Hulu is taking its first steps into the Marvel universe with the launch of Runaways on November 21st!
Taking a chance on a bunch of kids, Hulu is debuting a semi unknown cult favorite from the vaults over at Marvel Comics. It’s The Runaways!
Runaways, like the comic that preceded it, will focus on a group of six kids who as fate would have it find themselves on the run. And from their parents no less. Stumbling upon their collective parents dark secret, the teens will have to come to grips at not only who their parents are but also the realization that some of them may have some hidden “talents” as well. The comic series, created by Brian K. Vaughn, was immensely popular and ran on and off from 2003 to 2010 and has just been relaunched as of September of this year by writer Rainbow Rowell.
There is already an established history with these characters and stories so it remains to be seen what is kept and what may be retooled to have it stand on its own two feet. It’s safe to say that the core elements will stay the same so a rundown on the team is in order.
The Runaways
- Gertrude Yorkes – The sarcastic, anarchistic punk daughter of two evil time travellers, Gert is a cynical force to be reckoned with. The purple hair and telepathically linked dinosaur named Old Lace don’t hurt either. Her attitude and healthy distrust of all things adult help guide the team in their mission to clear their names and stop their parents once and for all.
- Nico Minoru – The witch of the group, Nico is the daughter of a pair of dark wizards and has magical abilities herself. Whenever she bleeds a magical staff emerges from her body and allows her to cast spells. The catch is that she is unable to use the same spell more than once. These dark powers are complimented by her dark Gothic exterior appearence.
- Chase Stein – Looks can be deceiving, and Chase is not just the dumb jock that his peers have pigeon holed him as. Thanks to his scientist parents, Chase has been able to use the technology that they pioneered in the fight against them. Also, Fistigons!
- Alex Wilder – Alex may not have super powers, but his massive intelligence level place him rightfully in the role of team leader. The son of mob bosses, it is at Alex’s house that the Runaways first witness how evil their parents actually are.
- Karollina Dean – Karolina’s origins are slightly more out there than her teammates. The child of Majesdanians, an alien race that uses solar energy as a power source, she is the free spirit of the group. The ability to fly and radiate rainbow light from her body earned her the nickname “Lucy in the Sky”.
- Molly Hayes – The teams only actual Mutant, Molly’s parents are evil mutants of the telepathic persuasion. With super human strength and invulnerability she is the power house in the group. She’s also the youngest. Her strength gave even the biggest and toughest Marvel had to offer a run for their money but she can only use it in short bursts before falling asleep.
The Pride
The Pride is a major super villain team that is made up of the parents of all six Runaways members. After their children witness one of their dark gatherings they are desperate to track them down before they can alert the authorities.
Their origin however get’s a bit weirder. Brought together originally in the 1980’s by beings known as the Gibborim, The Pride hopes to join these beings in a kind of new Utopian world along with their kids. The rituals that need to be performed yearly to give the Gibborim strength are what lands the Runaways on the run in the first place.
Although mostly self contained in the series, other major criminal players in the Marvel universe know of and fear The Pride as a deadly serious competitor.
On The Run
Some of the most interesting arcs in the books were the interactions with other heroes in Marvel’s roster. Being on the run not only from their parents but also from law enforcement has forced the team to seek out others for help. This has led them to run ins with Wolverine and the rest of the X-Men to the Avengers themselves. Cloak and Dagger also played a role in helping to clear their name.
With the rest of the Marvel universe on other networks like Netflix, ABC and Fox it’s doubtful that they’ll have any meetings with those characters due to intellectual property rights. But that just opens the door for additional and slightly more obscure heroes to make their debut on the show, possibly spinning off into their own series.
That’s how it’s done these days.
Runaways premieres November 21st on Hulu with its first three episodes dropping simultaneously. The remaining 7 episodes will air weekly into January 2018.
Mike Harris hails from the suburbs of Chicago and has been a fan for most of his life. Working as an industrial radiographer and raising a family with his wife take up most of his time, but there’s always room for Star Wars books and podcasts! Just looking to give back to Star Wars and the fan community, it’s been a source of fun and learning for him for so long.