RUNAWAYS #16: Review & Spoilers

[BedtimeBear]

Runaways #16
Only the Good Die Young Part 4
Written: Brian K. Vaughan
Penciled: Adrian Alphona
Inked: Craig Yeung
Lettered: Virtual Calligraphy/ Randy Gentile
Edited: C.B. Cebulski

Grade: A-

Summary: The Runaways are in the Underwater Lair of the Gibborim, where they've come to stop their parents from finishing the Rite of Thunder. Chase/Talkback was wounded in the last issue and feared to be dead. However, with some CPR from Gertrude, he's revived, although he's too wounded to go fight so he gives his gauntlets to Alex. The rest of the team goes off to the main chamber to confront their parents. Gertrude orders her raptor Old Lace to obey Alex if anything happens to her. There's a big fight between the parents and their children, until finally there are only four people left standing.


MAJOR SPOILERS: The last four people standing are Alex, Alex's parents, and Karolina/Lucy-in-the-Sky. Alex brutally knocks out Karolina with Chase's gauntlets, and then orders Old Lace to heel. His parents are shocked as he reveals that he's the mole and steals the Staff of One from a downed Nico/Sister Grimm. Alex, now with OldLace, the Staff of One, and the Gauntlets, reveals that he plans to complete the Rite of Thunder with his parents.

Reactions: I had a feeling that this person was the mole all along, even though they weren't one of the more suspected members of the Runaways. If it was anyone but this person, I feel like the revelation would've been a big disappointment, so I'm glad they chose this person, even if he/she was the most obvious choice.

The team's concern over the seemingly dead Chase was very well-written, and the dialogue seemed very spot-on and in-character. This scene made the revelation of the mole all the more shocking, seeing as how he/she was very worried about Chase's welfare.

The big fight between the parents and their children plays out nicely, and does a great job of showing how the Runaways have come together as a team and learned to take advantage of the powers/abilities at their disposal.

The art in this issue remained solid and easy to follow, and some of the most unique and interesting on the market. The dialogue flows well and fits the characters.

The image on the last page of the mole is extremely poignant and worthy of the splash page that's been given to it. It really drives home the shock of who the mole is, and leaves the reader eager to find out how this will all be concluded.

All in all, a wonderful issue, one of the very best of the series. This issue is sure to shock and delight a lot of readers, and be one of the classic issues of the series once it's over.

[strathcona]

I completely agree. A great issue all around. And the identity of the mole surprised me. I posted a while back in Talk@ who I thought it would be. I didn't have a reason, I just had a feeling. But Vaughan went with the one that made the most sense... and it still came as a surprise. I think next issue will come with even more revelations why the mole decided to betray them. And I bet it won't be as cut and dried as it seems on the last page. And what a last page! I think I need that to be made into a wall paper.

The thing I like best about this book is that my fiancee reads it (it's the only superhero book I've gotten her to read.... if you can call it that) before me each month, and she's always raving about it. It makes my enjoyment of the book even better because she's hyped it up so much. And I love the fact that she's reading more comics too.

[aceatkins]

Runaways has been my favorite book on the market for months now. I've gotten tired of beating the drum for readers--especially in light of its "hiatus"--but my passion for the series remains undiminished. While this isn't my favorite issue, it's still amazingly satisfying. And the reveal of the mole was something of a surprise, although not really: When you think about it, Vaughan had hinted at about everybody else but that character. (Although I wouldn't be too surprised if next month we find out this was actually a ruse on that character's part given their proclivity for strategy, and that the actual mole happened to be a certain staff-wielding witch.)

Signing off, I'll pick up the drum again: Go pick up the digest for volume 1 of this series. I've loaned it to six people and every last one of them--comic readers and non-comic readers alike--think it is one of the best stories they've ever read. Seriously, it's top notch stuff all the way around.

[punkmonkey]

Great issue!
I wasn't surprised by the revelation of the mole simply because I expected Vaughan to make such a surprise of it (if that makes sense), although I did enjoy the turn of events. Alex was the one I least expected (in terms of seeming the most loyal to the kids and the most protective of them -- the leader figure), so it would make sense that for maximum impact, Vaughan would choose him as the mole. I have a theory, though -- Alex has purposefully set himself up as the mole to regain the trust of the Pride (and especially his parents). He couldn't tell the rest of the Runaways because he couldn't depend on them "acting" surprised by the revelation. He knew that once they got inside their secret headquarters they would have a definite tactical disadvantage, so he needed extra time to formulate a more solid plan -- this development buys him that time. Remember, he's a master strategist.
That's what I would do anyway if I were writing the book.
:D

[YDLM]

Great issue and I was completely surprised by the mole, but I do think there is more than meets the eye on this one. I have to pick up the rest of this series.

A

[noir]

A+++ i still cant beleive it

[The Amazing Spider-Fan]

I was surprised by the identity of the mole, but I have a feeling, as I have since the mole idea was first introduced, that this is really just a ploy to fool the parents. I guess we'll see next month! :D

[DFO]

An amazing issue. An outstanding series.

I'm just actually a little scared, cause "the mole" is my favourite character in the book full of great characters and I'm afraid he might now be evil. Hopefully he's got another trick in his sleeve and Vaughn shows his storytelling skills again.

In any case, I hope all the Runaways make it to Season #2. I know one Runaway in particular who'll like the mole being out of the picture....for romantic reasons. lol. J/K.

[Boris Kloris]

I totally did NOT see it coming. When I got to the page where the mole was revealed, I actually jumped up out of my seat and started jumping up and down screaming: "I can't believe it!" Holy, holy crap, amazing! I really hope 'season 2' will happen! I LOVE this book! :)

[Randy A]

my reaction after reading who the mole was, was "OH SH*T!" quite literally, said out loud, with my wife looking at me very strangely.

[Anaximander]

I, too, never saw that coming. Not once did I think he would be the mole. This is definitely one of my favorite issues of any book ever and one of the best series I've ever read. Can't wait to see what's coming next.

Only downside was that I thought the fight with the parents was just too easy.