Runaways: Pride & Joy
ISBN: 9780785135586

Woah.

Ever so often, I come across a story that successfully takes a plain-vanilla idea and transforms it into something truly new and original. Without resorting to fancy or convoluted plot or characters.

Simple is best. But this isn’t simplistic.

Here’s the brief: Take a few teenagers, who are at the stage in life where they find their parents a pain (frankly, who doesn’t?) They are ordinary teens. I mean, really ordinary teens. Their parents somehow know each other. The kids are forced to meet at their parents’ annual gathering.

The tip of the iceberg: They discover and witness that their parents are involved in a ritualistic murder.

Here’s the real kicker: Their parents are Supers. As in, their parents possess super powers or some kind of higher-than average IQ or skill sets. The kids seemingly do not have any.

So, the next logical thing that they did: they banded together and act to turn their parents in.

Outwardly, they want to turn their parents in because of the appalling crime (ritualistic murder!) but subtly, it’s an allusion that all teens — at some point — secretly wish to get their parents into trouble at some point. Of course, this is arguable. Which is why I thought this would make a great graphic novel for discussion.

Oh, I told you they were ordinary teens, right?

Not quite.

Along the way, they discover that they do have special abilities.

“Pride and Joy” features issues #1-6.