Reviewer: Andy Campbell
Story Title: True Believers
Writer: Brian K. Vaughan
Pencils: Adrian Alphona
Inks: Craig Yeung
Color: Christina Strain
Letters: VC’s Randy Gentile
Cover: Jo Chen
Production: Jacob Chabot
Associate Editor: MacKenzie Cadenhead
Editor: C.B. Cebulski
Publisher: Dan Buckley (Marvel Comics)
I can count the Marvel comics I read on one hand, so it speaks volumes about Brian K. Vaughan’s writing that Runaways is one of them. Actually, I read every book he’s on, with the exception of Ultimate X-Men (which says nothing bad about him; I don’t think there is any writer out there that can get me to be a regular on that title). The man just knows how to craft a great story, and how to leave you drooling and panting for the next issue. His ability to illuminate what makes characters tick, leave juicy plot threads open to explore in future issues, and above all, drop explosive cliffhangers, is what makes Vaughan one of the most in-demand writers today.
This issue of Runaways is big on character moments, as we get to see how each of the Runaways interacts with Victor, a boy whose father is a super-villain, and who will supposedly grow up to be the biggest threat in the universe. It’s fascinating to read this book and see how much Vaughan has a handle on writing teenagers. It takes a very gifted writer to write characters as different as the Runaways, Mystique, and Ex Machina’s Mayor Hundred…and write them all well. Kudos to him. Kudos also to the art team, as this art style has become, to me, synonymous with Runaways. Great stuff.
As for this issue’s cliffhanger, which is the reveal of Victor’s super-villain father? Well, even though he was who I thought he was, I’m still really looking forward to next issue, which is the sign of a job well done.
