Did anyone else pick this one up today?

I thought it was a fun issue, but I had serious trouble remembering who 90% of the characters were. I guess it's been a while since #28 came out...Overall, I think I'll enjoy the arc more when it's completed and I can read it from start to finish.

NimNams | February 21, 07:35 CET

The preview was posted last week so I nixed that. Also you seem to link to Nexus more than often, is there a connection between you and that site?

Simon | February 21, 11:06 CET

I'm thrilled how Joss is including subjects of social history into the plot's context: Subordinated position of women and industrial workers back then, child labor, the hard fight the unions fought for better wages and working conditions, domestic violence, homosexuality a covert reality.

Besides the suspenseful plot the Runaways' adventures in 1907 is also kind of a fascinating history lesson, while many of us today are rather clueless about social and political history, what liberties and options we still have in western democracies. But we are putting that all on the stake if we are going on to not worry about what kind of world we want to construct for us and our children.

[ edited by cleveland on 2008-02-21 10:17 ]

[ edited by cleveland on 2008-02-21 10:18 ]

cleveland | February 21, 13:16 CET

>> Also you seem to link to Nexus more than often, is there a connection between you and that site? (Simon)

Yeh! I love the Nexus previews, and their reviews (advance or not) are awesome, they really know what they're talking about, and they're usually on time, without being paid for it (I think)! They have a few interviews too, but I'm not always into those, unless they're talking to the 'big boys' that I like...

Still, maybe I'm making too much of it (especially since I was disappointed enough that this link went down 'cause of the downtime, to repost it, that's why it was 'late') - I'm here in London without my friends that 'get it' the way I do around, so I think the Nexus is cool that way. It keeps me company, and all that. I hope the Whedonesque crew doesn't mind me sharing...

BunnyDee | February 21, 18:20 CET

I need to read from issue 24 again, I have forgotten the situations of half the characters; but I still enjoyed the issue. Bit annoyed though, found out that they are releasing TPBs of Runaways, and I still have my Digest editions... hmmm...

Vortigun | February 21, 21:37 CET

Runaways is less dynamic than AXM. Both have been a bit chronically late, but AXM always feels like it's in widescreen when we read. It always feels worth the wait. Runaways, feels much smaller and so it suffers much more with the delays. I read this issue last week, but I skimmed it some last night and remembered that there was a lot in there that I hadn't given it credit for the first time. Vic being a "ho-bag"; the Karolina and Xavin moment was good, but especially because of Klara running away; Molly saying that Klara was "just another adult" was awful and great. For some reason the gang war doesn't really grab me.
I'm guessing that Nico's going to be left in the past. There's that old chick in the first two issues and she sure looks like old Nico to me. I guess we'll wait and see.
Where's Chase? Couldn't we have ended with a dynamic, tear-jerker splash page of Chase showing up and finding Gert? Pretty please?

leafblown | February 21, 23:48 CET

Delays suck, indeed... That's why I'm glad it's out, at last.. Funny thing is, the whole strike thing was initially seen as something that would have a positive effect on comics and all - something else for them all to write etc.

Then, of course, Joss was someone who was really busy with the strike in itself while it was on, I guess...

BunnyDee | February 22, 04:22 CET

This issue had some fun moments (Karolina & Xavin), but after the mind blowing reveal of the Yorkes, I expected much more this issue. Who cares about the street war...where was Chase???

Saturn Girl | February 22, 04:59 CET

Holy crap leafblown, I hadn't even considered that one of the kids might be left in the past. Imagine Joss basically "offed" Nico from the cast just by sticking her in the future. I doubt the old lady is gonna join the team (though a wiser and more powerful Nico could be sorta cool as their occasional recurring Professor X of sorts), and if she kicks the bucket when they make it back to the present...

There were lots of good bits in this issue (I'm sorry, but bullets that never miss their targets and can zip around corners and spell certain death are pretty fucking horrifying), I enjoyed it more than I thought I would given how long it's been...

Was lots I couldn't remember and the "Previously on Runaways" bit at the beginning of the book only helped a little and convinced me that I need to re-read just before #31 is released (two more from Joss to go).

Kris | February 24, 08:09 CET

I keep thinking Klara is the old woman who paid Kingpin to steal the timewhatsit. Except that the "my love" comment doesn't really make sense coming from her in the current context. So it seems more likely that I'm wrong, and it's actually Lillie. I would love for Lillie to be around for a while. She is for awesome. A little quick to declare lifelong devotion (didn't she meet Victor, uh, yesterday?), but awesome. Klara has great potential too though. And her power is my favorite.

Loved seeing Xavin lose it. Creepy to see Nico being tortured, but it seems to be going to an interesting place in terms of character development.

The "you need to be taught your place" theme was interesting. Runaways has always been about these kids trying to find their own place despite what adults told them they should be doing. I kind of needed an explicit theme at this point, even though it's not my usual preference for communicating it. There is so. much. going. on.

Also: I'm going to miss the art on this. I really like it.

Also also: Too. Many. New. Characters. The two-page spread of fighting chaos kind of made it better though. It said: "Look how many historic Marvel people we made! All of them very violent! We are having fun. Chill out, you."

There's so much to cover in the next issue though. And the I don't think the tiny man getting his tiny head blown off while grieving his friend is going to be the saddest thing in the arc.

Sunfire | February 27, 09:34 CET