Pride (comics)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| The Pride | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
The Pride are a fictional criminal organization who controlled the Los Angeles area of the Marvel Universe.
The Pride debuted in Runaways #1, published by Marvel Comics in 2002, and were created by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona.
Contents |
[edit] Origin
The Pride was called together in 1984 by the Gibborim. The six members of the Pride who served them best would be allowed to rule over the paradise that Earth would become once the Gibborim achieved their goal. The remaining six members would perish with the rest of the human race. For 25 years the Gibborim had given The Pride wealth and power over the entire "city of angels".
Every year, the Pride gathered at the Wilder residence, ostensibly for an annual charity fundraiser, while in reality, they would perform the "Rite of Blood," a ritual sacrifice of an innocent victim; the spirit of the victim would then be fed to the Gibborim in the subsequent "Rite of Thunder." After Janet Stein became pregnant during their third year as the Pride, the Pride agreed to end its struggle against one another. Each couple would instead ensure their child would receive one of the six places in the coming paradise.
[edit] Recent Activities
17 years later, the Pride's children see "The Rite of Blood" and run away. With the help of LAPD Lieutenant Flores, their parents frame their children for the murder of the innocent girl who served as their most recent sacrifice. A note left at the Deans' house reveals that one of the Runaways is secretly loyal to the Pride. Due to an attack on their children by the vampire Topher, the Pride tracked down and killed Topher's lackeys. In the process, the Pride learns that their children have defeated the vampire themselves. A mole tips off the Pride to their children's involvement with Cloak and Dagger.
During a ceremony at the "Rite of Thunder", Alex Wilder manipulates his teammates into defeat and reveals himself as the mole. He learned of the Pride a year ago; he also discovered the Deans' and Hayes' betrayal. Molly Hayes' and Karolina Dean's parents plotted to betray the rest of the Pride and divide the Gibborim's reward between their two families. Alex manipulated the Runaways as a way to save his parents and rule paradise with Nico Minoru. Molly destroys the "Sacrificial Offering", the Gibborim destroy Alex, and the Pride's undersea lair collapses. In issue 17 of Runaways, all members of The Pride are apparently killed by the Gibborim.
[edit] Members
- Geoffrey and Catherine Wilder, crime bosses who posed as business people. They handled drugs and gambling in Los Angeles, and had high-ranking judges and police officers on the Pride's payroll. Parents of Alex Wilder. They are named for Brian Vaughan's parents. The Gibborum referred to them as the "Thieves".
- Dale and Stacey Yorkes, time travelers who posed as antique dealers. The two, using the 4-D porico, traveled to the 87th century to commission Gertrude's genetically engineered deinonychus (which Gertrude dubbed Old Lace). They believed the Gibborim would make a better world, one that wasn't full of superheroes. Parents of Gertrude Yorkes. The Gibborum referred to them as the "Travelers".
- Frank and Leslie Dean, alien exiles from "Majesdane", the homeworld of their race, who posed as Hollywood actors and New Age enthusiasts. Took their last name from James Dean. The Deans are intergalactic arms traders to the Skrulls. The Deans originally didn't want to have a child, but conceded when they realized it would be a good publicity stunt. Their daughter, Karolina, had powers which were inhibited for most of her life thanks to a med alert bracelet forged from a strange metal. Her parents, wishing to give her a "normal" life, lied about her having a deadly allergy and instructed her to never take the bracelet off. Conspired with the Hayes' to dispose of all human members of the Pride in order to ensure immortality for their families. Parents of Karolina Dean. The Gibborum referred to them as the "Colonists".
- Victor and Janet Stein, mad scientists who supposedly made a fortune from creating a tool that removes the annoying plastic wrapping easily from a CD. They also made "weaponized" gloves called Fistigons, multi-spectral goggles, the transport ship The Leapfrog, and all-steel weapons for their son, Chase. Victor was shown to be an abusive father who would hit Chase for "talking back" and getting "straight Cs" in school. Parents of Chase Stein. The Gibborum referred to them as the "Wise Men".
- Gene and Alice Hayes, telepathic mutants who posed as a doctor and a speech therapist. They had no idea that their daughter was also a mutant until the other children ran away from their homes. Conspired with the Deans to get rid of all human members of the Pride in order to ensure immortality for their families. The two can telepathically remove all memory and sedate people. Parents of Molly Hayes. The Gibborum referred to them as the "Outcasts".
- Robert and Tina Minoru, dark wizards who posed as an average, church-going, middle-class couple. They were first abducted by the Gibborim on their wedding day. Parents of Nico Minoru. The Gibborum referred to them as the "Magicians".
[edit] New recruits
At the end of the first arc of the second series, however, a figure who had impersonated Chamber, is implied to be a resurrected Alex Wilder, and has formed a new Pride using some of the original team's tools.
It was later revealed that a new group calling themselves The Pride have become active. They follow the Pride's beliefs, and have the Steins' copy of the Abstract. It has now been revealed that this Pride is made up of Alex's former friends on a Marvel Universe-based MMORPG he played.
The names the members use are:
- Stretch, an overweight boy who lives with his grandmother. He roleplayed as several female (and predominantly scantily-clad) super-heroes, such as Emma Frost, Ms. Marvel, and the Invisible Woman.
- Hunter, a thin young man with a stereotypical "slacker" appearance. He roleplayed as the Hulk.
- Lotus, a female fantasy fan who participates in Renaissance Fairs. She roleplayed as Daredevil.
- Oscar, a temp worker. He roleplayed as Spider-Man.
Hunter hacked into Alex's game account, and through that eventually found his computer's journal, and learned about the Pride. After Alex's death, the friends find certain items from the Pride in an attempt to bring back Alex, but end up killing Oscar, and bringing back a younger version of Alex's father, Geoffrey, from a time period of one year after joining the Pride. Geoffrey is lying to the new Pride acting as the "good guy" and saying that the Runaways killed Alex. Ironically, the new Pride formed because Alex's friends claimed that they wanted to become more "responsible members of society", and begin acting like adults. The Runaways' philosophy states that no adults are to be trusted.
Geoffrey Wilder murders Gertrude Yorkes as part of a sacrificial ritual, but he is captured and returned to his own time (with his memory erased in the process). The new Pride disbands after the Runaways reveal Geoffrey Wilder's true goal. Following Gert's death, Stretch checks himself into a mental health facility, and Hunter joins the Peace Corps to atone for the "blood" on his hands. Lotus is "hired" by Chase Stein to help him resurrect Gert. When the attempt fails, Chase abandons Lotus, telling her to burn his copy of the Abstract.
[edit] Former agents
- Lieutenant Flores of the LAPD. Shot in the leg by Catherine Wilder and then killed by Geoffrey Wilder.
- Alex Wilder, revealed to be a spy for his parents and the rest of the Pride. Killed by the Gibborim.
[edit] External links
| Marvel Comics Runaways | |
|---|---|
| Main characters | Karolina Dean • Molly Hayes • Victor Mancha • Nico Minoru Chase Stein • Alex Wilder • Xavin • Gertrude Yorkes • Old Lace |
| Villains | The Pride • Geoffrey Wilder • The Gibborim |
