Recommended Reading - Runaways by Randy Lander Last Updated: November 18, 2005 Publisher: Marvel Comics Frequency: Monthly Price: $2.99 Status: Ongoing Series (5 digest-sized trades are currently available, collecting volume one #1-18 and volume two #1-6, a hardcover is available collecting volume one #1-18, and the series is currently on #10) Jumping-On Points: The best place to jump on to Runaways is with the very first issue and the very first series. If you're of a mind to just trust me, the Runaways HC is a fantastic book, well worth the $35, or you can check out the first digest (Pride & Joy) if you're a little more skeptical or economically-minded. Barring that, while the nuances of the series work better if you've read the whole thing, it's fairly easy to jump on at any given "part one" of a new arc, the latest of which is issue #9, guest-starring The New Avengers and Cloak (of Cloak & Dagger). Creators: Written by Brian K. Vaughan Illustrated by Adrian Alphona & Craig Yeung (with guest stints by Takeshi Miyazawa Colors by Christina Strain Lettering by Randy Gentile Edited by C.B. Cebulski Website: Brian K. Vaughan's official website (Features a message board, Vaughan's blog, and, if you poke around under "exclusives," a script for Runaways) The Basics: Six teenagers discover that their parents are actually part of a supervillain conspiracy known as The Pride, and they're all inheritors, in one way or another, of superpowers of their own. They go on the run and try to figure out what to do about their parents and how to survive on their own, little suspecting that there's a traitor in their midst. My Overview: Runaways is probably the best argument for Marvel trying out new superhero concepts that exists today. Vaughan takes a standard concept (the teen team) and gives it a decidedly non-standard twist (supervillain parents). Mix in a knowledge of and love for Marvel's esoteric elements, everyone from Cloak & Dagger to Swarm to '90s has-beens like Darkhawk and Julie Power, and you've got a series that is simultaneously 100% Marvel Universe and something fresh and new. Beyond the genius high concept and excellent use of the shared universe, Vaughan has also developed a strong cast of characters and presents his work with a breezy, entertaining dialogue style that can easily be compared to that of Joss Whedon (who, incidentally, is a big fan and wrote a text piece for the hardcover). The series had a complete arc in the first eighteen issues, starting from the discovery of the super-villain parents all the way through their inevitable defeat, but Vaughan also left plenty of room for a new status quo and a new beginning, and he has embraced that in the second series, adding and dropping cast members and changing relationships to keep things fresh. Runaways is not a series that stands still, and in fact the changing nature of the characters and Vaughan's ability to write compelling cliffhangers and twists makes it a series that is always surprising. Art on the series is primarily by Adrian Alphona and Craig Yeung, with colors primarily by Christina Strain, and the style has an animated cel look to it that really works. The kids don't have costumes (save one comedic misadventure dictated by Molly, the youngest member of the team), and Alphona does an excellent job of giving them a distinctive, contemporary look with the ever-changing wardrobes that they adopt. He's also perfectly adept with the superhero costumes and action, and his characters are wonderfully expressive as well. Takeshi Miyazawa, of Marvel's Mary Jane series, is sort of the designated pitch hitter for the series, and his work is always impressive as well, with a slightly higher manga style to it but a look that fits perfectly with the one that Alphona and Yeung have established. This is a book that could work with traditional, realistic superhero art, but the more stylized approach is undeniably perfect for it. It's also worth noting that the covers for the book, primarily by Jo Chen, are flat-out gorgeous. Who's It For?: Anyone who wondered what Buffy the Vampire Slayer would have looked like if it were about a superhero team or Joss Whedon fans in general, fans of young superhero books ranging from Claremont/Sienkiewicz New Mutants to the Nicieza/Bagley New Warriors, those who are loving Vaughan's work on Ultimate X-Men, Y: The Last Man and/or Ex Machina, anyone who loves the more unusual circles of the Marvel Universe that the Runaways often travel in. Currently Available Trades: Runaways Vol. 1: Pride & Joy digest (Collects Runaways Vol. 1 #1-6) Runaways Vol. 2: Teenage Wasteland digest (Collects Runaways Vol. 1 #7-12) Runaways Vol. 3: The Good Die Young digest (Collects Runaways Vol. 1 #13-18) Runaways Vol. 1 HC (Collects Runaways Vol. 1 #1-18 plus sketches, Vaughan's pitch for the book and an intro by Joss Whedon) Runaways Vol. 4: True Believers digest (Collects Runaways Vol. 2 #1-6) Reviews: Runaways #1 Snapshot: Runaways #2 Snapshot: Runaways #3 Snapshot: Runaways #5 Snapshot: Runaways #6 Snapshot: Runaways #7 Runaways #8 Snapshot: Runaways #9 Runaways #11 Runaways #12 Runaways #14 Snapshot: Runaways #15 Snapshot: Runaways #16 Snapshot: Runaways #17 Runaways #18 Runaways Vol. 1: Pride & Joy TPB Runaways Vol. 2: Teenage Wasteland TPB Runaways Vol. 2 #1 Runaways Vol. 2 #2 Snapshot: Runaways Vol. 2 #3 Snapshot: Runaways Vol. 2 #4 Snapshot: Runaways Vol. 2 #5 Snapshot: Runaways Vol. 2 #7 Recent Issues: RUNAWAYS #8 Synopsis: Karolina learns the truth about her skrull fiancee and the world he hails from, leading to a big decision for her that will have serious ramifications for the team. Review: Perfectly making the point about how Runaways uses the Marvel Universe and offers up the unexpected, Vaughan tells a tale of a skrull empire offshoot that ties into Karolina's parents and makes for a nice resolution to Karolina's lesbian subplot that has been simmering in the background since the very first issue (no, really... go read it again, you'll see it). There's a terrific reversal of expectations about who the villain is and what the conflict is, and I loved the use of Skrull abilities that is key to the resolution of the issue. There's some really nice comedy, most of it related to Molly's obsession with her cereal, but there's also a real heart to the story, and the last few pages are both uplifting and kind of heartbreaking, presenting a notable (but not necessarily permanent) change in the status quo of the series. The art on this two-part arc was by Takeshi Miyazawa, and I love his work as always, especially the little touches like Molly's cosplay hat and the way he makes the Skrull look menacing at times, but also definitely young and approachable, so that he's not just an antagonist but a full character with a full range of expressions. Highlights: Molly aiming a superstrong kick at a pretty sensitive location, the revelation about Leapfrog's abilities, the use of the Skrull Empire to create an interesting and new science-fiction scenario within the Marvel Universe and those last few bittersweet pages. Quote: "'Mr. Less-Than-Fantastic?' You're stretching more than he is." -Molly RUNAWAYS #9 Synopsis: Cloak runs to New York to avoid accusations of beating his partner Dagger into a coma, and seeks the help of the Runaways to clear his name. Review: Some of my favorite issues of the first Runaways series were the Cloak & Dagger issues with art by Miyazawa, and Vaughan picks up on the connection between Marvel's '80s runaways and his own team and runs with it again. Vaughan shows a bit of a weakness for the "misunderstanding, then fight" dynamics again with the New Avengers being all too eager to take down Cloak rather than listening to him, similar to the same problem I had with the Excelsior/Runaways squabbling, but it gets the plot moving in the right direction, which is to give Cloak a convenient bump on the head so he remembers the team (remember, he was mindwiped last time around) and send him off to L.A. to seek their help. Once Cloak reaches the Runaways' hideout, the book just soars. There are any number of memorable lines and plenty of humor, a brief but memorable action sequence (with nicely designed "mystical defense systems" by Alphona) and the promise of plenty of fun to come when the Runaways venture to Marvel's superhero capital, Manhattan. Highlights: The Monopoly game and discussion of the pieces, the building potential of a love triangle between Gert, Victor and Chase, a surprisingly sincere moment between Chase and Nico, almost every line of dialogue Molly has and an interesting reunion between Cloak and the Runaways. Quote: "Wait, back up. Your secret origin is drugs? Doesn't that kinda set a bad example for little kids?" -Victor Mancha RUNAWAYS #10 Synopsis: The Runaways break into groups to investigate the beating of Dagger and the framing of Cloak, while the New Avengers try to track down Cloak and make sense of the whole thing. Review: This is a "fish out of water" story that puts the LA-based protagonists into the superhero mecca of New York. Whenever the story is focused on this aspect, the book is on, with some very funny moments, some nice character advancement and an interesting look at the world of super-powered drug dealing. Unfortunately, whenever the story strays a bit, usually when the New Avengers are on the page, the whole thing doesn't feel right, and Vaughan's "voices" for Iron Man, Wolverine and Spider-Man all seem off, with Iron Man's meta comment on another Wolverine appearance being particularly cringe-worthy. The upside is that the stuff with the kids in New York, talking to Cloak and Dagger's guardian Father Lantom or out wandering the streets and talking about the cultural differences between New York and L.A., is all pretty good. And while the structure of the story is pretty standard, Vaughan does offer up a little bit of his new twists on the familiar with the introduction of a super-powered drug dealer who has some very unusual trappings in the way he does business. Highlights: Chase's reaction to traveling through Cloak, the moment with Old Lace and Father Lantom in the church, the effect of Nico's spell on Old Lace and the whole setup of the other-dimensional drug lobby. Quote: "If you think this is such a utopia, try my burrito. For a town that supposedly has so many great restaurants, their Mexican food is a crime against humanity." -Gert, telling it like it is about New York burritos Email Randy Lander comments about this column.