Five Reasons Why Contemporary Fantasy Writers Should Model Their Heroes After Spider-Man
Austin, Texas (PRWEB) July 01, 2013 -- In 1962, orphaned teenager Peter Parker burst into the world of comic books as Spider-Man. There was immediately something different about this superhero. He was still in high school, but he wasn’t relegated to “sidekick” status like Batman’s Robin or Captain America’s Bucky. He was feared by the public-at-large instead of embraced like Superman or the Fantastic Four. Spider-Man wasn’t interested in heroics when he first gained his powers; in fact, his self-centric motives led to the death of his guardian and uncle Ben Parker—an experience that would forever haunt and guide his superhero career.
Daniel Harvell, author of THE SURVIVORS, isn’t just a fan of paranormal characters, he also writes them. “My new novel, THE SURVIVORS, is a contemporary fantasy book and features a cast with otherworldly abilities,” Harvell said. “As the name suggests, contemporary fantasy has a fantastical narrative and takes place in modern times in a supposed real world setting—just like the stories of Marvel Comics and Spider-Man.
“I think every aspiring contemporary fantasy author can learn an enormous amount from how Spider-Man has been and is being written. He is the ideal heroic lead. That’s not to say he’s even remotely perfect, self-confident or popular in his world. Instead, Peter Parker is the everyman—unlucky at love, haunted by his past, unable to catch a break. His personal weaknesses are the storyline strengths. Spider-Man is an enjoyable superhero, but poor ol’ Peter Parker is what makes the franchise so successful.
“I grew up reading SPIDER-MAN, THE AVENGERS and X-MEN. These superheroes were all big influences on me when I created the characters in THE SURVIVORS, but it was Spider-Man that left the biggest impression. In my novel, seven strangers impossibly survive a horrific airplane crash and find themselves endowed with strange abilities. But that doesn’t mean they’re suddenly fighting crime or living lives of fame and fortune. I took a ‘real world’ look at what would happen if everyday people had power thrust upon them. It’s not pretty, but neither is the life of Spider-Man. That’s what makes his stories and that of THE SURVIVORS so relatable, endearing and exciting.”
Although the characters of Harvell’s novel have their own unique origins and plotlines, many of their personality traits and character flaws are in line with those of Spider-Man. Harvell compiled and shared those key elements that make Peter Parker the perfect lead as tips for writing contemporary fantasy heroes:
1. Tragic past. As a child, Peter lost his parents and was given over to his uncle and aunt to be raised. He had few true friends at school and, in fact, was regularly bullied by Eugene “Flash” Thompson. When Peter does seemingly catch a break by gaining his spider-like powers, he’s guided by selfish interests that indirectly lead to his Uncle Ben’s murder.
Despite (and perhaps because of) his heartbreaking early years, Peter Parker is loyal, kind and heroic. Readers empathize with Peter for all that he has endured. The reader pulls for Spider-Man because he has risen above the trappings of his youth to be the type of person anyone would want as a friend. By introducing a character at such a low point, an author provides an opportunity for the reader to experience the character’s disappointments and trials that eventually lead to triumphs. By sharing these struggles, readers forge a powerful emotional bond with the hero.
2. Parker luck. In the world of fiction, comic books and general entertainment, the hero almost always saves the day. Spider-Man is no exception. He routinely finds a way to beat the bad guys and save innocent lives. Peter Parker, however, isn’t quite so lucky. Peter has money issues, job troubles, relationship woes, family drama and collapsing friendships. He spends so much time being a superhero that it often doesn’t leave enough time to properly address all of his problems.
While readers hopefully aren’t besieged with the same amount of unlucky situations as Peter, they’re likely to understand struggling to pay rent or screwing up a date by running late. Audiences know what it feels like to be down on luck, and they love to pull for the underdog. Hapless situations not only make for great drama, but they also give readers the opportunity to bond to the lead character.
3. Romantically-challenged. Gwen Stacy, Felicia Hardy, Carlie Cooper, Betty Brant and, of course, Mary Jane Watson—Peter has romanced several women to varying degrees and was, for many years, married (sort of) to Mary Jane. His status as a “science geek” in high school limited his dating options, which were further hindered by the time constraints and responsibilities of being a superhero. Although he did eventually enter into marital bliss, the wedding was undone years later by the-powers-that-be at Marvel Comics citing the vital role of a single Peter Parker in the world of Spider-Man.
Stable relationships and solid marriages may be what many strive for in the real world, but romantic blunders are all the rage for lead characters in contemporary fantasy. Do the readers want to see the hero happy with his or her soul mate? Of course, but the bumps and bruises along the way raise the drama and give the audience something greater to hope for. The “will they/won’t they?” formula has worked well in many entertainment mediums over the years. The lengthy ongoing nature of comic books can lead to audience fatigue when utilizing this plot device, but it’s ideal for the limited nature of novels.
4. Great power. Sure, there are many heroes more powerful than Spider-Man, but given his number of clashes and phenomenally high win percentage, it’s clear that the web-slinger is wielding some major muscle. The strength of Spider-Man, however, is far more than purely physical. Many of his battles are won with intellect. Others times, Peter finds victory by tapping into a perseverance that’s tied to the values taught to him by his Uncle Ben.
There’s no way around it—contemporary fantasy protagonists must have power. It doesn’t have to be obvious physical abilities like Spider-Man’s super strength, reflexes and spider-sense. It’s also not necessary (in fact, it’s discouraged in the beginning) that the lead has complete understanding or mastery over his or her abilities. But the potential for greatness must be evident—if not to the hero and/or his companions, then at least to the readers.
5. Great responsibility. Perhaps the most famous line from any comic book hero is Spider-Man’s “with great power comes great responsibility.” Peter found out the hard way that power alone isn’t enough when his Uncle Ben died after Peter failed to act responsibly. That was probably the most significant turning point in the life of Peter Parker. In recent years, Spider-Man scribe Dan Slott carried Spidey’s need for accountability to another level when Peter declared that under his watch “no one dies.” For any hero, super or not, that’s an impossibly high standard; but that is the measure of Peter’s heroic nature.
Readers of contemporary fantasy typically like their heroes to be good and their villains to be bad—very few shades of gray. A strong sense of responsibility is essential for the lead in contemporary fantasy literature. It doesn’t mean the hero won’t make mistakes or question his purpose, but the need for accountability will push him past problems and doubts to be the champion that the story needs and the hero every reader cheers for.
Daniel Harvell is author of the contemporary fantasy novel THE SURVIVORS. For more information about the book, upcoming novels, tips on writing fantasy and more, visit his website at http://DanielHarvell.com. To purchase THE SURVIVORS, visit http://amzn.com/B00DGKSKOE. Follow Daniel on Facebook at http://Facebook.com/DanielHarvell75 or Twitter at http://Twitter.com/DanielHarvell75.
Daniel Harvell, Social Edge Solution, LLC, http://SocialEdgeSolution.com, 512-428-6522, [email protected]
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