The Runaways Thread

[PhotoJones]

Probably. His colorist is better now, too.

 

[The Cajun]

Haha I been away for a few weeks and return to see that a new issue of Runaways has still not been released?!

Poor Whedon. Artists and God just seem to like ****ing with him by making all his stuff late beyond belief.

Also, great thumbs up to Marvel for basicly killing off this series. Smart move to announce Ramos as new artist to kill off long-term fans then leave three month breaks between issues to kill off anyone attracted by Whedons star name.

 

[PhotoJones]

It was released yesterday, dude.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

A new issue came out yesterday.

 

[PhotoJones]

A new issue came out yesterday.

We know, Corp.

 

[The Cajun]

Meh what I said still applies!

 

[PhotoJones]

Actually, the book was probably pushed back by Marvel to allow Ramos to do an arc on New X-Men before switching over to Runaways.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

What a terrible reason to push a comic back.

 

[PhotoJones]

I don't disagree.

 

[Dread]

Reposting my review, heavy spoilers:

RUNAWAYS #28: Officially two months behind schedule, as Whedon/Ryan's run would be ending this month had each issue been on time. Naturally, RUNAWAYS was always a bit of a fluke, "magic in a bottle" type of franchise that BKV amazingly was able to maintain and improve upon for almost 4 years. Anyone trying to fill his shoes is going to have a hard time and I seriously doubt anyone can make these characters work the same way. One issue that Whedon has faced is he writes them as he envisions them as a fan and the quirks he liked best as a fan, not as they actually were written. To that end, Chase is a Joking Jock, Molly is more of an annoying little brat than she ever was, Victor is the stable everyman, and so on. That isn't to say that Whedon hasn't tried to replicate the charm of the dialogue, or the characters's mixed genre world of magic, technology, time travel and metahumans. And that isn't to say this isn't heads-and-tails superior to his ASTONISHING X-MEN work, at least for the past 12 issues of that. More happens in one issue of RUNAWAYS than 2-3 of AXM. And while Ryan is likely the reason the book is late and he makes the kids look more like college age than high school age, the art does stand out (and trust me, we'll all miss it when Ramos rears his ugly pencil). One could argue in some ways it is bursting at the seems. We have the current time travel plot, and you have to add in some of these new characters, including Klara, the battered child-wife with rose-growing powers who is obviously going to be brought to the present time, the "Street Arab" clan of "Wonders" with Lillie tugging at Victor's screws. Then add atop that a team of early 20th century heroes called The Upward Path who are a bunch of religious fanatics, and The Sinners clan run by the hulking Man-eater. Toss in the time-traveling Yorkes clan who just found out that Gert eventually dies (it is very hard to kill off time travelers; just look at Kang and all his divergent personalities). In some ways this has that very busy fan-fic quality to it with Whedon exploring every avenue he figured would be interesting as a fan, perhaps. And it isn't terrible; I probably like his run more than most other RUNAWAYS fans. But it just ain't the same, and this has gone from a book that was my #1 stable rock from Marvel to one that I virtually forget about between issues in favor of counting down for THE LONERS, NOVA, IMMORTAL IRON FIST, NEW WARRIORS, and so on. But I figure whatever enjoyment I get out of this book, I better appreciate for the next two issues, because I am not sure if I can stay aboard for Ramos. I could barely tolerate him for a few pages with the RUNAWAYS SPECIAL, much less 22 pages a month for the concieveable future, and who knows if Moore will use BKV's 40+ issue launch to figure how to write these characters, or just follow after Whedon's simplified version of them? And yeah, if their escape from Iron Man & SHIELD was so easy that it could have been explained via a panel or line of dialogue, why is that beyond Whedon? Little things do count. Readable, but she ain't what she used to be. I guess this is a glimpse of the future of RUNAWAYS as a property and not Vaughan's babies, and it may never work the same.

I do get the sense Whedon is improving, but after 6 issues when he may actually hit a stride, he is gone. And the book's fate left to the winds of lessor talents.

Actually, the book was probably pushed back by Marvel to allow Ramos to do an arc on New X-Men before switching over to Runaways.

Seriously? That's stupid. I HATE when Marvel deliberately causes books to be late.

ULTIMATE SECRET they deliberately screwed pulling off McNiven for NEW AVENGERS. And then there was ASTONISHING X-MEN, where the already glacial Cassaday was yanked for some CW project or other. I'm sure Joe Q has a good reason to choosing to sacrifice some readers for others, and I am sure it is stupid and obnoxious.

Granted...on the other hand, we are talking about delaying a Ramos run, which may be a godsend. But, obviously, Marvel sees the RUNAWAYS audience as a small fish.

 

[BrianWilly]

Runaways #28
I never really get tired of declaring that Whedon writes some of the very best dialogue and characterization of any person alive, mostly because I get proven right like every single day. Everyone gets a great moment here. Every single character has lots to do and does it well. Molly and Karolina with Whedon's Important Feminist Message of the month. Nico and her ancestor...wow, parent issues don't even begin to describe it. Victor being a cheating ho with another cheating ho and yet it somehow manages to be charming. And people still whining about Chase being too thinly-characterized or forgetting all about Gert or whatever can now officially unlax. He gets some of the best dialogue and scenes in this issue, plus he gets to hit his girlfriend's mom with a wrench.

On a downside, the plot has completely reached the point of "hellish dragging." It's weird; maybe it's just because of the lateness, and by no means is this comic utilizing decompression, and so much is happening here page by page, and yet it feels like we're not moving at all. I believe most of the problem is due to sheer size of cast...by the end of this issue, we have -- and I kid you not -- at least twenty-two characters to keep track of in a total of six ongoing plots. Even if Joss manages to put the least possible amount of action and characterization in a single panel, the story would still feel like a bloated whale. And, again, by no means is Joss even attempting to put the least amount of anything in any panel.

(8 out of 10)

 

[Specter313]

Anyone else think that Nico might come outta this with a staff upgrade?

 

[PhotoJones]

Are you referring to the other chick's crazy big staff?

 

[Specter313]

Maybe. I think there might be a possibility that she either takes that lady, her ancestor or whatever, her staff, or maybe she teaches Nico something that will allow her to upgrade the Staff of One herself.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

How do we know Nico's isn't already the upgraded staff? She is from a later point in time than her ancestor, and one could just as easily assume the staffs have moved up in power over the years, not down.

 

[PhotoJones]

Ah, logic.

 

[Specter313]

How do we know Nico's isn't already the upgraded staff? She is from a later point in time than her ancestor, and one could just as easily assume the staffs have moved up in power over the years, not down.

Well, I was thinking: more crap on the staff = upgraded.

Plus, whoever this woman is, seemed to automatically know Nico was a witch from her family, so I'm assuming that she could sense Nico's powers and staff, which would mean that she has a lower level staff if it's such a "disappointment".

 

[The Cajun]

Anyone else find it a little uncomfertable reading the whole 'then I come home and preform my marital duties' bit?

Whedon cutting things very fine with that.

Hoping against hope they don't bring that little girl back with them. Molly on her own is bearable but can you imagine how bad it would be if they gave her a friend to banter with?!

I wouldn't take any of the characters back. If I had to though bring the redhead.

 

[PhotoJones]

You're supposed to find it uncomfortable. That's kinda the point.

 

[GoldenAgeHero]

i'm waiting for a black character to be put into the group, wanna see some interracial mingling. I miss Alex alot, but whatever.

 

[PhotoJones]

Xavin is black. Sort of.

 

[Specter313]

And Victor is hispanic, so it's not like there's hasn't been any interracial members added since Alex died.

 

[BrianWilly]

Nico is Japanese. By way of Glendale.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

What does that have to do with anything?

Well, I was thinking: more crap on the staff = upgraded.

Plus, whoever this woman is, seemed to automatically know Nico was a witch from her family, so I'm assuming that she could sense Nico's powers and staff, which would mean that she has a lower level staff if it's such a "disappointment".

I figured that was more a comment on the fact that Nico's a bad leader and has no idea what she wants. But I guess she could've been talking about Nico's staff.

 

[Eros]

The book feels like generation X after the original creators left, tired,late, and kind of directionless.