Runaways is a
comic bookA comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
series published by
Marvel ComicsMarvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
. The series features a group of teenagers who discover that their parents are part of an evil crime group called the
PrideThe Pride are a fictional Marvel Comics supervillain team, a criminal organization that controlled the Los Angeles area of the Marvel Universe. As they are the parents and the initial and more prominent foes the Runaways have faced, they are perhaps the team's greatest enemy to date...
. Created by
Brian K. VaughanBrian Keller Vaughan is an American comic book and television writer. He is best known for the comic book series Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina, Runaways, and Pride of Baghdad, and was one of the principal writers of the television series Lost, during seasons three through five...
and
Adrian AlphonaAdrian Alphona is a Canadian comic book artist best known for his work on Marvel Comics' Runaways, which he co-created with writer Brian K. Vaughan....
, the series debuted in April of
2003-January:* January 2: Kid Colt artist Jack Keller dies at age 80.- April :* Action Comics #800: Double-sized anniversary issue, "A Hero's Journey," by Joe Kelly, Pascual Ferry, and Duncan Rouleau...
as part of Marvel Comics' "Tsunami" imprint. The series had been canceled in September
2004-February:*February 6: Marvel Enterprises and Electronic Arts announce a multi-year agreement in which EA will develop a new generation of fighting video games pitting Marvel superheroes against a new, original set of EA heroes....
at issue eighteen, but due to high numbers of trade collection sales, Marvel revived the series in February of
2005- January :* January 3: Will Eisner, creator of The Spirit, dies at age 87.-April:*April 13:**DC Comics announces the discontinuation of its Humanoids and 2000 A.D. titles....
.
Originally, the series featured a group of six kids whose parents routinely met every year for a charity event. One year, the kids spy on their parents and learn they are "the Pride", a criminal group of mob bosses, time-travelers, dark wizards, mad scientists, alien invaders and telepathic mutants. The kids steal weapons and resources from their parents, and learn they themselves inherited their parents' powers;
Alex WilderAlex Wilder is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. He was created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 1 #1 with most of the other main characters. Like every member of the original Runaways, he is the son of evil...
, a prodigy, leads the team while
Nico MinoruNico Minoru , is a fictional comic book character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. Created in 2003 by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Adrian Alphona, the character first debuted in Runaways vol. 1 #1 with most of the other main characters...
learns she is a powerful witch,
Karolina DeanKarolina Dean , also briefly known as Lucy in the Sky, is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. She was created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways #1 with most of the other main characters...
discovers she is an alien,
Gertrude YorkesGertrude Yorkes , is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. She was created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 1 #1 with most of the other main characters...
learns of her telepathic link to a dinosaur,
Chase SteinChase Stein , is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. He was created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 1 #1 with most of the other main characters...
steals his father's futuristic gloves, while young
Molly HayesMolly Hayes , is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. She was created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways #1 with most of the other main characters...
learns she is a mutant with incredible strength. The kids band together and defeat their parents, and atone for the sins of their parents by fighting the new threats trying to fill in the Pride's void. With the deaths of Alex and Gertrude, they are later joined by cyborg
Victor ManchaVictor Mancha is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. He was created by author Brian K. Vaughan and artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 2 #1 . Like the original runaways, Victor has a supervillain for a parent; his father is the robot Ultron...
, shape-shifting
SkrullThe Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The Skrulls first appeared in Fantastic Four #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
XavinXavin is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. She is a Super-Skrull in training, created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 2 #7...
, and plant-manipulator
Klara PrastKlara Prast is a fictional character that appears in the Marvel Comics award winning series, Runaways. The character first appeared in volume 2, #27 and was created by writer Joss Whedon and artist Michael Ryan, the lone character Whedon had mentioned he would add when he began his tenure of the...
.
Ever since the original groups' introduction, the Runaways have been portrayed as a somewhat dysfunctional yet loving family. Series creators
Brian K. VaughanBrian Keller Vaughan is an American comic book and television writer. He is best known for the comic book series Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina, Runaways, and Pride of Baghdad, and was one of the principal writers of the television series Lost, during seasons three through five...
and
Adrian AlphonaAdrian Alphona is a Canadian comic book artist best known for his work on Marvel Comics' Runaways, which he co-created with writer Brian K. Vaughan....
left the series at issue twenty-four of the title's second volume. The second volume was continued by
Joss WhedonJoseph Hill "Joss" Whedon is an American screenwriter, executive producer, director, comic book writer, occasional composer and actor, founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-creator of Bellwether Pictures...
and
Michael RyanMichael Ryan is a comic book artist, famously known for being attached solely to Marvel Comics. In 2004, Marvel Comics signed a 3-year contract with an eager Ryan, whose first work was New X-Men: Academy X with Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir. Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada would later say...
until they departed at issue thirty. Writer
Terry MooreTerry Moore is a comic book author, graphic novelist and illustrator.He created the popular series Strangers in Paradise, and was involved in the founding of Homage Comics.-Biography:...
and artist
Humberto RamosHumberto Ramos is a Mexican comic book penciller, best known for his work on American comic books such as Impulse, The Spectacular Spider-Man, The Amazing Spider-Man and his creator-owned series Crimson.-Career:...
became the creative team for two story arcs. After one issue written by Christopher Yost and James Asmus,
Kathryn Immonen and
Sara PichelliSara Pichelli is an Italian comic book artist best known for first illustrating the Miles Morales version of Ultimate Spider-Man. After starting her career in animation, Pichelli entered the comic book industry working for IDW Publishing before joining Marvel Comics in 2008 after getting discovered...
became the new creative team. The book is currently on hiatus; the last issue released was Volume 3, number 14.
Publication history
Series creator
Brian K. VaughanBrian Keller Vaughan is an American comic book and television writer. He is best known for the comic book series Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina, Runaways, and Pride of Baghdad, and was one of the principal writers of the television series Lost, during seasons three through five...
pitched
Runaways in 2003 as a part of Marvel's Tsunami imprint, the goal of which was to attract new readers, particularly young readers and the
mangaManga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
audience. Marvel editorial staff agreed to it immediately, prompting Wizard Magazine to name the series as "one of the best original concepts from Marvel in thirty years." The Tsunami imprint turned out to be unsuccessful, and the series ended at issue #18. After the series' sales in
digestsDigest size is a magazine size, smaller than a conventional or "journal size" magazine but larger than a standard paperback book, approximately 5½ x 8¼ inches, but can also be 5⅜ x 8⅜ inches and 5½ x 7½ inches. These sizes have evolved from the printing press operation end...
, Vaughan pitched the idea again to Marvel, who accepted it. As of 2009, the series has been in continuous publication since its relaunch - though Volume 2 was ended with issue 30, with the following month seeing the first issue of Volume 3.
Writer Brian K. Vaughan has claimed that he had only planned to create
Runaways for six months (six issues), but because of the popularity of the series and new ideas from Vaughan, Marvel decided to continue issuing it on for a monthly basis. In 2007, Brian K. Vaughan announced his departure from
Runaways, deciding to leave the series at the top of its game. Longtime
Runaways-fan
Joss WhedonJoseph Hill "Joss" Whedon is an American screenwriter, executive producer, director, comic book writer, occasional composer and actor, founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-creator of Bellwether Pictures...
was hand-picked by Vaughan to write an arc; although Whedon had declined at first, he later accepted.
In
Blair ButlerBlair Butler is an American stand-up comic, and a television host, known for her work on the "Fresh Ink" segment on the G4 program, Attack of the Show!.-Career:...
's "Fresh Ink" segment on the cable television station G4 show
Attack of the Show Marvel revealed that
Kathryn Immonen and Sarah Pichelli were the new creative team. They started with issue #11, which will "start with a prom and end with a death"; Marvel editor
Nick LoweNicholas Drain "Nick" Lowe , is an English singer-songwriter, musician and producer.A pivotal figure in UK pub rock, punk rock and new wave, Lowe has recorded a string of well-reviewed solo albums. Along with vocals, Lowe plays guitar, bass guitar, piano and harmonica...
quotes that "It feels so right and so wrong at the same time? To be honest, and no offense to
JossJoseph Hill "Joss" Whedon is an American screenwriter, executive producer, director, comic book writer, occasional composer and actor, founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-creator of Bellwether Pictures...
or
TerryTerry Moore is a comic book author, graphic novelist and illustrator.He created the popular series Strangers in Paradise, and was involved in the founding of Homage Comics.-Biography:...
, I hadn't felt this way since Gert died." The story ended with a major cliffhanger that has yet to be resolved since the series hiatus began.
The Runaways are set to appear in
Daken #17 on November 23, and will appear in
Avengers Academy #27 in March.
Plot
When
AlexAlex Wilder is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. He was created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 1 #1 with most of the other main characters. Like every member of the original Runaways, he is the son of evil...
,
ChaseChase Stein , is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. He was created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 1 #1 with most of the other main characters...
,
GertGertrude Yorkes , is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. She was created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 1 #1 with most of the other main characters...
,
KarolinaKarolina Dean , also briefly known as Lucy in the Sky, is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. She was created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways #1 with most of the other main characters...
,
MollyMolly Hayes , is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. She was created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways #1 with most of the other main characters...
and
NicoNico Minoru , is a fictional comic book character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. Created in 2003 by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Adrian Alphona, the character first debuted in Runaways vol. 1 #1 with most of the other main characters...
witness their parents ("the Pride") sacrifice a girl in an occult ceremony, the group runs off. As the story progresses, the children learn of their heritage and abilities, and steal resources from their parents, including futuristic gauntlets, a dinosaur, and a mystical Staff. Using these resources, they manage to remove their parents from their criminal hold of
Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, but they lose Alex in the final battle, due to Alex's true loyalty to his parents. With the Pride defeated, the Runaways now vow to prevent other villains from filling in the void left by their parents. They eventually meet cyborg
Victor ManchaVictor Mancha is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. He was created by author Brian K. Vaughan and artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 2 #1 . Like the original runaways, Victor has a supervillain for a parent; his father is the robot Ultron...
and
shape-shifting alienThe Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The Skrulls first appeared in Fantastic Four #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
XavinXavin is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. She is a Super-Skrull in training, created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 2 #7...
, and invite them to join the team. Right before the Runaways defeat a new incarnation of the Pride and
Alex's resurrected fatherGeoffrey Wilder was a fictional super villain in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. Geoffrey led the Pride, the super villain crime ring of Los Angeles. He was the father of former Runaway Alex Wilder.-Fictional character biography:...
, Gertrude is fatally wounded.
In the Marvel Comics' 2006 crossover
Civil WarCivil War is a 2006-2007 Marvel Comics crossover storyline built around a self-titled seven-issue limited series written by Mark Millar and penciled by Steve McNiven, which ran through various other titles published by Marvel at the time...
, the
Young AvengersYoung Avengers is an American comic book series written by Allan Heinberg and published by Marvel Comics. It follows a group of young superheroes, each of whom patterns themselves after a member of the long-established Marvel superhero team the Avengers....
travel to
Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
to help the Runaways fight off the government. The two teams encounter
Noh-VarrNoh-Varr is a fictional character created by Grant Morrison and J.G. Jones and appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appears in Marvel Boy #1 . He appeared in the Civil War: Young Avengers/Runaways and the New Avengers: Illuminati limited series...
, who works for
S.H.I.E.L.D.S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage and a secret military law-enforcement agency in the Marvel Comics Universe. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Strange Tales #135 , it often deals with superhuman threats....
and attempts to capture the teenagers. When the Runaways are accidentally time-displaced in 1907, they encounter the deceased Runaway Gertrude Yorke's parents. After defeating the Yorkes and deadly gang war, plant-manipulator
Klara PrastKlara Prast is a fictional character that appears in the Marvel Comics award winning series, Runaways. The character first appeared in volume 2, #27 and was created by writer Joss Whedon and artist Michael Ryan, the lone character Whedon had mentioned he would add when he began his tenure of the...
joins the Runaways' return back to the present. Upon returning from 1907, the Runaways find themselves in New York, where the Skrull Armada has invaded, seeking
HulklingHulkling is a fictional comic book superhero and a member of the Young Avengers, a team of superheroes in the Marvel Comics universe. Hulkling's character is patterned on the Hulk...
. After being attacked, with Xavin pretending to be loyal to the Skrulls to protect her friends, they retreat away from the battle while Xavin helps Hulkling escape his pursuers. This was part of
Marvel ComicsMarvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
' 2008 crossover,
Secret Invasion"Secret Invasion" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled eight issue limited series and several tie-in books published by Marvel Comics from April through December 2008....
.
In 2008, writer
Terry MooreTerry Moore is a comic book author, graphic novelist and illustrator.He created the popular series Strangers in Paradise, and was involved in the founding of Homage Comics.-Biography:...
, alongside artist
Humberto RamosHumberto Ramos is a Mexican comic book penciller, best known for his work on American comic books such as Impulse, The Spectacular Spider-Man, The Amazing Spider-Man and his creator-owned series Crimson.-Career:...
became the new creative team. The Runaways are hunted by several remaining Majesdanian soldiers with the desire to capture Karolina for the problems caused on their planet; in a twisted turn of events, however, Xavin shape-shifts into Karolina and leaves with the Majesdanians. Moore's stint on
Runaways ended on vol. 3 issue #9.
In 2011 the Runaways are slated to appear in a Daken, Dark Wolverine story called "Pride Comes Before It."
Style
The series is unusual in its own way, as it does away with the concepts of regular superhero behavior, such as aliases, uniforms, and team names. All the characters in volume 1, (except Alex) adopt codenames, but they soon start dropping their names by the end of volume 1. Unlike other super hero teams, the runaways are featured with more girls than guys. At one point, there was only one male on the team with four other females, prompting other groups to refer to him as "the girls' getaway man". At another point, the team has two males, four females and one gender shifter (and a female dinosaur).
Early in the series, Molly is the only character who makes a costume but creates it from old bed sheets and clothes, not the traditional spandex of superhero costumes; she never wears the costume again. During battle, the runaways mainly fight in their street clothes and call each other by their given names. Furthermore, the children almost never refer to themselves as "the Runaways" as the series' title might suggest; their team simply goes unnamed, except for one brief instance, when Nico calls them "the Runaways", and tells them to "run away". Other Marvel characters in the Marvel Universe usually refer to the nameless team as "
the Pride'sThe Pride are a fictional Marvel Comics supervillain team, a criminal organization that controlled the Los Angeles area of the Marvel Universe. As they are the parents and the initial and more prominent foes the Runaways have faced, they are perhaps the team's greatest enemy to date...
kids" or "those kids in L.A." Vaughan even mocks the notion of superhero catchphrases such as "Hulk smash!", "It's Clobberin' Time", or "Avengers assemble!". During a battle with
SwarmSwarm is a fictional character and supervillain, an enemy of Spider-Man in the Marvel Comics universe. A former Nazi sympathizer, his most notable physical feature is that his entire body is composed of bees....
, Nico semi-sarcastically tells Victor the team's rallying call is "Try not to die". However, despite Vaughan's efforts to break down the superhero clichés within
Runaways, Marvel's handbooks and website still refer to the characters by their codenames. The Marvel miniseries
Mystic ArcanaMystic Arcana is a 2007 Marvel Comics storyline published as a series of four one-shot titles. Each book in the series contains an individual main story followed by a back-up story whose plot continues through all four books. The main story in each book focuses upon a different fictional character,...
features
Nico MinoruNico Minoru , is a fictional comic book character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. Created in 2003 by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Adrian Alphona, the character first debuted in Runaways vol. 1 #1 with most of the other main characters...
under her superhero alias "Sister Grimm," a name she has not answered to since
Runaways volume two began.
Spin-off
Excelsior was a support group consisting of former teenage superheroes from defunct Marvel comic series (though one of their members -
LightspeedJulie Power is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. She first appeared in Power Pack #1 and was created by Louise Simonson and June Brigman.-Publication history:...
- was and remains a cast member of a financially and critically successful series of
Power PackPower Pack is a fictional team of comic book superheroes consisting of four young siblings who appear in books published by Marvel Comics. They were created by writer Louise Simonson and artist June Brigman and first appeared in their own series in 1984. The series lasted 62 issues...
books aimed at younger readers). Excelsior was founded by Mickey Musashi (
TurboTurbo is the name of two fictional characters in the Marvel Comics universe. One a comic book superheroine, the other a superhero. Michiko "Mickey" Musashi debuted in New Warriors #28 and her ally Michael "Mike" Jeffries in New Warriors #33.-Torpedo Armor:The Torpedo armor was a creation of the...
of the
New WarriorsThe New Warriors is a Marvel Comics superhero team, traditionally consisting of young adult heroes. They first appeared in The Mighty Thor #411 .-General publication history:...
) and
Phil UrichPhilip Benjamin "Phil" Urich is a Marvel Comics character whose first appearance was in Web of Spider-Man #125. He once was the second person to use the Green Goblin identity as a superhero instead of a supervillain...
(the heroic former
Green GoblinThe Green Goblin is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 ....
), and the group's stated goals were to help fellow/former teenage superheroes to adjust to normal lives and dissuade other super-powered teenagers from becoming heroes, though this rationale (and by extension the team themselves) was made redundant by the events of
Civil War (in which it became a legal requirement for all U.S. resident superheroes in the Marvel universe to register with the United States government for training, or face imprisonment).
Though they originally debuted under the name "Excelsior," the title of the spin-off series was changed from
Excelsior to
Loners, due to copyright issues, as
Stan LeeStan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
holds a trademark on the term "Excelsior!" The team do not refer to themselves as "The Loners", however, as this is not the name of the group within their story (in such a context it would be an
oxymoronAn oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines contradictory terms...
), and the group is simply not named directly by characters.
Characters
Originally, the team featured six main Runaways, remaining constant throughout the first volume (18 chapters) of Runaways.
The original six are:
- Nico Minoru
Nico Minoru , is a fictional comic book character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. Created in 2003 by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Adrian Alphona, the character first debuted in Runaways vol. 1 #1 with most of the other main characters...
, the daughter of dark wizards, is a witch capable of manipulating magic. She is the group's leader.
- Karolina Dean
Karolina Dean , also briefly known as Lucy in the Sky, is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. She was created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways #1 with most of the other main characters...
, the daughter of alien invaders, is a solar-powered alien. She is a lesbian and in a relationship with Xavin.
- Molly Hayes
Molly Hayes , is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. She was created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways #1 with most of the other main characters...
, the daughter of telepathic mutants, is a mutant whose powers include super-strength and invulnerability.
- Chase Stein
Chase Stein , is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. He was created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 1 #1 with most of the other main characters...
, the son of mad scientists, steals his father's flame generating/manipulating gauntlets called "the Fistigons".
- Alex Wilder
Alex Wilder is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. He was created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 1 #1 with most of the other main characters. Like every member of the original Runaways, he is the son of evil...
, the son of mafia bosses, was a child prodigy at strategic thinking and planning.
- Gertrude Yorkes
Gertrude Yorkes , is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. She was created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 1 #1 with most of the other main characters...
, the daughter of time-traveling criminals, used to have an empathic and telepathic link with Old Lace.
- Old Lace
Old Lace is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series Runaways. She was created by Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona and debuted attacking the other characters in Runaways vol. 1 #2...
, a genetically engineered dinosaur from the 87th century, had a telepathic and empathic bond with Gert and Chase.
Later members include:
- Victor Mancha
Victor Mancha is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. He was created by author Brian K. Vaughan and artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 2 #1 . Like the original runaways, Victor has a supervillain for a parent; his father is the robot Ultron...
, the creation of the Avengers' foe UltronUltron is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Avengers #54 , and was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist John Buscema...
and Marianella Mancha, is a cyborg who can manipulate electricity and metal.
- Xavin
Xavin is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. She is a Super-Skrull in training, created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 2 #7...
, the child of SkrullThe Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The Skrulls first appeared in Fantastic Four #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
warlords, can shape-shift and also manifest the powers of the Fantastic FourThe Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
.
- Klara Prast
Klara Prast is a fictional character that appears in the Marvel Comics award winning series, Runaways. The character first appeared in volume 2, #27 and was created by writer Joss Whedon and artist Michael Ryan, the lone character Whedon had mentioned he would add when he began his tenure of the...
, a Swiss immigrant to America from 1907 and child brideChild marriage and child betrothal customs occur in various times and places, whereby children are given in matrimony - before marriageable age as defined by the commentator and often before puberty. Today such customs are fairly widespread in parts of Africa, Asia, Oceania and South America: in...
of an abusive older man, can control the growth of plants.
Film
In May 2008, a film version of the comic is in the scripting state, with
Brian K. VaughanBrian Keller Vaughan is an American comic book and television writer. He is best known for the comic book series Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina, Runaways, and Pride of Baghdad, and was one of the principal writers of the television series Lost, during seasons three through five...
writing and
Kevin FeigeKevin Feige is a film producer. He joined Marvel Studios in 2000, has been involved in all of their theatrical productions, and was named President of Production in 2007...
,
Marvel StudiosMarvel Studios, originally Marvel Films, is an American television and motion picture studio based in Manhattan Beach, California. Marvel Studios is a subsidiary of Marvel Entertainment, a self-contained part of the The Walt Disney Company conglomerate....
President of Production, producing. Feige has said "In our discussions with Brian, we wanted him to be the person to bring it to life. I think it won't be a precise story line of any [of his comics], but certainly it will be most similar to the tone or origins of his structure in its initial run". A 2011 release is tentative, as Feige expected a finished script in early 2009. In April 2010 director
Peter SollettPeter Sollett is an American film director and screenwriter known for his feature films Raising Victor Vargas and Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist .-Career:...
emerged as the front runner to direct the movie. In May 2010, British screenwriter
Drew PearceDrew Pearce is the writer and creator of No Heroics, the well received British TV comedy about off-duty superheroes for ITV2...
, known for the TV series
No HeroicsNo Heroics is a British superhero-comedy television series, which began on 18 September 2008. The show is ITV2's first original sitcom. It was nominated for Best New British TV Comedy of 2008 at the British Comedy Awards.-Setting:...
, was reported to be writing the film for Marvel Studios. In July 2010, it was reported that filming would begin in March - July 2011.
On August 5, 2010, casting for the film began.
Since the casting call was released, a significant amount of fan controversy had risen due to the fact the casting call hadn't specified an Asian-American actress to play
Nico MinoruNico Minoru , is a fictional comic book character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. Created in 2003 by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Adrian Alphona, the character first debuted in Runaways vol. 1 #1 with most of the other main characters...
, despite the fact they specified an African-American to play
Alex WilderAlex Wilder is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. He was created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 1 #1 with most of the other main characters. Like every member of the original Runaways, he is the son of evil...
. Marvel responded by saying, "To address your concern over casting for the role of Nico, as we do with all of our films, we intend to stay true to the legacy and story of the comic when casting these parts. Thus, our goal is to cast an Asian American actress as depicted in the comic series and the casting notice will be adjusted accordingly."
Actress
Keke PalmerLauren Keyana "Keke" Palmer is an American actress and singer who rose to fame for her performance in the 2006 film Akeelah and the Bee. She also starred as the title character in the Nickelodeon sitcom True Jackson, VP...
revealed in the latest issue of Essence Magazine that she had been approached for the
Runaways film. The exact quote was, "I've had a nice little break with the steady TV show but I'm definitely ready to do some more films again. I was just asked to join a new Marvel comic project called,
Runaways." It wasn't stated what role she was approached for, but if it's to be assumed they're staying true to the character's original appearance, it's likely
XavinXavin is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. She is a Super-Skrull in training, created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 2 #7...
. Not long after,
Lucas CruikshankLucas Cruikshank is an American comedic actor. Living in Columbus, Nebraska, he created the character Fred Figglehorn for his channel, named "Fred", on the video-sharing website YouTube...
revealed he also auditioned for the film.
In October 2010, the brakes were put on production, due to
MarvelMarvel Studios, originally Marvel Films, is an American television and motion picture studio based in Manhattan Beach, California. Marvel Studios is a subsidiary of Marvel Entertainment, a self-contained part of the The Walt Disney Company conglomerate....
focusing on The Avengers. With production of The Avengers well underway, The Runaways project is just waiting for the Green Light. The film could be scheduled for release sometime in 2014.
Heroine
At one point, Gertrude's future self travels back in time. She is in her thirties, and without Old Lace, and her superhero name is Heroine at this time.
NicoNico Minoru , is a fictional comic book character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. Created in 2003 by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Adrian Alphona, the character first debuted in Runaways vol. 1 #1 with most of the other main characters...
reveals, with the aid of magic, that this version of Gertrude is the leader of the
AvengersThe Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
of her time line. Superheroes in her time includes characters to yet make an official appearance in the regular
Marvel UniverseThe Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
, including an "Iron Woman", a heroic Scorpion, the "Fantastic Fourteen", and "Captain Americas". She, the rest of her team, the
X-MenThe X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
(led by
ArmorArmor is a fictional character who exists in Marvel Comics' shared universe, the Marvel Universe. She is a mutant Japanese teenager who is enrolled at the Xavier Institute who retains her powers after the events of Decimation. She first appeared in Astonishing X-Men, vol...
), and the Fantastic Fourteen are killed by Victor Mancha's future self, who completed his original mission programmed by Ultron to become the ultimate supervillain "Victorious".
House of M
In the
House of MHouse of M is an eight-issue comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics in 2005. Written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Olivier Coipel, its first issue debuted in June 2005 as a follow-up to the events of the Planet X and Avengers Disassembled...
reality warp, the Pride is mentioned as ruling not only
Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, but all of Southern California. Unlike in the normal reality, their children stay with their parents. Karolina is mentioned as being a "go-to" girl for the
WolfpackThe Wolfpack are fictional characters in the Marvel Universe.-Fictional team history:They are a group of five teenagers that reside in the South Bronx, in New York City. They were originally selected for their extraordinary abilities and aptitude by a retired Naval officer known only as Mr. Mack...
. When the
Scarlet WitchThe Scarlet Witch is a fictional comic book character that appears in books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
takes majority of the mutants populations' powers,
MollyMolly Hayes , is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. She was created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways #1 with most of the other main characters...
is one of the handful that keeps her powers.
In an interview with
Comic Book ResourcesComic Book Resources, also known as CBR is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book-related news and discussion.-History:Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1996 as a development of the Kingdom Come Message Board, a message forum that Weiland had created to discuss DC...
, Brian K. Vaughan revealed that
Runaways (despite being in the main
Marvel UniverseThe Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
) will not refer to the
House of M reality warp. Vaughan's reason for not wanting
Runaways to refer to the Scarlet Witch's attack was because he did not want the readers of
Runaways to be confused about the complex
House of M storyline. He did, however say there would be a brief one-line reference, which happened in the following issue: after Molly angrily punches
WolverineWolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
out of a church, he lands in the snow and bitterly says, "Only
198 mutants leftDecimation is the late 2005 Marvel Comics storyline spinning off from the House of M limited series. It focuses on the ramifications of the Scarlet Witch stripping nearly all of the mutant population of their powers, thereby reducing a society of millions to one of scant hundreds.This event, which...
on the planet... and that girl had to be one of them." The events of
House of M and "Decimation" are referred to later in an issue written by
Chris YostChristopher Yost is a film, animation and comic book writer best known as the head writer of the Marvel animated series The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes and co-writer of the comic book series New X-Men and X-Force.-Career:Yost began his career in 2002 as an intern in Marvel Comics' west...
with Wolverine encountering Molly again and stating, "I don't know if you're keeping up with the current events, but there used to be millions of mutants and now there's under 200."
Marvel Zombies
In
Marvel Zombies/Army of DarknessMarvel Zombies is a five-issue limited series published from December 2005 to April 2006 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Robert Kirkman with art by Sean Phillips and covers by Arthur Suydam. It was the first series in the Marvel Zombies series of related stories...
#2,
the BlobThe Blob is a Marvel Comics supervillain, an adversary of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, he first appeared in X-Men #3 ....
is chased by various zombie super heroes. Behind him, in the background, zombie versions of the Runaways are shown feeding upon
Old LaceOld Lace is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series Runaways. She was created by Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona and debuted attacking the other characters in Runaways vol. 1 #2...
.
Wha... Huh?
Goofy versions of the original team, including
Alex WilderAlex Wilder is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. He was created by author Brian K. Vaughan & artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 1 #1 with most of the other main characters. Like every member of the original Runaways, he is the son of evil...
, are seen in the
Wha... Huh? one shot as part of a joke about
WolverineWolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
appearing in every comic including
Archie-People:* Archie Karas , a Greek gambler known for turning $50 into $40 million before losing it all* Archie Brown , a British political scientist and historian* Archie Macpherson, Scottish sports broadcaster* Archie Thompson, Australian footballer...
,
Yu-gi-oh, and
Pokémonis a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...
.
What If...?
In December 2008, all five issues of
What If...?What If, sometimes rendered as What If...?, is the title of several comic book series published by Marvel Comics, exploring "the road not traveled" by its various characters...
featured the Runaways becoming the
Young AvengersYoung Avengers is an American comic book series written by Allan Heinberg and published by Marvel Comics. It follows a group of young superheroes, each of whom patterns themselves after a member of the long-established Marvel superhero team the Avengers....
as back-up stories. The five-part back-up feature (entitled
What If Runaways became Young Avengers?) illustrates how
Iron LadIron Lad is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular Young Avengers, a team of which Iron Lad is a member. He first appeared in Young Avengers #1 , created by writer Allan Heinberg and illustrator Jim Cheung...
recruits the Runaways as the next new wave of the
AvengersThe Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
, forcing them to be an actual super-hero team with costumes. Written by C.B. Cebulski and drawn by Patrick "Spaz" Spaziante, the story had originally been called
What If the Runaways didn't run away? But it was not until Cebulski accidentally stumbled onto the
Young Avengers storyline that he decide to merge the two stories.
Joe QuesadaJoseph "Joe" Quesada is an American comic book editor, writer and artist. He became known in the 1990s for his work on various Valiant Comics books, such as Ninjak and Solar, Man of the Atom...
, editor in chief of
Marvel ComicsMarvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
revealed early in his online interview feature, "MyCup o' Joe," that the main villain in the What if? storyline is
VictoriousVictor Mancha is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics award-winning series, Runaways. He was created by author Brian K. Vaughan and artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways vol. 2 #1 . Like the original runaways, Victor has a supervillain for a parent; his father is the robot Ultron...
, though
Kang the ConquerorKang the Conqueror is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Avengers #8 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby...
makes an appearance. A reviewer, Jesse Schedeen of
IGNIGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
cited
What If...? itself as "a let down," although the
Runaways back-up story was positively received.
Collected editions
Runaways has been collected in several volumes, in several formats.
| Title |
Material Collected |
Format |
Date Published |
ISBN |
| Runaways vol. 1: Pride & Joy |
Runaways vol. 1 #1-6 |
Digest |
April 14, 2004 |
ISBN 0-7851-1379-7 |
| Hardcover |
December 31, 2008 |
ISBN 978-0-7851-3558-6 |
| Trade Paperback |
August 26, 2009 |
ISBN 978-0-7851-3470-1 |
| Runaways vol. 2: Teenage Wasteland |
Runaways vol. 1 #7-12 |
Digest |
November 1, 2004 |
ISBN 0-7851-1415-7 |
| Hardcover |
July 8, 2009 |
ISBN 978-0-7851-3973-7 |
| Trade Paperback |
October 14, 2009 |
ISBN 978-0-7851-4075-7 |
| Runaways vol. 3: The Good Die Young |
Runaways vol. 1 #13-18 |
Digest |
February 16, 2005 |
ISBN 0-7851-1684-2 |
| Hardcover |
September 10, 2009 |
ISBN 978-0-7851-3672-9 |
| Trade Paperback |
December 9, 2009 |
ISBN 978-0-7851-3673-6 |
| Runaways vol. 4: True Believers |
Runaways vol. 2 #1-6 |
Digest |
October 12, 2005 |
ISBN 0-7851-1705-9 |
| Hardcover |
December 23, 2009 |
ISBN 978-0-7851-4144-0 |
| Trade Paperback |
April 14, 2010 |
ISBN 978-0-7851-4145-7 |
| Runaways vol. 5: Escape to New York |
Runaways vol. 2 #7-12 |
Digest |
April 5, 2006 |
ISBN 0-7851-1901-9 |
| Hardcover |
January 13, 2010 |
ISBN 978-0-7851-4146-4 |
| Trade Paperback |
May 12, 2010 |
ISBN 978-0-7851-4147-1 |
| Runaways vol. 6: Parental Guidance |
Runaways vol. 2 #13-18 |
Digest |
October 25, 2006 |
ISBN 0-7851-1952-3 |
| Hardcover |
March 10, 2010 |
ISBN 978-0-7851-4149-5 |
| Trade Paperback |
July 14, 2010 |
ISBN 978-0-7851-4150-1 |
| Runaways vol. 7: Live Fast |
Runaways vol. 2 #19-24 |
Digest |
April 25, 2007 |
ISBN 0-7851-2267-2 |
| Hardcover |
May 26, 2010 |
ISBN 978-0-7851-4154-9 |
| Trade Paperback |
September 9, 2010 |
ISBN 978-0-7851-4155-6 |
| Runaways vol. 8: Dead End Kids |
Runaways vol. 2 #25-30 |
Digest |
June 10, 2009 |
ISBN 978-0-7851-2389-7 |
| Hardcover |
July 9, 2008 |
ISBN 978-0-7851-2853-3 |
| Trade Paperback |
December 31, 2008 |
ISBN 978-0-7851-3459-6 |
| Runaways, vol. 9: Dead Wrong |
Runaways vol. 3 #1-6 |
Digest |
October 21, 2009 |
ISBN 978-0-7851-4119-8 |
| Hardcover |
March 11, 2009 |
ISBN 978-0-7851-2939-4 |
| Trade Paperback |
June 10, 2009 |
ISBN 978-0-7851-2940-0 |
| Runaways, vol. 10: Rock Zombies |
Runaways vol. 3 #7-10 |
Digest |
April 21, 2010 |
ISBN 978-0-7851-3315-5 |
| Hardcover |
July 1, 2009 |
ISBN 978-0-7851-3156-4 |
| Trade Paperback |
October 21, 2009 |
ISBN 978-0-7851-4074-0 |
| Runaways, vol. 11: Homeschooling |
Runaways vol. 3 #11-14;
What If The Runaways Became the Young Avengers? |
Digest |
September 8, 2010 |
ISBN 978-0-7851-4085-6 |
| Hardcover |
November 18, 2009 |
ISBN 978-0-7851-4037-5 |
| Trade Paperback |
March 24, 2010 |
ISBN 978-0-7851-4039-9 |
| Civil War: Young Avengers/Runaways |
Civil War: Young Avengers/Runaways #1-4 |
Trade Paperback |
May 2, 2007 |
ISBN 978-0-7851-2317-0 |
| Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers |
Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers #1-3 |
Trade Paperback |
February 25, 2009 |
ISBN 978-0-7851-3266-0 |
Runaways has also been collected in the following oversized
hardcoverA hardcover, hardback or hardbound is a book bound with rigid protective covers...
s:
| Title | Material collected | Date Published | ISBN |
| Runaways, Vol. 1 |
Runaways vol. 1 #1-18 |
January 18, 2006 |
ISBN 0-7851-1876-4 |
| Runaways, Vol. 2 |
Runaways vol. 2 #1-12, X-Men/Runaways: FCBD |
December 6, 2006 |
ISBN 0-7851-2358-X |
| Runaways, Vol. 3 |
Runaways vol. 2 #13-24 |
May 16, 2007 |
ISBN 0-7851-2539-6 |
Awards and honors
- In 2006, the series won a Harvey Award
The Harvey Awards, named for writer-artist Harvey Kurtzman and founded by Gary Groth, President of the publisher Fantagraphics, are given for achievement in comic books. The Harveys were created as part of a successor to the Kirby Awards which were discontinued after 1987.The Harvey Awards are...
for Best Continuing or Limited Series.
- In 2006, the series won a Top Library Award.
- In 2006, Brian K. Vaughan
Brian Keller Vaughan is an American comic book and television writer. He is best known for the comic book series Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina, Runaways, and Pride of Baghdad, and was one of the principal writers of the television series Lost, during seasons three through five...
won an Eisner AwardThe Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...
for Runaways.
- In 2006, Runaways' hardcover version listed on the 2006 American Library Association
The American Library Association is a non-profit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 62,000 members....
's YALSA Top Ten Books for Young Adults. It was the only graphic novel to make the list.
- In 2006, the series was also nominated for a Shuster Award.
- In 2007, the series was nominated for the prestigious Georgia Peach Award.
- In 2007, artist creator Adrian Alphona
Adrian Alphona is a Canadian comic book artist best known for his work on Marvel Comics' Runaways, which he co-created with writer Brian K. Vaughan....
was nominated for another Shuster Award for Runaways vol. 2 #12-18, 22.
- In 2009, Runaways: Dead End Kids hardcover version was listed on the 2009 American Library Association
The American Library Association is a non-profit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 62,000 members....
's YALSA Top Ten Books for Young Adults.
- In 2009, cover artist Jo Chen
Jo Chen is a female comic book artist and writer best known for her highly detailed painted comic book covers.-Biography:Chen was born in Taipei, Taiwan and emigrated to the United States in late 1994. Working professionally in the Asian comic book industry since age fourteen, she burst suddenly...
was nominated for an Eisner AwardThe Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...
for her work on Runaways.
External links