ABOUT THE SERIES
WHEN THEIR VILLAGE IS DESTROYED, MIHKU AND THEIR SIBLING MUD FIND THEMSELVES AT ODDS ON WHAT TO DO NEXT. WITHOUT A HOME TO GO TO AND CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE OF A DECADES LONG FEUD, THEY'RE LEFT WITH TWO OPTIONS TO CHOOSE FROM - HEAL AND REBUILD OR FESTER AND AVENGE. WILL THEY EVER GET THEIR ANSWERS, OR WILL THEY FOREVER BE LOST IN THE SHADOWS OF TRAGEDY?
LINKS
MAIN CAST
MUD | 23 | HE/HIM
AFTER THE DESTRUCTION OF HIS HOME, MUD TURNS TO VENGEANCE BUT HE QUICKLY LEARNS THAT HASTY DECISIONS OFT COME WITH STEEP CONSEQUENCES.
MIHKU | 19 | THEY/THEM
SEEKING CLOSURE AFTER THE LOSS OF THEIR HOME, MIHKU UNCOVERS THE GRIM CHAIN OF EVENTS THAT RESULTED WITH THEM CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE.
TITUS | 24 | HE/HIM
UPON REUNITING WITH A LONG LOST LOVE AFTER VANISHING WITHOUT A WORD, TITUS MUST FACE PAST DEMONS AND CHOOSE BETWEEN LOVE AND SELF-PRESERVATION.
MANAMI | 20 | SHE/HER
SOUGHT AFTER FOR HER MAGICAL TALENT BY MANY AND UNABLE TO TRUST ANY, MANAMI MUST CUT TIES WITH HER PAST AND STEP INTO AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE.
CAM | 21 | SHE/HER
A KING'S SCOUT WITH A SECRET AND DARK PAST, CAM FINDS HER ALLEGIANCES ARE TESTED WHEN HER BURDENING EMPATHY FOR A STRANGER GETS THE BETTER OF HER.
VIVI | 25 | HE/HIM
RAISED IN A CULTURE OF CALLOUS RAIDERS, VIVI SEEKS REVENGE ON A ONCE-BELOVED FAMILY MEMBER, FIGHTING FANG AND CLAW TO RECLAIM WHAT'S RIGHTFULLY HIS.
RONAN | 22 | HE/HIM
THE RELUCTANT HEIR TO STAGHELM, PRINCE RONAN MAKES UNLIKELY FRIENDS IN HIS QUEST FOR ADVENTURE AND ENDS UP WITH MORE THAN HE BARGAINED FOR.
ANGUS | 22 | HE/HIM
HAUNTED BY FAMILIAL EXPECTATIONS AND AN UNRECIPROCATED CRUSH, ANGUS SCRAMBLES TO BOTH SAVE FACE AND STAY ALIVE AFTER HE'S THRUST INTO PERIL.
MINOR CHARACTERS
TANTOO | 61 | THEY
ADILAHI | 60 | THEY
NANOOK | 42 | THEY
TAE | 42 | SHE
TATUM | 44 | HE
EMORY | 42 | HE
OSKU | 45 | HE
WIND | 20 | THEY
SORA | ? | THEY
HARLOW | 18 | THEY
INSU | 6 | THEY
CHINYI | 6 | THEY
CHO | 6 | THEY
JUNJI | ? | THEY
GULL | 61 | SHE
TIBERIUS | 46 | HE
MAIKOA | 40 | SHE
ROONEY | 46 | HE
CANDICE | 20 | SHE
CRYSTAL | 26 | SHE
SUNEE | ? | HE
LIANG | ? | HE
ABNER | 22 | HE
GUILLAUME | ? | HE/THEY
JAVI | ? | SHE
FAN LAN | ? | HE
KOKUMO | 28 | SHE
AYYUR | 30 | HE
LYARI | 24 | SHE
MAIELE | 26 | SHE
ARC ONE
CHAP 01: THEY TOLD ME TO RUN
CHAP 02: OFF-GUARD
CHAP 03: HELP
CHAP 04: NIGHTMARE
CHAP 05: STUPID
CHAP 06: CATCHING UP
CHAP 07: INVITATION
CHAP 08: SUBMERGED
CHAP 09: MISTAKE
CHAP 10: INEVITABLE
CHAP 11: I'VE GOT YOU
CHAP 12: A SHADOW
CHAP 13: THINK
CHAP 14: COMPANY
CHAP 15: THE SEEKER
CHAP 16: EAT
CHAP 17: NO CHALLENGE
CHAP 18: DAWNING
CHAP 19: SIDETRACKED
CHAP 20: YOU MUST LET ME GO
CHAP 21: NEGOTIATIONS
CHAP 22: PLOTTING
CHAP 23: HAPHAZARD REUNIONS
CHAP 24: MEETING
CHAP 25: TWO-FACED
CHAP 26: FAVORS
CHAP 27: COMPROMISE
CHAP 28: A DREAM
CHAP 29: ARRIVAL
CHAP 30: SOMEONE I KNOW
CHAP 31: STOLEN GRIEF
CHAP 32: FRAGMENTED ANSWERS
CHAP 33: LOOK ALIVE
CHAP 34: A TRICK
CHAP 35: TATUM AND NANOOK
CHAP 36: KALEB
CHAP 37: EMORY
CHAP 38: TAE
ARC TWO
CHAP 39: SECRETS
CHAP 40: A KISS
CHAP 41: GOODBYE
CHAP 42: LOST AND FOUND
CHAP 43: REVELATION
CHAP 44: ENOUGH
CHAP 45: SAVE YOURSELF
CHAP 46: GIVE HIM BACK
CHAP 47: ALIKAITE
CHAP 48: A GAME
CHAP 49: KINDLER
CHAP 50: PREY
CHAP 51: SETTING SAIL
CHAP 52: EXCUSE
CHAP 53: DEFLECTION
CHAP 54: SORT IT OUT
CHAP 55: SOMETHING ISN'T RIGHT
BONUS MINI COMICS
PATREON COLOR PAGE GALLERY
FANART GALLERY
Gifted Fanvid by Julie
Gifted Art by Noor
Gifted Art by Sev Wildfang
Gifted Art by David
Gifted Art by Nat
Commissioned Art by DeceiveLain
Gifted Art by Sev Wildfang
Gifted Art by Noor
Gifted Art by Sev Wildfang
Gifted Art by Sev Wildfang
Gifted Art by Hugh
Commissioned Art by mawshaye
PICREWS
CANDICE
CRYSTAL
MIHKU
MIHKU
RONAN
RONAN
ART GALLERY
CONTENT WARNINGS
ARC ONE
CHAP 1
- BLOODCHAP 2- STRANGULATIONCHAP 3- DEATHCHAP 5
- BLOOD
- MENTION OF GENOCIDECHAP 6
- ALCOHOL
- BLOOD
- MENTION OF AMPUTATIONCHAP 7- MENTION OF GENOCIDECHAP 8
- DROWNINGCHAP 9
- BLOOD
- DEATH
- VIOLENCECHAP 10- MENTION OF GENOCIDECHAP 11- BLOOD
- DEATH
- DROWNING
- VIOLENCECHAP 12
- CORPSES
- HANGINGCHAP 13
- ANIMAL DEATH
- BLOODCHAP 17- BLOOD
- DEATH
- VIOLENCECHAP 18- BLOOD
- DROWNING
- MENTION OF TRANSPHOBIA
- MENTION OF INCESTUOUS RAPE RESULTING IN PREGNANCYCHAP 20- IMPLIED GENOCIDE
- MEMORY MANIPULATIONCHAP 22- MENTION OF POISONING
- RACISMCHAP 24
- BLOOD
- BODY HORROR
- GORECHAP 25
- ATTEMPTED POISONINGCHAP 26
- IMPLIED INCESTUOUS SEXUAL ABUSECHAP 27- MENTION OF POISONINGCHAP 31- BLOOD
- VIOLENCECHAP 33- ANIMAL DEATH
- BLOOD
- EYE INJURY
- STRANGULATIONCHAP 34- BLOOD
- DEATH
- EYE INJURY
- GORE
- VIOLENCECHAP 36- BLOOD
- MENTION OF DEATH
- MENTIONS OF IMPLIED CHILD ABUSECHAP 37- TRANSPHOBIACHAP 38- BLOOD
- IMPLIED DOMESTIC ABUSE
- IMPLIED GROOMING
- STRANGULATION
ARC TWO
CHAP 39- MENTION OF INCESTUOUS RAPE RESULTING IN PREGNANCYCHAP 40- NONCONSENSUAL KISS
- THREATS OF VIOLENCE
- VIOLENCECHAP 43- BLOOD
- BODY HORROR
- GORE
- STRANGULATION
- VIOLENCECHAP 44- BLOODCHAP 45
- BLOOD
- BODY HORROR
- EYE HORROR
- GORE
- STRANGULATION
- VIOLENCECHAP 46
- BLOOD
- CHILD ABUSE
- NONCONSENSUAL KISSCHAPTER 47
- BLOOD
- CORPSE
- IMPLIED MURDER
- VIOLENCECHAPTER 48
- BLOODCHAPTER 51- RACISM
- SUICIDAL IDEATIONCHAPTER 52
- BLOOD
REVIEWS
"I think I should start off with the disclaimer that The Art of Running Away is the work of a dear friend of mine. That won't really affect how I talk about it though, because regardless of that context it's one of the most beautiful, sincere, emotional comics I've read this year. The comic follows two siblings driven apart after the slaughter of their village, each going on difficult paths to try to figure out what happened and find some way to deal with it, although neither of them are really certain what they're really trying to do, how to even begin dealing with this loss.On their journeys they run into a large extended cast, made up of clashing political factions and mysterious characters, some trying to help them, some only appearing to, and some outright hostile. The narrative style of the series is very mysterious, content to just drop you in a situation with little explanation of what happened, and let the character dynamics play out, the incredibly likeable characters instantly enough to keep you wanting to know what happened to get them to this place.When exposition is given, it's in the form of almost story book like narration, accompanied by some gorgeous imagery. Some extremely heavy subjects are talked about in these narration sections, but always handled with grace, direct about what happened but without every obsessing over gruesome details. This is a series about the trauma that lives in the outcome of those events, and about the life you build as you survive them, not the horrific reality of what happened itself, so naturally the series delicately addresses the horrific reality of what these characters have gone through, or are still going through, but with a balance of just how much to show and how much to imply that's rare to see.A lot of that grace comes from the truly stunning art style. The series is almost entirely black and white, with occasional punches of red and yellow, backgrounds swathed in complete darkness while the characters and important objects are completely white, giving this intimate focus in on the characters and their interactions, the high contrast between the characters and the backgrounds highlighting the striking compositions and creating the sense that nothing matters to these characters but each other. The style is breathtakingly romantic, I always think the sign of a truly strong composition is that even when you're squinting and or the image is too small to see the details clearly the page is still beautiful at a glance, and this is absolutely true of this series, made even better by the evocative meaning of the imagery itself.The series is full of gorgeous visual metaphor, subtle gestures and expressions that communicate a ton about the characters, the simplicity of the style drawing attention to each detail and draw you in more. Text is used super creatively, constrained by the shape of the character to mimic anxieties threating to explode out of them, or placed on the hands or other body parts of the characters, making the characters words a physical part of their movements. Great care is taken in the placement of even simple speech bubbles or bubble less text, making sure they're as much of a part of the gorgeous simple composition. The slow pace of the lettering also really helps here, concise narration and dialogue spread across multiple gesture and expressions to let the meaning of the words breathe and give us insight into how multiple characters feel about what was said.My one issue here is that sometimes the thin font can be a bit difficult to read against the dark background when there aren't speech bubbles. From what I can gather this varies by device and is somewhat related to the compression of the image, not the original design, but it can still really be a problem. I also think fight scenes can be a bit difficult to follow, the usual trade off that striking compositions are great at showing a still moment, but the lack of speed lines and other abstract details can make it difficult to get your head around and really feel the impact of a movement, which can become an issue when you're following a scene with a lot of different characters playing off each other.It does work for the most part, some of the most brutally effective moments (including one not pictured here that I'm totally not still mad about nope!) happen during action scenes, and the creativity of different characters weapons and fighting styles, and what they express about their personalities and backgrounds are always fun to see.Nowhere has more variety than the fantastic character designs though. The story crosses countries and dozens of fantastically developed cultures and religious beliefs, with gender and ethnicity playing a large role in the story, and the large cast all needing to be clearly differentiated. You'd think the art style would cause a lot of problems for this, the black and white style means you're unable to differentiate characters with color or even grey scale value differences, unable to show a character's skintone, hair color or fashion choices, many characters regularly wearing little or no clothing.This means the characters need to be differentiated on the power of their faces, hairstyles and bodies alone, and lord do they deliver. Facial tattoos and scars, expressive hairstyles and facial hair, different body types and disabilities, there is so much variety to the characters. I think there's a bad habit in a lot of indie art that claims to be diverse of only varying skintone while giving all your characters incredibly Eurocentric features, so I find it incredibly refreshing to see a series that can show these characters' race without even using different values. The designs are so gorgeous, expressive interesting characters whose faces and bodies alone tell so much about their life experiences and personality.The cast is all incredibly likeable, or love to hateable, even with the weight of some of the themes the series stays funny and romantic, able to encapsulate a wide variety of emotions. The series is still in its early stages, just finishing up its first arc, but there's already so much I'm intrigued about, so many compelling characters from scheming corrupt royals, to rowdy mermaid pirates, to mysterious earnest magic users, with complicated web of relationships, politics and family issues tying them together. They play off each other in such interesting ways, in both conflict, love, and often the mixture of the two. I'm so excited to be on this slow burn, stunning ride, watching these stories play out, and not knowing what the fate of this wonderful cast will be.I said that my relationship to the creator has no effect on my enjoyment of the series, and to some degree that's true, I think this is a breathtaking series that I'd be awed at no matter who made it.But it's also true that I feel incredibly proud to be friends with such an amazing artist, with so much to say and so much skill with saying it. The Art Of Running Away is a fantastic work, a touching moody story told with a sensitive intimate style, and I'm so glad that I was able to experience it."- Written by @possessedbox.
