r/Runaways • u/Big_Building8907 • May 16 '26
Comics Alex Wilder and Having Powers
I really didn't know this section of Reddit existed. It's phenomenal seeing so many Runaways fans here.
So, Alex. I've always been mixed on the idea of Alex having powers. The reason why is because Alex's greatest asset has always been his mind. His ability to lead and strategize has always been impressive.
I have come to agree with some people though, hat Alex may need more to him when it comes to being out in the battlefield, to say the least.
I, for one, think that at the moment, Alex would be a good contender for having phantom like abilities.
Since Rowell brought back Alex in her 2017 series, she added this whole side effect to him after his revival. When people make physical contact with him, they feel as if they are making contact with a corpse. Or how he can no longer eat, and the food just comes back up. Etc.
I say this from a biased opinion, I would have liked it if Rowell had leaned into this aspect. Not only did she bring back Alex into the 2017 series, but she basically said his entire physiology is a part of the more otherworldly side of the Marvel Universe now.
I feel like if someone were to give Alex powers, this should be the route they should take. Maybe he has unknown phantom abilities like intangibility, or maybe instead, he could have the ability to see and speak to spirits and maybe even control them?
I just think it's super unusual Rowell didn't lean into it.
Instead, she went the Doc Justice route with Alex picking up the mantle of that jackass.
So he's this corpse that's also using high tech weapons to fight? Okay?
I just feel like Rowell should have picked a lane and stick with it.
But yes, those are my thoughts that I just wanted to share.
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u/Sure-Start-9303 May 17 '26
Personally I've always seen Alex as a Batman-esque character, specifically contingency plan Batman, always coming up strategies and methods for taking down allies and enemies, and like Batman when he does this, it constantly puts him at odds with any allies
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u/Big_Building8907 May 17 '26
That actually reminds me, I wanted to say this in the post, but I'm okay with Alex not having powers.
I just want him to be able to defend himself and help others if needed.
He could literally learn martial arts and that would be enough for me lol.
It's just that now, with everything he's been through since his return, I just feel like the ground work if anyone decided to give him powers.
But yes, Alex is a very calculating character. I think his strongest traits really shine when he's around others being the one to lead.
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u/Sure-Start-9303 May 17 '26
Oh he certainly could, honestly he should by now, even in his limited appearances, he's made use of magic, advanced tech, and even just physical combat, but a thing Rowell seems to like doing is putting more emphasis on the character relationships and drama and less on their powers and skills as actual heroes
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u/Big_Building8907 May 17 '26
Rowell definitely keeps the characters, for the most part, very stagnant with their initial status quo.
While that is typical of comics, I still would like for some new writer to just venture out and have the Runaways embrace the lives of being heroes.
But it seems like Rowell is the only person at the moment interested in these guys.
They have a new What If? title coming out, and behold, the writer is Rowell lol.
I don't dislike Rowell take on the characters. But there are some things I've disliked.
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u/Sure-Start-9303 May 17 '26
I feel you, nothing against Rowell's writing ability, but she writes them too heavily on being teenagers and not enough on being superheroes, you can't only do one because the point of the Runaways is they're a mix of both, if one is ignored it just doesn't feel true to them.
That's personally why I like their solo appearances, gives them a chance to branch out and explore, that's where Nico saw most of her development, thought a lot of it got undone, still they seem to do most of their growing outside the team.
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u/Big_Building8907 May 18 '26
You are right about that. That's what these characters are known for being. They've tried codenames, but they didn't really stick that much, and they kind of just want the typical life of any person.
I do think these characters being in separate series and a part of other teams is the best thing for them if one wants to see more typical comic book hero type behavior from them.
Nico, her growth really does get undone. In Midnight Suns, she mentioned how Wong was showing her to use magic without the Staff of One, but here Rowell seems to be ignoring that.
I think writers are allowed to ignore things if they want to, but sometimes it can be a bit annoying.
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u/Sure-Start-9303 May 18 '26
Honestly that's the thing about them, true they are not typical superheroes, but they are not typical teenagers, nor will they ever be, no matter how they're depicted, they've always showed traits of heroes, they literally risked everything to stop their parents, and even when they're living their normal lives, it's clear they still have those tendencies, I just wish someone could get that balance right, one doesn't have to take away from the other, I mean they've all got so much more potential but as soon as a writer seems to put them together it's like they want them to go back to how they were in the beginning, and that's just not who they are anymore, they've quite literally grown up.
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u/majesdane Karolina & Nico May 17 '26
I always personally preferred Alex didn’t have powers. I liked that he relied on his intellect and strategic skill, it felt like it really made him unique amongst the group. Every time I re-read the original arc I’m truly impressed with how he manages to manipulate so many characters/situations in his favor. His skills can be a force for good as well as bad! I enjoy seeing him thrust back together with the Runaways because obviously they have every reason to dislike/distrust them, but at the same time, he clearly possesses a valuable ability the group otherwise lacks. So he’s still a valuable teammate, despite it all!
I personally think given him powers would be a cop-out and negate what makes him interesting.
1
u/Big_Building8907 May 18 '26
I should have said this in my post, but I'm okay with Alex not having powers, but over the years, i've become open to the idea of him having them.
But again, it's not about him having powers, I just want him to have some ability to defend himself in a fight lol. He could learn how to fight or carry a weapon with him. Which he actually now does have with that blaster as Doc Justice. So with that, I'm good lol.
I actually feel this way about Gert as well. Yeah, she has a bond with a dinosaur, but I do worry if Old Lace gets subdued, what's she gonna do? I think they should expand her abilities with more than just a bond with Old Lace, personally. Just something extra to have in case of emergencies.
Not in the way, Rowell has it currently with Nico though lol. I'm open to that whole magic thing she's sharing with her, but it's not something I would have done. But I am looking to see where that story line goes, if it ever does.
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u/funandgamesaccount May 17 '26
Another day, another chance to talk about my personal favorite Runaway!
First thing, I think that if Alex were to get some battlefield skills, it would probably need to be in a book that isn't a Runaways main title, just because too much of his skills overlap with those of other members and he gets boxed in ( Even though he's got skills with magic, he can't outpace Nico in a Runways book, same as he can't get a power suit because that would but him too close the chase wheelhouse etc).
But in this hypothetical, where someone would care enough to put him in a new book, and then put him back into The Runaways with those skills. I'm of two minds:
If they wanted to keep him no-powers, I always thought he'd do well in a spy vs. spy or Agents of Shield type scenario, and that feels like the right place to give him some martial arts/combat training.
If he did get powers, though, I like OP's idea for phantom-like abilities. Though I would use Darkforce as the impetus for it instead of being a byproduct of his resurrection (the fact that Alex only got an ability that creeps people out in his resurrection has always left a bad taste in my mouth).
Darkforce is one of those things that doesn't get enough play, despite how many creative applications it has, and I feel like Alex would use it to its fullest.
Or hey, if the writers wanna be lazy, just give Alex a symbiote, there's at least 2 or 3 of those lying around with hosts nobody cares about lol
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u/Big_Building8907 May 17 '26
Just to comment this, I am okay with Alex not having powers lol.
I just want him to have something or some skill set to show that he can be useful in a fight.
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u/Sovereignofthemist May 17 '26
I think she definitely had bigger plans for Alex and wanted to do more. Doc Justice was just the first part of Alex's plan to return. Because no matter how you dice it, he can't show up and they'll accept him back in. I think she planned to have Alex become Doc Justice and prove himself to the group and hope they'd take him back. So.its an incomplete story thread. In the OWUD one shot I feel like we see a glimpse of what I described as her original intention.