Runaways Vol. 2 #25-30 (Joss Whedon/Michael Ryan) (Spoilers)

Re: Runaways series discussion (spoilers)


So, is the old woman Nico, Molly or Karolina? And who's steroid man?

Clearly, this is linked to them getting sent back in time. I don't know when the photo was taken, but Wikipedia claims that color photography was perfected in the early 1900s, so it's sometime before that but after the 1830s. This means that, unless the cover artist didn't do their research, it's too early for even Molly to still be alive. So, they either do more jumping or I'm wrong about it being one of the Runaways. Unless Karolina's species (Majesdanians, right?) ages slower, in which case steroid man might be Xavin.

Looking at it again, that's pretty obviously old Nico.
 
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Re: Runaways series discussion (spoilers)

So, is the old woman Nico, Molly or Karolina? And who's steroid man?

Clearly, this is linked to them getting sent back in time. I don't know when the photo was taken, but Wikipedia claims that color photography was perfected in the early 1900s, so it's sometime before that but after the 1830s. This means that, unless the cover artist didn't do their research, it's too early for even Molly to still be alive. So, they either do more jumping or I'm wrong about it being one of the Runaways. Unless Karolina's species (Majesdanians, right?) ages slower, in which case steroid man might be Xavin.

Looking at it again, that's pretty obviously old Nico.

What makes you think that bro?


I was thinking it was one if thems grandma or aunt
 
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Re: Runaways series discussion (spoilers)

Well, #25 was by not Vaughan. Not by a long shot. It read differently- you could tell it was a new writer from the start. The art wasn't anywhere near Alphona's style, either.

That said, I loved it. Whedon is the perfect replacement, with an excellent grasp on the characters. Especially Molly and Chase. Their dialog in #25 is laugh-out-loud material.

Ryan's art is perfect for Whedon's script, and far more appropriate than any of Vaughan's fill-in artists.

I can't wait for the rest of Whedon and Ryan's run, and can't believe they're only staying for six damn issues. I hope the next replacement team will live up to the legacy before them.

Chase's boredom on the rooftop was perfect, and I appreciated the 'that's what she said' joke. Most of the teenagers I know would say the same in such a situation.
 
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Re: Runaways series discussion (spoilers)

*blink* I really don't think it's likely the old woman is any of the Runaways all-growned-up.

Well, #25 was by not Vaughan. Not by a long shot. It read differently- you could tell it was a new writer from the start. The art wasn't anywhere near Alphona's style, either.

That said, I loved it. Whedon is the perfect replacement, with an excellent grasp on the characters. Especially Molly and Chase. Their dialog in #25 is laugh-out-loud material.

Ryan's art is perfect for Whedon's script, and far more appropriate than any of Vaughan's fill-in artists.

I can't wait for the rest of Whedon and Ryan's run, and can't believe they're only staying for six damn issues. I hope the next replacement team will live up to the legacy before them.

I just hope he doesn't turn Chase into Xander.

Chase's boredom on the rooftop was perfect, and I appreciated the 'that's what she said' joke. Most of the teenagers I know would say the same in such a situation.

Whedon's perfect. It reads a few beats off from Vaughan, but it's honestly more fun than Vaughan's last few issues were. He knows what he's doing. The art isn't all that great though. I hate those thick lines.

I just hope he doesn't turn Chase into Xander.
 
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Re: Runaways series discussion (spoilers)

I enjoyed #25. Zombipanda and Sacred & Profane pretty much said it all.

As much as I love Whendon, I'm going to miss the hell out of Vaughn.
 
Re: Runaways series discussion (spoilers)

Awesome issue.

And I didn't think it was any of them either and still kind of don't but I thought about it again and realized it could easily be elder Nico and Elder Victor. The wings being made of metal scraps and all.

Bendis to Brubaker = Vaughan to Whedon?
 
Re: Runaways series discussion (spoilers)

Awesome issue.

And I didn't think it was any of them either and still kind of don't but I thought about it again and realized it could easily be elder Nico and Elder Victor. The wings being made of metal scraps and all.

Bendis to Brubaker = Vaughan to Whedon?

A very good comparison. Though I don't know (yet) if Whendon's Runaways will be the equivalent of Brubaker's Daredevil. I'll have to read a few more issues.
 
Re: Runaways series discussion (spoilers)

I love the amount of drama per characters in Runaways. The density of melodrama and various love geometric symbols for only six recurring stars (seven counting Old Lace) beats most Avengers and challenged Stan Lee's Spider-Man and the better arcs of USM.
 
Re: Runaways series discussion (spoilers)

Could somebody post a scene-by-scene summary of #25 please, detailing any crucial plot developments? I would totally appreciate it!

My LCS is delayed a week, because this whole country practically shuts down between Maundy Thursday and Easter Sunday -- we refer to it as "Holy Week", and the more religious citizens take it pretty damn seriously. No businesses are open; most restaurants are shut, even. The capital becomes a veritable ghost town. (Not that this has anything to do with Runaways, other than the fact that I won't be able to read it until next Wednesday.}
 
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Re: Runaways series discussion (spoilers)

I love the amount of drama per characters in Runaways. The density of melodrama and various love geometric symbols for only six recurring stars (seven counting Old Lace) beats most Avengers and challenged Stan Lee's Spider-Man and the better arcs of USM.

:D I'm just waiting for Nico and Karolina to hook up.
 
Re: Runaways series discussion (spoilers)

:D I'm just waiting for Nico and Karolina to hook up.


Im not to sure if that will happend i mean so far Nico has been shown to be hetero


Besides Kid Ultron needs love too.
 
Re: Runaways series discussion (spoilers)

Im not to sure if that will happend i mean so far Nico has been shown to be hetero

She's kissed almost every boy that's on the team. She doesn't want Karolina, she's just trying to figure out if she needs to kiss Xavin to be 5 for 5. :D

Besides Kid Ultron needs love too.

I can handle that part. :shifty:
 
Re: Runaways series discussion (spoilers)

I can handle that part. :shifty:

I assume that you would probably "hit" local Filipino actor Rainier Castillo, then? :?

rainier-castillo.jpg
 
Re: Runaways series discussion (spoilers)

I agree Whedon was pretty good, but I really didn't like the art. It was too "cluttered." That said, there were some touches I liked, like Molly holding her arm up.

I also didn't see the point of the two-page introductions. It was really boring. They could've just put the text page recap on the first page for new readers instead of a half-page picture and gave us two more story pages.

But there were tons of good lines.
 
Re: Runaways series discussion (spoilers)

Read it.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

PUSHER MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!

WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE YOU?

Kingpin gets briefed on the kids and their powers. He meets them in a restaurant, like we saw in the preview pages. It's not She-Hulk, by the way, just a random green body-building woman. Nico starts to talk to him, but this exchange happens:

Nico: Mr. Fisk. You know who we are?
Kingpin: I'm having dinner with you, at my expense, at my restaurant. Skip the remedial questions or have someone else speak for the group.

Nico and Chase do most of the talking. Molly interjects once to say Kingpin probably has a glandular problem and Xavin tries to convince Kingpin that it's a show of faith to shelter them. The kids try to convince him that he should help hide them from the Avengers and others. Kingpin tells them there's going to be a lesson. Victor takes it as a threat, but Kingpin tells him if it was going to get violent, they'd be dead. Kingpin takes out some pictures and tells Molly to shut her eyes.

It's Pusher Man! :cry: We don't see the pictures, but we see the Runaways' reactions. They're gruesome photos of the Pusher Man's body. Kingpin tells them that he'll hide them if they do him a favor. Basically, he pwns them effortlessly.

There's a panel of them being watched from outside the restaurant by a sniper scope.

Next scene, the kids go to an apartment Kingpin rented them, along with Old Lace. Molly goes up to take a bath. Victor isn't impressed; he's too upset that they're doing Kingpin a favor. Chase is totally enamored with the swanky digs, especially since all Kingpin wanted them to do is steal an old artifact. Victor still thinks it's a bad idea (he's mostly arguing with Nico while the others interject). Xavin interjects that he admires Kingpin for being such a strong leader. He also says "He knows who he is... and he doesn't try to hide it" while shapeshifting. Chase mentions that Gert would've had something ironic to say about Xavin doing that.

Karolina says they voted to meet the Kingpin and Victor points out that they didn't agree to work with him. Nico says it's too late to back out and Karolina says they'll just never work with the Kingpin again. Victor derides this. I agree with him--they're in way over their heads. Plus, it's kind of ironic that they're the kind of kids who would've complained about adults not doing anything, while they're falling into the same trap that everyone else did... it's just this once, just 'til we get back on our feet, ad infinitum. My little Runaways are growing up.

After Victor's last bit of dialogue, there's a shot of Nico in profile.

Then it cuts to a dark apartment with an old woman. She is sitting in a rocking chair looking miserable. She has a photo, but it's obscured by glare. Her profile looks identical to Nico, but older. She talks about how regret consumes her life and the freakishly muscular steroid man from the previews tells them that the kids and Kingpin will play out their parts. He has a huge sword. The old woman tells him he's her angel and says "A second chance."

Cut to Nico on the roof in a sleeveless shirt. Karolina flies up to her with a jacket. Karolina is short sleeved too, but says she's not cold and drapes herself on Nico. They stand there for a minute cuddling (I don't know how else to describe it) until Nico says "I suck so hard." Nico is upset that the meeting went so badly and that Kingpin steamrollered her. Karolina assures her that it's not her fault. Nico says that she thinks Xavin has a crush on Kingpin and Karolina says "Uchh. She's such a guy sometimes..." Nico starts inquiring into Xavin's gender identity, and at first Karolina answers her honestly, but then Nico asks her if the person that Xavin is when s/he's alone with Karolina is the real person. Karolina immediately goes on the defensive and tells Nico that Xavin is trying to be a good person and that Xavin gives Karolina something Nico can't. During this speech, Nico is trying to apologize. Karolina flies off and leaves Nico crying on the roof. Wow, it really sucks to be Nico this issue.

Cut to the Leapfrog landing on a roof. The Runaways get out. They're across from the apartment building with the artifact they're supposed to steal. It's never stated, but I think this is the old woman's apartment. Xavin and Karolina can't fly them to the building because they're too bright. Victor snarks at Nico, Chase makes a filthy comment, Nico threatens to turn them into toads, and Xavin comes up with a plan. S/he tries to stretch between the buildings and turn her/himself into a bridge. It's hilarious--s/he ends up drooping and falls onto the shorter building between the two buildings. Molly asks why Xavin didn't just make a force field bridge.

Cut to later, as Molly and Nico are walking across the bridge. They're the last ones and it seems like Xavin is having trouble keeping the bridge up. Nico is chewing Molly out because Molly stole one of her stockings as a heisting mask. It's a fishnet stocking. :lol: They check out the skylight entrance and Victor checks out the security. He says it's a very complicated system and he can't break into it, he'll have to blow it up and alert the police. Nico says to do it. The Runaways go in, leaving Chase and Old Lace as lookouts. Following a map, Nico leads them to a huge vault. The door is too heavy for Victor to lift, so Molly takes care of it.

Meanwhile, up on the roof, Chase is pretending his hand is a walkie-talkie because he's so bored. Old Lace notices a guy on the building where the Leapfrog is. The man launches a grenade at the building. Chase jumps off and then, the most pimping thing ever happens. Old Lace jumps off too, ricochets off an overhang, picks up Chase with her teeth and then scrapes the building with her claws until they stop moving. :shock: Chase throws up. :lol:

The building inside is on fire. Karolina shielded them from the blast with her shield powers, but they need to leave. Nico comes out from inside the vault with the artifact. It's smaller than her head but bigger than her hand. It looks like either a jewel or something wrapped up in a bundle.

Xavin and Molly smash through the side of the building and they all launch out in a Karolina-bubble. They fall onto a lower roof. Chase and Old Lace are nowhere to be seen. Then this hilarious bit happens.

Mysterious Disembodied Internal Monologue that appears over four panels of the Runaways landing on the roof and looking up with "WTF?" expressions: Children. He's using children. I shouldn't be surprised. Children are always in the front lines of a war. At least this won't take long. One look at me and they're frozen. Like they're looking at the angel of death.

Then it cuts to a shot of the Punisher standing above the Runaways with two guns aimed at them. He's thinking "It's a good start."

Right behind him, it's Steroid Man. He's about to swing his totally awesome sword right at the Punisher's head. He's got huge ****ing metal wings and he's hovering. Literally, they're made of scrap metal. He has these huge veins like something out of Liefeld's worst nightmare, he has the best wings ever with metal feathers all sticking out, this constipated expression, some kind of scars on his face, really tight ripped pants with chains and strings, and he's so weird and like a parody of a 90's "hero". And he's about to swing his sword at the Punisher's head while he's internally monologuing.

AWESOME.
 
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Re: Runaways series discussion (spoilers)

First we get the Bane-looking cop in Batman, and now this new guy. :D It's like DC's courting Liefeld.

Also, Chase's dialogue is hilarious. Although, how long is it going to stay on teen reading lists with drug references in it?
 

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