Radiant Pink #2 continues the all-new Radiant Black spin-off and expanding Image Comic’s interconnected Massive-Verse that is poised to explode in scope as Inferno Girl Red and No/One release early this year. Written by Meghan Camarena and Melissa Flores (also of Image’s The Dead Lucky) with art by Emma Kubert, colors by Rebecca Nalty, and letters by Becca Carey, the new issue starts when Radiant Pink, AKA Eva, finds herself in a collapsing hospital with one last citizen to evacuate, but the strain on her teleporting powers sends them to a totally unintended destination.
Radiant Pink #2 follows Radiant Pink and the mysterious EMT Kelly in a strange new world. As Radiant Pink continues to use her malfunctioning portal powers, the pair visit a slew of worlds, each weirder than the last, against the backdrop of non-stop (and very mutual) flirting. As Radiant Pink’s powers continue to fluctuate, their state of affairs only grows more perilous, and a life-or-death situation might be enough to reveal Kelly’s true motivations.
Camarena and Flores’s writing is strong throughout Radiant Pink #2, particularly shining in the comedic and dramatic character beats in the issue. The centerpiece of Radiant Pink #2 is the relationship between Kelly and Eva, who share a carefully crafted chemistry that finds the right balance between tension and light-heartedness. The duo has a very convincing dynamic that organically develops and deepens over the course of the comic, giving Eva an opportunity to interrogate some of her strict self-reliance issues. Camarena and Flores also weave in some juxtaposition with the real world and Eva’s devastated family, who last saw her as she was disappearing into a collapsing building. This choice reminds the reader that the stakes are serious, despite the fun, buoyant tone of the issue.
Kubert’s art has a sketch-like feel that can occasionally lead to dimensions feeling inconsistent, but brims with personality and complements the tone of Radiant Pink #2 perfectly. The background art and panel design are inventive, and the variation of textures and styles really sells the extraterrestrial qualities of this cross-worlds caper. Kubert also does great work on the characters, particularly in their expressions, which channel a great deal of nuanced and complex emotions and set up some great subtext beneath the dialogue.
Nalty’s balmy, otherworldly colors elevate Radiant Pink #2 into a truly novel visual experience. Mostly revolving around a pink pallet, on-brand as ever, Nalty blends in soft pastel shades, gorgeous sunset washes, eye-popping technicolor, and accented monochrome. This gives each world Kelly and Eva visit a wonderfully unique flavor and atmosphere and demonstrates a real tour-de-force of techniques and styles. Carey’s letters are solid throughout, drawing out the wit in the dialogue and adding cadence and timing with emboldening and italicization. The weight of the font used for alien lettering is also very satisfying and visually interesting.
Overall, Radiant Pink #2 manages to execute some essential character and plot development while still having a riotous amount of fun. The themes of pressure and overwork that dominated the first issue of Radiant Pink are explored in a new and thoughtful dimension here. This issue is charming and entertaining. The creative team is setting the stage for an intense queer love drama and crafting a great entry-point for anybody curious about Image’s fledgling new universe.
