What do you think?
Rate this book
Runners, Vol. 1: Bad Goods
Intergalactic smuggling isn't easy when you're hounded by pirates, bounty hunters, police, and the occasional conscience…
It's just another day in the life of reluctant smuggler Roka Nostaco and his ragtag alien crew as they struggle to complete a particularly dangerous run for the mob. Their adventure takes them from shootouts with pirates to ship-to-ship dogfights with ruthless bounty hunters, culminating in an all-out, three-way ship, cycle, and foot chase through the streets of an alien space station. All the while, they also have to contend with a vengeful mercenary, a ghost from the past, and a mysterious alien girl lying unconscious on their cargo bay floor.
Collected in its entirety with new enhancements to the artwork, the Runners: Bad Goods graphic novel begins the epic Runners saga. Special features include a pronunciation guide, 10-page character and vehicle sketchbook, and the original short story that introduced the universe and cast of characters.
It's just another day in the life of reluctant smuggler Roka Nostaco and his ragtag alien crew as they struggle to complete a particularly dangerous run for the mob. Their adventure takes them from shootouts with pirates to ship-to-ship dogfights with ruthless bounty hunters, culminating in an all-out, three-way ship, cycle, and foot chase through the streets of an alien space station. All the while, they also have to contend with a vengeful mercenary, a ghost from the past, and a mysterious alien girl lying unconscious on their cargo bay floor.
Collected in its entirety with new enhancements to the artwork, the Runners: Bad Goods graphic novel begins the epic Runners saga. Special features include a pronunciation guide, 10-page character and vehicle sketchbook, and the original short story that introduced the universe and cast of characters.
168 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2005
1 person is currently reading
9 people want to read
About the author
Sean Wang
55 books7 followersSean Wang, an MIT architecture graduate, got his start in the comics industry writing and drawing seasonal specials for THE TICK, published by New England Comics. He also wrote and illustrated the 6-issue TICK AND ARTHUR series, in which the duo joined a superteam of equally-dysfunctional heroes.
In 2006, Sean illustrated MELTDOWN for Image Comics, which chronicles the final days of a volatile superhero. The series garnered major critical acclaim for Sean's use of a variety of art styles to tell different aspects of the story.
Sean is best known for his highly-acclaimed series, RUNNERS, a fun sci-fi action comedy about alien smugglers. The first graphic novel collection RUNNERS: BAD GOODS made several reviewers' Best of 2005 lists. The second volume, RUNNERS: THE BIG SNOW JOB, was released online from 2009-2012 and was funded as a graphic novel via a very successful Kickstarter campaign in 2013. Both RUNNERS volumes are now available in print as graphic novels and also in webcomic form for free online at www.runnersuniverse.com.
From 2009-2017, Sean has also contributed illustrations to various LEGO magazines and Scholastic reader books. As of 2017, he has resumed working on RUNNERS, outlining the remainder of the epic story and preparing to finish the series of graphic novels.
In 2006, Sean illustrated MELTDOWN for Image Comics, which chronicles the final days of a volatile superhero. The series garnered major critical acclaim for Sean's use of a variety of art styles to tell different aspects of the story.
Sean is best known for his highly-acclaimed series, RUNNERS, a fun sci-fi action comedy about alien smugglers. The first graphic novel collection RUNNERS: BAD GOODS made several reviewers' Best of 2005 lists. The second volume, RUNNERS: THE BIG SNOW JOB, was released online from 2009-2012 and was funded as a graphic novel via a very successful Kickstarter campaign in 2013. Both RUNNERS volumes are now available in print as graphic novels and also in webcomic form for free online at www.runnersuniverse.com.
From 2009-2017, Sean has also contributed illustrations to various LEGO magazines and Scholastic reader books. As of 2017, he has resumed working on RUNNERS, outlining the remainder of the epic story and preparing to finish the series of graphic novels.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 4, 2019
Do you like your aliens crazy cool ala Star Wars? Do you like your crew banter slick ala Firefly? Do you like your smooth criminals golden-hearted ala Guardians of the Galaxy? Then you will love Runners!
May 8, 2009
Not a classic, but a lot of fun. Improbable aliens, space battles, smugglers with hearts of gold, betting on the battles...all the cliches are there, but told well.
Bad Goods is a story arc about a smuggling run gone horribly wrong, with some slapstick adventures tossed in for good measure. There is only a small amount of back story in this volume, which leaves a LOT of room. For instance, one of the characters has what I assume is an artificial arm, made of...umm...well, it's not clear what it's made of, maybe the same stuff as light saber blades? One of the others is a legendary marksman. We don't know the back story of either one by the end of this volume.
Bad Goods is a story arc about a smuggling run gone horribly wrong, with some slapstick adventures tossed in for good measure. There is only a small amount of back story in this volume, which leaves a LOT of room. For instance, one of the characters has what I assume is an artificial arm, made of...umm...well, it's not clear what it's made of, maybe the same stuff as light saber blades? One of the others is a legendary marksman. We don't know the back story of either one by the end of this volume.
November 17, 2018
When I interviewed writer/artist Sean Wang at this year's Rhode Island Comic Con as part of an article that I wrote about the convention, I asked him what his 30 second pitch was to get people interested in his sci-fi graphic novel series "Runners".
His reply was: "It’s a fun sci-fi action comedy about alien smugglers. And if you if like Star Wars, Firefly, Guardians of the Galaxy, that kind of fun space opera then you’ll definitely like it. It is the sort of thing where I feel like everyone who has picked it up and been willing to give it a try has really loved it. And has been eagerly waiting for the next one and gets really involved in the series and into the characters."
I picked up both volumes that he has produced so far and after reading "Bad Goods", I have to say that his response was pretty much on the nose.
Runners is the story of a crew of smugglers who take on jobs for the mob. Led by Roka Nostaco, the crew is a rag tag bunch who seem to fight and laugh with each other as well as pull off jobs together in equal respect. The crew of the Khoruysa Brimia just want to get paid and move on, But on their latest job, things take a spectacularly wild and wooly turn that leaves them hunted by pirates, the cops and bounty hunters while trying to discover the identity of the mysterious alien girl that ends up on the floor of the cargo ship they were sent to pick up merchandise from.
I didn't know what the expect when I sat down to read this book, despite the great pitch from the creator, but I really started getting into the story. There's just enough story subplot to get you into learning more about all the varied characters in the story as well as the all out action sequences in space and on a stunningly rendered epic sized space station.
The illustration in the series is excellent. It was interesting to see that the majority of the crew is made up of "aliens" with only one human(oid) in the mix and he wasn't the leader. That's a neat little twist in and of itself. The story does grab you pretty fast and as the action increases, you can feel yourself caught up in the breathless run for survival.
In the end, the main story gets mostly concluded as "Bad Goods" comes to a close, but Sean Wang introduces just enough of a carry over plot to have readers wondering what's coming next because it seems rather epic in nature. Given that a total of 10 volumes are planned in the series, I can't wait to see where this story goes.
I also want to get to know these characters a lot more. Much like the crew of Serenity on "Firefly", I think I'm going to become really attached to them as if they were somehow part of an extended family that I didn't know I had.
As a side note, the collection includes a sketchbook, the original short story that launched the entire Runners universe and a pronunciation guide.
His reply was: "It’s a fun sci-fi action comedy about alien smugglers. And if you if like Star Wars, Firefly, Guardians of the Galaxy, that kind of fun space opera then you’ll definitely like it. It is the sort of thing where I feel like everyone who has picked it up and been willing to give it a try has really loved it. And has been eagerly waiting for the next one and gets really involved in the series and into the characters."
I picked up both volumes that he has produced so far and after reading "Bad Goods", I have to say that his response was pretty much on the nose.
Runners is the story of a crew of smugglers who take on jobs for the mob. Led by Roka Nostaco, the crew is a rag tag bunch who seem to fight and laugh with each other as well as pull off jobs together in equal respect. The crew of the Khoruysa Brimia just want to get paid and move on, But on their latest job, things take a spectacularly wild and wooly turn that leaves them hunted by pirates, the cops and bounty hunters while trying to discover the identity of the mysterious alien girl that ends up on the floor of the cargo ship they were sent to pick up merchandise from.
I didn't know what the expect when I sat down to read this book, despite the great pitch from the creator, but I really started getting into the story. There's just enough story subplot to get you into learning more about all the varied characters in the story as well as the all out action sequences in space and on a stunningly rendered epic sized space station.
The illustration in the series is excellent. It was interesting to see that the majority of the crew is made up of "aliens" with only one human(oid) in the mix and he wasn't the leader. That's a neat little twist in and of itself. The story does grab you pretty fast and as the action increases, you can feel yourself caught up in the breathless run for survival.
In the end, the main story gets mostly concluded as "Bad Goods" comes to a close, but Sean Wang introduces just enough of a carry over plot to have readers wondering what's coming next because it seems rather epic in nature. Given that a total of 10 volumes are planned in the series, I can't wait to see where this story goes.
I also want to get to know these characters a lot more. Much like the crew of Serenity on "Firefly", I think I'm going to become really attached to them as if they were somehow part of an extended family that I didn't know I had.
As a side note, the collection includes a sketchbook, the original short story that launched the entire Runners universe and a pronunciation guide.
January 19, 2020
A reread. I happened upon this around the time it first came out in 2005. The non-superhero rep in comics was nowhere near the level it's at today, and I loved seeing this: An outerspace adventure with unique alien designs and well architected ships and worlds. This looked better than the Star Wars books I'd read at the time, and I would still hold it up alongside the best Star Wars comics art since then. It's definitely better than any space superhero comics I've read.
The story is pretty generic by sci-fi standards. A group smugglers has some trouble with their latest job. Other smugglers and marauders want the cargo and the cargo itself may be problematic. What makes this fun is the characters and the dialogue, and, of course, the art.
This is a hard fail of the Bechdel Test. In fact, this plays out like the movies I use as negative examples when I explain the Bechdel Test to others. The one major female character is discovered unconscious. When she wakes up, she has no memory of who she is. And, in the end, there's a hint that she may be some kind of constructed being, so, in a sense, she isn't really a person.
So, this isn't perfect. But it just looks so good.
The story is pretty generic by sci-fi standards. A group smugglers has some trouble with their latest job. Other smugglers and marauders want the cargo and the cargo itself may be problematic. What makes this fun is the characters and the dialogue, and, of course, the art.
This is a hard fail of the Bechdel Test. In fact, this plays out like the movies I use as negative examples when I explain the Bechdel Test to others. The one major female character is discovered unconscious. When she wakes up, she has no memory of who she is. And, in the end, there's a hint that she may be some kind of constructed being, so, in a sense, she isn't really a person.
So, this isn't perfect. But it just looks so good.
August 25, 2018
What can I cay? I have no complaints. Got plenty of praise though. This is a combination of solid story telling, witty dialogue, and balanced characters. It is about the misadventures of a space crew that transports questionable goods just so they can keep food on the table. Each member brings a particular charm that makes you unable not to root for them. Back story is placed expertly and told in a way that sometimes does not even need words to express the gut wrenching emotion behind every panel.
I cannot recommend this enough to anyone who loves space adventures. If you're looking for something fun and different give this a read!
I cannot recommend this enough to anyone who loves space adventures. If you're looking for something fun and different give this a read!
April 30, 2022
See you later space cowboy
With a bit of Guardians of the Galaxy, a smidge of Cowboy Bebop, and a dollop of Star Wars we follow the adventure of a ragtag band of misfit runners loooking to pick up their shipment and get paid. Along the way when the marauder Hamron the Handsome tries to take their cargo before them a conflict spanning the entire book plays out before our eyes with huge space stations, Aliens of all manner of sizes and types, fantastic ships, and crew chemistry to really want to cheer for the runners in their ever more dangerous task at hand. Definitely a great book for anyone that loves weird aliens, big spaceships, and sci-fi gadgets in general. :)
With a bit of Guardians of the Galaxy, a smidge of Cowboy Bebop, and a dollop of Star Wars we follow the adventure of a ragtag band of misfit runners loooking to pick up their shipment and get paid. Along the way when the marauder Hamron the Handsome tries to take their cargo before them a conflict spanning the entire book plays out before our eyes with huge space stations, Aliens of all manner of sizes and types, fantastic ships, and crew chemistry to really want to cheer for the runners in their ever more dangerous task at hand. Definitely a great book for anyone that loves weird aliens, big spaceships, and sci-fi gadgets in general. :)
May 27, 2017
Really fun pulpy science fiction! If you like Star Wars and/or Guardians of the Galaxy style of space opera, this is the book for you! Great diverse cast of characters, and all of them are well developed. The second book is even better as it builds on the characters and starts to explore their past.
October 7, 2018
This was awesome! I don’t even like space ship anything but the characters and story was excellent. This reminds me very much of Bucky O’hare! I’ll be reading more of this one, I almost feel like this could work as an animated series!
September 28, 2024
Fun story, excellent crew and great art.
September 12, 2025
easy to read. could really hear some of the voices
March 24, 2015
"This is the comic book you're looking for." A fun, well-crafted jaunt about a (bad) day in the life of smugglers that could have been pulled from the Mos Eisley cantina. The characters are fun, funny, and easy to like, and the action and gags keep on coming. I'm looking forward to reading #2, "The Big Snow Job."
April 8, 2020
The Star Wars meets Firefly comparison is a pretty good way to describe this book. Wang does a fantastic job drawing unique aliens, and the art overall is really good.
The 1st volume is slight twist on a standard “transporter trying to deliver cargo while being pursued by pirates” story.
The 1st volume is slight twist on a standard “transporter trying to deliver cargo while being pursued by pirates” story.
April 17, 2011
smuggler science fiction. Not a huge tonne of innovation, but really well-executed banter and adventure, like a really good Traveller campaign.
September 28, 2013
A very fun read from an author/artist who has previously wrote for The Tick. It has a cast of characters that are as fun as the crew from Serenity. Moving to the next book Bad goods two.
January 18, 2014
Not deep, but solid entertainment in the "Star Wars" vein.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews