Chase Stein made his first appearance alongside the rest of his team in Runaways #1, published by Marvel Comics in July 2003. He was co-created by the critically acclaimed writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Adrian Alphona. The Runaways series was part of Marvel's Tsunami imprint, an initiative aimed at attracting new readers, particularly fans of manga, with unique art styles and character-driven storytelling.
Vaughan's concept was deceptively simple yet brilliant: “What if one day you found out your parents were super-villains?” This premise resonated in a post-9/11 world rife with questions of authority and generational distrust. Chase was conceived as an archetypal jock—the seemingly simple, athletic member of the group—to subvert reader expectations. Over time, Vaughan and subsequent writers peeled back his layers, revealing a mechanically gifted and deeply emotional young man whose loyalty was his greatest strength and weakness. Alphona's expressive, slightly stylized art was crucial in defining Chase's visual identity, from his laid-back posture to the raw emotion he displayed in moments of triumph and tragedy.
The origin of Chase Stein, codenamed “Talkback” for a time, is inextricably linked to the betrayal of his parents and the formation of the Runaways. However, the specifics of this journey differ significantly between the prime comic continuity and the live-action television adaptation.
In the Earth-616 reality, Chase Stein was the seventeen-year-old son of Victor and Janet Stein, two brilliant but nefarious inventors. To the outside world, they were wealthy and successful; in reality, they were founding members of The Pride, a secret cabal of super-villains who controlled Los Angeles through a pact with the ancient, god-like entities known as the Gibborim. Chase grew up seemingly oblivious to his parents' dark secrets, living the life of a privileged but directionless teenager. He was portrayed as a stereotypical slacker and lacrosse player, often seen as the least intelligent member of the group of friends who would become the Runaways. The pivotal moment came during the Pride's annual “charity” gathering. Chase, along with Alex Wilder, Nico Minoru, Karolina Dean, Gertrude Yorkes, and Molly Hayes, discovered a secret passage in Alex's home. From this vantage point, they witnessed their parents, clad in ceremonial robes, perform a ritual sacrifice of a young woman. The horrific revelation shattered their world. While the others reeled from the shock, Chase's reaction was a mix of denial and a pragmatic urge to act. As the group decided to flee their homes and expose their parents, Chase's contribution proved vital. Knowing his parents' labs were filled with advanced technology, he broke into their garage. There, he stole several key pieces of equipment that would become iconic to the team:
These actions established his role on the team not as a mere jock, but as their tech-specialist and getaway driver. He adopted the codename “Talkback,” a nod to his wisecracking and often defiant attitude, though he later abandoned it. His journey as a Runaway was a process of discovering his own worth beyond his parents' shadow and the superficial high school persona he had adopted.
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as depicted in the Hulu series Marvel's Runaways, Chase Stein's origin follows a similar broad outline but with a significantly different emotional core. Portrayed by actor Gregg Sulkin, this version of Chase is introduced as a popular, intelligent, but underachieving lacrosse player at the prestigious Atlas Academy.
The key difference in the MCU is the depiction of his father, Victor Stein (played by James Marsters). While the comic version of Victor was a more straightforwardly evil villain, the show's Victor is a brilliant, charismatic, but violently abusive tyrant. Much of Chase's character is defined by his attempts to please his demanding father while simultaneously fearing his explosive temper. This abusive dynamic provides a much more personal and visceral motivation for Chase's eventual rebellion.
The discovery of the Pride's activities mirrors the comics, with the kids witnessing a ritual sacrifice via a hidden passage. However, Chase's specific role is more tied to his father's work. He had already been tinkering with a piece of his father's technology—disabling and re-engineering a pair of powerful gauntlets he would later dub the Fistigons. In the show, these are not just simple flamethrowers but multi-functional devices capable of firing concussive energy blasts and scanning through walls.
His decision to run away is less about a simple “parents are evil” realization and more a desperate act of self-preservation and a final break from his father's control. He steals the Fistigons not just as a weapon, but as a symbol of turning his father's genius, the source of his pain, against him. His piloting skills are also directly inherited from his father, who designed the show's sleeker, more advanced version of the Leapfrog. This adaptation grounds Chase's story in a more realistic teenage drama, focusing on the cycle of abuse as the catalyst for his heroism.
Chase Stein stands out among his teammates as one of the few members with no inherent superhuman abilities. His heroism is a product of his courage, learned skills, and the advanced technology he wields.
Chase's personality undergoes one of the most significant evolutions in the Runaways saga. Initially, he presents as a classic “dumb jock”—impulsive, sarcastic, and seemingly uninterested in anything complex. This was largely a facade or a defense mechanism. Beneath the surface, he is fiercely loyal and protective, acting as the team's emotional bedrock and often its first line of defense. His love for Gertrude Yorkes brought out a softer, more devoted side. Her death plunged him into a period of profound grief, anger, and recklessness. He became obsessed with the idea of resurrecting her, even making a foolish deal with the Gibborim that nearly cost him his life. This trauma, compounded by his experiences in Avengers Arena, forged him into a much harder, more cynical person for a time. Upon the team's reformation and Gert's eventual return, Chase has matured into a more responsible and thoughtful leader, though his protective instincts and impulsive nature still lie just beneath the surface. He is, at his core, the quintessential big brother of the group.
Avengers Arena, Chase found the Darkhawk amulet after its previous owner, Chris Powell, was defeated. By clutching the amulet and thinking the phrase “Raptor, release!”, he could transform into the powerful armored form of Darkhawk, granting him superhuman strength, flight via retractable wings, and powerful energy blasts from his chest and hands. He lost this power at the conclusion of the event.The MCU's Chase Stein begins as a more conflicted figure. He is a popular jock who is also a gifted engineer, torn between the social pressures of high school and his genuine passion for technology, a passion he shares with his abusive father. His primary motivation is protecting those he cares about, first from bullies at school and later from the immense threat of the Pride. He is portrayed as inherently noble and brave, though often naive. His relationship with his father is the central axis of his personality; his journey is about finding his own identity and strength separate from Victor's toxic influence. He is less sarcastic than his comic counterpart and more earnest in his desire to do the right thing.
Chase's abilities in the MCU are grounded and non-superpowered, focusing on his intellect and learned skills.
Gert is, without question, the most important person in Chase's life. Their relationship is the emotional core of the Runaways saga. Initially, they seemed like an odd couple: the cynical, intellectual “nerd” and the seemingly simple “jock.” However, they bonded over a shared sense of being underestimated. Chase was the only one who saw the vulnerability beneath Gert's sarcastic exterior, and she was the first to recognize the intelligence and loyalty beneath his slacker persona. Their romance was heartfelt and genuine. Her death while saving his life shattered him completely, defining his character for years. When she was miraculously resurrected by Nico's magic, their reunion was complicated by the fact that Chase had aged and endured immense trauma while she remained a teenager, creating a poignant and challenging new dynamic for their relationship.
Chase and Nico share a complex and deep bond forged in their shared experience as founding Runaways and eventual co-leaders. They often have a sibling-like dynamic, bickering and challenging each other but always having one another's back in a crisis. After Gert's death, in a moment of shared grief and loneliness, they briefly attempted a romantic relationship, but it quickly became clear that their connection was not meant to be romantic. They remain incredibly close friends, and Nico trusts Chase's judgment and protective instincts, even when his methods are reckless.
Chase initially viewed Victor, the son of the arch-villain Ultron, with deep suspicion. This distrust led to a fight where Victor's cybernetic abilities were accidentally triggered. Over time, however, they developed a strong, brotherly bond. They connected over their shared experience of having evil, technologically-minded “fathers.” Chase became one of Victor's most staunch defenders, and they often worked together on tech-related problems for the team.
The ultimate betrayal for Chase was discovering that his own parents were super-villains. Victor and Janet Stein were amoral geniuses who viewed their son as little more than a genetic legacy, expressing disappointment in his lack of scientific interest. They had no qualms about trying to kill him and his friends to serve their masters, the Gibborim. The psychological wound of this parental betrayal is the foundation of Chase's entire heroic identity. The MCU's Victor Stein is an even more personal antagonist, as his evil is intertwined with direct physical and emotional abuse, making Chase's fight against him a struggle for his very soul.
The flamboyant and sadistic mastermind Arcade was the architect of Murderworld in the Avengers Arena storyline. He kidnapped Chase and other teen heroes, forcing them into a brutal, 30-day kill-or-be-killed game for his own amusement. Arcade represents a different kind of evil than the Pride; he is pure, chaotic nihilism. He psychologically tortured Chase, exploiting his grief over Gert and pushing him to his breaking point. The trauma inflicted by Arcade left deep scars on Chase, contributing to his darker, more hardened demeanor in the years that followed.
Avengers Arena. This group, which briefly operated under the name “Avengers Undercover,” was bound by their shared trauma.This is the foundational story for Chase and the team. It covers the initial, horrifying discovery of their parents' villainy and their subsequent decision to run away from home. Chase's role is critical; he is the one who thinks to raid his parents' workshop, securing the Fistigons and the Leapfrog, the very tools that allow the team to survive and fight back. This arc establishes his impulsive but heroic nature and his immediate skill as a pilot. It's here that the first sparks of his relationship with Gert begin to fly.
This is the single most important event in Chase's life. During a confrontation with a future version of Geoffrey Wilder, the villain fatally stabs Gert. In her dying moments, she professes her love for Chase and transfers her psychic link with Old Lace to him. Chase is left holding her as she dies, a moment of pure, undiluted tragedy that hardens him instantly. The event triggers a years-long arc of grief, rage, and self-destructive behavior, fundamentally altering his character from a carefree teen into a haunted young man.
This storyline represents Chase's lowest point. Abducted by Arcade and dropped onto a remote island, Chase is forced to fight for his life against other young heroes. The constant threat of death and the psychological manipulation by Arcade push him to the edge. He forms a bond with the other survivors but is also forced into morally grey situations. It is here he temporarily gains the power of Darkhawk, a desperate move for survival. The experience leaves him with severe PTSD and a deep distrust of the adult superhero world that allowed such an event to happen.
Years later, in the relaunch by writer Rainbow Rowell, Chase has been trying to move on, living a menial life away from the team. When a time-traveling Gert is brought to the present moments before her death by Nico, Chase is given a second chance. His reaction is one of overwhelming joy and profound complication. He is thrilled to have the love of his life back, but he has aged and been through hell, while she is mentally and physically still the girl who died in his arms. This storyline explores their attempts to reconnect across a gulf of time and trauma, showcasing a more mature, world-weary Chase trying to rebuild his life and family.
Ultimate End storyline as part of the crossover with the mainstream Marvel Universe. This was a brief cameo showing a different iteration of the team.Battleworld: Runaways miniseries, a completely different group of students from the Victor von Doom Institute for Gifted Youths adopts the Runaways mantle. However, the original team, including Chase, briefly appears in the main Secret Wars event as part of the massive army opposing God Emperor Doom.LEGO Marvel's Avengers and LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2. In these appearances, his abilities are simplified for gameplay, focusing on the flame-projecting power of his Fistigons and his ability to fix broken machinery.Marvel's Runaways, Chase is portrayed by British actor Gregg Sulkin, who adopted an American accent for the role.Avengers Arena is the same one used by the original Darkhawk, Chris Powell, raising questions among fans about the nature of the amulet and its sentience.