Runaways (comics)
| Runaways | |
|---|---|
| File:Marvel Runaways.jpg The original "Runaways" Group (promo image). Left to Right: Gertrude Yorkes, Karolina Dean, Chase Stein, Alex Wilder (on moped), Nico Minoru and Molly Hayes. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Runaways # 1 |
| Created by | Brian K. Vaughan Adrian Alphona, |
| In-story information | |
| Base(s) | A hidden base under La Brea Tar Pits (current) Branson Canyon Hostel (former) |
- For other uses, see Runaways (disambiguation).
Runaways is a comic book about six teenagers who discover their parents were secretly a group of super-villains called The Pride. It was created by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Adrian Alphona, and is published monthly by Marvel Comics.
History
Runaways was launched in 2002 as part of Marvel's Tsunami imprint. While it didn't achieve high sales, it gained a sizable cult following and rave reviews from critics. After the Tsunami imprint was phased out in January 2003, the series was moved to the Marvel Age imprint. On September 2004, the series ended at issue 18. At the time, the series creator Brian K. Vaughan insisted this was merely a "season finale" and promised that the series would return in a few months. Minding a large list of comic book series that never returned despite similar promises, the fans remained apprehensive until November of the same year, when Marvel confirmed the release of new Runaways series, as part of Marvel Next to open with a six-part story arc entitled "True Believers". The revival of the series was attributed to comparatively high sales of the series' digests. The first issue was released on February 16, 2005 as part of the Marvel Next initiative. Template:Spoiler
The Runaways
Current roster
Sister Grimm
Nico Minoru is a somewhat rebellious yonsei goth. She inherited her parents' abilities to manipulate magical energies, and uses the mystical Staff of One in combat. Unfortunately, Nico's blood must be shed before she can wield her magic, and she cannot cast the same spell twice. Her codename is actually her AOL Instant Messenger screen name. Current de facto leader of the team.
Talkback
Chase Stein often comes across as a dumb jock, but he can be surprisingly clever. He used his parents' equipment, "weaponized" gloves called Fistigons and multi-spectral goggles, but the gauntlets were destroyed in battle with the Pride. With the Fistigons now gone, Chase helps the team by piloting a transport ship designed by his parents, The Leapfrog, which serves as their getaway vehicle (as opposed to most vessels, which are designated "she," Chase has specifically designated the Leapfrog a male vessel, as the team had "more than enough estrogen"). He got his codename from Gertrude's sarcastic remark (he wanted to be called "Neo"). Currently dating Gert and never leaves home without his swtchblade.
Arsenic
Gertrude Yorkes is a sardonic intellectual with socialist leanings. She inherited a genetically engineered deinonychus (whom she dubbed Old Lace) from her parents. Her codename is a reference to the classic play and film. She is 15 years old and currently dating Chase. Gert was convinced her parents were evil long before the Runaways discovered the existence of The Pride, for she believed they were responsible for the disappearance of her first pet, a potbelly pig named Orwell.
Lucy in the Sky
Karolina Dean is a New Ager with a strong moral compass, who took her codename from an old Beatles song. Her alien heritage gives her ability to fly and manipulate solar energy. Karolina's powers were inhibited for most of her life thanks to a med alert bracelet forged from a strange metal; her parents, wishing to give her a "normal" life, lied about her having a deadly allergy and instructed her to never take the bracelet off. For a long time Karolina was ashamed of her alien heritage, believing herself to be a freak, and didn't put much value in her own life. She appears to be in love with Nico.
Bruiser
Molly Hayes is by far the youngest of the group, and, while naïve, she is the most idealistic member of the group. A mutant with super-strength, she grows sleepy after exerting herself or using her invulnerability. She admires the X-Men and has a crush on Wolverine. Originally, she wanted to be called Princess Powerful (a possible reference to Squadron Supreme heroine Power Princess). Instead, Chase dubbed her "Bruiser", as a payback for laughing at the codename Gert had stuck him with. Molly thought running away was a great adventure, but had to be continually reminded that her parents were super-villains.
Ally
- Victor Mancha is a sixteen-year-old 'spandex fanboy'. A version of Gert from the future told the team that he would grow up to kill the world's heroes, and asked them to kill him. They have decided to give him the benefit of the doubt, and have asked him to use his magnetic/electric powers to help them rescue his mother, who has been kidnapped by his supervillain father.
Former Members
- Alex Wilder was the former de facto leader of the group. He was a devoted MMORPG player and a self-professed nerd. Unlike other members of the group, this 16-year-old had no powers or gadgets, but was a prodigy when it came to logic and strategy. This made him apt to decode the tome called The Abstract, which detailed The Pride's past, present, and future. Alex chose not to use a codename, claiming he wanted to "redeem" the Wilder name, but was in fact a spy for The Pride. After Molly destroyed the container holding the soul of a girl the Pride intended to feed to their benefactors, the Gibborim, however, he was the first to be killed by them. Some time afterwards, Nico tried to magically resurrect him, but apparently failed.
- Topher joined the team after they foiled a convenience store robbery that was supposedly perpetrated by his evil, super-powered parents. The charming young man quickly seduced Nico and caused a lot of friction among his teammates. Topher was revealed to be a vampire, and his "parents" were actually lesser vampires sired by him. Topher planned to turn Nico into a vampire and kill the other Runaways, but he spontaneously combusted after he drank Karolina's solar-powered blood.
The Pride
| The Pride | |
|---|---|
| File:Pride (comics).jpg The Pride, by Adrian Alphona | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Runaways # 1 |
| Created by | Brian K. Vaughan Adrian Alphona |
| In-story information | |
| Base(s) | L.A. |
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The Pride were formed under the auspices of the Gibborim, an ancient race of six-fingered giants who wish to wipe the Earth clean of humanity. As an incentive, the six members of The Pride who served them best would be promised rule over the Edenic world to follow. Every year The Pride gathered at the Wilder residence under the guise of a charity fundraiser, but were in fact murdering a young girl in an occult ceremony called the Rite of Blood so that they could feed her soul to the Gibborim in the Rite of Thunder. After Janet Stein became pregnant, The Pride decided to give up each of their spots in Paradise to their children to ensure their legacy. In issue 17, all members of The Pride were apparently killed by the Gibborim.
The members of the group were:
- Geoffrey and Catherine Wilder, crime bosses who posed as businesspeople. Parents of Alex Wilder.
- Dale and Stacey Yorkes, time travellers who posed as antique dealers. Parents of Gertrude Yorkes.
- Frank and Leslie Dean, alien overlords who posed as Hollywood actors and New Age enthusiasts. Took their last name from James Dean. Parents of Karolina Dean.
- Victor and Janet Stein, scientists who supposedly made a fortune for creating a tool that allows you to get the annoying sticker off CDs. Parents of Chase Stein. Victor was shown to be an abusive father who would hit Chase for "talking back".
- Gene and Alice Hayes, telepathic mutants who posed as a doctor and a speech therapist. Conspired with the Deans to get rid of the human members of the Pride in order to ensure immortality for their families. Their identical power signatures and an offhand comment about their "pureblood" marriage has led to speculation that their union was actually incestuous. Parents of Molly Hayes.
- Robert and Tina Minoru, dark wizards who posed as an average, church-going, middle-class couple. Parents of Nico Minoru.
Excelsior
Main article Excelsior (comics)
Excelsior is a support group for former teenage superheroes. Its stated goal is to help fellow teenage superheroes to adjust to mundane lives and dissuade other super-powered teenagers from becoming heroes. They were introduced in the first arc of the second series, "True Believers". There members include former member of Generation X (comics), Chamber, New Warriors former member, Turbo, West Coast Avengers former member Darkhawk, Ricochet, member of the short-lived Slingers group, Julie Power formerly of Power Pack, and the brief "teen Green Goblin" Phil Urich.