During the last decade, a lot of blockbuster movies were actually based on “DC” and “Marvel” comic book heroes, which is the main reason why their popularity is on the rise nowadays. Despite the fact that there are a lot of already existing issues of comic books with such super heroes, this is the time when they are getting their stories rebooted. If you are a comic book fan, or a fan of a TV show or a movie with a superhero as a main character, then this is your time to shine. You can put your imagination and creativity to good use and write a new issue for your favorite hero, like Batman, Superman, Green Arrow, Flash etc. or just create a new character that you would like other people to see. If you are going to create a superhero of your own, here are a couple of things that you should bear in mind.
Creating your main character(s)
One of the crucial things that you need to remember is that your main character is supposed to receive special attention, and that details are very important. Think about whether he will possess some kind of superhuman ability or not, provide him with an intriguing backstory – what shaped him into a person that he is today and which are the problems of society that bother him the most (gang activity, corruption, discrimination, extra-terrestrial threats, terrorism, etc.). Try to come up with some interesting inner demons that follow your character, something that he battles on an everyday basis and what makes him vulnerable, some sort of skeleton in his her closet that he refuses to face. This is very important because heroes in comics do what they do as part of a coping mechanism, or because it is their way of redeeming themselves – their quest for atonement. Without this kind of motivation, or something similar, you are only creating a narcissistic child with superpowers who simply bullies everyone around (of course, even this can be an interesting idea, if you are able to write extremely witty and humorous lines – “Deadpool” is the best example of that).
Creating villains, arch nemesis and anti-heroes
Once you have finished with your main character, everything that he symbolizes and stands for, you need to create an appropriate villain or anti-hero. A good anti-hero is the one who is able to challenge the main character’s point of view, in a way that makes sense, not just because he is evil. You need to create a charismatic villain that readers will like almost as much as they like your hero. You can even make your villains fight for a good cause but with a wrong, or extreme approach. In other words, give them a good sense of value and a wrong attitude. Just like your hero, your villains also need to have interesting origin stories that account for why they are the way they are. Villains also need to have some sort of superiority over your hero, at least in one aspect (intellect, strength, social influence, etc.), so that they are able to present a real obstacle your hero needs to overcome and that will give your audience a lot of scenes in which he struggles to escape form tight spots.
Drawing your character
This plays a crucial role in your comic book creation, since pictures are actually telling the majority of the story. If you do not possess the required skills to draw what you have imagined, no need to worry. Everything won’t go to waste, after all. All you need to do is find people who specialize in this area and together, you can bring to life the figments of your imagination and print it out. Even if you are good at drawing, you will still need someone who is specialized in graphic design, so that your drawings can be properly digitized before they are printed. Creating a unique design is really important, and that is why you must focus on this particular issue, as comics are considered to be a form of art.
So think about what your heroes and villains will look like, think of their origin story, their powers and limitations. Write down their descriptions and the setting and synopsis of your story. Find people who can draw what you had in mind properly and get to work. Who knows, maybe you are the next Comic-Con celebrity.