Project 'Runaways' in works at Marvel

"Runaways" is the latest Marvel Comics book to get the big-screen treatment from Marvel Studios.

Brian K. Vaughan, who co-created the series with artist Adrian Alphona, is writing the adaptation, for which Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige will serve as producer. Vaughan also is a co-producer and writer on ABC's "Lost."

As opposed to other Marvel characters getting the silver-screen treatment — such as the Hulk and Spider-Man, who have been around since the 1960s and are pop-culture fixtures — the heroes in "Runaways" are relatively new, with the comic series launching in 2002.

The title was critically praised for its honest portrayal of teens and their issues and in 2006 won a Harvey Award for best series.

"Runaways" follows a group of teenagers who find that some family secrets are bigger than others when they discover their parents are actually super-villains. Running away from their homes, the teens band together and begin a journey of discovery, both of their parents' origins and of their own inherited powers, while trying to make up for the evil done by their folks.

While Marvel has already scheduled its next four films through 2011, "Runaways," like the company's "Ant-Man" project, remains in the incubation stages.

Vaughan is well known in comic circles for his creator-owned works including "Y: The Last Man," which is in development at New Line, and "Pride of Baghdad."

Vaughan is repped by CAA.(partialdiff)