WARNING: The following contains mild spoilers for Radiant Black #3 by Kyle Higgins, Marcelo Costa and Becca Carey, on sale this Wednesday.
Within the space of two issues, Radiant Black has updated multiple superhero tropes for the millennial generation. Radiant Black #3 will feature a new theme for the Tokusatsu-inspired series, courtesy of The Walking Dead co-composer Sam Ewing.
The track, entitled "Writing Day," was performed by The Budapest Scoring Orchestra and is the first of six tracks that will accompany each issue of the first story arc for Radiant Black. Ewing describes "Writing Day" as an attempt by himself and Radiant Black co-creator/writer Kyle Higgins to delve into the mind of protagonist Nathan Burnett and his writing process.
"Kyle and I immediately thought that a 'theme and variation' based musical piece would be the perfect accompaniment, a fun way to represent ideas bouncing around in a writer's mind, dancing around a theme that is struggling to find its legs, exploring colors of the orchestra, from strings to winds to brass, developing bit by bit, until the full thematic idea finally finds its footing and comes to life, triumphantly stated by the entire orchestra," Ewing said. "We felt the liveliness and dexterity that a real orchestra brings was necessary to fully represent these fast-moving ideas, and thus, high strings and flutes are constantly percolating and fragmenting with excited energy, much like Nathan's thoughts in his pursuit to crack his novel."
“With Radiant Black #3, I wanted to attempt something a bit different—I wanted to tell a story that explores, fights with and ultimately celebrates the creative process. To explore and showcase how an idea sometimes forms. Even amidst chaos. And so, in the spirit of exploring the creative process, I asked Sam to do the same thing musically," Higgins added.
Radiant Black focuses on struggling writer Nathan Burnett, who is forced to move back in with his parents in Illinois after a series of unfortunate circumstances. When out drinking with his friend Marshall, Nathan discovers a black hole that grants him gravity-defying superpowers. He now struggles to juggle his newfound abilities with his career as a writer.
Written by Kyle Higgins and illustrated by Marcelo Costa with Becca Carey, Radiant Black #3 goes on sale on Wednesday, April 21.
Source: YouTube