Comic Review: Runaways (2017-) #20

Runaways (2017-) #20

Marvel Comics

Writer: Rainbow Rowell

Artists: Andres Genolet & Triona Farrell

Runaways is Marvel’s true to life, never-ending coming-of-age story. The characters are constantly learning lessons what it means to grow up while learning their assumptions about it are incorrect. The series wonderfully mimics real life’s realizations while playing them against Marvel’s fantastical backdrop. The book’s creators clearly recognize this and craft amazing stories with this in mind.

What happens after the battle is won? How do we put ourselves back together after taking down obstacles or coming face to face with our traumas? Runaways seek to explore that question’s repercussions through the fallout of last arc’s battle. This arc is delightfully called “But You Can’t Hide”, wordplay with the title and a theme about facing anxieties. With the children of the Gibborim gone, the group tries to move on with their lives. Unfortunately, their lifestyle leads to many important goals and responsibilities slipping through the cracks.

Karolina’s time at college takes a huge hit from everything she’s dealing with in life. Her girlfriend breaks up with her, she starts a new romance with Nico, the Gibborim arrive. These take up all her time so she’s rarely at class, leading to her reprimanding from a professor. Something needs to give if Karolina intends on continuing her education. Then there’s Gert trying to understand Molly’s situation. I love the interaction since it drives home the sister relationship they share while proving that Gert isn’t all-knowing. Her heart’s in the right place with wanting to get Molly moving again, but this is gonna be slow. Molly has to want to open up about what’s going on with her.

Then there’s Victor, the story with the most emotional impact. He’s always swimming upstream, hoping his villain destiny doesn’t come true. We always see the steps he takes to avoid it but we rarely see the toll it takes on him. He seems upbeat and cheerful almost always, but recently we get intimate moments with him. This issue pushes the PTSD he deals with to the forefront and we watch his struggle. His decisions made in regard to his mental health will have consequences for everyone and its intense.

It’s all about the colors for me in this issue. Farrell’s got a gift in bringing light into a book. The pencils are fantastic too but they really pop from the colorful fill-in. Overall, the issue looks great and reads slowly but surely. It’s a great arc to jump into the series as the book stretches its legs before running again.