Learning to Write Superhero Stories: Using the Best and Worst Superhero Movies to Write Better Novels, Comics, and Screenplays

Nonfiction, Reference & Language, Reference, Guides & Handbooks
Cover of the book Learning to Write Superhero Stories: Using the Best and Worst Superhero Movies to Write Better Novels, Comics, and Screenplays by Brian  McKenzie, Hyperink
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Brian McKenzie ISBN: 9781614645771
Publisher: Hyperink Publication: October 23, 2012
Imprint: Hyperink Language: English
Author: Brian McKenzie
ISBN: 9781614645771
Publisher: Hyperink
Publication: October 23, 2012
Imprint: Hyperink
Language: English

Many writers suffer from the depressing misconception that popularity and critical acclaim are mutually exclusive. Encouragingly, from 2000-2012, 20 superhero movies scored above 70 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and 17 of them grossed more than $200 million at the box office. Hopefully, the enclosed reviews of four great superhero movies and two of the genre’s most notorious disasters will help you identify ways to distinguish your writing, sharpen your skills, and broaden the appeal of your work.

EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK

The Amazing Spider-Man

1. To the extent that you cover a superhero origin story, I’d recommend focusing on things and approaches we haven’t seen much of before. I think it would have helped to either spend less time covering the origin story or make it more different than Spider-Man 1. That said, I thought ASM’s approach to the death of Uncle Ben was smoother and more thematically effective–when Peter has the opportunity to stop the robber, there’s a plausible and immediate threat to bystanders. Peter declines and Ben gets killed seconds thereafter. This makes Peter’s motivation for a life-changing decision (becoming a superhero) more plausible. In contrast, in Spider-Man 1, Peter gets torn up because he doesn’t get involved in a relatively minor situation with a police officer present, with only a faint connection between Peter Parker letting the robber go and the robber killing a civilian.

1.1. Peter plays a more active role acquiring superpowers. He was only in the laboratory because he stole an ID and figured out how to thwart a keypad. I think the scene develops him more than just getting lucky at the science fair in Spider-Man 1. (Likewise, he makes his own webslingers instead of getting them from the spider-bite).

2. Beware the idiot ball – make sure there are believable consequences to actions. Peter Parker displayed his superpowers in public so many times that I think his classmates would have to be idiots not to notice something was amiss. (For example, the NBA-caliber dunk? Or breaking a goalpost with a football? Or lifting enormous Flash Thompson by the neck?) When characters make decisions, there should be consequences. For example, if the character is reckless with his powers, maybe other characters come closer to figuring out what’s going on. Or at least start asking difficult questions.

3. Speaking of consequences, I thought the crane scene was kind of cute. (Peter saves a construction worker’s kid and the construction worker later pulls in favors at the climax to help Spider-Man). It helps build a contrast between Spider-Man’s decidedly limited means and, say, the lavishly-funded Avengers or X-Men. I think it’s also a more subtle and effective way of showing he’s more of an everyman hero than we saw in previous Spider-Man movies (e.g. subway passengers throwing themselves between Dr. Octopus and a crippled Spidey felt sort of hokey to me).

Buy the Book to Read More!

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Many writers suffer from the depressing misconception that popularity and critical acclaim are mutually exclusive. Encouragingly, from 2000-2012, 20 superhero movies scored above 70 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and 17 of them grossed more than $200 million at the box office. Hopefully, the enclosed reviews of four great superhero movies and two of the genre’s most notorious disasters will help you identify ways to distinguish your writing, sharpen your skills, and broaden the appeal of your work.

EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK

The Amazing Spider-Man

1. To the extent that you cover a superhero origin story, I’d recommend focusing on things and approaches we haven’t seen much of before. I think it would have helped to either spend less time covering the origin story or make it more different than Spider-Man 1. That said, I thought ASM’s approach to the death of Uncle Ben was smoother and more thematically effective–when Peter has the opportunity to stop the robber, there’s a plausible and immediate threat to bystanders. Peter declines and Ben gets killed seconds thereafter. This makes Peter’s motivation for a life-changing decision (becoming a superhero) more plausible. In contrast, in Spider-Man 1, Peter gets torn up because he doesn’t get involved in a relatively minor situation with a police officer present, with only a faint connection between Peter Parker letting the robber go and the robber killing a civilian.

1.1. Peter plays a more active role acquiring superpowers. He was only in the laboratory because he stole an ID and figured out how to thwart a keypad. I think the scene develops him more than just getting lucky at the science fair in Spider-Man 1. (Likewise, he makes his own webslingers instead of getting them from the spider-bite).

2. Beware the idiot ball – make sure there are believable consequences to actions. Peter Parker displayed his superpowers in public so many times that I think his classmates would have to be idiots not to notice something was amiss. (For example, the NBA-caliber dunk? Or breaking a goalpost with a football? Or lifting enormous Flash Thompson by the neck?) When characters make decisions, there should be consequences. For example, if the character is reckless with his powers, maybe other characters come closer to figuring out what’s going on. Or at least start asking difficult questions.

3. Speaking of consequences, I thought the crane scene was kind of cute. (Peter saves a construction worker’s kid and the construction worker later pulls in favors at the climax to help Spider-Man). It helps build a contrast between Spider-Man’s decidedly limited means and, say, the lavishly-funded Avengers or X-Men. I think it’s also a more subtle and effective way of showing he’s more of an everyman hero than we saw in previous Spider-Man movies (e.g. subway passengers throwing themselves between Dr. Octopus and a crippled Spidey felt sort of hokey to me).

Buy the Book to Read More!

More books from Hyperink

Cover of the book Quicklet on H.G. Wells's The War of the Worlds (CliffNotes-like Book Summary and Analysis) by Brian  McKenzie
Cover of the book Quicklet: Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness (CliffsNotes-like Book Summaries) by Brian  McKenzie
Cover of the book Quicklet on Brian Fikkert, Steve Corbett and John Perkins's When Helping Hurts: Alleviating Poverty Without Hurting the Poor...and Yourself by Brian  McKenzie
Cover of the book Guide To Popular Body Cleanses by Brian  McKenzie
Cover of the book Quicklet on Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations by Brian  McKenzie
Cover of the book Quicklet on Bright-Sided: How Positive Thinking Is Undermining America by Barbara Ehrenreich by Brian  McKenzie
Cover of the book John McEnroe: A Biography by Brian  McKenzie
Cover of the book 30 Startups To Know Now: New Bay Area Companies with the Potential to Change the World by Brian  McKenzie
Cover of the book Quicklet on The Best Rolling Stones Songs: Lyrics and Analysis by Brian  McKenzie
Cover of the book Chelsea Handler: Author of My Horizontal Life, Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang, and Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea by Brian  McKenzie
Cover of the book Rush Limbaugh vs. Sandra Fluke: Talk Radio's #1 Misogynist, Beaten by a College Girl by Brian  McKenzie
Cover of the book Quicklet On The Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini (CliffNotes-like Book Summary) by Brian  McKenzie
Cover of the book Harriet Beecher Stowe: How A Novelist Started America's Bloodiest War by Brian  McKenzie
Cover of the book Aaron Rodgers: Biography of a Super Bowl MVP by Brian  McKenzie
Cover of the book Quicklet on S. C. Gwynne's Empire of the Summer Moon (CliffsNotes-like Book Summary) by Brian  McKenzie
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy