Brian K. Vaughan, thanks for all the word balloons

Lately I’ve been on a Brian K. Vaughan binge. My first experience with his writing was through his Marvel series “Runaways,” which is about a reluctant team of teenage superheroes in L.A. Great stuff, but I think the only reason I started reading it was because I knew Joss Whedon was taking the book over. I didn’t want to try getting into the book in the middle, though, so I figured it would be a good idea to buy the earlier issues through trades, and dammit but if it isn’t an awesome book. The art is spectacular, but it’s the writing that really shines. Vaughan really does know how to craft words that fit perfectly in the mouths of young adults, and never is there a hint of pretension or condescension. Just amazing. Which, I guess, is why Whedon asked Vaughan to take over his Buffy comic while he tried his hand with “Runaways.” That, my friends, is a match made in heaven.

But, the Vaughan doesn’t stop there. Like I said, he’s also been doing work on “Buffy,” handling the Faith mini-series (very well done!). And, to that I add Vaughan’s celebrated Vertigo series “Y: The Last Man.” Basically, it’s about a young man named Yorick who is the last man on Earth after all the others died for unknown reasons. I just finished reading the 4th trade (“Safeword”), and I greatly look forward to picking up the next one. He has another series “Ex Machina” (I wish I could use that title, as I have a story that it would be perfect for) that I haven’t check out yet, but I know I will be.

Vaughan is also writing for LOST, which makes that already awesome show all the more awesomer.