Running back again
The Runaways went away for a while, but they’ve returned with a brand new ongoing series.
Runaways (ongoing) Writer: Rainbow Rowell Artist: Kris Anka Publisher: Marvel Comics I HAVE always had a soft spot for the Runaways, ever since their series debut in 2003.
There was just something about the story of six teenagers who decide to run away from home after discovering that their parents are super villains that seemed so fresh and new at the time.
The original Runaways were also such a fun and eclectic group. You had teenage witch Nico Minoru, who could cast any spell with the Staff Of One, but never the same spell twice, There was super genius Alex Wilder; Chase Stein, the son of mad scientists; solar-powered alien Karolina Dean; Gertrude “Gert” Yorkes, who has a telepathic link with a prehistoric pet dinosaur; and last but not least, Molly Hayes, the youngest of the six, a mutant with superhuman strength.
Later on, other characters joined the team, including Victor Mancha, an android created by Ultron himself.
The team was created by none other than Brian K. Vaughan (Saga, Ex-Machina, Y: The Last Man) together with artist Adrian Alphona.
That 2003 debut was hailed as one of the most original concepts to come out of Marvel at the time.
Though the first volume was cancelled in 2004 after issue #18, the series was revived a year later thanks to the popularity of the group, as well as the high volume of trade paperbacks sold.
Vaughan himself stayed on to write the series until 2007, when he handpicked Joss Whedon (yes, THE Joss Whedon) to write the final arc of his run.
After that, Runaways enjoyed another extended run, before ending in 2009. Since then, the Runaways have featured sporadi- cally in the mainstream Marvel universe, including teaming up with the Young Avengers in a Civil War tie-in, and making an appearance in Daken: Dark Wolverine #17-19.
Some of the members have been a part of other books – Nico and Chase were in Avengers Arena and Avengers Undercover, Nico later joined the all-female team A-Force, Victor Mancha was part of the robot-related Avengers A.I. team, and Molly was part of a completely new team in a Secret Wars tie-in last year.
However, there hasn’t been a complete revival of the Runaways since the series ended in 2009 – until now.
If you’re new to the Runaways, this is as good a time to get to know them as ever. Not only do they have a new ongoing series starring almost the entire original team, they also have a brand new television show that is currently showing on US streaming site Hulu.
Now into its fourth issue, the new ongoing series is written by Rainbow Rowell, with art by Kris Anka. The author of critically acclaimed young adult novels like Eleanor & Park, Fangirl and Carry On, Rowell is undertaking her first comic book stint with the Runaways.
When we last left the gang, two of the original six were dead – Alex, who betrayed the team and went back to his evil parents’ side (though he was recently resurrected in Avengers Undercover), and Gert, who was stabbed and killed during a rescue mission.
This new series kicks off in the most Runaways fashion you could get – with Chase coming back from the past with a dying Gert in his arms (complete with knife still sticking out of her), and a moping, depressed Nico using her magic to summon a doctor (actually a podiatrist) to help save her.
It’s a hilarious but dark sequence that serves as a terrific prologue of what’s to come, as the second issue dives into the rift between the remaining Runaways since Gert’s death, and how far Nico and Chase have fallen since
they were kidnapped and forced to kill or be killed on supervillain Arcade’s Murderworld (in Avengers Arena).
A lot has happened in the two years since Gert was killed, and “losing” those two years has a huge toll on her, as she struggles to deal with the fact that her family drifted apart after her death.
It makes sense that a new Runaways series would bring back Gert – she was the heart of the entire team, and she is also proving instrumental in bringing the team together again this time around.
So off they go visiting the other members to see if they’re interested in getting back together.
Karolina is happy at college, Molly lives with her grandmother (who may not be what she seems), and Victor ... well, he was recently killed by Vision’s wife (long story), and Tony Stark saw fit to mail his head – yes, just his head – back to Chase.
Bringing back the original 16-year-old Gert to this timeline also raises some complications, especially in terms of her relationship with Chase.
So a lot of these first issues is spent on her trying to come to terms with this new world she has been brought back into, which adds more emotional depth to the story.
Four issues in, the new series has not been the most action-packed, and going forward, it should be interesting to see these new old Runaways team in action.
For now, however, this “where they are now” approach to the story is enough to satisfy longtime fans of the Runaways. And for me, it’s thrilling enough just to see the old gang back together again.