Product Description: The team's lineup changes forever in the perfect jumping-on point for the series that Wizard said "could be the most original book to focus on teenaged super heroes since Spider-Man debuted all the way back in 1962!" When a dangerous alien invades Los Angeles, the Runaways' own Karolina Dean may be the only hero in the Marvel Universe who can stop him... but at what cost? Collects Runaways #7-12.
Darn good comic booking here ^ After the initial story arc, Brian Vaughan's Runaway's continues to blaze ahead. While many Marvel books are mired in licensing deals and nostalgia, unable to alter their formula, Runaways stands out as a book where things can actually happen, things can actually change.
In this volume a member leaves and the remaining members take on a mission in New York. They have entertaining encounters with the big name Marvel heroes, Captain America, Wolverine and of course Spider Man all show up.
Vaughan sneaks in some 4th wall-breaking jokes about Wolverine's frequent guest star appearances but it's all good fun.
The art by Alphona and Miyazawa is clean and happy. Faces are expressive, the teens look like teens and not supermodels and the action is easy to follow.
The actual story is secondary, the Runaways have to clear a hero charged with assaulting his partner, but the ride is a lot of fun.
Definitely worth buying.
Great Work Diminished by a Small Book Format: Don't Buy This Edition ^ The other reviewers has written excellent reviews regarding the material, so read those for information about the writing and art, both of which are brilliant.
However, I would highly recommend not buying this specific edition. Most people don't notice in the specs that these are small "Archie's Digest" size reprints, or in other terms, approximately "Reader's Digest" size collections. Being so small, it's difficult to appreciate the art, and hence the book altogether.
Instead buy this: Runaways, Vol. 2 which costs $16.49 and collects all 18 issues of this arc. If you buy these small digests separately, you'll end up paying $23.97 for three small books. If you buy Runaways, Vol. 2 instead, you'll be getting an excellent full size hard cover edition and save yourself $7.48.
However, if you like to own three smaller sized digests over a single hard cover with a gorgeously illustrated original print dust jacket at a significantly lower price, then get this instead.
Two In One ^ This digest trade-paperback consists of two miniseries (or arcs). I'll review each of these as if they were a separate item;
Star-Crossed: A major character departs. A new major character is introduced. A plot point about Karolina that was hinted at and slightly developed in the first run of the series finally pays off here. This mini-arc has some cool fights and snappy dialogue as usual, but the best part of these two issues was that they were--compared to the usual explosiveness of the Runaways series--mostly made up of downtime. We get a lot of character interaction and development of not only Karonlina, but also Nico, Victor, and the majority of the other main characters. Takeshi Miyazawa, who penciled a couple of issues in the first run of the series, returns to take a "Celebrity Shot" and handles that art of this mini-arc. As with Miyazawa's previous "Runaways" art, the illustrations are much softer and cartoonish, however it is a welcome change from the detailed and lush art of Adrian Alphona. I'm not ready to say that I like Miyazawa better--or even AS MUCH--as Alphona, but I was very happy to discover that Miyazawa came back for these issues.
East Coast/West Coast: This arc has the most solid standalone story so far. The Runaways go to NYC to help Cloak (a criminally underused Marvel hero who they met earlier in the series) clear his name and discover who attacked his partner, Dagger. Speaking as someone who lives in New York, it's hilarious to see these California-raised characters--who we all have grown to love, at this point--reacting to their surroundings. The city is full with Marvel super heroes, and we get cameos from Captain America, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Wolverine, Spider-Woman, and Luke Cage. However, these heroes don't really come off as that heroic; I know it wasn't at all the intent, but the way these characters are written makes them seem like bumbling fools, except for--perhaps--Spider-Man. Our main Runaways, on the other hand, shine in this arc, each of them undergoing major character development. Chase and Nico will have changed for what they experienced in this arc, and though it's sad to not have Karolina around, her absence gives much screen time to the other main players. Adrian Alphona is back as the artist here and he shines at his depictions both the Runaways and the guest stars Cloak and Dagger. However, as if following the trend of the way Brian writes the other Marvel heroes, Alphona's art suffers when it comes to drawing Captain America, Spider-Man, and Wolverine. Though, gotta say, Alphona pencils a mean Iron Man.
DISCLAIMER: It is best to buy Runaways, Vol. 2 instead of the separate digest paperbacks. It is a hardcover edition, much better quality, that includes not only this, but also #4 and a lot of extras.
7/10
Graphic SF Reader ^ As the title suggests, the Runaways are sometimes off their home turf here, as they encounter the dark hero, Cloak. He is on the run after others suspect him of attacking his partner, Dagger. The kids, not being stupid and obtuse adults of the type found in books focusing on teenage supehero teams, realise this is not too likely.
Fun read ^ Like the other volumes before it, this is a fun extension of the Runaways story. Kudos to Vaughn and team for keeping the fun alive and the story interesting this far into it.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Trevor
