A relatively unknown artist, Adrian Alphona came onto the comics scene with a bang when he co-created Runaways alongside writer Brian K. Vaughan. Initially part of the Tsunami line, Runaways proved to be the imprint's sole success, thanks largely to the touch Alphona and Vaughan had when it came to depicting the wayward teens.
As evidenced by his work on Runaways, and his sketchwork (availible in the hardcover Runaways collections, and his sketchbooks), Alphona has an incredible grasp of the human figure, as well as teen fashions, many of Runaways' fans commenting that the kids in the book actually look like people you could find in Los Angeles (the book's primary setting).
Having designed the vast majority of the characters that appeared (with the only exceptions being Cloak, Dagger, Captain America and the other Avengers appearing in the epilogue of the first volume), Alphona created definitive looks for each of the kids, giving each of them a unique sense of style. Unlike some artists, content to allow their characters one costume, Alphona designed one or two outfits for each story arc he and Vaughan worked on. The sense of progression in his linework is evident throughout the first and second volumes of Runaways, gradually becoming sleeker and more stylised, and infinitely more gorgeous as each storyline progressed.
However, Alphona opted to leave Runaways at the same time as Vaughan, after nearly fifty issues on an almost consecutive basis, with only two delays and three guest spots from other artists.
As of May 2008, however, despite earlier statements saying otherwise, Alphona is not the new artist of Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane, alongside new writer Terry Moore. According to sources at Marvel, he has gone to find work outside the comics field.
In February 2013, it was announced that Alphona would be returning to comics as the artist of Uncanny X-Force, beginning with the series' fifth issue.
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