Runaways Vol.1

Did you ever want to run away from home because you thought your parents were evil? Well, what if they actually were evil? That is the exact question writer & creator Brian K. Vaughan answered in this extra-large hardcover collection. (Consists of Runaways issue #'s 1-18)

The first issue starts off with a gathering of six families. All the parents go off into a large room and leave the kids in a playroom. The six kids, they believe their parents are just doing boring paperwork, but then one of them decides that they should sneak a look at what they are really doing. The kids then witness their parents 'sacrificing' a young girl and that their parents are super-villains. After seeing them commit murder, the kids run away and begin their adventure to survive on their own. Soon they start to see their own super powers start to develop and they decide to use them against there parents in an attempt to right the wrongs that they have done. While fleeing and hiding away from their parents, the runaways encounter vampires, a dinosaur, superheroes, villains, and giant monsters.

(The reason I'm not giving names here is because theres a lot of them, and unless you've read the book, their just going to be clustered together for no reason.) This comic series really taps into the hopelessness of being a teenager. As the pages turn you see the characters are being forced to grow up in ways that most normal kids would never have to. The oldest one is 17-18 years old, and the youngest is 12 with the rest being 16. They all have the same problems we all do. Whether they're worried about their appearance, how others see them or dealing with an awkward crush, you see these six kids maturing on every page.

The series blends everyday, mundane situations with the surreal, mystical world of comic books perfectly. Just imagine being able to fly but not being able to drive, and you can kind of see where the charm of this series lies. Dealing with puberty is bad enough but having to deal with super powers that you don't know how to control is something else entirely.

Runaways is the most original title to come out of Marvel Comics in years. Almost everyone can relate to the characters because we've all had to deal with growing up and all the situations getting older brings. This is a story that reminds us what it's like to be a kid and have absolutely no direction in life with simply no where to turn.

Rating: 9.0