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Oct 31The Mat Signal: The Runaways

Runaways vol. 1 – Pride and Joy (issues 1-6).

• Format: Trade Paper Back
• Price: $29.90
• Writer: Brian K. Vaughan; Artist: Adrian Alphona

Reviewed by Matthew Henderson.

Most teenagers are secretly convinced that their parents are evil at one point or another, but in the case of Marvel Comics’ Runaways – it’s true. Youngsters Alex, Nico, Chase, Karolina, Molly, and Gertrude discover that they’re the offspring of an evil group of super villains known as the Pride. How do they know that they’re evil? Well, witnessing their parents carrying out a bloody ritual sacrifice of a young girl is a bit of a tip off. Horrified by what they’ve seen they…um…run away, stealing powerful items and discovering inherited abilities from their parents on the way. Super- powered, teen melodrama comic stuff ensues.

Although the teens do have powers (with the exception of the ultra brainy but devoid of the pow-pow and the boom- boom, Alex) and they have a mission (stopping their parents from doing evil stuff) – they aren’t your typical super team. There’s no costumes for a start, they aren’t particularly organised, and they argue and bicker like, well, teenagers.

Brian K. Vaughan (best known for his work on ‘Y – the last man’, ‘Ex-Machina’, and TV’s ‘Lost’) keeps the kids on the run and off balance for much of this first story arch and keeps it real by having them speak and act like actual teens (instead of just having the shorter, skinnier adults you find in other supposedly ‘teen’ teams). The series launched as part of Marvel’s ill fated ‘Tsunami’ line in 2003 (the line was pitched at Manga loving adolescents) and Adrian Alphona’s art does have some of those influences but you wont find an overabundance of big eyes and speedlines. His style is cartoony but still detailed with a reasonable comparison perhaps being to Mark Brooks.

Runaways is set in the Marvel Universe and there is some interaction with other characters (though moreso in later volumes). Despite this, the title develops its own mythos and is for the most part a self contained corner of the MU. By creating all new characters, Vaughan is able to let the story unfold without having to worry about years worth of continuity and characterisation. What this means in practice is, like say Buffy the Vampire Slayer – you can’t assume that your favourite characters are safe. People change, people die, and stuff happens that changes the status quo. All of this makes Runaways a particularly fun and unpredictable ride that is well worth your time. Oh and there’s a telepathic Dinosaur!

Bottom line – great roller-coaster ride of a read for young adults to big people (although marketed by Marvel as an All Ages title I wouldn’t recommend this for the littlies).

Recommended for:

• Buffy fans (Joss Whedon takes over the title in later volumes).
• Brian K. Vaughan fans
• Manga fans looking for an entry point into the Marvel Universe.
• Comic fans of great discernment and taste.

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Tags: Mat Signal, Review