Parental Guidance

Without decades of backstory or millions of dollars in merchandising Runaways is able to focus on the things that matter, characters and story. I was intially worried about this book when it threatened to bring back a dead character and their foes The Pride. I shouldn't have worried. Vaughan manages to surprise and fake-out readers with new foes, new romance, surprise twists and sudden death. Runaways remains a well-written book and welcome bit of freshness in mainstream superhero comics.

I liked the normal art style, the style to which they look like they are trying to copy a kind of 'manga' style leaves it to me looking rather ugly.

The other reviewer has written a good review, so read that 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 that these are small "Archie's Digest" size reprints, or in other terms, "Reader's Digest" size collections. Being so small, it's difficult to appreciate the art. 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.

You've all experienced it. Not all of you notice it every time, though, but it's there. It's that point of realization when, while reading/watching something, you realize that you're experiencing something truly great. Those moments vary for all of us, but I remember a few of my "PoR"s. It can come early in the story (for me, Harry Potter's "Sorting" in the first book was my PoR) or even when the story has been going on for a while (Giles and Buffy's poignant exchange in the end of "Lie to Me" from the second season of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" comes to mind) but every truly great work as it. Runaways delivered that Point of Realization to me in this arc. Starting off with a light one-shot side adventure of the fan favorite Molly, Brian K. Vaughan packs every page with quotable dialogue, huge character moments, and poignant insight into said characters. Molly's dream sequence in the end is officially the first time--other than the revelation at the end of Angel After the Fall #1 Season 6 of course--that a comic brought a tear to my eye. To say any more would be to spoil the reveal, but that very moment turns what would otherwise be a forgettable--yet enjoyable--side story into one of the best "Runaways" moments there is. The greatness continues through-out the next five issues, which make up "Parental Guidance," the strongest arc this series has produced so far. Fear of the future (Victor worries about becoming the 'villain' he was told he would become; Gert rejects becoming the woman from the future) and encounters with people from the past--friends and enemies alike--are the big themes in this arc. As disturbing revelations threaten to tear the team up, they find themselves coming face to face with the until now faceless villains who've been plotting against them since the beginning of Runaways, Vol. 2. Penciller Adrian Alphona is at his best here. I'm not sure if it's the way his style meshes with colorist Christina Strain's work (far superior than Brian Reber, the prior colorist) or the simple fact that he has been working with Brian K. Vaughan and these characters for such a long time, but the artistic delivery here is top notch. And, while I do miss Jo Chen's covers and feel that Marcos Martin's work on the covers is sub par, the interior material is just so good that I don't care what the covers look like. Though, I must add that I'm glad Chen is back as the cover artist for the next arc. Whether "Runaways" has already delivered a Point of Realization to you or if you're still waiting for it, I suggest buying this book straight away. The writing and the art have never been tighter than they are in these six issues. 9/10