Runaways Review!!! Finally!!!

Runaways, a book I've been waiting for this book for what seems like a year, but its really been a few months. Now I've been looking for a reason to get on writer Joss Wheedon's case for the lengthy delay of this book. But, once again, I have nothing but hugs and hand pounds to pass around.

Now before I review I had to go way back into the stacks and find the damn back issues of this book because I pretty much had forgotten most of the plot past the point of the kids getting stuck in the past. So the Runaways were contracted by the Kingpin to steal something of significant importance, which turns out to be a time machine, things go crazy and boom!!! The group is back in 1907 with the time machine busted. They end up meeting people who have superpowers and classify themselves as wonders. Now the plot gets a little more complicated when they story breaks down into three 'wonders' groups; The Street Arabs, none are Arab, but all are kids or teens like the Runaways, The City's Protectors, claim to protect the city, and the Sinners, stating the obvious, bad dudes. Then the book throws in another curve as it's revealed that the time traveling parents of deceased Runaway, Gertrude Yorkes, are leading the Sinners.

To wrap this in a pretty bow and bring us back to the current part of the story. These three groups aren't holding hands and doing whatever friendly things you do in 1907 and a gang war breaks out as most of the Runaways have come back together. While most of the group is looking for a way back to the present their leader, Nico is being held captive and tortured by her great grandmother, a powerful sorceress for the Protectors. This encounter happens only to make Nico stronger as the grandmother knows she is weak by sorcery standards. While Nico is tortured/stronger, the group attempts to escape from the ensuing melee but, the Yorkes plan is revealed as they plant a bomb in a middle if the square where the fight is going down. This may lead to the Runaways meeting the plotting parents of Gertrude.

Even though it took this book almost three months two come, it was well worth the wait. The story still has that young, light-hearted, teenage feel to it, while still being able to turn it up a notch with the action and suspense. The art was a nice mixture of serious and cartoonist blending well with the teenagers story. Micheal Ryan's art throughout the series has been well done. Hopefully this book ships sooner because this has been a good story and it only looks to be getting better.