Runners Universe is about a crew of goods transporters in a space setting. The term ‘runners’ obviously meaning they are running through obstacles either good patrols or bad bandits to get their cargo to it’s destination.
Just to remind you, this is a review – not a spotlight. Recent news indicates after Sean Wang is putting the all new colored story arc “The Big Snow Job” on the net which is why this review is created. To give you an opinion on whether you should care to read it or not.
Runners Universe, Sci Fi, misfit crew, we’ve seen it a multitude times on t.v., movies, other stories on the net. It seems that everyone is using the same ensemble cast and just drawing them differently.
The boss of the ship who want’s everyone to remember that it’s his and they’re working for him. The pilot with no distinct personality, the Human-looking boyish charm crew member with a consiounse, the big huge monstrous intellectual, the multi-eyed sharpshooter with a rogue fun-loving attitude, the mysterious beautiful woman who joins the crew who has no idea who she is. Love story ensues?
There is nothing new and innovative about this crew and story. Ragtag crew with stereotypical personalities, girl with mysterious past and amazing power, boy with special ability i.e. his arm., yada yada yada.
Honestly? Though .. does that matter? no. The formula works and should work. It’s what we daydream about when growing up about space, the adventure, the romance and the different aliens with obvious human quirks.
Even though it was a complete joy to read there were no surprises in the story. The word usage is very dry. I constantly had flashbacks thinking that this was George Luca’s Star Wars Episode I universe but with a more tangible working cast that fit the molds. .. I’m saying that’s a good thing. Ep. I casting sucked.
I do have to admit though, the 2nd half of the first book did get a bit exciting with the escape from Hamron and the city police portion. Unfortunately that wasn’t enough to carry it throughout the whole book.
If you didn’t know, i’m a sucker for a romance, the innocence of it all just makes it more the better. While reading you can completely see the innocent flirtations between girl and boy, unfortunately that makes it a little mundane.
A little back-peddling for a second, Sean Wang isn’t new to the comic art community. The About page for Runners Universe claims “Conceived in 1994, the comic series first appeared in print as a short story in the Small Press Expo’s EXPO 2000 anthology.” .. That’s a long time to be working on getting the formula put together for the story. Sean being pretty affluent in the industry with working on The Tick and Image Comic’s Meltdown should know better, but maybe he does and that’s why he wrote the story like this, it’s commonality to allow the reader the ability to be able to follow along.
There is the problem that I have been hinting at, there is -nothing- new and innovative, sure it’s beautiful, a story you can get engrossed in, but no surprises .. none. If Sean Wang commissioned Eldon Cowgur to write for him it would be so over the top incredible.
I think i’ve over-emphasized the ‘only’ thing I didn’t like about Runners Universe. That being said I need to point out the comic is ‘easily’ one that can get with the artistic quality of a master artist with the talent to fill a scene with every piece of information you need to follow along. Sean is a a top-notch professional when it comes to being able to draw and depict visually what he wants to represent. Every camera angle he uses has character and building proportions perfect.
His wife did the Runners website, it’s ComicPress. She obviously knows how to use color theory where she wants to focus your eyes on the comic more then site design and keeping the design minimalistic to accomplish that. I.e. yes, it’s stock comicpress 2.5 with blue coloration, a header and keeping with the non-offensive blues. I feel that she could provide a lot more to the readers by upgrading to 2.8 and utilizing the advanced storyline features, navigation and archives but it does the job of providing the comic to the outside world and that’s what is important.
Should you read Runners Universe? Yes.
Should you love reading it? Yes.
Should you subscribe to the RSS? Yes.
Should it be re-written? Yes, although hoping the next book in the story is more innovative.
- Philip M. Hofer (Frumph)
p.s after reading the entire first book of Runners Universe I mentioned that I was doing a review in the WCP Chat and John (digital slapstick) gave me this link: http://www.daveschool.com/movies/runners/ .. awesome. I did get another flashback of jar jar binks listening to that multi-eyed crew member /shiver while watching it.
Ohhh that looks really awesome :D Can’t wait to read it.
Great review- looks like a good story and comic!
~B
Very cool find! Excellent graphic novel and fantastic art! The 3D animation was very cool too! Man, I “hate” talented people! I’m hooked on this one!
Like the review…seen the comic and like the comic..
Thanks for the coverage and the review, Philip! My intent was always to ease readers into the Runners universe with a fairly straightforward light romp adventure for the first story. Subsequent stories will be dealing more with the various underworld elements, so hopefully there will be more surprises in the new story arc, which just started posting. The new series is definitely closer in tone to where I see the series going overall.
As for the animation, it was for a class project so I pretty much gave them free reign to do whatever they wanted with it. Overall, I thought it came out very cool, but yeah, I had Jar Jar nightmares when I first heard Cember’s voice too. Ack! Not what I would have gone with.