Young Adult Angst Revives Doombot in Runaways No. 22
By Alex Widen
The return of Lucy in the sky?
Tensions are high within the Hostel. Alliances and ideals within the Runaways threaten to cause the team to fray. But then again, what else is new? These eclectic Marvel misfits have always been moving in different directions, yet always find themselves united when it counts. The latest installment involves Karolina Dean and her bold new life choices. At first hesitant to leave behind her safe college life with her long distance super-heroine girlfriend, Karolina has embraced this Runaways reunion head first!
Image by Marvel Comics
The irony is Karolina’s latest kick is something her ex, Lightspeed, might have appreciated. Dropping out of college has left Karolina with more free time on her hands and a chance to once again redefine herself. And this time she has chosen to dip her toe into a common profession within the Marvel Universe — superheroism. Unlike many budding vigilantes, she’s starting small and without violence. After having saved a toddler from a speeding car, she’s now rescuing a hapless window washer dangling for his life.
Image by Marvel Comics
This raises some immediate difficulties. For one, Karolina may be an alien with the power of flight and energy projection, but she’s not terribly buff, and grown men are heavy. Furthermore, she doesn’t know what to call herself, and hardly is willing to give a stranger her real name. Even her domino mask, wool cap and leggings screams of a costume thought up from a thrift store. California is starved for heroes — right now all it has are the West Coast Avengers and Superior Spider-Man — but how deep into this is Karolina willing to go? Or drag her friends?
Image by Marvel Comics