Runaways Vol. 2

Title: Runaways Vol. 2
Author: Brian K. Vaughan
Genre: Graphic Novel
Page Count: 312
Why I read it: graphic novel challenge
Grade: B

Synopsis:
When a group of teenagers discovers that their parents are actually super-villains, they run away from home... but that's only step one! Now that the evil Pride is gone, nearly every bad guy in the Marvel Universe is trying to fill the power vacuum in Los Angeles, and the Runaways are the only heroes who can stop them! Plus: What does a mysterious new team of young heroes want with the Runaways, and which fan-favorite Marvel characters are part of this group? In Escape to New York, the Runaways embark on a coast-to-coast adventure, guest-starring Cloak and Dagger AND the New Avengers! When Cloak is accused of a crime he didn't commit by the heroes of New York City, the vigilante is forced to turn to the teenage Runaways for help. This story will take our teens to a place they've never been: NYC! And in Parental Guidance, the villainous Pride returns, but this all-new group isn't made up of the Runaways' evil parents. Who are these shadowy players, and what do they want with the Marvel Universe's next generation of heroes? Collects Runaways (Vol. 2) #1-18.

My review:
I haven't read any Runaways previous to this, so I know there is some storyline that I've missed, but I didn't really feel confused because of it.  I think this one did a good job of giving enough backstory while keeping the plot moving.  Of course, since I haven't read any that came before this, I have no idea what the story was, so I couldn't really say what I missed. 

I liked the artwork, although there were times when it was a little hard to tell who was who.  It was fun seeing some of my favorite Avengers make an appearance, like Captain America.   There were a lot of characters, though, and it was hard to keep track of all of them.  That makes it difficult to really care about any of the characters.  I'd like to try to track down the first part of the series, so I can maybe understand the motivations behind some of the characters.  

I will definitely be reading more from this series, and I would recommend it to fans of superhero graphic novels.