Pride & Joy (comics)

Infobox comics story arc
title = Pride & Joy


imagesize = 250
caption = The Runaways, at the end of the story arc.
publisher = Marvel Comics
date = July 2003 - November 2003
titles = v1 01; Pride & Joy: Chapter One
v1 02; Pride & Joy: Chapter Two
v1 03; Pride & Joy: Chapter Three
v1 04; Pride & Joy: Chapter Four
v1 05; Pride & Joy: Chapter Five
v1 06; Pride & Joy: Conclusion
main_char_team = Runaways
writers = Brian K. Vaughan
artists = Adrian Alphona
pencillers = Adrian Alphona
inkers = David Newbold
letterers = Paul Tutrone
colorists = Brian Reber
TPB =
ISBN =
TPB# =
ISBN# =
cat =
sortkey = PAGENAME
nonUS =

Pride & Joy was the very first story arc of the Marvel Comics' award-winningcite news | author = | title = 2006 Harvey Award Nominees | publisher = HarveyAwards | url = http://harveyawards.org/awards_2006nom.html| accessdate=2006-09-28] series, "Runaways".cite news | author = | title = 2006 Nominees Announced | publisher = Joe Shuster Awards | date = 2007-06-15 | url = http://joeshusterawards.com/story.asp?storyID=64 | accessdate=2008-10-05] cite news | author = | title = RUNAWAYS NOMINATED FOR A PEACH AWARD! | publisher = Marvel | date = 2007-06-15 | url = http://marvel.com/news/comicstories.954 | accessdate=2008-10-05] cite news | author = | title = The 2006 Eisner Awards: Master List | publisher = Comic-Con | date = 2006-09-11 | url = http://comics.ign.com/articles/909/909266p1.html | accessdate=2008-09-14]

Characters

*Alex Wilder, and parents Geoffrey and Catherine
*Karolina Dean, and parents Frank and Leslie
*Nico Minoru, and parents Robert and Tina
*Gertrude Yorkes, and parents Dale and Stacey
*Chase Stein, and parents Victor and Janet
*Molly Hayes, and parents Gene and Alice
*Lieutenant Flores of the LAPD

Plot

Chapter One

Sixteen year-old Alex Wilder is online, engrossed in a role-playing game as Captain America. He is broken off by his parents, who want him to get ready for a get-together that evening. Alex isn't keen on meeting the kids of his parent's friends again, but his mother, Catherine Wilder, reminds him that they think of him as family, unlike his internet friends. At their respective homes, Gertrude Yorkes doesn't want to go, but her smart-alecked response to her folk's questions didn't get her out of it; Karolina Dean looks forward to going, unlike Chase Stein, who, having gained straight C’s at school, receives a punch from his father as a reward. The youngest of the kids, Molly Hayes, is more concerned with going through the early stages of puberty. And lastly, Nico Minoru is berated by her father, Robert, for speding three hours in the bathroom. When the five families arrive to the Wilders' place, Alex is stunned by Nico's gothic appearance. The parents retire to the library, sending the kids to the games room. After an hour, they are bored, and Alex suggests they go spy on their parents using secret passageways he found in the house. Reluctantly, they head into the passageways and soon come across a one-way mirror which provides a view into the library. They are shocked to see most of their parents in costumes, like super-heroes. However, when a blue-haired girl is brought into the room and stabbed, it's clear that their parents, or "The Pride," as they call themselves, are clearly super-villains.cite news | author = Dean Clayton | title = Runaways (1st series) #1 | publisher = Merging Minds | date = 2007-06-15 | url = http://runaways.mergingminds.org/showarticle.asp?section=10&fldAuto=334 | accessdate=2008-10-05]

Chapter Two

The kids are shocked by what they have just witnessed, with Geoffrey Wilder father stabbing a young girl to death. They immediatley leave the secret passageway, and hurry back to the game room where Catherine Wilder discovers them, seemingly having seen nothing. The kids inform Karolina (but not Molly) about the death and argue about what really just happened. The parents then appear carrying a large trunk which Nico and Alex volunteer to take to the Yorkes' car. They speculate that the girl's body is inside. Alex takes everyone's e-mail address and they agree to meet up later at the Griffith Observatory. There, the arguments continue, with Chase and Karolina not wanting to rock the boat, but with Gert and Alex wishing to the cops. Nico votes to call the cops, so Alex does. Detective Douglas in Homicide doesn't believe Alex, so they decide to head to Gert's house and see if they can find the girl's body. They discover no body, but they do find a secret passage, from which emerges a vicious-looking dinosaur.cite news | author = Fantomex | title = Runaways (1st series) #2 | publisher = Merging Minds | date = 2007-06-15 | url = http://runaways.mergingminds.org/showarticle.asp?section=10&fldAuto=335 | accessdate=2008-10-05]

Chapter Three

The kids find a dinosaur in the basement of the Yorkes' house. Initially, they are shocked, but when it attacks Chase, Gert somehow manages to call it off. She is shocked to realize that for some reason, it obeys her commands. A hologram then appears of Gert's parents. Recorded a while back, they inform Gertrude that the dinosaur will respond to her mental commands, but only hers. They also point to a book they call "The Abstract". It is a sacred text which guides The Pride's organization. It explains everything, but it must first be translated by a special decoder ring that Leslie Dean should have gave her when she turned eighteen. Unfortunately, the recording expects Gert to be eighteen which she isn't, so she doesn't yet have the ring. They head off to the Dean's residence where they find Frank Dean's last will and testament, instructing Karolina to take off her medical alert bracelet. She removes it, only to discover that her body isn't entirely normal. She glows the colors of the rainbow and then floats into the air. The kids, frightened, presume she might be an alien. Elsewhere, Lt. Flores summons Detective Douglas into his office and asks about the call Alex made. Douglas informs him, and Flores gives him the rest of the day off. Flores is revealed to be an agent to the Pride; he then calls Geoffrey Wilder to inform him that his son is not in bed.cite news | author = Fantomex | title = Runaways (1st series) #3 | publisher = Merging Minds | date = 2007-06-19 | url = http://runaways.mergingminds.org/showarticle.asp?section=10&fldAuto=351 | accessdate=2008-10-06]

Chapter Four

Geoffrey Wilder discovers Alex missing, and Catherine Wilder convinces him to call the rest of The Pride for help. At the Dean home, Karolina enjoys her newfound power, but figures she needs to learn how to fly properly. Chase persuades everyone that their next destination should be his place as he wants to see what cool stuff his folks have. In Chase's van, they drive to the Stein's shed. Chase discovers some x-ray goggles and a large gauntlets called "the Fistigons". Unfortunately, they are discovered by the Stein's and the Minoru's (Catherine called them). In a huge battle, Victor Stein blasts his son with his wristwatch. Tina Minoru reveals her and her husband as sorcerers, and uses her Staff of One to reveal herself, her husband, and the Steins in their Pride costumes. Robert Minoru uses a spell to create a waterspout to keep Karolina distracted and Janet Stein attacks Alex with a gooey substance. Tina attempts to attack her daughter, but finds her Staff being sucked into Nico, who knocks her mom to the ground. Gert sits down and asks for help, and help arrives: the dinosaur they had left behind at her house arrives and attacks the Steins. And finally, Nico distracts her father, causing him to lose concentration and free Karolina from her waterspout. Karolina attacks Mr. Minoru with her powers, and the Runaways finally defeated the Steins and Minorus. Alex is freed, and everyone piles into the van and escapes. On the freeway, Chase wakes up to discover he's still wearing the Fistigons, and that Gert's dinosaur is along for the ride. Gert then receives a phone call from her mom, Stacey Yorkes, informing her that she needs to stop playing games or she, her husband, and the Hayeses will be forced to do something terrible to young Molly Hayes.cite news | author = Fantomex | title = Runaways (1st series) #4 | publisher = Merging Minds | date = 2007-05-07 | url = http://runaways.mergingminds.org/showarticle.asp?section=10&fldAuto=368 | accessdate=2008-10-06]

Chapter Five

At Molly's house, the Hayes' and the Yorkes'. It is revealed the Hayeses are telepathic mutants. Molly wakes up briefly, and tells her mom, Alice, that her stomach hurts; Alice Hayes realizes that it might be the beginnings of puberty and doesn't want to get into that right now. She uses her telekinetic power to sooth Molly back to sleep. The runaways concoct a plan whereby they will go and rescue young Molly. Meanwhile, Mrs. Dean arrives at the Hayes' residence and joins the Yorkes and Hayeses in preparing for trouble. The kids drive to the Hayes' house and park outside. Alex and Nico form one team, whilst Chase and Karolina form another. Gert is on standby with her dinosaur. After exchanging a surprise kiss, Alex and Nico ring the doorbell and are let in by the male Dr. Hayes. He immediately forces them to their knees and demands to know where their playmates are. Alex calls Gert and her dinosaur, which attacks Dr. Hayes. Mr. Yorkes takes out Alex with his Samurai Battle Axe and Nico rushes at him. He cuts her by accident, and Nico somehow summons the Staff of One from her body and it knocks Mr. Yorkes out. Gert is stunned to find that Nico is a witch. Nico then casts a spell that causes Mrs. Yorkes to freeze. Outside, Chase is attacked by Mrs. Dean, but she and Karolina argue about how Mrs. Dean has lied to Karolina all these years about her alien upbringing. Angry, Karolina knocks her mom out, before calmly telling Chase that they have work to do. Inside, Nico enters Molly's bedroom to attack the female Dr. Hayes. Dr. Hayes forces Nico to her knees, but when Molly begins to wake up and exhibit mutant abilities, Nico takes the opportunity to knock her to the floor. Enraged, Molly stands up, eyes glowing, and orders Nico to get away from her mom.cite news | author = Fantomex | title = Runaways (1st series) #5 | publisher = Merging Minds | date = 2007-09-03 | url = http://runaways.mergingminds.org/showarticle.asp?section=10&fldAuto=374 | accessdate=2008-10-06]

Conclusion

Nic tries to calm Molly down, but Molly freaks after seeing Gert and her dinosaur. They explain everything to Molly, and how it appears that she is a mutant. As they chat, Mrs. Dean returns and smashes through the wall, threatening them. She uses her energy powers to create a ring of energy around Gert and warns the others that if they don't surrender, she will squeeze Gert like a blackhead. Molly, shocked to see Karolina's mom in her alien form, shoves Mrs. Dean... who flies out of the window, into the Hayes' pool. The Runaways are shocked with Molly's strength, and as it turns out, her "puberty" was actually her mutant powers acting up. Molly suddenly feels a little tired and sits on the bed. Nico and Alex head to the pool to retrieve Mrs. Dean before she drowns, and while down there, he notices the decoder ring to decode the Abstract. As he slides it off her finger, Mrs. Dean wakes up and lunges at Nico, but Alex knocks her with Nico's Staff of One; the Runaways, after deafeating the Steins, Minorus, Yorkes, Hayeses and Mrs. Dean, they immediatley leave. As they travel, Geoffrey Wilder calls Alex on his cell phone and asks him to listen to the radio. Alex turns it on and they listen to a report about how Destiny Gonzales has been found dead in Alex's room. The reporter also mentions the other kids' involvement in the murder and the kidnapping of Molly Hayes. Alex doesn't fall for it and warns his father that he'll prove they killed Destiny. Geoffrey, taunting him, reveals the entire city is under the Pride's control. Back at the Hayes' residence, Mrs. Dean finds a note from one of the kids, saying they will always be loyal to the Pride; one of the Runaways is a mole. The kids head to Bronson Canyon and enter Chase's hidehout which he calls The Hostel. Gert gives herself and her dinosaur new codenames: "Arsenic and Old Lace". Molly names herself Princess Powerful, but is nicknamed Bruiser. Chase wishes to be called Neo, but gains the name Talkback. Nico calls herself Sister Grimm, and Karolina goes under the alias Lucy in the Sky. Alex, wishing to redeem his name, reckons they should atone for their parent's sins and help the people of Los Angeles.cite news | author = Fantomex | title = Runaways (1st series) #6 | publisher = Merging Minds | date = 2007-09-10 | url = http://runaways.mergingminds.org/showarticle.asp?section=10&fldAuto=378 | accessdate=2008-10-06]

Cultural references

In the first issue, Alex references M.M.O.R.P.G., which stands for Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game. Alex wears a Bruce Lee T-Shirt. Nico borrows Alex's DVD sets for the 1960's television show, "The Prisoner". She mentions she liked the episode "The Chimes of Big Ben". Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin's marriage is referenced by the Deans, who worked with them. Tina mentions "Oprah's doctor friend", which could be Dr. Oz or Dr. Phil. Gert references "Eyes Wide Shut". Keanu Reeves is mentioned.

In the second issue, the Runaways meet up at the Griffith Observatory. A bust of James Dean is scene at the Observatory. Vice City is a fictional city in the Los Angeles video game, '. Chase references the Menendez brothers. Gert references "From Hell" and the topic of Freemasonry. Nico references "Antiques Roadshow" while Karolina references '. Chase references the Beltway sniper attacks.

In the third issue, Gert's line of "Well, Siegfried and Roy have white tigers in theirs (basement)" was highly publicised for an event that happened after. Shortly after this issue came out, Roy was attacked by a tiger.cite news | author = Miguel Marquez | title = Roy of Siegfried and Roy critical after mauling | publisher = CNN | date = 2003-10-04 | url = http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/10/04/roy.attacked/ | accessdate=2008-10-06] Robert Shapiro, famously known as being the defense lawyer of O.J. Simpson's murder trial is mentioned. Gert references "The Lord of the Flies". Chase wonders why Caduceus has the "Ghostbusters" symbol (the "NO" sign) around it. Detective Douglas thinks Alex has seen "Se7en" too much.

In the fourth issue, Gert taunts Chase, saying he learnt from "Sesame Street". Tina Minoru assumes the kids were making the drug, Ecstasy. Molly sleeps with a Doop doll.

In the fifth issue, Alice Hayes references 7-Up, and Chase Stein references Saddam Hussein's hiding.

In the last issue, Gert compares Old Lace to Barney. The "Batman" television series is mentioned. Chase bought the sign on the outside of the Hostel on e-Bay. Alex compares the inside of the Hostel as a design by M.C. Escher, an artist known for strange constructions such as staircases that defy gravity and logic. Gert and Old Lace name themselves after the film, "Arsenic and Old Lace". Karolina names herself Lucy in the Sky after the song from the Beatles, "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds". Nico's Sister Grimm could parody Brothers Grimm, two academics who wrote and published fairy tales such as Hansel and Gretel. Chase names himself Neo after the main protagonist in the Matrix trilogy. Chase mentions John Walsh could be "gunning for us right now". Alex's line, "I hope I die before I get old," is from the Who song, "My Generation".

Reception

Dave Brennan of "Shaking Through" quotes the arc was "spectacular", and said that even though Runaways is aimed at a younger crowd, it is still a "lighthearted and engaging story that any fan of superhero comics can enjoy." He continued by saying it was a promising start for a great series.cite news | author = Dave Brennan | title = On the Run: Runaways Vol. 1: Pride & Joy Review | publisher = Shaking Through | date = 2005-02-25 | url = http://www.shakingthrough.net/comics/reviews/2005/runaways_pride_and_joy_2005.html | accessdate=2008-10-05] Comic Book Resources described it as "Smallville" meets Harry Potter.cite news | author = Jonah Weiland | title = Marvel Comics solicitations for April, 2003 | publisher = Comic Book Resources | date = 2003-01-23 | url = http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=1741 | accessdate=2008-10-05]

References