RODNEY RADIANT
Real Name: Rodney Radiant
Identity/Class: Normal human (see comments) (late 1940s);
formerly Ancient Greece (as Narcissus)
Occupation: Actor
Group Membership: US Actors Guild;
formerly Olympian pantheon
Affiliations: Aphrodite
(Venus), Connie Lane
Enemies: Echo
Known Relatives: Cephissus (father), Liriope (mother) (see comments)
Aliases: Narcissus
Base of Operations: Mobile in the USA;
formerly ancient Greece (see comments)
First Appearance: Venus#3/1 (December, 1948)
Powers/Abilities: Rodney Radiant is considered
the most handsome man in the world; if this is due to any mesmerizing
aura is unrevealed (although this seems unlikely as he is seen as
handsome in pictures and movies). He is an actor, although his
popularity seems more based on his physical beauty. He initially had disdain for
those deeply attracted to him.
Height: 5'10"
(by approximation)
Weight: 170 lbs. (by
approximation)
Eyes: Black
Hair: Brown
History:
(Greek myth) - Many centuries ago, Echo fell deeply
in love with Narcissus, but he spurned her romantic advances,
considering himself too handsome for anyone.
(Venus#3/1 (fb)) - Narcissus also refused Venus' love
despite her incredible beauty, believing there was no mortal or immortal who could
compare to his beauty. In vengeance, Venus condemned him to love
someone who would not return his love so that he would experience
heartbreak. Narcissus scoffed, thinking all would love him for his
beauty. However, Narcissus saw his reflection in a pool and fell in
love with himself. Waiting for what he believed was a water nymph, he
turned into a flower (possibly by magic) that soon bore his name.
(Venus#3/1 (fb) - BTS) - Through unrevealed means,
Narcissus was reincarnated in the early 20th Century as Rodney Radiant
and remembered none of his past. He attended high school and had a
relationship with Connie Lane; the two were even engaged. In the 1940s,
he became a big movie star and rapidly rose to fame with his natural
beauty, leaving Lane behind. Magazines sought interviews by sending
fawning beautiful women with gushing interviews, but he disliked them
all and wanted a "real reporter."
(Venus#3/1) - Editor Venus of "Beauty Magazine" was
assigned the task of interviewing Rodney Radiant. She immediately
recognized him as Narcissus and she took up rival Della's challenge to
cover herself in unflattering clothes. On her way, she met Lane and
learned of her past with Radiant. She then went to Radiant and demanded
he explain why he left her; he responded predictably that he felt he
was too handsome for her or anyone. Venus revealed her true beauteous
form and Radiant fell in love with her, but she spurned him, teaching
him that love is unselfish. She made him forget her transformation but
not forget the lesson. His attitude and world view now changed, Radiant
met Lane again and they promised to marry.
Comments: Uncredited creators.
Several versions of the story
of Narcissus exist from different authors, but the core elements
are that he was a hunter known for his beauty but rejected all romantic
advances, eventually falling in love with his own reflection and
turning into the narcissus
flower. The commonly
held view is that he was the son of the river god Cephissus and the
nymph Liriope; he spurned Echo's
romantic advances and was punished by Nemesis (an aspect of Aphrodite).
Another source, Nonnus, identifed him as the son of the moon goddess Selene and her mortal lover Endymion (see again the Wikipedia link above).
Venus calls Radiant "mortal," so I've classed him as
a human. He may be a Olympian god/demigod, although there's no evidence for this in the comic or mythology (as far as I know).
Venus states that she met Narcissus "many centuries ago",
but the legend of Narcissus dates back to at least 500 BC.
Likely art creators are Ken Bald (pencils) and George Klein (inks) according to comics.org.
Profile by Grendel Prime.
CLARIFICATIONS
:
Rodney Radiant (Narcissus) has no known connections to:
Connie Lane was the high school sweetheart of Rodney
Radiant (the reincarnation of Narcissus) and the two were even engaged.
But he thought himself too handsome for her and pursued his movie
career, leaving her deeply heartbroken. She bumped into Venus, who was
on her way to interview Radiant, and told her of her lovelorn history
with him. Venus confronted Radiant and taught him the lesson that love
is unselfish. His attitude changed, he met with Lane again and the two
promised to marry.
--Venus#3/1
images:
(without ads)
Venus#3/1, p1, pan1 (main image)
p4, pan7 (headshot)
p7, pan6 (Lane - main)
p7, pan4 (Lane - headshot)
Appearances:
Venus#3/1 (December, 1948) - uncredited writer, uncredited artist(s),
Stan Lee (editor)
First posted: 02/14/2021
Last updated:
02/14/2021
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™
and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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