Runaways #17 Review

Writer: Rainbow Rowell / Artist: Kris Anka / Marvel Our team took a mini break from the missions and villain-thwarting so they could enjoy a little holiday cheer, but it’s 2019 and evil is afoot! Runaways #17 proves to be a pivotal point in the hostage situation our teenage firecrackers have been dealing with for a few issues. Their time to find a solution to the Gibborim sacrifice is up, so the team must decide what to do and, subsequently, find out what kind of heroes they’re destined to be.

We start off with tragedy on hideout hill. Yes, I just made that location up. As the team’s captor, Gib, looks out over the awe inspiring cotton candy paint job in the sky, and you can feel the tension-filled mood being set inside The Hostel. Karolina and Nico ponder the best course of action for two young women in love on the eve of their destruction. Molly and Old Lace snuggle. Gert and Victor labor over stacks of books, searching for a lead. Alex broods, calculates, and broods some more. Chase rocks out while fine-tuning the fistigons. It’s all very ‘Twas the night before apocalyptic hellfire and Rite of Thunder brimstone’. Luckily, Rowell doesn’t forget to drop little tidbits of humor to ease up on the sacrificial dramatics.

In the end of it all, everyone’s true character is revealed and the team is left in another painful predicament, thanks to you-know-who. Rainbow Rowell certainly knows how to finesse the comic book cliffhanger because I find myself itching for the next Runaway…