This week I’m jumping back to comics. And not just any comics, but comics for kids. Yes, I love Sandman and Fables, but they are both adult comics and not acceptable for kids. In fact, it seems like many of the really good comics aren’t acceptable reading for younger kids. But Runaways is a series for kids that can be appreciated by adults as well.

A group of kids ranging from a pre-teen to teens old enough to drive discover that their parents are actually a band of supervillains called The Pride. With this discovery, the kids also discover that many of them have powers of their own–powers they must come to terms with even as they attempt to come to terms with the actions of their parents.

Although this is a kids series, it takes the problems of the characters very seriously, and does not hesitate to face complex and often painful issues. In addition to teen angst, there is also the issue of betrayal and death throughout the series, as well as issues of gender identity, and the simple learning who to trust and how to get along with your friends–even your friends who can throw cars at you if you make them mad.

But they get to have fun too–after all, when you find your supervillain parents’ stash of magical and technological artifacts, you get to test things out.

The stories told in Runaways are complex and deep but also fun. Brian K Vaughan does a masterful job with the story for the first seven volumes, and Joss Whedon’s writing for volume eight was wonderful. I’m still unsure how I feel about the newest writer and I’m not enamored with the newest artists, but I’m going to keep reading, at least for awhile, because I like these characters and I like the risks that have been taken with the story.

The story takes place in the Marvel universe, and there are occasional appearances by other characters in the Marvel universe, but as someone who isn’t particularly familiar with the Marvel Universe, this wasn’t a major problem or issue.

The first three volumes of the series are a single story arc. However, most of the rest of the volumes are single story arcs contained within a single book (although there are often teasers at the end of the story.) The latest volume beings a completely new story arc, but there weren’t any major hanging plot threads.

If you know a pre-teen–or would like to read a story that’s quite unlike anything else out there–then hie thee to a comic store (or Amazon) and check out Runaways. The volumes are being republished in a larger format, which is probably better than the teeny format I have for the first seven volumes.

Pride & Joy (2003), Teenage Wasteland (2003), The Good Die Young (2004), True Believers (2005), Escape to New York (2006), Parental Guidance (2006), Live Fast (2007), Civil War: Runaways & New Avengers (2007), Vol 8: Dead End Kids (2008)
Vol 1: Dead Wrong (2009)