Runaways : Dead End Kids

While Marvel may have lessened the surprise a nudge by laying the seeds over the last few days [which are always astute Newsarama readers picked up on], if last week anyone has suggested Joss Whedon’s next Marvel project would be The Runaways, they might have been looked at like they had three heads.

But today it’s official. Whedon will indeed continue the series after the original creative team of Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona exit with issues #24, picking up immediately with issue #25 and joined by artist Michael Ryan (“Very cool, very grounded but with style. He’s sent sketches of the kids and they made my heart go pit-a-pa,” said Whedon).

Newsarama was able to track Whedon down for a few moments for a brief chat on this surprising development and the first question we asked was pretty straightforward...

Why Runaways..?

“I just love the book,” Whedon said matter-of-factly. ”I couldn’t help myself. I seldom make intelligent choices and when I do they usually turn out to be really stupid decisions. So I’m going with love. Following Brian [Vaughan] on any book is idiotic, but playing with these kids makes it worth the hilarious drop in quality we’re all gonna enjoy.”

Though a relatively stable monthly series, and even more successful in digests, Runaways enjoys more of a loyal cult status than big time sales, despite critical acclaim, awards, and nominations. We asked Whedon for any thoughts he had on why he thinks that is...

“Wasn’t the X-Men cancelled once?” he asked rhetorically. “Few things come out of the gate swinging, because I’m pretty sure that metaphor combines horseracing with baseball, which (polo doesn’t count) is a horrible idea — or wait, jockeys swinging bats at each other while their horses pound turf — that’s an awesome idea! Like the gladiators of old, only smaller!

“Right. X-Men...

“Point is, finding an audience is never easy unless you have huge marketing behind you and even that doesn’t guarantee lasting power. Runaways is a great concept wonderfully executed. I’m here to change all that.”

Self-deprecation aside, Whedon also understand his name and marketing profile can serve not only to continue the concept Vaughan and Alphona started, but also serve as a catalyst for more, new readers to discover and critically-acclaimed collections from the original team.

“It’s definitely possible that some new people will check the book out, and yes, the best part of that is how many folk will get to go back and see what Brian and Adrian did,” he said.

Since Whedon already brought up the X-Men comparison, we asked the Astonishing X-Men writer if he believes comparison’s between the Runaways and the glory years of Chris Claremont’s “All-New, All-Different X-Men” are valid?

“Absolutely,” he responded. “This series has a freshness and whimsy that are unique, but the great interpersonal stuff, the voices, the sense of self-discovery - that does resemble the classic X-stuff. Runaways is the new voice of the Marvel Universe because it thinks the Marvel Universe is a bunch of old guys, and treats them accordingly.”

Asked to succinctly describe the series to new readers who maybe are not familiar with it up to this point, Whedon replied, “Group of kids find out their parents are supervillains, then they (this is where the title so brilliantly comes in) run away”

And as to his plans for that concept? Can readers expect to be introduced to any new members of the cast? Changes in scenery? To the core concept?

“New member? Yes. Change of scenery? Hell yes! Change in the core concept? Not in a million years,” he said.

“Brian said the kids had been a bit sedentary and needed to be literally on the run again. I’m sending them to Manhattan, where they’ll meet some stalwart Marvel folk they haven’t met before and then I’m sending them somewhere very different.”

Because the series is based so much in characterization, we asked the writer for his brief thoughts on each member of the cast...

Karolina?

“There’s something off about that girl. I hardly ever see her with a nice boy.”

Molly?

“She’s gonna do a stint as a baseball-bat-wielding jockey. On Planet Hulk.”

Nico?

“Gonna kill her.”

Chase?

“Chase has no real superpowers and is occasionally not so bright. This makes him awesome like me. He will get lots of money and cars.”

Victor?

“Doom is a totally different book. Do your research, knucklehead.”

Xavin?

“Gonna kill her. Him.... it. Them?”:

And how about the recently deceased Gert, which hit loyal readers hard?

“I cried a single man-tear at the lunch table in the middle of Comic-Con,” declared Whedon. “I wish I were kidding. I curse Brian K Vulture and everything he stands for. If I did have the chance to write that indelible, brilliantly conceived character, I’d kill her.”

Finally, Whedon’s departing thoughts/last impressions for readers as they await the end of Vaughan and Alphona’s run and the start of his and Michael Ryan’s?

“Fasten your seatbelts! Make sure your tray table is in the upright and locked position! Stow any excess baggage under the seat in front of you, we’re taxi-ing toward the runway to adventure!

“Hey, Brian made my favorite book. I’m gonna do right by his kids, the ones that aren’t dead or on Planet Hulk.”