Stephanie Kay
Oct 13, 2007, 10:24 pm
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/4images/details.php?image_id=10146" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/marvel/runawaysv2-21t.jpg" hspace=10 align=left alt="Runaways Vol 2 #21"></a>Reviewer: Robin Lewis, lucillerobin@aol.com
Story Title: Dead Means Dead (conclusion)
Dead means Dead. Maybe. Sort of.
Writer: Brian K. Vaughan
Penciler: Mike Norton
Inker: Craig Yeung
Cover Artist: Jo Chen
Colourist: Christina Strain
Production: Rich Ginter
Letters: Virtual Calligraphy’s Randy Gentile
Assistant Editor: Daniel Ketchum
Editor: Nick Lowe
Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada
Published by: <a href="http://www.marvel.com" target="new">Marvel Comics</a>
Special Thanks: C.B. Cebulski & MacKenzie Cadenhead
Runaways Created by: Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona
Since the disheartening news of Vaughan and Alphona leaving the book (boo!) was quickly followed by the more welcome announcement that Vaughan's replacement was Joss Whedon (yay!), regular readers have no doubt been wondering what Vaughan was going to do in his final issues. He's just killed the heart and soul of the team, and this issue sees the conclusion of the inevitable aftermath giving him only a few more until Whedon takes over the reins. Is he giving Whedon the team all nicely settled and ready for new adventures, or is he going to do what Bendis did with Daredevil, and hand over a book with a gripping cliffhangar? Well, we'll have to wait to find out, but with this story the former looks to be on the cards. Chase has stolen a copy of the Abstract and forced Lotus to help him contact the Gibborim in an effort to see his love resurrected. Back at the ranch an aging widower has discovered that not being careful what you wish for can result in transformation into a three-hundred foot horned beast with an appetite for destruction and a severe dislike for modern architecture. Though, as it turns out, this second story is just a cunningly disguised way of having the team confront their recent loss.
While Chase is off trying to bring back what he's lost, the rest of the team are unknowingly on the trail of someone who's doing the same thing and has inadvertently caused the epic destruction (with a little help from the corrupt sleazebag cop from Volume 1). The way the two stories resonate with each other feels more than a little heavy-handed. Chase's actions are entirely in character and understandable, but the rest of the team are dealing with a villain whose motivation is entirely too convenient for the team's state of mind. The bad guy is duly vanquished in a manner that allows everybody to reach some sort of closure, and, barring the epilogue which ensures Chase remains a somewhat conflicted character, the team are starting to settle into their new shape. Such things are of course entirely to be expected in your average run-of-the-mill comic, but Runaways has never been run-of-the-mill. That's the trouble with writing so well, Mr Vaughan: critics expect you to do it all the time.
Chase's plotline is much better, giving Vaughan the opportunity to underline Stein's capability and willingness to commit acts the rest of the team wouldn't sanction. As he himself pointed out a little while ago, Chase has now officially stopped being a kid, and is, by the Runaway's own credo, now another adult they can't afford to trust. I have no idea how far Vaughan (and Whedon) are going to take Chase's moral ambiguity, but at the moment it's providing some much-needed contrast to the rest of the team.
Mike Norton provides the art for this issue, meaning, on the down side, that we don't have Adrian Alphona, but, on the plus side, that we get someone who can draw in a manner not jarringly disimilar. Inevitably, his touch is a little less sure than Alphona, and his characters a little less individual, but Alphona created them, and it's doubtful anyone is going to draw these guys better any time soon. Special mention should go to Jo Chen's charming cover, effortlessly capturing everything lovable about Molly in one frame.
The book is definitely feeling the lack of Gert Yorkes. Where once she'd be on hand to deflate egos and conventions with a deadpan observation we now have silence. The new additions of Xavin and Victor to the team has added little to offset this gaping hole. What Vaughan gained in poigniancy and emotional weight with Gert's death has also come with an attendant loss. I'm not yet certain the trade-off was worth it, and it's regrettable that Whedon won't get the chance to write for Gert as long as he's on the book, but by no means has Runaways jumped the shark.
OVERALL:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/mfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/mfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/mfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/mnone.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/mnone.jpg
Buy this issue online now from X-World Comics and save! (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=1680&cat=RUNAWAYS+VOL+2)
Story Title: Dead Means Dead (conclusion)
Dead means Dead. Maybe. Sort of.
Writer: Brian K. Vaughan
Penciler: Mike Norton
Inker: Craig Yeung
Cover Artist: Jo Chen
Colourist: Christina Strain
Production: Rich Ginter
Letters: Virtual Calligraphy’s Randy Gentile
Assistant Editor: Daniel Ketchum
Editor: Nick Lowe
Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada
Published by: <a href="http://www.marvel.com" target="new">Marvel Comics</a>
Special Thanks: C.B. Cebulski & MacKenzie Cadenhead
Runaways Created by: Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona
Since the disheartening news of Vaughan and Alphona leaving the book (boo!) was quickly followed by the more welcome announcement that Vaughan's replacement was Joss Whedon (yay!), regular readers have no doubt been wondering what Vaughan was going to do in his final issues. He's just killed the heart and soul of the team, and this issue sees the conclusion of the inevitable aftermath giving him only a few more until Whedon takes over the reins. Is he giving Whedon the team all nicely settled and ready for new adventures, or is he going to do what Bendis did with Daredevil, and hand over a book with a gripping cliffhangar? Well, we'll have to wait to find out, but with this story the former looks to be on the cards. Chase has stolen a copy of the Abstract and forced Lotus to help him contact the Gibborim in an effort to see his love resurrected. Back at the ranch an aging widower has discovered that not being careful what you wish for can result in transformation into a three-hundred foot horned beast with an appetite for destruction and a severe dislike for modern architecture. Though, as it turns out, this second story is just a cunningly disguised way of having the team confront their recent loss.
While Chase is off trying to bring back what he's lost, the rest of the team are unknowingly on the trail of someone who's doing the same thing and has inadvertently caused the epic destruction (with a little help from the corrupt sleazebag cop from Volume 1). The way the two stories resonate with each other feels more than a little heavy-handed. Chase's actions are entirely in character and understandable, but the rest of the team are dealing with a villain whose motivation is entirely too convenient for the team's state of mind. The bad guy is duly vanquished in a manner that allows everybody to reach some sort of closure, and, barring the epilogue which ensures Chase remains a somewhat conflicted character, the team are starting to settle into their new shape. Such things are of course entirely to be expected in your average run-of-the-mill comic, but Runaways has never been run-of-the-mill. That's the trouble with writing so well, Mr Vaughan: critics expect you to do it all the time.
Chase's plotline is much better, giving Vaughan the opportunity to underline Stein's capability and willingness to commit acts the rest of the team wouldn't sanction. As he himself pointed out a little while ago, Chase has now officially stopped being a kid, and is, by the Runaway's own credo, now another adult they can't afford to trust. I have no idea how far Vaughan (and Whedon) are going to take Chase's moral ambiguity, but at the moment it's providing some much-needed contrast to the rest of the team.
Mike Norton provides the art for this issue, meaning, on the down side, that we don't have Adrian Alphona, but, on the plus side, that we get someone who can draw in a manner not jarringly disimilar. Inevitably, his touch is a little less sure than Alphona, and his characters a little less individual, but Alphona created them, and it's doubtful anyone is going to draw these guys better any time soon. Special mention should go to Jo Chen's charming cover, effortlessly capturing everything lovable about Molly in one frame.
The book is definitely feeling the lack of Gert Yorkes. Where once she'd be on hand to deflate egos and conventions with a deadpan observation we now have silence. The new additions of Xavin and Victor to the team has added little to offset this gaping hole. What Vaughan gained in poigniancy and emotional weight with Gert's death has also come with an attendant loss. I'm not yet certain the trade-off was worth it, and it's regrettable that Whedon won't get the chance to write for Gert as long as he's on the book, but by no means has Runaways jumped the shark.
OVERALL:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/mfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/mfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/mfull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/mnone.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/mnone.jpg
Buy this issue online now from X-World Comics and save! (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=1680&cat=RUNAWAYS+VOL+2)