| Leapfrog | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Runaways (2003) #14 |
| Created by | Brian K. Vaughan Adrian Alphona |
| In story information | |
| Type | Vehicle |
| Element of stories featuring | Runaways |
The Leapfrog is a fictional vehicle appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Leapfrog is the personal mode of transport for the superhero team Runaways. The ship resembles a large robotic frog. [1] Originally created by Janet Stein and Victor Stein, the Leapfrog was used by the Pride when they had to perform their Rite of Thunder for the Gibborim. After the Pride was destroyed by the Gibborim, control of the Leapfrog rested with Chase Stein and has since been used as the primary mode of transportation for the Runaways. The Leapfrog doesn't actually fly; it "jumps" forward to move. [2]
An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, typically 32 pages, containing comics content. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of Action Comics, which included the debut of the superhero Superman. This was followed by a superhero boom that lasted until the end of World War II. After the war, while superheroes were marginalized, the comic book industry rapidly expanded and genres such as horror, crime, science fiction and romance became popular. The 1950s saw a gradual decline, due to a shift away from print media in the wake of television and the impact of the Comics Code Authority. The late 1950s and the 1960s saw a superhero revival and superheroes remained the dominant character archetype throughout the late 20th century into the 21st century.
Marvel Comics is the brand name and primary imprint of Marvel Worldwide Inc., formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, a publisher of American comic books and related media. In 2009, The Walt Disney Company acquired Marvel Entertainment, Marvel Worldwide's parent company.
Runaways is a superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series features a group of teenagers who discover that their parents are part of an evil crime organization known as "Pride". Created by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona, the series debuted in July 2003 as part of Marvel Comics' "Tsunami" imprint. The series was canceled in September 2004 at issue eighteen, but due to high numbers of trade collection sales, Marvel revived the series in February 2005.
When the Runaways took the Leapfrog as their own transport after the deaths of their parents, Chase took control of it. However, they didn't keep it long, as they were taken into the custody of Social Services by the Avengers. Once they fled their respective homes, they found the Leapfrog at the old Avengers West Coast compound. [1] Due to the Leapfrog's unusual appearance, it has a cloaking device to enable it to pass by unnoticed. [1] The Leapfrog is equipped with laser weapons, with two settings: stun, and kill. [2] One of these lasers was removed by Chase, who intended to use it to fire upon Ultron, however he failed to realize that it lacked a self-contained power source. This led to the discovery that Victor Mancha could power the Leapfrog's lasers with his abilities.
The Avengers are a fictional team of superheroes appearing in limited series comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1, created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby. The Avengers is Lee and Kirby's renovation of a previous superhero team, All-Winners Squad, who appeared in comic books series published by Marvel Comics' predecessor Timely Comics.
Ultron is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is most recognized as a nemesis of the Avengers superhero group and his quasi-familial relationship with his creator Hank Pym. He was the first Marvel Comics character to wield the fictional metal alloy adamantium.
Victor Mancha is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character appeared in the award-winning series, Runaways. Like the original Runaways, Victor has a supervillain for a parent; his is the classic Avengers villain Ultron, an evil robot bent on world domination. Victor, however, is a cyborg, with human flesh and natural tissue cloned from his human mother which completely conceals his metal parts and circuitry.
The Leapfrog is implied to have a mind of its own. The first time it spoke to Chase, it mentioned it could speak in five thousand languages. When a depressed Molly Hayes speaks to the Leapfrog about Heaven, the Leapfrog makes up its mind to be tactful and assures Molly that Gertrude Yorkes is in Heaven. [1] When Chase decided to take leave from the team, Victor began piloting Leapfrog. The ship can be operated by remote control, as seen when Hunter took control of the lasers. Most recently, the Leapfrog was capable of time traveling - because of this, they were able to get Klara Prast from 1907. [1] Karolina Dean has flown the Leapfrog also. [3]
Molly Hayes is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character debuted in the award-winning series Runaways. Like every member of the original Runaways, she is the daughter of evil villains with special abilities; after the other older Runaways learn more about themselves, they raid Molly's home to find out her mutant abilities had already manifested. Often called "Mol" for short, Molly is the youngest Runaway and her innocence often serves as humor in the series, but she has demonstrated great insight at critical moments.
Gertrude Yorkes, is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She was created by author Brian K. Vaughan and artist Adrian Alphona, and debuted in Runaways #1 with most of the other main characters. Like every member of the original Runaways, she is the daughter of evil villains with special abilities; in Gert's case, time-travellers. Gertrude, often called "Gert" for short, is often regarded as the most "book-smart" of the Runaways yet also the most sarcastic and cynical. She has socialist leanings and is ethnically Jewish but spiritually agnostic. Gert is known for her sarcastic one-liners, glasses, and purple-dyed hair. She stands at a rough height of 5'1" and weighs 125 lb (57 kg).
Klara Prast is a fictional character, a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character appeared in the series Runaways. When the time-displaced Runaways landed in 1907, they meet twelve-year-old Klara, a girl of German descent who had to live to serve her abusive middle-aged husband. Klara's ability is to control or "talk to" plants. Her name is a play on the word chloroplast, relating to her plant powers. When her family discovered her powers, they married her off to someone moving to America, where she ran into the Runaways in 1907, who later brought her back to the present with them. Klara is roughly Molly's age, has jet-black hair twisted in a braid, and gray eyes.
After a missile crashes into the Runaways' Malibu home, the Leapfrog is also caught in the crossfire. [4] The Leapfrog is dismantled. However, Victor salvages the artificial intelligence of the Frog and installs into a new version of the Leapfrog - one that is able to fly. [5]
