It seems like year two might just be the best year for the Runaways yet. Not only did the first trade finally come out, and reinvigorate my interest in the book, but this issue and the last are the best issues of the series since the very beginning. A full year after Vaughan first dropped a cliffhanger bomb on readers with issue one, he's still chucking out surprises and twists, whether it's the identity of the mole in the group, the revelation that the Pride has its share of troubles as well or the ever-present question of "what will they do next?" In addition, Alphona and Yeung continue to provide unusual, beautiful artwork that is reminiscent of the strange anime cel appearance of creators like Rob Haynes and Kaare Andrews but with stronger storytelling and more reined in anatomy, making the book a visual standout but also completely approachable.
One of the toughest thing in the world is to create good villains. I'm not just talking about memorable villains like Doctor Doom or Doctor Octopus, but villains who are both believable, sympathetic and dangerous. The creators of Alias have done it with the always-unpredictable, strangely moral Arvin Sloane, and Vaughan is working in that same mold with the members of The Pride. These guys are supervillains, but they're also parents, and the loyalty they show to their kids is a very unusual trait in conspiracy-minded supervillains. Last issue revealed the reasons behind the conspiracy, which are nihilistic but also contain a certain admirable quality in terms of thinking about their children, and this issue shows where the characters are in terms of that belief now. I love seeing these murderers and worse shown as having human qualities, and even those who are plotting a surprising double cross are still thinking in terms of their children as well.
While I've been surprised to see The Pride becoming more developed as characters in this arc, I'm not surprised that the members of the Runaways continue to read as real teenagers. Or at least, real with a bit of a likable pop culture edge, the kind of teens you see on The O.C. or Buffy or shows of that nature. Real but better-spoken, real but with whip-smart comic timing and wit, real but more consistent in their morality. It's funny to read this issue after having just reread the first six and see how these relative strangers have become a surrogate family, and I love those dynamics, which includes a certain level of distrust and discomfort along with a reliance on one another. I also continue to enjoy these characters, especially the smart, sensitive leader Alex and the always amusing powerful Molly.
There's a nice consistency to Runaways in general. I know that I'm going to get smart dialogue, well-written and illustrated action and some of the best characterization in comics. However, at the same time, one of the things that is predictable about Runaways is that the plotting is unpredictable. I was very surprised to see the mole tipped off in this issue, and equally surprised that Vaughan was able to reveal this bit of information and then believably put it aside instead of making it the focus of the story. I was also surprised by the revelation of dissension within the Pride, a twist that leads to further potential plotlines for the future. These twists always make sense in retrospect, but they're difficult to see coming, which is a rarity in this kind of surprise-oriented plotting.
As many of you know, Runaways sits pretty low on the sales charts. Given that one of my favorite low-selling comics, Wildcats 3.0, was recently cancelled and is going to end with no solid resolution, I'm a little more nervous that Runaways might be on the cusp as well. However, with the first trade released, and the buzz building, Runaways still has a chance to become a success story. It truly is one of the five best superhero comics on the market, and it's worth skipping an issue or two of one of the multiple Spider-Man, X-Men, Superman or Batman books to give the new blood a try. Hell, skip three of them and pick up the trade, and I'm pretty sure you'll be hooked.
