Runaways Vol. 1: Pride and Joy

Book Description

All young people believe their parents are evil ... but what if they really are? Meet Alex, Karolina, Gert, Chase, Molly and Nico - whose lives are about to take an unexpected turn. When these six young friends discover their parents are all secretly super-powered villains, the shocked teens find strength in one another. Together, they run away from home and straight into the adventure of their lives - vowing to turn the tables on their evil legacy.

Customer Reviews:

Runaways Volume 1.......2007-09-19

In this first volume of the smash-hit series, Runaways, written by award-winning writer Brian K. Vaughan, which has now attracted the likes of Joss Whedon, we are introduced to a bunch of young teenagers who have little in common and don't like each other that much. Every year they are forced to hang out together as their parents meet secretively for some charity event, it is thought. Except this time, things are a little different. The kids are older, starting to take an interest in the opposite sex, which they immediately do, and their curiosity is insatiable. They decide to finally find out what their parents are exactly up to. Using hidden passages in the house they sneak up on their parents and discover two important things: 1) Their parents are super heroes, and 2) Their parents are not super heroes, but actually super villains.

Vaughan presents a very interesting and unique dynamic. The teens immediately work on running away from their evil parents and along the way discover unique powers that they possess. It is an enjoyable and ideal story for young teens or teens of any age who are looking for something in the vein of Teen Titans; but it is also a very enjoyable story for adults also. It marks the continuing tangent that Marvel has taken of late in looking into the early lives of their super heroes.

For more book reviews, and other writings, go to www.alexctelander.com

There Are Rougly One Million Reasons To Read "Runaways".......2007-09-13

When I decided to start reading Brian K. Vaughan's acclaimed comic series "Runaways", I did so with no trepidation. I knew Vaughan was a great comic writer, not only from having read and highly enjoyed some of his highly enjoyable "Y: The Last Man" and his fantastic issue in the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Eight" series, but also from the fact that a negative review for "Runaways" is perhaps one out of twenty. Also, I wasn't put off at all by the fact that Vaughan lists "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", my all time favorite show/comic series, as an inspiration for "Runaways" and the fact that Joss Whedon would eventually take over "Runaways" for an arc later on down the road. If that wasn't enough, Jo Chen is the cover artist.

So were my expectations met when I delved into "Pride and Joy", the first arc of the series?

Yes. The dialogue is fresh and snaps with pop culture references and witty bits of sarcasm are aplenty. Each character gets an extraordinary amount of development for short time we have here (six issues, at twenty-two pages a piece), though it can be argued that they are merely archetypes: Nerd, goth, brain, jock, hottie, little kid. However, I have enough faith in BKV's writing that by the time I read further into the series, the characters will develop past what we've seen so far. Actually, based on a spoiler or so that I accidently read, the characters do in fact mature past what we've seen here.

What we've got here is a story about kids rebelling against their parents, except blown up into a huge situation. The kids here find out their parents are murderous supervillains, and this arc is pretty much coping with the consequences of that knowledge and figuring out what they're going to do next. There are some awesome fight scenes, as drawn by Adrian Alphona, who also has a great hand for drawing the six main characters and putting their personality into their expressions and body languages. The color reminds me of a television cartoon, and that provides a nice contrast with a story that is really a dark tale told through light, snappy language.

And speaking of the dialogue. Sometimes, the dialogue flows so well that it actually gets in the way of appreciating the art. I know that's truly not a negative, but sometimes I just wish there would be a break to take in some of the art. For the next arc, I really have to pace myself with this and take each panel at a time. BKV really knows how to build suspense from panel to panel.

The only real complaint I have here are the portrayal of the villainous parents. There are so many of them (twelve, if I remember correctly) that it is impossible to remember what each of them does, and equally impossible for BKV to flesh them out into more believable villains. This made for a slight problem here; I found some of the things said by a few of the villains while taunting the kids to be cringe worthy. Very stereotypical villain-esque. What I hope happens is that a primary villain comes to the forefront, so he/she would be able to be properly fleshed out.

*NOTE: It is a better buying decision to, instead of purchasing this, buy "Runaways, Vol. 1." It is a huge hardcover and includes the entirety of the first three arcs, plus some "commentary." It costs less than buying the three arcs separately in much smaller, digest sized paperbacks.

8/10

An Enjoyable, Slightly Dark, Youth-Oriented Graphic Series.......2007-05-22

I'm middle-aged, but I enjoyed volume one of RUNAWAYS. It's not as if there's anything grandly new here. If you've read comics at any point in the last 30+ years, you'll get the "been here, read this" feeling. What's nice is that the young people do have contemporaryish patter. You get your multicultural stuff, your hippieish-vegan entries, your "young people must save the world..again" groove that seems to satisfy the need of young readers to feel heroic and superior to their parents. The Generation Gap is alive and well in RUNAWAYS.

Still, it's got a nice pace, action, dark deeds, heroic deeds, and the bickering you'd expect among teens. Plus a pre-teen who adds the added dimension.

In this opening bound volume, we get to meet the families of Villains/Heroes--that is, the parents are villains and the kids will be heroes who decide to break from the familial units and band together to stop the evil plans of their moms and dads. That, in itself, is a huge conflict. Think about it: Would you be willing to fight your parents to the death? Hmmm. I don't know. Sounds tough to me. And that's good. Anything that adds an emotional and conflictive dimension to a story is a dramatic plus.

So, kids find out who parents really are, learn things about themselves they never knew (ie, each one has a power/gift/specialty), and, yes, they become RUNAWAYS. Of course, running away from supervillains isn't easy. They have ways of making you show yourself, ways of tracking you, ways of making running away extremely stressful. And that's good, too.

I like the digest size volume. I am vexed that amazon doesn't have the digest size volume two: Teenage Wasteland. Geesh. Now I have to traipse to the local comic store and scout for it. Or order it. Why is volume 2 so hard to find?

Well, be warned. While volume one is a pleasant graphic novel read, you may have a bit of a headache getting to the next installment in this form.

Mir

Great start for a new series.......2007-02-27

Once again, Brian K Vaughn shows that he is one of the most consistently good writers in the business. He obviously has another winner with Runaways, a book about six children who discover that their parents are super-villains. While this book is aimed at younger readers, is definitely has something for everybody.

From what I can tell, the events of Runaways occur within the traditional Marvel universe. However, BKV has written it in such a way that it completely stands on it's own. The six Runaways, along with their murderous parents, are based in Los Angeles. As there are so few heroes on the west coast (why haven't villains realized this?), the story in Runaways evolves without relying on the support of existing Marvel continuity.

Vaughn has created 6 unique characters for this book. What is most impressive is that they are instantly interesting and unique. He develops their personalities quite well through good use of dialog. In addition, he was fairly creative with the origin of their powers. In the world where mutants and genetic alteration are the norm for super hero origins, he could have easily used either of these clichés. Instead, he does a good job mixing it up; a couple of members are mutants, but here is also some use of alien origin, time travel, advanced technology, etc.

Adrian Alphona deserves equal credit for the quality of this book. While obviously influenced by Manga, his work here leaves out all of those aspects of Manga which I dislike. There is a general absence of oversized eyes, and the female characters don't look like thirteen year old prostitutes. Further, he does a fine job of making every one of the characters seem even more unique.

The book comes together rather nicely. It is well written, well drawn, the colors add a very nice finishing touch to the book. Some of that suffers in this digest format, as the art is shrunk down and the paper quality is slightly inferior. However, I think this is more than offset by the drastically lower cover price. If you want to see the book at it's best, definitely check out the over-sized hardcover. If you just want to read some good comics, you can't go wrong with this format.

This volume only collects the first six issues of the series, so it generally deals with the teams origin. Now that this necessity is covered, I expect the book to be much more fun in future volumes. While being aimed at a younger audience, it is written in a manner which should appeal to super hero fans of all ages. Definitely check it out.

Great book, but spring for the Hardcover collection........2007-01-13

Well drawn, well written, all the prerequisites for a good comic, but be warned, these volumes are digest sized (think the old TV guide or manga books). Not that this is a bad thing, it's compact and easily concealable, but if you want something full sized spring for the Hardcover Collections. I bought this volume and two days later ordered both available hardcovers. Besides last I checked Vol. 2 was sold out on Amazon.

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Juneau 2nd grader
Wonderful!
"Rice Anyone?"
Outstanding book
Problem Solving with Children's Literature

The King's Chessboard (Picture Puffins)
David Birch
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0140548807

Customer Reviews:

Juneau 2nd grader.......2007-03-23

This book is okay. It takes place in India. The wiseman tricks the king. He tricks the king by asking him for more rice than there is in the world, but the king doesn't realize it.
You might like this book if you like math.

Wonderful!.......2006-03-24

I facilitate a Game Theory and Multicultural Math workshop for ages 9-12 and used this book during our study of the Tower of Hanoi. This book offered a wonderful way to open the discussion of exponential possibility. The illustrations and story are capturing and make the concept of exponents easy to grasp. Further, it takes place in India which was perfect for the math around the world teme. Loved it!

"Rice Anyone?".......2005-06-20

Have you ever paid the price for being a little too nice? "The King's Chessboard" was about a proud king in Deccan, India who paid the price for rewarding a wise man that didn't want to be rewarded. The King asked the wise man what would his reward be. The wise man said serving the King was his reward, but the King insisted on rewarding the servant. So, the wise man asked for one grain of rice. Then, each day for 64 days the wise man would recieve twice as much than the day before for each square on his chessboard. Things soon got out of hand because they were now giving the wise man tons of rice. By the end of the period they would have given out 274,877,906,944 tons of rice. The King had to stop the wise man from recieving these huge amounts of rice. In the end, the king would learn how easy it is for pride to make a fool of someone, even a king.

Outstanding book.......2005-01-26

My 7 year old, mathematically gifted son loves this story. First of all, he loves chess; and secondly, he loves numbers (and the related concepts) even more. Thus this book has the best of both worlds for him.

The most important lesson here, IMHO, is the book teaches that pride can get in the way of good judgement.

The story also teaches the important concept of one-to-one relationships (ie, functions) with numbers. Any math teacher will tell you, it's not the numbers per se that are important, but the relationships and interactions that are important.

Lastly, the story illustrates the math concept of geometric progression, how after a few turns, little number 'explode' into big ones.

Overall, excellent story that teaches both social values and mathematical concepts.

Problem Solving with Children's Literature.......1997-10-01

This book is an excellent resource for elementary teachers to use with math problem solving. Students can use the chess board and rice to solve the problem in the book. Students can measure an ounce of rice and figure how much rice is in a pound. Using this literature in a math class will motivate and enhance learning. I highly recommend it for educators.

The Children of Pride: A True Story of Georgia and the Civil War

Average customer rating:

A lifelong favorite
History First-Hand
Unabridged is worth every minute of your time.
Excellent Historical Account
Not your bland and sanitized version of American history.

The Children of Pride: A True Story of Georgia and the Civil War

Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0300012144

Customer Reviews:

A lifelong favorite.......2007-10-14

Today a friend asked me what had been the best Civil War book I had ever read - not a straight history book - and after the briefest thought I said "Children of Pride." I've spent many years thinking about the War, trying to understand the motivations of Americans at that time, and then how they survived such a horrendously wrenching time. "Children of Pride" does it better than anything I have ever read.
I think it is understood that primary sources are the best way to truly understand times as these; this book provides the thoughts of the entire family, all literate and well-spoken people, over the entire period from the 1850s, just living their ante-bellum experience, to the idea of the war on the horizon, entering into it and living it day by day. This is all seen through ordinary every-day experiences, family anecdotes, and discussions of what is occurring. I can't recommend it highly enough for a true understanding of Southern life and views through all these years and well into Reconstruction.
As readers said earlier, the abridged versions absolutely do not do any justice to what the book truly is. The whole work is the only way to experience "Children of Pride."
It has lived with me since I first read it in the 1970s; I would never let my copy out of my hands, and as said above today I realized it was the single best book about the Civil War that I have ever read.

History First-Hand.......2007-01-15

A significant collection of the letters of an influential low country family, from before the Civil War and right after. These letters show the attitudes, morals, mindsets, goals, worries, and daily lives of their writers, and seem at once both modern and dated, universal and unique. What one reads here also shows how, arguably, the English language reached its height during this era. The beauty of the wording of so many of these letters, even short chatty ones from one family member to another, have much to teach us, and should dispel any residue of belief that those who lived in eras before our own were unlearned and intellectually inferior to us. It is particularly interesting to read along from the position of hindsight and see how men and women who lived through momentous times regarded them as they were about to happen, as they were happening, and in the days that came after the events. These letters are not only educational, they are also, as a bonus, very interesting.

Unabridged is worth every minute of your time........2006-04-11

Like being able to eavesdrop on history, the letters give a vivid account of life before, during and after the civil war. I became fascinated with this format and time period and have also read Mary Chestnutt, Sarah Morgan, and many others, but am now reading The Children Of Pride for the second time. Someone offered to buy my copy, but there is no way I'll ever part with it. It's worth every penny, and every minute spent finding the complete version!

Excellent Historical Account.......2004-01-19

Factual account of day to day life in easy to read wording. Historically accurate.

Not your bland and sanitized version of American history........2003-12-02

Winners of the wars get to write the history books...so you have to look a little further to get truer impressions. I use a lengthy excerpt from this book in advanced US History classes to give the kids a clue why the South was so bitter about Reconstruction. They come away very thoughtful. But the unabridged version is the only real deal.

Average customer rating:

This is a magical book.

The Magic Unicorn
Caroline Repchuk
Manufacturer: Marlowe & Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1569247854

Customer Reviews:

This is a magical book........1998-12-04

I gave this to my daughter who loves unicorns for her 6th birthday. the pictures are beautiful. She really loves the glitter and hologram effects on each page. this is an enchanting book.

Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates

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what you did not know
Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates and PR

Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates
Jonah Winter
Manufacturer: Atheneum/Anne Schwartz Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0689856431

Book Description

On an island called Puerto Rico a boy named Roberto Clemente dreamed of nothing but winning at baseball.

With no money -- but plenty of determination -- Clemente practiced on muddy fields with a glove made from a coffee sack. Little League became minor league, which turned into winter league...and, finally, he made it to the major leagues! With lightning speed, towering home runs, and grand slams, Clemente introduced himself to America.

Spare, evocative language -- and magnificent illustrations -- tell the story of a great athlete and even greater man who rose through the ranks of baseball to become one of the most admired players of all time.

Customer Reviews:

what you did not know.......2006-07-09

I enjoyed it cause I found out more about Roberto Clemente.

Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates and PR.......2005-03-19

A well-written, almost poetically spare introduction to the life of Roberto Clemente. Starts with his life of poverty in Puerto Rico to his climb to the top of the major leagues. Ends with Mr. Clemente's untimely death in an airplane crash when he was transporting relief supplies to earthquake victims. Illustrations capture the feel of the times and experiences as well as the excitement of the sports action. This excellent picture book will introduce another generation to a real hero. Karen Woodworth Roman, Librarians.info

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The Children Of Pride - A True Story Of Georgia And The Civil War

Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HDOJ7K

Grandmama's Pride (Golden Kite Honors (Awards))

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Grandmama's Pride

Grandmama's Pride (Golden Kite Honors (Awards))
Becky Birtha
Manufacturer: Albert Whitman & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 080753028X

Customer Reviews:

Grandmama's Pride.......2006-12-24

A little girl and her family go South to visit her grandma. When she gets there, things are not like at home. Black people and white people are treated differently. She sees "Colored" and "White Only" signs. She didn't like it. Things change when she went to visit her grandma again the next summer. Everyone could use the same bathroom, water fountain and waiting room.

I liked it because it taught me more about black and white people and the way things used to be.

Reviewed by: Jada Monet, 7-years old

Pride of Puerto Rico: The Life of Roberto Clemente

Average customer rating:

Book of Pride
Pride of Puerto Rico
Very nice and easy to understand.
It was my favorite

Pride of Puerto Rico: The Life of Roberto Clemente
Paul Robert Walker
Manufacturer: Odyssey Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0152634207

Book Description

The great right fielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Roberto Clemente was proud of his family, his native Puerto Rico, and his ability to play baseball. “Baseball fans will welcome this book because of the fast-paced action, but the temper of the man and his concern for human beings will leave a lasting impression on the younger reader.”--The Horn Book

Customer Reviews:

Book of Pride.......2006-07-12

I enjoyed this book so much. Coincidently I finished it just before seeing a ceremony in honor of Roberto Clemente with his widow Vera present at the 2006 MLB All-Star game. From reading this book I understand why the word "Pride" is always used when discussing Roberto Clemente. This book carres the theme of Roberto's pride from beginning to end. Pride not only in himself but in his family and country. Many may say this is not a book about baseball, but those who know the magic of baseball understand that you can't seperate the game from the players. It is the great person in the player that makes the game of baseball so wonderful. Roberto was a great baseball player and an even greater man. Puerto Rico should feel honored in having him as one of their native sons.

Pride of Puerto Rico.......2006-03-03

My 12-yr old son read this book for a report.
He didn't complain too much and finished pretty quickly so I guess he liked it.

Very nice and easy to understand........1999-05-01

It was so good that when I received it, I could not put it down till the end. That night I went to bed at 4:33AM. Mr.Robert Walker, 2 thumbs up to a well documented piece of art. Again THANK YOU for this biography.

It was my favorite.......1998-11-30

He palyed for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was the youngest in his family, just like me. His dad made alot of money compared to the others that lived around them. Roberto rode his bike to another town to try out for a softball team. It was only a couple of miles from his home. His school was trying to teach him to speak English, and he didn't do very good, but he tried.

The Landmark Method for Teaching Arithmetic

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The Landmark Method for Teaching Arithmetic
Christopher L. Woodin
Manufacturer: Landmark Outreach Program
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

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ASIN: 0962411922

Book Description

This book is written for teachers who work with students having difficulty learning math. It includes practical strategies for teaching multiplication, division, word problems, and math facts. It also introduces the reader to two learning tools developed at Landmark: "Woodin Ladders" and "Woodmark Icons". Sample templates and exercises that teachers can copy and use in their classrooms are included. (Appropriate for all learners experiencing problems with basic arithmetic.)

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Pride
.:.Surprise Ending.:.
Delicious Scandal

Pride (Seven Deadly Sins)
Robin Wasserman
Manufacturer: Simon Pulse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0689877846

Book Description

Everyone's got something to brag about:

Kaia's getting it on with bachelor #1, though scruffball Reed's gotten to be quite an interesting distraction.

Kane and Harper got exactly what they planned:

Namely, Beth and Adam. (Though to keep gettin' it, their secrets -- and pasts -- best stay forgotten.)

Miranda got her heart broken, but now she's all decked with a new look and strategy.

Sometimes, though, you only think you've got everything....

Customer Reviews:

Pride.......2006-07-28

Okay so the last book Kane and Harper succeeded in breaking up Beth and Adam. Now you get to see how that all plays out. Beth feels like her and Kane have nothing in common. Kane's responce "we're both really hot!" Adam and Harper try to have sex, but he cant (if you know what I mean)
Meanwhile, Kaia learns the teacher she's been with has found a ski bunny on the school field trip so she decides to go after Reed (or Weed as she likes to call him). He doesn't like that so they agree to be exclusive. But can she drop Reed?
Harpers best friend (why cant i remember her name?) tried dating online, and the guy ended up to be Greg!
The one thing I dont understand is what this book has to do with Pride.

.:.Surprise Ending.:........2006-07-17

Well I have only recently finished reading this book, and as always I found the book quite interesting, and my dislike towards Kaia and Harper only grew (which may surprise people seeing as most comments have stated that they like these, in my opinion, mean characters), but I must say their characters are really well written just like all the others. And the ending really threw me off (SPOILLER!) thinking that Kaia wouldn't be that mean to tell Beth enough for her to know that Kaia and Adam had slept together. Can't wait for the next book!!

Delicious Scandal.......2006-06-17

The characters turned out to be pathetic in some of their own ways but the storyline was delicious and i liked the way the whole plot played out. My favorite characters are Kaia(i used to hate her in the 1st book), Kane and Jack Powel. Sometimes I have a thing or two for Adam and Harper but they tend to disappoint me most of the times.
I found it a little annoying when (SPOILER) adam and beth found out the mischievous play kane and harper pulled on them and decided to restart, but ended up breaking no sooner than 5 seconds after Kaia spilled the beans about her little affair with Adam.
Even though in my opinion, it was a little low for Kaia to play her moves on someone like Reed, her confidence and never losing attitude was appealing. Somewhat the same for Jack Powel. And he IS hot afterall. And by far, the most non-desperate character.
I finished the book in a few hours(just like Envy). The polt gets juicer with every release, much better than the first book, Lust. Its a must-read for chic-lit lovers. If you liked Gossip Girl/A-list/Insiders/It Girl series, you'd find this one an entertaining read too.

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