The Runaways Thread

[PhotoJones]

I can't wait for Wheadon to leave this title. What the hell is with the chocolate thing? The Kingpin is a heavily muscled highly trained fighter... not fat.

Um...yes he is.

 

[Anubis]

Actually, no, he isn't. 100% muscle or so i'm told.

 

[PhotoJones]

Actually, no, he isn't. 100% muscle or so i'm told.

You can be grossly overweight and still have exteremely powerfull muscles underneath. Just because they're not defined doesn't mean they're not there.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I think the Kingpin's gotta have some fat on him, too. First off, if he didn't, he'd be a bona fide superhuman because everybody has some fat on their body. Second, the way he's drawn just doesn't mesh with the idea that he's 100% muscle. His body type doesn't match that. The most gigantic bodybuilders don't randomly puff out around the hips like a flabby person, especially if they're not supposed to have any fat on them.

 

[KingOfDreams]

Skottie Young should do pencils on this title after he leaves NXM.

If that were to happen I might just boycott Marvel altogether. Well, probably not but that would still be a really bad decision. I can't stand Young's graffiti.

 

[Dread]

Scottie Young should get no where NEAR Runaways.

I must say that having Nico shout, "Runaways, RUN AWAY!" is about the cheesiest thing I have ever read, but in a "so cheesy, it is just awesome" way. I mean, in real life, no one would take "Avengers Assemble!" or "Titans Together!" seriously (even the streamlined "Titans, Go!" is chuckle worthy). No character created today could make "It's Clobbering Time!" work, we just love it from Thing because he's been using it for 40+ years.

Oh, and having Molly randomly predict 100% what happened to Chase is rather annoying. NOW she is starting to linger into annoying kid syndrome.

I still have no issues with the art.

As for Kingpin, I assumed the "pure muscle" thing was much like sumo wrestlers, which is the style of martial arts that he's mastered. Those guys appear chunky and do have some fat, but under it is very dense muscle. Of course, how Kingpin can take punches from Spider-Man is another story. They never explained it well. The Handbooks go, "Spidey holds back", but when Kingpin is strangling the spit out of him, he'd have to be a masochist to hold back a lot.

 

[KingOfDreams]

^
Have they ever actually called themselves Runaways before? Not to my knowledge, although I've yet to read Vol. 1.

 

[Specter313]

I can't wait for Wheadon to leave this title. What the hell is with the chocolate thing? The Kingpin is a heavily muscled highly trained fighter... not fat.

And how many calories do you think all that muscle would burn? He's gotta eat a lot of calories in order to maintain that kind of muscle he is said to have, so one little chocolate bar is not going to overdo it.

 

[Specter313]

Early review for #26, spoilerphobes beware:

Spoiler

Runaways #26
Writer: Joss Whedon
Artist: Michael Ryan
From: Marvel Comics
Reviewed by: Richard Renteria

Picking up immediately following events from last issue, the Runaways must runaway, and fast. After fighting off numerous enemies and Molly giving a gut check to the Punisher, the kids begin to realize that maybe working for Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of Crime, may not have been such a good idea after all. Realizing the device as something that was potentially created by his parents, Chase and the group make a fateful decision. A decision that begins in a roomful of ninjas and ends in the last place the kids could have expected.

Joss Whedon is doing a wonderful job of filling in for BKV on Runaways (yeah, I know, he’s gone, but a person can dream). Packed full of dialogue, this issue lives or dies by the interactions of the Runaways and the various individuals out to get them. To make matters worse a member is seriously injured and requires immediate medical attention, which adds a nice layer of suspense to the story. Whedon also does a great job of giving a reason why the Kingpin is in New York without dwelling on it, an explanation that will prove acceptable to most readers. His use of the Punisher, while fun, was not something that sits well with me. The Punisher I know exists in the MAX titles, not the Power Pack Universe, but in the context of the story it worked well enough.

Michael Ryan continues his amazing work on this title. He’s really coming into his own and his powerful pencils do a lot to help progress the story. Even during the times when the issue gets wordy, Ryan’s art never gets in the way of the story. Ryan’s knack at detailing emotions takes one giant leap forward this issue as the kids are thrust from one situation to another at an almost breakneck speed and the art never lets up.

Whedon and Ryan continue their successful run on the title and take no shortcuts in delivering a great story. This issue was a fun read that should leave the reader wanting more with the reveal on the last page

 

[Dread]

Here is my (not early) review, reposted, and chock full of spoiler goodness:

RUNAWAYS #26: I officially have gotten used to Ryan's style here, so no complaints. Punisher guest stars, but ends up having to dodge some mysterious angel person and then becomes the latest gruff anti-hero to get pwned by Molly. I will note that Whedon's Molly seems to be less gung-ho about beating people down than BKV's. I couldn't imagine his Molly feeling bad about hurting the Punisher, especially after he held up the team with firearms. Some people have said that Whedon's Molly is less annoying, but I am starting to find her more, especially when she predicts the Chase survival thingie. On the plus side, "Runaways, RUN AWAY!" is the coolest, cheesiest team battle cry I have heard in a while (C'mon, like "Avengers Assembe" or "Titans, Together" don't objectively sound cheesy, we're just used to them). It appears the "explaination" for Kingpin being in NYC is that he can't resist coming back into the old life. Wow, and that couldn't have been addressed last issue? Anyway, this book is much better paced than ASTONISHING; more has happened in these last two issues than in 4 of Astonishing. The team gets away with the trinket, which Chase determines as something from both his and Gert's parents. The Kingpin amushes them with ninjas and mortally wounds Nico before they use the gadget to go back in time to escape, justifying #27's cover, which looks nice. Whedon will never fill BKV' shoes after 6 issues, but he's providing enjoyable Runaways adventures with fun dialogue and nice pacing and hasn't changed the tone from BKV too dramatically. In some ways Whedon's energy seems higher here than in ASTONISHING X-MEN, which makes sense as he was an admitted fanboy of the title. About my only quibble is that Chase really isn't acting at all like BKV set him up to act like in the final arc, being too jovial and inept. But 87% of the rest of the book is solid, so it's definately a success, a B+/A- sort of effort here. I just worry about the future of the book come October when Whedon is gone. Can't wait for the sales figures for April for #25. The angel subplot seems a bit bizarre, but I expect eventually it will be explained. He seems like the Ord type character, a generic mysterious tanker. And Punisher's "war journal" dialogue after being gut-punched? Priceless. Even if his appearence really did nothing but provide a laugh and a GUEST STAR solict, I didn't mind. Despite the flaws this is a solid book for Whedon's talents, it just is a shame he will be gone before he could work out the kinks.

Admittedly, Punisher's appearence here was for a joke and little more, making it seem a tad pointless, but I didn't mind, as he, Wolverine, and Ghost Rider made far more pointless guest appearences in books in the 90's.

Whedon's RUNAWAYS isn't perfect, and perhaps with more time he'd be able to improve on these flaws, but 6 issues really isn't long enough to, so at least we should get an enjoyable side adventure out of him here, before, hopefully a more permanent writer comes aboard.

 

[AndThePickles]

This past issue gave me a lot of laughs. I liked it. Molly annoyed me, but not nearly as much as usual. And I loved how she punched Punisher in the gut.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

Molly annoyed me very little as well. This is a turning point in my life......I'll never give up my alcoholism though

 

[Dread]

Yeah, the Punisher gut punch was classic.

Still, it's odd; those that hated Molly when BKV was writing her are suddenly loving her now that Whedon is writing her, while I have started to find her more annoying. Tell me, what exactly has Whedon changed in how she is written that is for the better, in some of your opinions? I'm not being snarky, I am just curious.

 

[AndThePickles]

Well, I am FAR from loving her. She just doesn't say as many annoying, super childish things. Still says them, yes, but not nearly so often.

 

[Dread]

Well, I am FAR from loving her. She just doesn't say as many annoying, super childish things. Still says them, yes, but not nearly so often.

I see.

As an aside, there are 5 things that are a "given" about me as a poster:

1). Long posts
2). Marvel-Bashing, because it's the only company I really care about and thus expect a lot from
3). Cynicism mixed with knowledge
4). Leaping to conclusions
5). Exaggeration

The last bit pertains to the "loving" line.

 

[AndThePickles]

I see.

As an aside, there are 5 things that are a "given" about me as a poster:

1). Long posts
2). Marvel-Bashing, because it's the only company I really care about and thus expect a lot from
3). Cynicism mixed with knowledge
4). Leaping to conclusions
5). Exaggeration

The last bit pertains to the "loving" line.

Yeah, but I don't even LIKE her still.

 

[Dread]

Yeah, but I don't even LIKE her still.

Touche'.

While on that subject, Molly was never my favorite Runaway at all. I just noted she served as the pin to pop the teen angst balloon at times.

To me, Molly is sort of like Psylocke; I don't hate the character, but I hardly would look forward to her the most in a team book.

 

[PhotoJones]

Touche'.

While on that subject, Molly was never my favorite Runaway at all. I just noted she served as the pin to pop the teen angst balloon at times.

To me, Molly is sort of like Psylocke; I don't hate the character, but I hardly would look forward to her the most in a team book.

Psylocke is one of those characters that really doesn't have a set personality. We really don't know much about her. We know her origin, and we know things that she's been through, but she's not like a Wolverine or even a Cyclops were I could accurately predict what she's going to do in a certain situation. Her personality depends on whoever's writing her.

Basically, however cool her character design is, she's a product of the late 80's early 90's where depth of character weren't a top priority.

 

[SpideyInATree]

Great issue of Runaways here. Though it was really funny with the Punisher appearance. You figure something pretty bad ass is going to happen considering ever since the MU Punisher has been back bad guys have been dying left and right. No, he gets punched in the guy by an 11 year old mutant girl. NICE!!!

 

[The Cajun]

I don't know what peoples problems are with Molly being able to predict what happened to Chase and Old Lace.

BKV set up in his last issue that Alex is able to speak to her from beyond the grave. Whedon is just keeping with that angle.

 

[Mogwai]

Whedon said he wanted to introduce a new character, wonder when we'll see that?

 

[ihateusernames]

Eh, I'm not really into the new Molly Joss is writing.
The old Molly wouldn't feel bad about punching a guy who drew a gun out and pointed it at her and her friends, and the excitment she had when she wanted to open the safe door, I don't know... I don't hate it, I just don't like it.
and Chase seems to have forgoten about the 6+ issues of heavy character development he went through.

Don't get me wrong, I laughed, I enjoyed, and I will keep reading, It just feels like with some chatacters, we've taken 2 steps forward and now 3 steps back.

 

[Dread]

Eh, I'm not really into the new Molly Joss is writing.
The old Molly wouldn't feel bad about punching a guy who drew a gun out and pointed it at her and her friends, and the excitment she had when she wanted to open the safe door, I don't know... I don't hate it, I just don't like it.
and Chase seems to have forgoten about the 6+ issues of heavy character development he went through.

Don't get me wrong, I laughed, I enjoyed, and I will keep reading, It just feels like with some chatacters, we've taken 2 steps forward and now 3 steps back.

I agree with this sentiment here.

I suppose what Whedon is trying to do here is make the book "lighter" like it was in some of the beginning volumes and not as angst or dark as when BKV left. But the price is that it makes some characters not seem like they experienced anything worthwhile, like Chase. BKV dealt with the loss of Gert as a defining, personality altering moment for him, and Whedon strips that in the name of a few extra jokes. It plagues more mainstream superhero franchises all the time, the deliberate confinement of development and evolution in the name of a perennial status quo. RUNAWAYS avoided that so long as it was maintained by their creator, but now it may enter that phase, and it will be jarring for longtime fans.

It's a ugly refresher course in the fatal narrative flaw of mainstream Western comics that never end (although to be fair, modern Manga has gotten longer and longer to the point of almost seeming infinate).

 

[ihateusernames]

Whedon said he wanted to introduce a new character, wonder when we'll see that?

Could be someone from the past, who runsaway with them to the future.
That'd be kind of cool I guess, he'd have to become used to living in our time, and he'd feel left out, maybe he/she would get on well with Xavin.

 

[ihateusernames]

I agree with this sentiment here.

I suppose what Whedon is trying to do here is make the book "lighter" like it was in some of the beginning volumes and not as angst or dark as when BKV left. But the price is that it makes some characters not seem like they experienced anything worthwhile, like Chase. BKV dealt with the loss of Gert as a defining, personality altering moment for him, and Whedon strips that in the name of a few extra jokes. It plagues more mainstream superhero franchises all the time, the deliberate confinement of development and evolution in the name of a perennial status quo. RUNAWAYS avoided that so long as it was maintained by their creator, but now it may enter that phase, and it will be jarring for longtime fans.

It's a ugly refresher course in the fatal narrative flaw of mainstream Western comics that never end (although to be fair, modern Manga has gotten longer and longer to the point of almost seeming infinate).

I know, it's anoying though, he's making it more accessible to read for a wider audience, if he acomplishes that, RUNAWAYS gets more readers, which means we get to keep the series as an on going.
But at the same time, we, the fans who've been with the book since it started, are forced to deal with our characters going back to the begining.
It's kind of a catch 22, I guess.

I'm honestly upset over Chase, he seems so... old (in the sence that we're reading his charcter from two years ago).

I don't really understand whats going on with Nico either, has she suddenly decided she wanted K all along? I got the feeling when BKV wrote it she was always a little, I don't know... Curious? but now she seems fairly sure she wants K. and I saw no mention of her and Vic being together, Don't get me wrong, I don't want them all over each other every issue, but if Joss is playing the lesbian card, I'd like to see how she's acting towards Victor.