The Superhero train still keeps steaming ahead in cinemas, with Captain Marvel and Endgame around the corner, and I guess DC does stuff too. Superheroes have become a much more normal and accepted piece of “nerd” culture. While often in comic or graphic novel form, there is still a great interest in Superhero novels, including titles such as “Soon I will be invincible” and “Midnight’s Children”. But how does one make a Superhero?
This question really depends on the style of your novel. Is it serious, or a parody? It is possible to combine both, where the tropes and clichés of classic Superheroes and Villains are taken but put in a more serious situation. If you do use tropes, think about some of the most famous heroes and villains and what often links them all together. A tragic backstory is a must, have you ever seen a superhero with parents? What gave them superpowers? A radioactive animal bite? Injected with super-drugs? They are just really rich? Have fun with creating a wild reason for what gave them their powers, as this ties in to what powers they have. Do they have only one, or many? How can they use their powers, such as does it need them only to be in danger, or a specific hand gesture to activate?
One interesting thing I find is what separates a Hero from a Villain. They often have very similar pasts, and potentially powers, but what was the big thing that made them be good or evil? Is your villain thinking he is doing good but just in an extreme method? Is your hero conflicted with the damage their powers cause? Having a flexible dynamic keeps the reader on their toes, so they don’t just go “Oh the villain is just evil.” Make them think “Wait… that kind of makes sense…”
Setting can also be crucial. So many superhero stories are set in America, but what about other real-world locations? A Scottish superhero? A New Zealand Villain? How would this influence their powers and way of life? What about a superhero on another planet, where you can use all the juicy knowledge I imparted to you from a previous blog?
There is a lot of fun for when writing superheroes and villains, it allows for explosive, epic battles as well as deep moral quandaries. You could say it’s…
Super.