The reverse of “Dude with a Problem”
tales, the “Superhero” story is about an
“extraordinary person in an ordinary world.” From
Hercules to Moses to Jesus to Joan of Arc, right up through
Spider-Man and Ironman, we have been forever fascinated by this
story type. Think about the similarities here! All these characters
have to sacrifice their human needs for the good of us; they tend
to be celibate, highly focused, thinking only of others first
— and they never get one “thank you”! We humans
don’t really appreciate being saved, and yet year after year,
here comes another being from Mount Olympus to put up with all our
whining and save us in the hope we’ll do better in the
future.
Remember: What makes a Superhero is not the
gadgets... it's his enemy, a true “Nemesis.” So if
you’re writing a Superhero tale, make sure the enemy facing
your hero is more powerful and cunning than he is. The badder the
bad guy, the better your hero has to be... to
win.
The key components:
1. The hero of your tale must have a special
“power” — even if it’s just a mission to be
great or do good.
2. The hero must be opposed by a
“Nemesis” of equal or greater force, who is the
“self-made” version of the hero.
3. There must be a “curse” for the
hero that he either surmounts or succumbs to as the price for who
he is.
Examples: Kick-Ass, Iron Man, Spider-Man 2,
Gladiator, The Matrix, Raging Bull
