Runaways #17: Here Lies Alex Wilder

The blurb in the first page of the issue tells us that our intrepid, teen Runaways took a small break from the missions so they could enjoy the holidays. Because hey, even heroes need their holiday cheer! But alas, one can never rest for too long when evil is afoot, and soon, our heroes are back in the fray. Runaways #17 begins with Gib, who is sitting in front of a sky smeared with pink, blue and orange hues (and like something straight out of Howard Chabon’s imagination), contemplating the failure of The Pride and their inability to procure a proper sacrifice. One dead android later, and the scene moves indoors, where Gib has to confront his failures with a very confrontational Chase, who has vowed that the Runaways will “not be count out” and that they will not become “murderers” in order to stop the Gibborim from getting what they want.

Chase’s little outburst coincides with the fact that the gang’s time to find a solution to the Gibborim sacrifice is practically up (and he knows it), which forces the team to act quickly in order to solve this paradox. In the process, they also find out what kind of heroes they’re meant to be. And while this is going on, various subplots are unfolding, ranging from Nico and Karolina contemplating how they should spend what might quite possibly be their last night on earth, Gert and Victor poring over a stack of books, and Alex brooding alone, in the solitude of his own room.

The solitude eventually gives way to action, as the book works its way up to the climactic confrontation with the Gibborim. And it is during this confrontation that everyone’s true character is revealed (including Gib who is apparently, softer than that side of Sears), and the team is left in yet another painful predicament that they must find their way out of. Easing the tension in all of this is Rainbow Rowell adding random dashes of humor, which usually comes in the form of allowing the Runaways to be the awkward teenagers that they are. She also certainly knows how to create a proper comic book cliffhanger, because this one most certainly left me aching for the next issue. And come this February, I will definitely be buying the succeeding issue in order to follow-up on this tantalizing cliffhanger.