Runaways Comic

This post is dedicated to one of my favorite comics: Runaways. If you have no idea what comic I'm talking about please, please, please, go to your local comic book store or get online and order Vol. 1 Pride & Joy from Amazon.com right now. RIGHT. NOW.

Have it ordered? Okay great. Now while you're waiting for that glorious package to land at your doorstep let me tell you a little about it. If you'd rather go into it blind, please do so, but if you'd like to know a little bit about the plot and the characters before you begin, please continue reading.

Runaways is a not-so typical superhero comic from Marvel about a group of teenagers who discover that their parents belong to an evil group called The Pride. Shortly after discovering that their parents are dangerous criminals, the kids discover some more shocking things about their parents and themselves. Meet the original characters:

Alex Wilder is the son of mob bosses; he is the first leader of the group. Alex is known for his strategic planning and thinking. He may not have a special gift like the others, but this boy's got brains! He brings the group together and he always has a plan for what to do next.

Nico Minoru is the daughter of dark wizards; she later becomes the leader of the group. Nico is a witch that can manipulate magic. She has a magical staff that becomes a part of her, and let me tell you, girl can kick some major butt with it. - Little side note: I love Nico's style. She's got the punkish goth look going on, but it's not overdone. Dark but sexy. Love it.

Karolina Dean is the daughter of alien invaders, though they can appear human. Not only is Karolina the group's only alien, but she is also the group's only lesbian. She also possesses solar powered super powers. Karolina is the peace keeper in the group. She wears peace symbols, her hair often is in soft hippie-like braid styles, it is mentioned that she has attended protests, and she is a vegan.

Chase Stein is the son of mad scientists. He comes into possession of his father's fire manipulating gloves and other cool gadgets. Chase is definitely the personality of the group. With a goofy and sassy attitude and a tells-you-like-it-is personality, he always keeps things interesting.

Gertrude Yorkes is the daughter of time travelers. She discovers an empathetic and telepathic link to a dinosaur her parents have been hiding. Gertrude tends to have a little 'tude about everything, but that's just her quirky personality. She's pessimistic and sarcastic but no less lovable. Her insults and witty remarks make her one of the funniest characters.

Molly Hayes is the daughter of telepathic mutants. She is the youngest of the group, but being a mutant gives her the power of super strength. Molly is still a child compared to the others, but her immaturity makes her so adorable and her super strength that much more impressive. She makes reading Runaways so much fun.

The Runaways discover all of this about their parents and themselves and decide to take action. The empowered teens run away from their homes and plan to stop and make up for the crimes their parents are committing. Along the way the teens build closer friendships and relationships, deal with love and loss, run into other famous comic book characters, and fight many dangerous villains. It's the perfect comic for teens and young adults, for getting your girlfriend interested in comic books, and for those looking for a superhero comic that isn't necessarily about big name superheroes.

Runaways is my favorite comic book series because it's humorous, lovable, relatable, and creative, with all the superhero flare comic book readers are looking for. I could go on and on about these characters but I'll spare you any more of my jabbering. Just know that when you pick up the beginning of the Runaways series know you are joining a wonderful and lovable misfit family on many crazy adventures.

This is just a little bit about each of the original characters and the basic plot so if you want to know more, get to reading! And if you've read the Runaway series at all, let's geek out about it together! Who's your favorite character? What do you love about the series?

Mother of Dragons

 

If you watch Game of Thrones on HBO or you have read the Song of Ice and Fire series that inspired it, you know the name Daenerys Targaryen.  Even those that don't pay much attention know of the "hot dragon girl." Her character is one of the most popular and it's not hard to see why. Daenerys is gorgeous, strong willed, BA, fierce, intelligent, and caring. This Khaleesi kicks major butt and has three dragons that bring the heat.

Let me freak out for a minute here. I love dragons. Fire-breathing, water-dwelling, gold-hoarding, people-smoking,.... seriously, all kinds of dragons. It's kind of pathetic how much I love them, but I don't care who knows it. In literature and tales of old, dragons are typically the final evil that some hero needs to conquer before completing an adventure, saving the day, and/or rescuing a beautiful princess. What a lot of recent stories have done is portray dragons in a kinder light, and have them fighting for the "good team." This is fantastic because it allows dragons to be featured more often without taking away from the fierceness that makes them so cool.

Now, I might not be able to have real live dragons but that sure isn't stopping me from expressing my love for dragons through what I wear. You can too! If you're a fan of Daenerys the Mother of Dragons or just dragons themselves, take a look at these three finds from ThinkGeek!

 

 

 This Mother of Dragons Babydoll Tee is such a cute and comfortable way to rock your inner Khaleesi. Every time I wear it I either meet fellow Game of Thrones fans or I have the opportunity to geek out about my love for the book/TV series and dragons to someone new.

 

Turn heads and look hot wearing this Dragon Ear Wrap. It looks complicated, but only one ear piercing is required to host your new dragon friend. Edgy, fun, and fashionable, who could say no to this kick butt piece of jewelry?

 

While we're on the topic of BA dragon jewelry, take a look at this Dragon Wrap Ring. Your fingers have been looking a bit lonely recently...this adorably awesome metallic dragon is just what they need to keep them company.

 

 One other thing I would like to show you all is The Book of the Dragon. I found this book at my local comic book store and I was so glad I did. If you're at all artistic, you'll definitely appreciate the artwork in this book. Magical, colorful, and just overall breathtaking, this book is a fun must-have for fans of dragons.

 

So. What I hope you take from this post is this: 1. Daenerys is awesome. 2. Dragons are awesome. 3. Using your style to support their awesomeness is also awesome.

Stay awesome my friends.

 

 

Listen to this GinjaSnap: Zombies

Let me begin this blog with a rant about something that has been bubbling inside me for a very long time. Like a bad burrito, an overload of zombies has the ability to bring out the contents of my stomach for an encore appearance. The world's current fascination with zombies is one that I honestly do not understand. Movies, television shows, video games, t-shirts, zombie apocalypse plans,... STOP. We get it; you like zombies and all of the slow-walking brain-eating talents that they have to offer. Can we find fascination in other things please? The zombie fad didn't take long to annoy me and that's most likely due to the fact that it followed a werewolf fad and a vampire fad before that. People have always been interested in frightening monsters and creatures but why can't we be more creative? Are zombies really the most interesting monster to freak out over? Is it the zombies themselves or the whole this-could-really-happen-to-us-AHHH-the-world-is-going-to-end topic that's so fascinating?

Honestly, both of these subjects are played out. You hear me Hollywood? Done. No, I will not watch The Walking Dead with you; I've seen four episodes and that was enough for me. No, I do not have a plan made in case the zombies take over; I'll be fine. No, I will not go to your zombie themed party. No, the upcoming book-to-movie World War Z will not rock my world. For the love of God, let's create something to be great, powerful, and entertaining, not just because it's what's "in" right now. You may be thinking to yourself: this chick is a zombie hater, I don't want associate myself with such a horrible person! Listen, I don't hate zombies, I just think their time is over. I don't want to see any more of them in the entertainment of the near future. I'll admit, I totally enjoyed Zombieland back when it came out, and the game Plants vs. Zombies has provided me with good ol' family-friendly zombie killing fun. But that's about it for zombies. I think The Walking Dead has done the most interesting thing with them recently, but it's just not my cup of tea. Also, I must say that I believe my post apocalyptic quota was filled after I Am Legend.

I want to see other frightening creatures and monsters get their day. Not to be overused in a way that will eventually make everyone hate them, but to give the world something new, fresh, and exciting to freak out over even if its foundation has been around in folklore for years. Feature more mythology and native legends instead of making people sick with the same monster fads. Or let's all put our heads together, take some risks, and come up with something brand spanking new! Think of the possibilities! Eventually I'll make a post to let you guys in on some of the monsters and mythological beings I think should be featured in entertainment more often.

What are your thoughts on zombies? Are there any other monsters you'd like to see have more moments in the spotlight?