“Try not to die!" Runaways Appreciation 2019

[Digifiend]

Karolina's design change shows the passage of time - she's apparently grown out her bangs. Nico's design was actually changed a few issues ago, before Anka left (Amka? Are you getting mixed up with the first name of Snowguard from Champions?).

[Fokken]

Preview looks terrific! I'm very pleased with the artistic transition between Anka and Genolet. The translation of design is certainly heavy but I also welcome the differences as well -- as mentioned earlier, with Nico and Karolina.


Also, Help me out Fam: I think I've inquired about this previously, so forgive me for the repetition but -- between the Runaways and the Young Avengers, how many have died and been resurrected?

Gert, Nico and Victor, of the Runaways (I'm not counting Alex currently since he's...a ghost?)
And for the Young Avengers, we've got Prodigy and Cassie, right?
Am I forgetting about anyone's untimely but appropriately fixed passing?

And across the respective team iterations made up of past and current members for animal companions, we have: Old Lace, Rufus the cat, Pizza Dog, and Jeff the land shark.
Am I missing any?

[Digifiend]

Jeff honestly doesn't count, as he's Gwenpool's pet and Gwen hasn't been a YA.

[Personamanx]

I think you're more or less on the money Fokken. Can't say for certain on the YA side of things, but Gert, Nico, Victor, and Old Lace are the Runaways who died (or were so close to death that the difference is irrelevant) and came back.

I'm loving Genolet's takes on the characters. I didn't want to rag on Anka last month, but the new guy is just a better artist. Looking at his Karolina I'm so disappointed that his Sweet Valley High adaptation keeps getting pushed back.

EDIT: It appears that he was also replaced as the artist on it. DISAPPOINTMENT.

[Personamanx]

New issue tomorrow, I'll presumably be gushing about Genolet's art alongside a poorly written recap.

Also, thanks to the mostlyRunaways blog on tumblr I learned of a Runaways cameo I had never been aware of before. A future version of Nico appeared in an issue of Doctor Strange & The Sorcerers Supreme a few years ago. Makes enough sense as a guest appearance, but I was surprised to have learned of it. I thought I was more on the ball.

[Personamanx]

Read through RUNAWAYS #20 earlier, and it's quite a doozy. Genolet rocks it on art, every character and background looks fantastic. Even though it appears very likely that we won't see some of them ever again. He puts a lot of love into this comic, more than I would have expected.

SPOILERS (Seriously, the last line few pages are rather heavy):

spoilers:

- As seen in the preview Victor is having flashbacks to the Gibborim fight, Molly doesn't want to go to school, Gert is concerned, and Nico thinks it will all blow over. - Chase, and Old Lace spend much of the issue trying to teach Gib how to eat. Gib doesn't really take to it. - Chase leaves for work acknowledging that he will fix the hole in the hostel. - Karolina is late for a meeting at the university, her Professor questions if she's even a student anymore with how much her schooling has suffered. - Victor has more flashbacks while he looks over Doombot. - Gib, and Old Lace are friends. - Gib saves Gert from a falling Girder after Victor tries to reach out to her. More flashbacks. - We meet Karolina's roommate Neveah as K packs up her things. LSD is now a college dropout. - The issue ends with Victor attempting suicide.

end of spoilers

[Digifiend]

spoilers:

Why can't Victor tell the others what's going on? And to be honest, when the others do find out, someone needs to hop onto the Forums and contact the Champions - Viv in particular.

end of spoilers

[Personamanx]

spoilers:

Why can't Victor tell the others what's going on? And to be honest, when the others do find out, someone needs to hop onto the Forums and contact the Champions - Viv in particular.

end of spoilers

spoilers:

Well, he already confessed to Gert what he had done which is why I assume he tried reaching out to her again in this issue. He knew he shouldn't be left alone after he kept reliving awful situations all day, but didn't want to be a burden on her. He's having difficulties living with what he did, and doesn't see many if any options. He can't contact the Champions or Avengers for help, not the good kind of help anyway. The Vision would absolutely try to kill him again, and Viv would likely do so as well.

end of spoilers

[Beetle]

spoilers:

So the secret that Karolina has in the solicits is that she's dropping out of school? That's a bit disappointing Gib is cute edit: I don't think Victor was trying to kill himself in that last scene. I just noticed that it looks like his head seems to be growing a new spine and nervous system while he's in the water

end of spoilers

[Pav]

Well dang.

-Pav, who didn't see that coming...

[Personamanx]

spoilers:

edit: I don't think Victor was trying to kill himself in that last scene. I just noticed that it looks like his head seems to be growing a new spine and nervous system while he's in the water

end of spoilers

spoilers:

It's certainly possible, but the way he locked the door, the despair on his face, and the chemicals he emptied into the tub.... It is definitely made to look like a suicide attempt. Could be a recipe for a new body, but it doesn't look like Victor was trying to do anything but die. Perhaps a failsafe from his daddy? He literally can't try to die?

end of spoilers

[Beetle]

spoilers:

It's certainly possible, but the way he locked the door, the despair on his face, and the chemicals he emptied into the tub.... It is definitely made to look like a suicide attempt. Could be a recipe for a new body, but it doesn't look like Victor was trying to do anything but die. Perhaps a failsafe from his daddy? He literally can't try to die?

end of spoilers

spoilers:

maybe, but if he just wanted to die why throw in the chemicals? His nightmares are about his inner conflict. The fact that he can't protect Gert and his friends in his current body. And the fact that in his old body he lost control and killed his nephew and how he's afraid of that happening again. I read it as Gert nearly dying again, from a falling girder which he could have easily moved away with his old powers, was the last straw for him. And he decided to risk becoming Victorious because he can't be helpless anymore

end of spoilers

[Personamanx]

spoilers:

maybe, but if he just wanted to die why throw in the chemicals? His nightmares are about his inner conflict. The fact that he can't protect Gert and his friends in his current body. And the fact that in his old body he lost control and killed his nephew and how he's afraid of that happening again. I read it as Gert nearly dying again, from a falling girder which he could have easily moved away with his old powers, was the last straw for him. And he decided to risk becoming Victorious because he can't be helpless anymore

end of spoilers

spoilers:

As a hybrid he might no be sure what it would take to kill him? If drowning/electrocution alone isn't enough, perhaps the poison or chemical burns would do the trick. I dunno, I guess I could see him popping up in a new body and have it shown that he knew he could have done this the whole time. Having him only do so when he's feeling at his lowest. But the visuals, and the circumstance very much brings suicide to mind. I had to read it over a few times to make sure this morning, but if it isn't itself a depiction of the act it's rather reminiscent. Almost certainly intentional.

end of spoilers

[Digifiend]

spoilers:

He can't contact the Champions or Avengers for help, not the good kind of help anyway. The Vision would absolutely try to kill him again, and Viv would likely do so as well.

end of spoilers

I don't think that's true now.

spoilers:

Read Avengers/Champions: Worlds Collide (Avengers #672-674, Champions #13-15), Champions: Champion For a Day (Champions #16-18 - Viv is forced to embrace her emotions in these arcs after deliberately blocking them for months), Champions #22-23 (involving Man-Thing, who sees Viv's memories), and Avengers: No Road Home (where Vision gets philosophical and mentions Vin). I'm pretty sure both Vizh and Viv have done their grieving. They wouldn't want revenge.

end of spoilers

[Fokken]

Respectfully I disagree with the proposal that spoilers:

Victor is hesitant to ask for help from the Champions or Avengers because he's afraid of the being killed. Again. It makes no sense for him to be afraid of THAT but then resolve to kill himself . I'm officially in the camp of believers that something ELSE is up his sleeve....er... neck? Something's going on that he feels defeated and desperate and whatever's happening in that tub is his reluctant solution. And its not suicide

end of spoilers