Marvel editor calls out fatal flaw that haunts beloved hero franchise

Wonder Editor Tom Brevoort called this fatal flaw in a beloved superhero franchise, going so far as to call it an "inherent problem." The RunawaysLaunched in the early 2000s, it quickly became a cult title, and before long, it was a breakout hit. Even despite a TV show, the property has struggled to find its footing in recent years, and Brevoort has a theory as to why.

Tom Brevoort, in his weekly substock newsletter Man with a hatField questions from fans on a variety of topics. Brevoort previously answered a question about Young Avengers. Fan Andrew Albrecht asked a follow-up question. Albrecht was curious if Brevoort had ever worked on it run away And if he was a fan of the concept.

Brevoort responded with the following:

I have some things like Young Avengers/Runaways During Civil warAndrew, but I never edited the actual series. I liked the book, although I think it has an inherent problem that was never fully remedied. And that is that the premise has an end point, and the original creators reached that end point. There's really no reason for The Runaways to be on the run anymore, other than the fact that it's the name of the series. So there is a lot of contrivance involved in keeping it going.

Marvel currently does not publish a monthly Runaways book, How to give credence to Brevoort's theory.

The Runaways Marvel Comics Origins, Explained

The Runaways shook up the Marvel formula in many ways

RunawaysCreated by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona, was a breath of fresh air when it debuted in the summer of 2003. Launched as part of the Tsunami initiative, designed to appeal to younger readers, Runaways would surpass the other titles in the imprint, and by mid-decade, became one of Marvel's most buzzing books. Vaughan and Alphona left the title in 2007, and a succession of writers and artists, including Joss Whedon, Terry Moore, Kathryn Immonen, Rainbow Rowell and Kris Anka, have all taken cracks at the property.

Runaways introduced a new corner of the Marvel Universe, and in the process introduced one of its best villain teams: the Pride. Most Marvel titles are set in New York City, however Runaways Moved the action to California. The group were children of the Pride, a group of super-villains who run almost all criminal operations on the West Coast. The Pride consisted of time travelers, evil sorcerers, genius inventors and criminal masterminds. The book began with the children learning the truth about their parents. Repulsed by what they saw, the six kids banded together to oppose the Pride.

Runaways Would become the best Marvel book of the 2000s

Runaways Lives up to its title

This combination helped make Runaways A hit, as well as the best Marvel title of the 2000s. Runaways was unique on several fronts. It featured a team of young protagonists, and while teenage superhero teams are nothing new, Runaways Put an exciting spin on it. They were just normal kids caught up in matters beyond their control, and they just wanted to stop it. Second, the team's membership was fluid—members came and went. Vaughan and Alphona introduced new members, such as Victor and the Skrull Xavin. Others, like Gertrude, were killed off. This kept Runaways Fresh and unpredictable.

In the center of Runaways was a key idea: they are on the run. Once they show themselves to their parents' true selves, the kids have no choice but to run away. They knew too much and could jeopardize everything the Pride worked to achieve. Runaways Worked as a twisted form of wish fulfillment: many teenagers feel their parents are bad, but in the case of RunawaysThey actually were. Teenagers sometimes run away from bad home and family situations, and Runaways Taps in that too. After the Pride fell, the team vowed no villains would fill the void left behind.

Runaways Struggle once its creators left

Runaways Should have been a hit for the MCU

However, there are those, like Tom Brevoort, who feel Runaways Has lost its spark with time. Vaughan and Alphona chose a course for Runaways Which was strong and tough, and used the concept to brilliant effect. After departure, one could argue, is when the book began to decline. Whedon and Moore's runs were decent, and tried to continue some of the ideas Vaughan and Alphona started. They introduced new members to the team, as well as new villains. However, as Brevoort notes, they are no longer on the run.

While the concept was limping along in the comics, Runaways got his own TV show, with marginal ties to the MCU, prompting Marvel to release a new ongoing title, written by Rainbow Rowell and drawn by Chris Anka. Of the many post Vaughan and Alphona attempts, Rowell and Anka have been the most successful in recapturing the original vibe that made Runaways A cult favorite a decade earlier. Although the book attracted good reviews, it ended with 38 issues, seemingly bringing the saga of the Runaways to an end.

The Runaways You need a Marvel Comics comeback

The concept behind Runaways May be reworked

While Runaways May no longer be on Marvel's radar, these characters are simply too good to be left in limbo for long. Other creators noted the great characters Vaughan and Alphona gifted to comics. Nico Minoru, the team's magic user, would go on to join A-Force, an all-female version of​​​​​​​The Avengers. She was also affiliated with the Midnight Suns. Victor Mancha, the robotic member of the team, joined the Avengers AI team, and was featured in the classic Vision Title. The rest of the team has a lot to offer the Marvel Universe as well.

Return to Tom Brevoort's assessment of the state of run away It would seem that he is right: the concept has run out of gas. With a few exceptions, such as Nico Minoru, the team is in limbo and making no appearances. But this book was one of Marvel's Best, and it can be again. In the hands of the right creative team, any book or concept can work. It's just a matter of the right people coming on board. Rowell and Anka were closer than anyone, which proves that Runaways is still a viable concept.

Source: Tom Brevoort, Man with a hat