Runaways, the award winning comic series from Marvel Entertainment, looks to finally be going before the movie cameras this Jan.

Of course, this movie has been in “development hell” since 2007, so there is still no guarantee it will really happen.  However, all that being said, as a recent convert to the series, I am really hopeful it is happening.

After Marvel gave away the first issue of the series on its iPad app, I immediately ordered the first three volumes of the trade paperbacks, and I was hooked.  I’m only up to the fifth volume now, and while I so far think the first story arc was the best, it is highly engaging and unique.

Essentially the story deals with six teenagers (Okay, Molly is only 11, but oh well) discovering that their parents are evil … not as in, “my parents wouldn’t let me go out last night!”, but as in all 12 of their parents are a group of super villains known as “The Pride” that rule Los Angeles with an iron fist.  Although the kids aren’t that fond of each other, they runaway to make amends for the evil things their parents have done, and along the way they discover each has some form of abilities or tools that can make them into crimefighters.

While the movie will probably only deal with the first story arc, it actually would have worked better as a TV series as there are so many little details to deal with.  A film will still be entertaining and engaging (if cast properly), I’m not certain how much justice it can do to the story.

While it is set in the Marvel universe, as seen by appearances by Cloak & Dagger and Captain America in the first story arc), it doesn’t necessarily have to be.  They can easily make the project a stand-alone story, and I actually think it will work better that way.

We’ll see if the movie really does come to life finally, and with San Diego Comic Con being next week, I would imagine that will be where official word will happen.  It sure would be nice to see a smaller Marvel project than just the constant A-list characters.

(Disclosure: Runways link is an affiliate link to Barnes & Noble)