Marvel's Runaways: All you need to know about Hulu's YA superhero drama about teen angst

When Brian K Vaughan, creator of Y: The Last Man and Saga series, was approached by Marvel Comics to write a comic book to bring in new readers, he hit on the idea of Runaways, the story of a diverse group of teenage friends whose bond grows stronger when they make a gruesome discovery. Launched in 2003, the comic book soon became a fan favorite. 14 years after its debut, streaming service Hulu has now turned it into a popular television series. So, if you are looking for a new Marvel show to binge on over the weekend, here’s all you need to know about Runaways. [caption id=“attachment_4245375” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] A still from Marvel’s Runaways. Hulu[/caption] Who’s behind Runaways? Runaways sees Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage — the duo behind Gossip Girl - take their shot at the comic book craze for a teen-centric drama. “I’m a long-time fan of Runaways and couldn’t be more excited to bring (creators Brian K Vaughan and Adrian Alphonas) characters to life,” Schwartz told Nerdist. “He (Vaughan) did so many things so well, starting with the idea that every teenager thinks their parents are evil. What if your parents actually were?” Marvel TV boss Jeph Loeb said in a press release, “We’ve known the Runaways story would make great television and being lucky enough to have Josh and Stephanie - who have time and again created shows that speak so genuinely to this exact audience - write and produce the series is nothing short of remarkable.” What is Runaways about? The story follows six teens who discover their parents are not only sacrificing people to a mysterious cult but are also key members of The Pride, an organization that runs the dark criminal underbelly of Los Angeles. After running away, the teenagers investigate their parents and discover that they have inherited their special powers. Though they can barely get along, they must learn to work together in order to get even with their evil mums and dads.

#NYCC poster by @Marvel’s Runaways comic book series artists Adrian Alphona, @csyeung & @christinastrain #MarvelsRunaways pic.twitter.com/op7XsX5hX9

— Marvel's Runaways (@marvelsrunaways) October 3, 2017

Who are the Runaways? The six main characters are some of the most diverse in the Marvel universe. Gert (Ariela Barer) is a bookish feminist with a pet dinosaur; Molly (Allegra Acosta) is a naive but feisty fighter; Nico (Lyrica Okano) is a burgeoning sorceress; Karolina (Virginia Gardner) is a lesbian flying alien, while dumb jock Chase (Gregg Sulkin) and supersmart nerd Alex (Rhenzy Feliz) rely on inventions from their parents. Together they use their gifts to try to bring an end to their parents’ nefarious ways. Over the years, the Runaways team has also included expert strategist Alex Wilder, super-Skrull Xavin, actual dinosaur Old Lace and even X-Men member Jubilee just to name a few. Comic book writer Jeph Loeb, who is also an executive producer on the Hulu show, believes fans of the books won’t be disappointed. ”If all we’re going to do is take the comic book and blow it up and put it on TV, then it’s not fair to the original art form and it’s not really fair to the audience," Loeb told Reuters. “I think people will really be surprised by a number of things, not least this extraordinary cast.” The first three episodes premiered on 21 November on Hulu.

With inputs from agencies