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Runaways

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SusurrusIgnoramus:
A friend of mine has been reading the comic series Runaways.  He told me that it was an original Joss Whedon creation, but, upon looking it up, I found that it was actually Brian K. Vaughn, and Joss is only doing 6 issues.  After that, Terry Moore is taking over the writing.  Now, everything Joss touches turns to gold, so I have little doubt I'll enjoy at least his portion, but there are 24 before that to catch up on.  I know Vaughn from Ex Machina, which I haven't finished, but enjoyed the beginning of.  I don't know Terry Moore, though (Strangers in Paradise?).

So, my question is, has anybody kept up with Runaways?  Is it worth reading?  Baring that, is anyone familiar enough with Vaughn's and/or Terry Moore's work to say whether or not it would be worth reading?  I don't want to get involved in a series, only to find out that it sucks later on.

ThePQ4:
I read the first cummulative volume (like 6 issues or so), LOVED IT! From what I rememeber (it's been a while, like two years), the storyline was basically that these kids who don't really like each very much to start with, their parents are part of a super-villian group. So, they (get this...) runaway to use their powers for good, 'cause their parents want to force them into their villians ways (or thats what i got from it anyway).

I want to get the big volume with the first like...20 issues or whatever, but it's only in hardcover and therfore like $40, which my Mother would -kill- me for buying... She has yet to find out that i spent like $70 on manga and a Boondocks collection, ack.

0bsessions:
Read more Joss Whedon Marvel work and you'll learn that not everything he touches is gold. The man cannot keep to a fucking deadline and tends to spin his wheels after a handful of issues (I.E. Astonishing X-Men, the first arc was fantastic, but it's been one big mess since).

That said, there's actually forty-two prior issues of Runaways to be caught up on. There was the eighteen issue first volume followed by the twenty-four issue second, both of which were absolutely brilliant.

What BKV did with the title was brilliant and definitely worth a read. The jury's still out on Whedon as he's only actually managed to get out three issues since he came on board way back in April (The first and second issues came out in April and May with a lag time of August for the third, the fourth is nowhere in sight as yet). The story reads pretty well, but it's been so slow moving and horribly delayed that I'm hard pressed to really even care anymore (Which is sad as I love these characters).

SusurrusIgnoramus:
I'm not really familiar with Joss' comic work... only his TV/ film stuff, so, perhaps you're right.  How many issues are in collected volumes?  all of Vaughn's stuff?

0bsessions:
Yes, all of Vaughn's stuff has been collected, be it in Hardcover or "Digest" format.

There are three hardcovers, Volume 1 in its entirety is $35 then hardcovers comprising #1-2 and 13-24 for $25 a piece, bringing it to $85 for the duration of Vaughn's run.

There are seven "digests at $7.99 a piece and collecting six issues each bringing it to $56 total. The digests are a smaller, "manga-sized" edition on lower quality paper, but the cost-decrease and portability can be nice.

The hardcovers are full sized with better quality paper. If you're into collecting and want the definitive best version, go for hardcover. If you just want to read them for the sake of reading, go with the digest editions.

Make sure you go in order and start from the beginning. There are many plot twists and a few major turning points that you won't want spoiled by skipping ahead.

Also, if you enjoy Runaways, I strongly recommend looking into Y: The Last Man, a Vertigo title also done by Vaughn. Of his three big books (Y, Deus and Runaways), I'd have to say it's his best work. They've collected up through issue 54 in 9 $15 paperbacks. The last paperback will likely be out in early 2008 as there's only two issues left to the series (#60 is the last installment and $58 just came out a couple weeks ago).

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