Radiant Black #1 is a fresh, engaging, and immensely human take on the superhero genre. Fans of tokusatsu should read it. Superhero fans and nonsuperhero fans should read it. Anybody looking to get into comics should read it. Image Comics has impressed me before, but this comic is up there with Invincible andSaga as one of their greatest debuts. Read Full Review

This first issue gives us a promising beginning. We have a relatable main character in Nathan Burnett that, even in this brief beginning, has you rooting and hoping the best for him. I loved every moment and was left ready for the next bite. I look forward to learning more about the world and just what Nathan has found himself attached to. Read Full Review

Image Comics Radiant Black # 1 is a stellar debut issue for this series. Hopefully we will learn the origins of Nathan's new abilities and more importantly why he was chosen for them. I imagine it saw something in him. Read Full Review

Thanks to a relatable hero and stellar artwork that recalls classic sentai action, 'Radiant Black' makes a spectacular debut. Read Full Review

Radiant Black #1 lays the foundation for what may be the best new superhero since Robert Kirkmans Invincible. Though it does rely heavily on conventions of the genre, fantastic artwork and character development makes for an engaging story. While living up to the standard set by this issue may be a tall task, Kyle Higgins writing has a history of consistency, while Marcelo Costas first foray as a sequential artist is a revelation. Read Full Review

Radiant Black #1 is a compelling first issue that instantly sets up a relatable protagonist and makes me empathetically interested in whats coming next. Read Full Review

'Radiant Black' #1 is off to a great start. As relatable as Peter Parker, Nathan Burnett is set to take off as Image's signature superhero. Higgins and Costa have conjured up some old-fashioned magic setting the stage for a fun series that's fantastic and human at the same time.  Read Full Review

Nathan Burnett has not done much with his life yet, but that's all about to change. Read Full Review

Marcelo Costa does some great work with the art in the issue. The style allows for the comedic aspects of the story to come forward while also tapping into the emotion and humanity of the characters and their surroundings. Read Full Review

Radiant Black flies high in its debut. I loved this debut issue, as it sets up our hero's story and who he will no doubt clash with in the future. Higgins, Costa, and Carey make a big splash; I cannot wait for the journey to continue. Read Full Review

By the end of Radiant Black #1, I could see a lot of potential that this book holds as an ongoing. Nathan is a compelling character, relatable too, and these powers only make his complicated life more interesting. Read Full Review

While the powers and the stylish suit will get all the attention, it's really the person behind the powers that steals the show, making Radiant Black one debut you should not miss. Read Full Review

In an age when some comics try too hard to make a statement or enforce an agenda, Radiant Black is a refreshing new comic setting itself up as a simple, care free superhero story. A series that fans of Fantastic Four, Spider-Man or X-Men will enjoy. Read Full Review

Maybe Nathan is soon to be a winner after all. The book certainly is. Read Full Review

An incredibly strong start that introduces a highly relatable main character. Read Full Review

Overall, its a good-but-not-great first issue but I think its enough to get me excited for the next issue and I feel like I can see the potential of Radiant Black. Not all origins need to be great. Whats more important is what happens after you get your powers. Radiant Black also gave us a look at the other side of the coin, so to speak, with the emergence of a foe who popped up at the end of this issue. Image has a history of superhero books and while theyve done a colossal job of expanding from that. Its awesome to see a book like Radiant Black usher back the Image Comics age of heroes. Read Full Review

Radiant Black #1 is an ok debut. Hopefully, it's the start of something greater but on its own, it never quite stands out. While it features solid writing, relatable characters, and really nice art, it also never quite stands out with bigger than life moments or characters. It's muted in a way and hopefully, it gets past that as the series progresses. Read Full Review

It's fine, but in an era where there are truly spectacular works, I am indeed looking for something...well, radiant. Read Full Review

Overall, whilst this is a fun romp with an interesting cliff hanger, it is probably a little lightweight for me to wholly enjoy. That said, Higgins has a great track record and this could end up being something of a sleeper hit for him and for Image. Read Full Review

Radiant Black is a silly, but potentially amusing story about a would-be writer who never should have quit his day job, but then accidentally gets superpowers. So at least he has that going for him. Read Full Review

Despite its quality art, "Radiant Black" #1 is a comic that treads familiar ground without a solid way to distinguish itself from the pack. Read Full Review

There isn't too much to hate in this issue but also not much reason to recommend it. Read Full Review

I see a lot of exciting things coming !

really good story and art. even though it does follow the superhero blueprint i like that it's adapted to modern times and it keeps it real

Great start from a promising series, the emotional vs action balance is all there and the art is amazing!

Radiant Black
Issue: 1
“(Not So) Secret Origin”

Publisher: @imagecomics
Writer: @kyledhiggins
Artist: @marcelocosta1977
Cover: @michael_cho_art
Variant Cover: Marcelo Costa & @eduardoferigato
Letterer: Becca Carey

Nathan Burnett is an aspiring yet struggling writer. Things are not going well for him as he has two jobs and has an enormous credit card debt that continues to rise. He is desperate and his only move is to leave Los Angeles and return home to live with his parents in Lockport, Illinois. After reuniting with an old friend, they decide to go out, catch up and get drunk to forget their many problems. This drunken night out might be something Nathan desperately needs. However, he didn’t know that he was going to encounter a miniature black hole that grants him cosmic powers and a superhero costume that might finally change his fortunes for the better! There’s only one problem, the powers don’t belong to him.

This highly anticipated debut issue of Radiant Black by acclaimed writer Kyle Higgins was nothing but a huge success! Higgins gives us a truly relatable character in Nathan as he struggles in his adult life. Nathan returning home to live with his parents shows us that he’s really hit rock bottom. I mean who wants to move back in with their parents?! I enjoyed how he acquired his new powers and the hilarious encounter with the police. Seeing him test his powers on the fly reminded me of Spider-Man and I love it. I look forward to learning more about the origin of his powers with the coming issues and why he was chosen. This issue left us with a juicy cliffhanger letting us know that he is not one of a kind. Radiant Black’s suit is badass and the artwork is phenomenal. I love both covers and this series might have me chasing variants! Fans of the superhero genre should definitely pick this up!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)
Reviewed by: @mcruz2189 of The Comic Book Club of Instagram
Follow: @the_comic_book_club on Instagram for more reviews! more

One of the downsides of these awesome looking covers is that you then have to open the book and see that the interior art sometimes doesn't live up to the excitement. This is totally the case here, where a great looking Frank Cho cover obscures what is run-of-the-mill, cartoony character work inside.

The story is a down-on-his-luck writer who has to move back into his parents' house because he's loaded up on debt and out of options. He goes out drinking with his hometown buddy and...well...the superhero origin stuff happens. The plot is simplistic and predictable. The scripting is adequate.

Truthfully, I'm surprised Image ran it because it's so Big 2-derivative. There's nothing special about it.

A disappointing, uninspired, and derivative first issue.

There was nothing new in this comic. This has been done hundreds of times before. I appreciate that this was just the origin story, but it wasn't a particularly good or interesting one, and there really was nothing to make me care about reading more.

This isn't a bad comic, but neither is it a good one. The writing is functionally good and the art is passable, if irritatingly cartoony. I'm out.