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Runaways (2003-2009) (Collected Editions)
Runaways, Vol. 3: The Good Die Young
The world as we know it is about to end and the Runaways are the only hope to prevent it! But if our fledgling teenage heroes are going to succeed, they may have to become just as evil as their villainous parents. The Runaways have learned how their parents' criminal organization began, and now they must decide how it should end. As the Runaways' epic battle against their evil parents reaches its shocking conclusion, the team's mole stands revealed, and blood must be shed. Which kids will still be standing when the smoke finally clears? This is the story that changes everything (seriously!).
Runaways vol. 1 #13-18
Runaways vol. 1 #13-18
144 pages, Paperback
First published June 7, 2006
About the author
Brian K. Vaughan
959 books13.7k followersBrian K. Vaughan is the writer and co-creator of comic-book series including SAGA, PAPER GIRLS, Y THE LAST MAN, RUNAWAYS, and most recently, BARRIER, a digital comic with artist Marcos Martin about immigration, available from their pay-what-you-want site www.PanelSyndicate.com
BKV's work has been recognized at the Eisner, Harvey, Hugo, Shuster, Eagle, and British Fantasy Awards. He sometimes writes for film and television in Los Angeles, where he lives with his family and their dogs Hamburger and Milkshake.
BKV's work has been recognized at the Eisner, Harvey, Hugo, Shuster, Eagle, and British Fantasy Awards. He sometimes writes for film and television in Los Angeles, where he lives with his family and their dogs Hamburger and Milkshake.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 413 reviews
August 8, 2016
The showdown between our teenage protagonists and their parents is entertaining enough, if a bit on the generic side. The mole affair in particular could have been handled more convincingly, I thought. Still a fun read, don’t get me wrong, just not quite as original, radical and daring as I had hoped based on the previous two trades. I’ll keep reading, though, especially since the final issue collected here marks a promising return to form. Who knows, maybe our teenage heroes still have bigger fish to fry!?
August 15, 2020
The final volume of season one sees the Runaways confront the parents, and the resulting twists, turns and casualties that follow. A bit more super-heroic than the previous two volumes, but enough surprises to keep the faithful faithful. 16 years on from it's original publication it doesn't truly feel as groundbreaking as it was in its day, which in a way is a result of the impact this had has on young adult comic books. 8 out of 12.
January 10, 2019
Book four of 2019.
I devoured this one in one glorious sitting! This volume is where Runaways goes from excellent to remarkable (or Incredible (40) to Amazing (50) for my fellow FASERIPers)! This gave me all the feels, from betrayal to heartbreak to victory to heartwarming to spaghetti hoops! I loved it.
(Please note that there are no spaghetti hoops in this book. I was just seeing if you were paying attention.)
I devoured this one in one glorious sitting! This volume is where Runaways goes from excellent to remarkable (or Incredible (40) to Amazing (50) for my fellow FASERIPers)! This gave me all the feels, from betrayal to heartbreak to victory to heartwarming to spaghetti hoops! I loved it.
(Please note that there are no spaghetti hoops in this book. I was just seeing if you were paying attention.)
February 4, 2019
Vaughan plays all his cards, how the Pride came together, who the mole is, the Pride's endgame, it all comes to a head in a satisfying way. Vaughan ties up all the loose ends while setting the Runaways up for the future. Alphona's art is finally up to snuff.
April 25, 2018
3.5
I didn’t like this as much as I liked Vol 1 & 2 but it was still entertaining. I thought the mole reveal could have been a bit better, it seemed kind of clichéd and overdone. It was just a bit meh. I also wish there was a bit more action in the fight scene. It was building up to a showdown from volume 1 and then it just kind of ended very quickly. I’m curious to see what will happen next but I’m not very excited about it.
I didn’t like this as much as I liked Vol 1 & 2 but it was still entertaining. I thought the mole reveal could have been a bit better, it seemed kind of clichéd and overdone. It was just a bit meh. I also wish there was a bit more action in the fight scene. It was building up to a showdown from volume 1 and then it just kind of ended very quickly. I’m curious to see what will happen next but I’m not very excited about it.
April 20, 2015
The Runaways discover the bizarre origins of their parents’ supervillain group, The Pride, before deciding they need to confront them once and for all. But the mole in the group threatens to bring them down, while The Pride have their own insurrectionists. Whatever happens, there will be blood!
After a lull in the weak second volume, Brian K Vaughan is back with a much more energised and focused third book. The origin story for The Pride is completely bonkers but in keeping with what you’d expect from Marvel (cosmic zaniness)! After that it’s all systems go as he has the Runaways, uh, running away from the LAPD and then deciding running away’s not for them anymore and take the fight to the ‘rentals – wow, successful character arcs, that’s something you don’t often see in a Marvel comic!
For the most part the characters are well written. They’re teenagers so they’ve got lame superhero names – Arsenic and Old Lace, Lucy in the Sky, etc. – because they’ve kids’ imaginations. They’re also hooking up left and right, as the kids do (he says, adjusting his walker). The only character who’s strangely written is Molly. She’s 10 or 11 but she behaves like a 5 year old, always throwing babyish temper tantrums and talking like an ickle kiddy!
The mole storyline is exciting and the payoff is excellent – I didn’t expect THAT character to be the Judas! Vaughan also makes them almost sympathetic because they’ve been humanised as one of the goodies to us over three books – almost. And then the mole does the classic corndog thing of monologuing long enough so that the heroes have a chance to recover. If I were going to put an obnoxious gif in this review, it’d be of Scott Evil telling his dad how supervillains should deal with prisoners - “I have a gun, in my room, you give me five seconds, I'll get it, I'll come back down here, BOOM, I'll blow their brains out!”
The reasons though for what The Pride are about and how they got their powers, etc., is conveyed a bit too conveniently. Alex finds a book where literally everything they said and did got written down for some reason. There’s a comment from Karolina’s mum about wanting to have a kid so she’d be preggers on the cover of People magazine – why would anyone record that? But then why would anyone record all of this anyway? Their parents were going to sit them down and tell them the whole deal when they turned 18, why would they need a book for that same purpose?
Those are only three minor problems though that don’t detract from an enjoyable read. The frog robot is a great vehicle – excellent design, Adrian Alphona! – and Cap makes a cameo, reminiscent of the way The Lord of the Flies ended. The ending itself is a little earnest but that too fits in with the whole teenage mindset. The Good Die Young is really fun and the pages fly by – a good finale to the first Runaways arc!
After a lull in the weak second volume, Brian K Vaughan is back with a much more energised and focused third book. The origin story for The Pride is completely bonkers but in keeping with what you’d expect from Marvel (cosmic zaniness)! After that it’s all systems go as he has the Runaways, uh, running away from the LAPD and then deciding running away’s not for them anymore and take the fight to the ‘rentals – wow, successful character arcs, that’s something you don’t often see in a Marvel comic!
For the most part the characters are well written. They’re teenagers so they’ve got lame superhero names – Arsenic and Old Lace, Lucy in the Sky, etc. – because they’ve kids’ imaginations. They’re also hooking up left and right, as the kids do (he says, adjusting his walker). The only character who’s strangely written is Molly. She’s 10 or 11 but she behaves like a 5 year old, always throwing babyish temper tantrums and talking like an ickle kiddy!
The mole storyline is exciting and the payoff is excellent – I didn’t expect THAT character to be the Judas! Vaughan also makes them almost sympathetic because they’ve been humanised as one of the goodies to us over three books – almost. And then the mole does the classic corndog thing of monologuing long enough so that the heroes have a chance to recover. If I were going to put an obnoxious gif in this review, it’d be of Scott Evil telling his dad how supervillains should deal with prisoners - “I have a gun, in my room, you give me five seconds, I'll get it, I'll come back down here, BOOM, I'll blow their brains out!”
The reasons though for what The Pride are about and how they got their powers, etc., is conveyed a bit too conveniently. Alex finds a book where literally everything they said and did got written down for some reason. There’s a comment from Karolina’s mum about wanting to have a kid so she’d be preggers on the cover of People magazine – why would anyone record that? But then why would anyone record all of this anyway? Their parents were going to sit them down and tell them the whole deal when they turned 18, why would they need a book for that same purpose?
Those are only three minor problems though that don’t detract from an enjoyable read. The frog robot is a great vehicle – excellent design, Adrian Alphona! – and Cap makes a cameo, reminiscent of the way The Lord of the Flies ended. The ending itself is a little earnest but that too fits in with the whole teenage mindset. The Good Die Young is really fun and the pages fly by – a good finale to the first Runaways arc!
October 15, 2019
Better than the previous volume, this one finalizes the conflict between Pride and their very own runaway kids.
(Apparently)
Is it just me, or are the Giants kinda lame? I mean, I like everything Alex did and the kids themselves aren't bad reading, but the bad guys' bosses are so... yeah. Okay then. It's not like the comic has lost its charm or anything. I still enjoy these little outcasts.
But aside from their parents being the big bad, where can this really go?
(Apparently)
Is it just me, or are the Giants kinda lame? I mean, I like everything Alex did and the kids themselves aren't bad reading, but the bad guys' bosses are so... yeah. Okay then. It's not like the comic has lost its charm or anything. I still enjoy these little outcasts.
But aside from their parents being the big bad, where can this really go?
November 1, 2014
Thank you Mr. Brian K. I was beginning to worry you were getting bogged down in editorial notes to "make this more like Strangers in Paradise and Archie - straight-arrow melodrama and romance" that just bores the shit out of me. (http://dorkshelf.com/2013/02/07/oh-ro...) I mean, if I really want to read Jane Austen I'll just torture myself full-frontal, not the sidelong wanna-be-modern-but-not-self-aware Boredom Books.
(Sorry, I'm picking on the comics I remember with a flavour of that, even though they're hardly the worst examples - I actually like Terry Moore, and Archie is doing some really crazy shit these days with zombies and queer culture. Please don't burn me at the stake.)
Seriously though, this book picks up right back on the snarky self-aware tone that makes me love BKV in a totally bro-platonic-admiring-from-the-bushes-across-the-street-with-night-vision-goggles-and-parabolic-surveillance-gear way.
Spoiler time folks - I can't seem to get my head around one fundamental question:
****************************
If The Pride are going to lead the world to humanity's destruction, and only six will remain but be immortal, why did they write all this shit down in an encoded book? The remaining six won't need anything to stay immortal - no extra knowledge or powers required. Seems like a pretty obvious "cheat" by the writer to dump exposition via a MacGuffin mystery. He'll have some explanation cooked up, but this seems at best...unnecessary.
Plus the idea that someone took the time to not only write down the pertinent details in this complex code, but even some of the more irrelevant dialogue (*cough* "cover of People" that Karolina repeats) is frankly retarded.
(Oh - now I get where it comes from, and that...makes some weird but not entirely complete sense.)
***************************
Pretty satisfying conclusion, even with a little too much Bond villain monologue, and a slightly-saccharine callout to James Dean. I am happy enough with where things are, and the closing contract that this book makes with it's characters means there's plenty of room for more adventures in the future. I would actually consider reading more of this, even though it's probably aimed at people half my age.
(Sorry, I'm picking on the comics I remember with a flavour of that, even though they're hardly the worst examples - I actually like Terry Moore, and Archie is doing some really crazy shit these days with zombies and queer culture. Please don't burn me at the stake.)
Seriously though, this book picks up right back on the snarky self-aware tone that makes me love BKV in a totally bro-platonic-admiring-from-the-bushes-across-the-street-with-night-vision-goggles-and-parabolic-surveillance-gear way.
Spoiler time folks - I can't seem to get my head around one fundamental question:
****************************
If The Pride are going to lead the world to humanity's destruction, and only six will remain but be immortal, why did they write all this shit down in an encoded book? The remaining six won't need anything to stay immortal - no extra knowledge or powers required. Seems like a pretty obvious "cheat" by the writer to dump exposition via a MacGuffin mystery. He'll have some explanation cooked up, but this seems at best...unnecessary.
Plus the idea that someone took the time to not only write down the pertinent details in this complex code, but even some of the more irrelevant dialogue (*cough* "cover of People" that Karolina repeats) is frankly retarded.
(Oh - now I get where it comes from, and that...makes some weird but not entirely complete sense.)
***************************
Pretty satisfying conclusion, even with a little too much Bond villain monologue, and a slightly-saccharine callout to James Dean. I am happy enough with where things are, and the closing contract that this book makes with it's characters means there's plenty of room for more adventures in the future. I would actually consider reading more of this, even though it's probably aimed at people half my age.
April 15, 2017
Geweldige plottwist!!!
January 25, 2020
Wow, so that ended quicker than I’d hoped. And not at all the way I expected.
Such was my immediate reaction to finishing “Runaways, Volume 3: The Good Die Young”, a Marvel series that originally ran from 2003 to 2008, written by Brian K. Vaughan and drawn by Adrian Alphona.
Of course, the series didn’t really end, as Vaughan explains in an afterword, and despite my expectations, I still enjoyed the ending, shocking as it is.
I think my main mistake is that I got hooked on the Hulu/Disney-Plus TV show based on the comics first, before reading the comics. The show veers pretty far in places from the comic series, which in my opinion is fine. Just keep it in mind when comparing the two.
I just can’t give much away about this issue without revealing huge spoilers, so I’m just going to give spoiler “chunks”, bite-size spoilers that reveal a glimpse but not a whole picture:
six-fingers ... Gibborim ... Rite of Thunder ... Leapfrog ... Philoprogenitiveness! ... betrayal ... soul box ... Captain America!
I hope that helped.
Such was my immediate reaction to finishing “Runaways, Volume 3: The Good Die Young”, a Marvel series that originally ran from 2003 to 2008, written by Brian K. Vaughan and drawn by Adrian Alphona.
Of course, the series didn’t really end, as Vaughan explains in an afterword, and despite my expectations, I still enjoyed the ending, shocking as it is.
I think my main mistake is that I got hooked on the Hulu/Disney-Plus TV show based on the comics first, before reading the comics. The show veers pretty far in places from the comic series, which in my opinion is fine. Just keep it in mind when comparing the two.
I just can’t give much away about this issue without revealing huge spoilers, so I’m just going to give spoiler “chunks”, bite-size spoilers that reveal a glimpse but not a whole picture:
six-fingers ... Gibborim ... Rite of Thunder ... Leapfrog ... Philoprogenitiveness! ... betrayal ... soul box ... Captain America!
I hope that helped.
July 23, 2019
that plot twist though oh my
August 30, 2024
The conclusion of the Brian Vaughn version. Well done and I was tearing through this one and riveted the entire time. You see the true formation of this group of kid heroes. Great installation.
October 21, 2016
Akhirnya ituuuuuuu, ga ketebak ternyata siapa sebenernya yang masih setia sama The Pride
July 13, 2020
I think I'm finally into this...
This one really grabbed me and pulled me all the way in. I enjoyed the plot much more than the previous ones, the fact that we got to see the why behind The Pride and how it was executed really piqued my interest.
I'm interested to see where Vaughan will take this next...
June 13, 2023
A good conclusion to a thoroughly enjoyable series.
Although, the presence of a mole is hinted from the first volume, it still is astonishing to find out which character the mole really is. Well written.
The art was also significantly better, especially the coloring, giving the book a more vivid feel.
Although, the presence of a mole is hinted from the first volume, it still is astonishing to find out which character the mole really is. Well written.
The art was also significantly better, especially the coloring, giving the book a more vivid feel.
June 28, 2016
"At least once during our adolescents years, many of us felt that our parents were the most evil people alive...but what if they really were?"
I can't even say how much i love and suffer this number...
Let's give so context...The Pride was the Runaways parents evil organization but, How is that this completely different people start this? I've wonder this since i'd star reading the fist volumen, fortunately i found out in this volumen.
The other thing is...could you be able to stop the people who love you and raise you? How much are you willing to sacrifice to do it? If you are in your twenties, or are older, probably you don't know how to answer, but they are between 11 at 17 years old which make it even harder. And this is what they are really fighting. At the end we saw their decisions and the consequences that these has.
When you finished you feel really sad about the conclusion, wish that everything we're different because, even it could be the end, isn't happy is just a close.
I can't even say how much i love and suffer this number...
Let's give so context...The Pride was the Runaways parents evil organization but, How is that this completely different people start this? I've wonder this since i'd star reading the fist volumen, fortunately i found out in this volumen.
The other thing is...could you be able to stop the people who love you and raise you? How much are you willing to sacrifice to do it? If you are in your twenties, or are older, probably you don't know how to answer, but they are between 11 at 17 years old which make it even harder. And this is what they are really fighting. At the end we saw their decisions and the consequences that these has.
When you finished you feel really sad about the conclusion, wish that everything we're different because, even it could be the end, isn't happy is just a close.
November 24, 2017
I'm really liking this comic series, which is weird because I'm definitely not a comic person at all.
The original plot of the villain parents ended in this volume so I'm excited to see what the next big plot is going to be for the next volumes.
I'm loving the series as well and though I can tell is going to be a little different from this comics it seems as if is going to be just as good. I wished Hulu was like Netflix so I could have all the episodes already and I couldn't have to wait.
The original plot of the villain parents ended in this volume so I'm excited to see what the next big plot is going to be for the next volumes.
I'm loving the series as well and though I can tell is going to be a little different from this comics it seems as if is going to be just as good. I wished Hulu was like Netflix so I could have all the episodes already and I couldn't have to wait.
May 23, 2019
Marginally better than the prior volumes. I liked the backstory of the Pride and the Giborim, it gave some much-needed broader context to the whole storyline. Overall, still meh. The artwork leaves something to be desired; faces and expressions are often very weird-looking. There is a seismic shift in the storyline two thirds of the way through this volume. I will keep reading this series but I don't honestly expect it to improve much.
October 11, 2021
Holy twists, Batman! Great ending to the initial story.
April 9, 2011
I feel like my estimation of Runaways has gone down from the first volume. The first volume was awesome. The second felt like a filler-- seriously? Random vampires? WTF? It didn't even need to exist, in my opinion. The third tied up the issues from the first, fleshed out the plot, and answered my questions. Now, however, I have a few more questions:
Why are the girls always being led around by guys? They're in the majority!
Why do they constantly fight over boys, to the point of the guys needing to rein them in when their bickering gets out of control?
Why do they keep kissing people, randomly, who-- on occasion-- they barely know?
Why does Molly act like she's seven even though she's eleven?
I honestly don't think I would want to know any of these girls. They're incredibly self-involved and very whiny. Maybe this is supposed to seem age-appropriate, but I never acted that way when I was that age. Sigh. Nevertheless, it was all pretty awesome. I can accept the flaws in the girls, as characters, even though I don't like them-- they are realistic, for a certain kind of person, even though I don't much like them. I really like Chase, and I can't wait to see what further adventures this crew gets up to. Will the girls grow up eventually? I look forward to seeing if they do. If they don't, I may cry. I look forward to the day when the promiscuity ends.
Why are the girls always being led around by guys? They're in the majority!
Why do they constantly fight over boys, to the point of the guys needing to rein them in when their bickering gets out of control?
Why do they keep kissing people, randomly, who-- on occasion-- they barely know?
Why does Molly act like she's seven even though she's eleven?
I honestly don't think I would want to know any of these girls. They're incredibly self-involved and very whiny. Maybe this is supposed to seem age-appropriate, but I never acted that way when I was that age. Sigh. Nevertheless, it was all pretty awesome. I can accept the flaws in the girls, as characters, even though I don't like them-- they are realistic, for a certain kind of person, even though I don't much like them. I really like Chase, and I can't wait to see what further adventures this crew gets up to. Will the girls grow up eventually? I look forward to seeing if they do. If they don't, I may cry. I look forward to the day when the promiscuity ends.
February 3, 2018
I apparently had read this before, but didn't remember it at all. This volume ends the original arc as the Runaways face their parents in conflict, and the secrets of the Pride are revealed. There's a lot of stuff going on here, and the battles are pretty intense, especially when the mole switches sides (the identity of whom is guessable and a little disappointing, but it makes sense). But everyone gets a chance to shine, and the Pride's motives are explored a little bit more to make them marginally less evil (or at least a little more sympathetic), and everything works out in an unexpected but fitting way. The final issue even the surviving characters on a path for future stories in a smart way.
I'll honestly be a bit disappointed if the TV series follows this too closely, but for the comics it makes for a strong complete series.
I'll honestly be a bit disappointed if the TV series follows this too closely, but for the comics it makes for a strong complete series.
March 17, 2018
I was worried after Vol 2 that the momentum would struggle. It surprised and was as strong as ever. Good showdown at the end, and concludes one story arc.
December 20, 2017
Holy. Shit. I definitely wasn't expecting things to shake down the way it did. I honestly read most of this volume with bugged eyes and a dropped jaw. The mole plot twist was very cleverly implanted from the beginning of the series and to see it pay off in a pretty spectacular fashion is so satisfying. I was surprised by the reveal, and was just as shocked by the events that transpired.
The story concluded on a positive note but it is also open-ended enough to know that it wasn't The End. Ultimately, what mattered was that these young kiddos had survived and were on the run once more. The Runaways, thus, live on.
The story concluded on a positive note but it is also open-ended enough to know that it wasn't The End. Ultimately, what mattered was that these young kiddos had survived and were on the run once more. The Runaways, thus, live on.
August 6, 2021
Omg…that ending. It was very bittersweet, and now I’m a little teary eyed for these teenagers just trying to live their lives.
I’m debating weather or not I should read the newer graphic novels by Rainbow Rowell, and watch the tv show. I watched the first episode when it first came out, and then I started rewatching Criminal Minds for the millionth time.
10/10 recommend these fast and fun graphic novels—even tho there’s only 3 volumes.
I’m debating weather or not I should read the newer graphic novels by Rainbow Rowell, and watch the tv show. I watched the first episode when it first came out, and then I started rewatching Criminal Minds for the millionth time.
10/10 recommend these fast and fun graphic novels—even tho there’s only 3 volumes.
August 23, 2022
Well darn. That was underwhelming.
Things happen, but I just found myself no longer interested. I couldn't even seem to remember which parents belonged to which kiddo without flipping back and that would have been far too much effort. Honestly, I didn't really care or get jazzed about any of the characters. When the mole was revealed, I felt a whole lotta indifference for something something that should have been a big moment. There's even a death or two or three and again...indifference.
2.5 rounded down to 2 "it was ok" stars
Things happen, but I just found myself no longer interested. I couldn't even seem to remember which parents belonged to which kiddo without flipping back and that would have been far too much effort. Honestly, I didn't really care or get jazzed about any of the characters. When the mole was revealed, I felt a whole lotta indifference for something something that should have been a big moment. There's even a death or two or three and again...indifference.
2.5 rounded down to 2 "it was ok" stars
July 5, 2023
After feeling a bit of a snag in volume two, this one rights the course and ended up being my favorite of the three.
All the emotional resonance returns and the story jumps many directions while keeping focus on the finish line. So many comics fumble the conclusion, but this does the exact opposite and shores up almost every aspect of the story and characters in a satisfying way. I absolutely loved it.
All the emotional resonance returns and the story jumps many directions while keeping focus on the finish line. So many comics fumble the conclusion, but this does the exact opposite and shores up almost every aspect of the story and characters in a satisfying way. I absolutely loved it.
March 20, 2021
It was quite a power-packed finish to the 2003 series! There was a lot happening in the final 2 chapters, producing some of the best art I have seen so far.
Dialogues aside, I liked the unpredictability of the "final showdown" and its consequences. Plus, there's a nice balance between leaving the end open to the various paths that can be taken, as to where they're running off to again, but also adding a sense of finality to the whole series.
I still did not manage to really connect with any character yet, but I am hoping that will change as I continue with the series (fingers crossed)
Dialogues aside, I liked the unpredictability of the "final showdown" and its consequences. Plus, there's a nice balance between leaving the end open to the various paths that can be taken, as to where they're running off to again, but also adding a sense of finality to the whole series.
I still did not manage to really connect with any character yet, but I am hoping that will change as I continue with the series (fingers crossed)
May 19, 2020
Really enjoyable and well done conclusion to the first set of the series. Really like the characters and plot worked really well with a twist so strongly hinted at I didn't think it would come.
August 14, 2017
Gert and Chase are my faves.
December 27, 2017
Okay, it's official - the original 2003-2004... erm... run (for lack of a better word) of the Runaways is one of the coolest things I've ever read.
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