Runaways Appreciation 2021

[Pav]

I'm not even confident that Xavin will even show up. The possibility is there, but whose to say the Majesdanians would bring their prisoner with them or if Xavin hadn't escaped. I think it's more likely that the final issue will make one last hail Mary to get readers on board, and interested again. Runaways in space. Can't say Rowell would be ideal to do it, but at least it'd be better than hanging out in a cave, and waiting for something to kill them.

I will say this:

The Runaways were pretty broken as a team, as a concept, and as a comic.

Nobody after BKV seemed to have any real success with them, and eventually they were reduced to being guest stars in other comics every once in a while -- especially if your name wasn't Nico or Chase.

But Rowell has put them back on the map. We may have enjoyed (or not) this series to various degrees -- I genuinely liked it -- but regardless of one's personal feelings, I think it's safe to say that these characters are in a better place than they were before the series started. Rowell has hit upon some keys regarding the success of this comic: Gert is necessary. Alex is necessary. The family aspect between the kids is vital.

Now that the characters have been put back into "working order," maybe we'll get to see them under the pen of other writers who are willing to take more creative risks, create more reasons for the kids to be Runaways, etc.

One can hope anyway!

-Pav, who wants to see Molly's grandma again...

[Frontier]

I will say this:

The Runaways were pretty broken as a team, as a concept, and as a comic.

Nobody after BKV seemed to have any real success with them, and eventually they were reduced to being guest stars in other comics every once in a while -- especially if your name wasn't Nico or Chase.

But Rowell has put them back on the map. We may have enjoyed (or not) this series to various degrees -- I genuinely liked it -- but regardless of one's personal feelings, I think it's safe to say that these characters are in a better place than they were before the series started. Rowell has hit upon some keys regarding the success of this comic: Gert is necessary. Alex is necessary. The family aspect between the kids is vital.

Now that the characters have been put back into "working order," maybe we'll get to see them under the pen of other writers who are willing to take more creative risks, create more reasons for the kids to be Runaways, etc.

One can hope anyway!

-Pav, who wants to see Molly's grandma again...

Well, "better place" in as far as they're back together and relatively stable, even if they haven't really felt driven outside of when they brought Gert back and got the team back together and had to deal with Alex.

[Personamanx]

I mean the Runaways are about as broken as any other group of characters in adventure fiction. When there isn't enough action, and there's too much down-time it becomes more difficult to ignore how awful of an existence it must be for the characters. The life of young adults, and children living in a collapsed mansion without having any concerns or plans for the future is just depressing when you stop to think about it. With little exception, they all have better places to be than hanging out in a hole. Unless things happen to the characters that keep making the hole a good idea. Rowell herself tugged on this thread very heavily with Klara, by removing her to a stable home environment. If you don't want the characters to do interesting things, or have interesting things done to them don't use the characters. Most definitely don't introduce your own that likewise do virtually nothing but eat pages.

I was fairly content with Nico, Chase, and Molly's various appearances during the hiatus. Granted in the case of Molly it was an alternate future version predominantly, the three of them showed up in books, would do things as well as react to things that occurred in the stories. I can't argue that Whedon, Moore, and Immonen were unable to continue the "success" of the BKV run. But with the exception of Whedon's issues the series has always sold about as well as a fishnet trash bag. It's continued existence was almost always due to it being a favourite of editors like CB Cebulski. But even they have limits to what they can continue I suppose.

The show put them on the map. The new comic was a plus, and an excuse to get a popular YA author on the pay roll. The fact that it outlasted the show is nothing short of voodoo, just enough black magic to keep one of the lowest selling Big 2 ongoings to last until #100. I love Alex more than most fans of the book, and I recognize that many love Gert. But the book was at it's best during volume two when Alex was entirely absent, and BKV's arcs after Gert died were the best of his run.

I would welcome any other writer to take the book in some kind of direction. Maybe avoid Quinton Peeples, but I can't think of any currently working writers that I would dislike more than Rowell's continued nothing sandwich.

[AlwaysWondered]

Bummer if he's off the book, but I'm not betting on there being an issue #101.



There's still the as of yet unexplained Gert from volume 3. Unless you count an interview Kathryn Immonen had years ago, but I certainly don't.

Do you have a link to this interview by any chance? What was said exactly, would love to know!?

[ZeroBG82]

Well, "better place" in as far as they're back together and relatively stable, even if they haven't really felt driven outside of when they brought Gert back and got the team back together and had to deal with Alex.

I would argue that's kind of the point though. They aren't a team, they are a family. And they don't have a mission statemebt beyond 'get through the day in one piece.'

This volume has been less about superheroes and much more about the young adult drama. Growing up, changing and asking about your place in the world. I think that's why I have loved it so much. It's a lot more direct and less allegorical than BKV's two volumes, but maybe all the more effective for it. If this is truly the end (for now) I'm curious what's next for these characters.

[Frontier]

I would argue that's kind of the point though. They aren't a team, they are a family. And they don't have a mission statemebt beyond 'get through the day in one piece.'

This volume has been less about superheroes and much more about the young adult drama. Growing up, changing and asking about your place in the world. I think that's why I have loved it so much. It's a lot more direct and less allegorical than BKV's two volumes, but maybe all the more effective for it. If this is truly the end (for now) I'm curious what's next for these characters.

I mean, I get that. It's what Rainbow Rowell is known for writing and I don't think it's bad per se, I'm usually a sucker for young adult drama. But...I mean, it's still a Marvel comic so I expect a little more to happen and a little more meat than I feel like we've gotten in this run.

And I don't feel like this run has developed the casts' existential issues as well as it could.

[Drops Of Venus]

I'm not even confident that Xavin will even show up. The possibility is there, but whose to say the Majesdanians would bring their prisoner with them or if Xavin hadn't escaped. I think it's more likely that the final issue will make one last hail Mary to get readers on board, and interested again. Runaways in space. Can't say Rowell would be ideal to do it, but at least it'd be better than hanging out in a cave, and waiting for something to kill them.

Yeah, I'll try not to get my hopes too high because considering Rowell's continued refusal to bring Xavin back throughout her entire run so far, maybe she'll just give the character an off-panel send-off. I'm just praying she won't do something stupid like killing them off or creating a cliffhanger mystery that doesn't get resolved (not another Gert lookalike situation, for the love of god). I would like Xavin to return and stay with the team, but if that's not possible, my ideal scenario would be at least a mention that the Kree/Skrull empire saved them, so if the book is done, we at least would have the possibility of them showing up in a cosmic book alongside Hulkling or whatever.

[Pav]

Yeah, I'll try not to get my hopes too high because considering Rowell's continued refusal to bring Xavin back throughout her entire run so far, maybe she'll just give the character an off-panel send-off. I'm just praying she won't do something stupid like killing them off or creating a cliffhanger mystery that doesn't get resolved (not another Gert lookalike situation, for the love of god). I would like Xavin to return and stay with the team, but if that's not possible, my ideal scenario would be at least a mention that the Kree/Skrull empire saved them, so if the book is done, we at least would have the possibility of them showing up in a cosmic book alongside Hulkling or whatever.

One other thing we haven't really gotten is a proper reunion between the Runaways and the Young Avengers. These two teams have so many great connections amongst each other, the Teddy-Xavin connection being just one.

-Pav, who loved the mini where they fight a mind-controlled Noh-Var...

[Fokken]

IF Xavin were to return, they are absolutely the type of lesser known niche character that Ewing loves to pluck from obscurity and since he's the current Captain of the Emperor Hulkling ship, I would absolutely MELT if he added them to that narrative. Oh my heart would sing.

[Personamanx]

I would love to see Xavin show up in S.W.O.R.D. Seems like they would be a good fit there. Brand needs good agents, and Xavin functions well under a good leader.

[Personamanx]

No Solicit for October 2021.

[Digifiend]

One month skipped could just be a delay or a deliberate skip month. Two or more though, tends to be bad news... it's been nice while it's lasted, guys.

[Personamanx]

Peach Momoko's Nico Minoru cover for Marvel Voices: Identity.

[Frontier]

Peach Momoko's Nico Minoru cover for Marvel Voices: Identity.

Love this art and Nico .

[Personamanx]

One week away from the Legacy #100. Any hopes or expectations? Not terribly optimistic myself, but I'm excited for the Adrian Alphona pages if nothing else.