task the creative team has set out to accomplish, but they’ve proved in the past that they are up to the challenge.
Plus, maybe you’re voted Radiant doesn’t come out on top, but you still have the terrific art to take comfort in. Between the two books, the artist teams shift slightly. For issue #27, pencils are from Eduardo Ferigato, colorists are Raúl Angulo and Marcelo Costa, and letters are from Becca Carey. Issue #27.5 has pencils from Thobias Daneluz, colors from Rod Fernandes, and letters from Becca Carey. Series co-creator Marcelo Costa gives us the conjoined A/B covers.
Across the board, the artistic team is firing on all cylinders. Art, color, and letters work together like a well-oiled machine, creating an engaging world for the reader. The artistic team lets us see the subtle difference in colour and tone throughout both issues, highlighting the differences between Marshall and Nathan.
Both issues also benefit from all-star Becca Carey, whose work on lettering might be some of the best in the business right now. The glitch designs on the bubbles, the onomatopoeia, and the bubble layouts all create the feeling that you’re reading something totally new and unique.
Radiant Black issues #27 and #27.5 are another great instalment in a terrific series that feels like something new. But the emotional core of the series is never lost, and even while a major war is happening, we focus on our two heroes’ choices. It’s hard to say where this arc will lead and what the fallout will be when one Radiant ends up on top, but so far, it’s been one hell of a ride, and the series shows no signs of slowing down.
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