Runaways Vol. 1

Runaways Vol 1 created by Brian K. Vaughan & Adrian Alphona

Runaways Vol 1 created by Brian K. Vaughan & Adrian Alphona.  Marvel Worldwide, New York City, 2006. ISBN: 978-0785113799

Summary

Every year, Alex, Karolina, Gert, Chase, Molly, and Nico are forced to hang out with each other while their parents host a charity event.  These six L.A. teens all have totally different interests: Alex likes roleplaying games, Karolina is a dedicated vegan, Chase plays lacrosse. While they’re not strangers, they’re not friends, either—mostly because they have nothing in common.

But that all changes one night when the teens decide to spy on their parents.  They’re shocked when they discover their parents are actually a group of super villains called the Pride, and not the charitable do-gooders they’ve led their children to believe. After witnessing their parents killed a young girl, the teens decide to find out what’s really going on. As they explore the hidden passageways and last wills of their homes, they discover the dark past their parents have been hiding. They also discover secrets about themselves: alien powers, pet dinosaurs, and magical spells. While the teens only have each other to rely on, they also have new powers and talents that will be needed to take down the Pride.

Critical Evaluation

The first in a series, Runaways is similar to other Marvel comics such as Teen Titans and Young Avengers.  There are several things done right with this comic: the plot twist of their parents being super villains is an interesting take on superhero lore.  The main characters themselves are unique with their new powers and abilities but they are also like normal teens, dealing with

unrequited love, driving, and not getting along with their parents.

The artwork pays homage to a traditional comic book look, but there’s also a freshness of color and light within the panels. The dialogue sounds like how real teens talk and each character also has their own way of speaking, making it easy to understand who’s talking in each scene.  The plot moves along nicely and the first volume has a satisfying ending, as well as a hint as to what’s to come for the Runaways.

With sexual situations, violence, and language, this comic series is better for older teens. Teen comic book fans looking for a series that relates to them will want to pick up Runaways.

Reader’s Annotation

When six teens find out their parents are actually super villains, they’re forced to find out the truth about their upbringing.

About the Author

“Brian K. Vaughan is an American comic writer and the creator of such acclaimed series as Runaways for Marvel, Y: The Last Man for Vertigo, and Ex Machina for Wildstorm. Brian K. Vaughan sometimes moonlights as a writer-producer on television shows like LOST and Stephen King's UNDER THE DOME. He is currently writing his interstellar creator-owned title Saga for Image Comics.”

 (Brian K. Vaughan)    Retrieved November 2^nd, 2014  from http://www.teenreads.com/authors/brian-k-vaughan)

Genres

Comic Books

Graphic Novels

Superheroes

Curriculum Ties

Art

Booktalking Ideas

1: Did you feel any sympathy for the Runaways parents? Why or why not?

2: How does being a child of a super villain change the Runaways?

Reading Level/Interest Age

Ages 15+

Grades 9+

Literary Awards

YALSA Best Books for Young Adults (Top Ten, 2006)

Challenge Issues

Language

Sexual situations

Violence

Defense File

1—Ensure that policies such as “Freedom to Read,” “Collection Development,” and “Challenged Materials” are available for patrons and staff to read and research. Have list of awards and reviews for titles, as well as a “Reconsideration Form” on hand at all branches.

2—Listen to challenges and complaints openly and without judgment. Allow the patron to express their thoughts without inputting your own.

3—Have patron fill out reconsideration form. Provide information and background on challenge material’s author and title.  Forward reconsideration form to appropriate supervisors.

PPLD’s Challenge Materials Policy: http://ppld.org/challenged-materials-policy

PPLD’s Collection Development Policy: http://ppld.org/collection-development-policy

Why included?

I included Runaways for its fresh plot, realistic teen characters, and an overall fun read. I also included it for the comic book fans out there.

The Twelve-Fingered Boy

The Twelve-Fingered Boy by John Hornor Jacobs

The Twelve-Fingered Boy by  John Hornor Jacobs.  Carolrhoda Books Minneapolis, MN, 2013. ISBN 978-0761390077

Summary

Shreveport Justice Cannon in a ward at the Casmir Pulaski Juvenile Detention  Center, after he was shot trying to steal a truck from his trailer park home. While his life before wasn’t any better than life now, Shreve survives his temporary home by cons and shelling out candy contraband.  His new cellmate, Jack, is strange and quiet—even more so then the other cellmates Shreve has had.  Jack doesn’t talk much about his past or what he did to go to juvie. He doesn’t sleep, is a perfect target for the juvie bullies, and is mocked for his twelve fingers.

But there’s something different about Jack. When Shreve first embarrasses Jack, the air changes and Shreve feels like he’s having an asthma attack. Shreve is sure this is just a one-time thing, something that he imagined in his mind.  But when more attacks happen and a strange man from Department of Health and Human Services comes to pay Jack a visit, Shreve begins to wonder if his new roommate is really human.

Critical Evaluation

The tone of “The Twelve-Fingered Boy” works well with the juvenile detention setting.  Jacobs portrays the daily life and mental abuse of the center well, making it easy for the readers to imagine the hell Shreve and Jack find themselves in.  The sense of danger and darkness continues throughout the book even after the characters escape the detention.

While the book isn’t a traditional superhero story, it works well with modern elements.  The typical roles of hero and sidekick are reversed in this story: quiet, unassuming Jack is the one with special powers, while talkative, slick Shreve is the one tagging along.  While the boys are forced into each other’s lives, they soon learn to watch out for each other as no one else will. The friendship between Jack and Shreve is refreshing as they take turns making fun of each other and protecting each other.

The book is the first in a planned trilogy, but Jacobs doesn’t add too many plot twists or leave the readers hanging.  The ending gives a hint as to what’s coming next, leaving the readers wanting more. “The Twelve-Fingered Boy” is an action packed read, perfect for anyone interested in nontraditional superhero stories.

Reader’s Annotation

After his new cellmate, Jack, displays strange powers, he and Shreve must escape their juvenile detention center to find out the truth.

About the Author

“John Hornor Jacobs has worked in advertising for the last fifteen years, played in bands, and pursued art in various forms. He is also, in his copious spare time, a novelist, represented by Stacia Decker of the Donald Maass Literary Agency. His first novel,Southern Gods, was published by Night Shade Books and shortlisted for the Bram Stoker Award. His second novel, This Dark Earth, was published in July, 2012, by Gallery/Pocket Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. His young adult series, The Incarcerado Trilogy comprised of The Twelve Fingered Boy, The Shibboleth, and The Conformity, will be published by Carolrhoda Labs, an imprint of Lerner Publishing.

His first fantasy series, The Incorruptibles will be published in Spring 2014 by Gollancz in the UK.

John is the co-founder of Needle: A Magazine of Noir and was the active creative director until fall 2012. He has a quartet of horror stories, Fierce As The Grave, available through Amazon.com.

John has played guitar semi-professionally and worked as an animator, videographer, designer, and all around web bon vivant for the last fifteen years – that’s a century in advertising years. He worked for such vaunted clients as Elvis Enterprises, Hallmark, U.S. Marshall Service, the U.S. Army, Phillip Morris, TCBY Yogurt, Atlantic City CVB, Albequrque CVB, the states of Kentucky, South Carolina, Arkansas, Utah. And many more clients, both large and small.

He knows the Adobe CS Master Suite backwards and forward. He can debone a chicken, whole. He has a wife and two children and makes his home in Little Rock, Arkansas.”

 (About. Retrieved September 23^rd, 2014 from http://www.johnhornorjacobs.com/about-2/)

Genres

Action/Adventure

Superheroes

Coming of Age

Curriculum Ties   N/A

Booktalking Ideas

1: Discuss how Jack is different from traditional superheroes.

2:  How does the juvenile detention setting make the book different?

Reading Level/Interest Age

Ages 13+

Grades 9+

Challenge Issues

N/A

Why included?

I included this book because of the untraditional superhero story and setting.  While the book is geared toward teen boys, anyone interested in an action story would enjoy “The Twelve-Fingered Boy.”