Runaways #5

by Jrs1003 on January 11, 2018

Runaways #5
Writer: Rainbow Rowell
Artist: Kris Anka
Publisher: Marvel Comics


Publishing a new Runaways comic always comes with a certain amount of risk. The original run was written so well that it propelled an entire team of new characters into the spotlight. This isn't an easy feat to do, but it's even harder to take such a well written team and attempt to match or exceed the quality of the original run. So far, 2018's Runaways is sitting right on the fine line of falling victim to that risk. At its core, the story is very much a Runaways narrative. It's a story about trying to recover friendships, feeling out of place, and coming together as a team. The writing of this issue nails this, as the dynamic between Molly and Gert, and Chase and Victor works just as well as ever. Having Gert back has been refreshing, because although her death was devastating back in the day, she fills a niche in the team dynamic that no other character can.


This arc has some shortcomings, however. Not every comic book needs action packed sequences and explosions, but we are five issues into this series and each issue is still very heavy on dialogue and setting up what is to come. Though this feels like a Runaways book, not much has happened yet, and the pacing is starting to lag. Hopefully with the team back together, things can finally kick off. With the dialogue mixed with an exciting storyline, this run could shape up to be one of the best, but currently it is falling short.


Art-wise, this book does just fine. The work that Kris Anka does is consistent throughout, but when most of what you need to draw is characters laying on beds or sitting a dinner tables, it is hard to make it stand out. Once again, this is facet of this issue that could contribute a lot to the overall quality of the series if the pacing picks up. The Runaways are a hard team to nail down, but Rainbow Rowell seems to have a good handle on the beloved characters. Hopefully, now that the setup seems to have concluded, we can enjoy the high quality character interaction while also having the characters do something.

Our Score:

7/10

A Look Inside