The closing moments of Radiant Black #42 shocked longtime readers when it revealed that Nathan Burnett, the first person to don the Radiant Black mantle, was now back in the proverbial superhero saddle. Natrually, those same fans also had a lot of questions: how did Nathan gain the same weaponry as <001>? What happened to his pursuit of a writing career in Los Angeles? How did he grow a beard? Radiant Black #43 answers those questions as it winds back the clock to reveal what exactly happened to Nathan while he was in LA, and what led him to once again pursue superheroics.
Radiant Black #43 also continues a trend across the series, with each arc often telling a standalone story that reveals a character’s arc within the narrative. This issue is important, as it marks Nathan’s first full appearance since the Catalyst War ended. While Nathan’s friend Marshall Ward might have fully embraced becoming Radiant Black, it all started with Nathan, so I’m glad co-creator/co-writer Kyle Higgins brought him back. Higgins also brings his own experience as a filmmaker to the table, particularly during Nathan’s meetings with Hollywood execs. Said meetings extol the wonders of WGA health insurance and also provide a thematic link to another of Higgins’ titles, Ordinary Gods. Given that Ordinary Gods’ story revolves around reincarnation and Nathan’s gotten a literal second chance at life more than once, it’s fitting.
Higgins is joined by another co-writer in the form of Michael Busuttil, who might be familiar to Radiant Black fans as its stalwart editor, as well as the editor of the Massiveverse as a whole. It turns out that Busuttil is also a solid writer in addition to being an extraordinary editor; he’s able to match Higgins in both wit and emotional heft, and brings some of his own experience into the mix, particularly in another meeting where Nathan is getting notes on his script. One of an editor’s many, many duties is getting the best story out of a creator, and even stepping into the writing chair, I feel like Busuttil is trying to make that happen.
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In addition to a new co-writer, Radiant Black #43 features a new artist, Giona Zefiro. Zefiro previously worked on The Terminator: Metal, making him a perfect fit for Radiant Black‘s futuristic stylings. Case in point: whenever Nathan dons the <001> gear, it feels sleeker yet more heroic than the original’s. Zefiro also gets to design some new villains, brings back an old one in the form of crypto-bro swordsman Sheer in what’s arguably the most hilarious moment of the issue, and even showcases the passage of time as Nathan grows a beard and starts working out. I also love that each page has a notation of how many days have passed since the Catalyst War, as it serves as both an homage to Radiant Black #9 (which featured a similar premise) and a reminder of how much time has passed.
Co-creator Marcelo Costa, alongside Rod Fernandes, handles the coloring duties; their work makes LA feel every bit as sunny and massive as it is in real life. Costa also draws attention to the energy surrounding Nathan when he becomes <001> and how it differs from Marshall’s. While Marshall utilizes bluish-black energy as Radiant Black, Nathan’s powers have a royal purple hue to them, and often feel like they’re “glitching” in and out of reality. The same approach is given to his word balloons courtesy of Becca Carey, making Nathan feel less like a screenwriter and more like an otherworldly being.
Radiant Black #43 finally brings back its original protagonist, chronicling his journey back to superherodom and establishing a new status quo for the title. Every time I think this comic can’t surprise me, it manages to take a turn that makes things even more interesting – and has me instantly wanting the next issue.
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