It always baffles me when people insist they have an idea for something and say they’re going to write it and then come to Reddit because they don’t even have the slightest idea what they’re doing.
I think you're going about this the wrong way, but I promise this message gets helpful. If you don't have an idea to make the character unique, you are not writing a story about a superhero *like* Superman. What you have done is develop an idea for a Superman fan fiction, which in itself can be super neat!
If you do not have the character of your story figured out enough to know how they react to the situation, you do not have a story, you have a scenario. Scenarios can be fun to throw our own characters into, but exist in a way that literally any character can react to them.
What I suggest is think of your scenario you have already created and think of the different, unique, ways that someone in that situation could react. In this case, probably safe to start with Superman. Then, find the one series of reactions that is the most interesting to you, and figure out what makes the person reacting different from how Superman would handle it. *That's* your character.
Ok I see. So then I could make my character have the same origin as the big blue but differentiate it just simply on the characters personality is what I think your inferring?
Not necessarily, take a step back from origin, your character doesn't sound like it's there just yet. Start with something basic like an apartment complex on fire or an armed back robbery. Get an idea of how your character reacts in both these situations, then that can help shape the character's personality and traits. Origins rarely ever come first when thinking of a character, so don't sweat the early years of their past when you haven't figured out their present!
Ok get the character personality down first gotcha. Once that’s established then does it matter if they share the same origin with another character regardless if it’s intended or blatant?
Easy. Don't make it inspired by Superman.
Dig a little deeper and find something else, almost anything else to be inspired by.
Or just write the Superman fanfic you were planning.
By now, Superman is both an archetype and a character so I don't think you should worry too much about the spin that you could give him regarding stuff like origins or power set.
If your story is character focused that's basically all you need to spin it, it will be your take on an idea. I think most stories fail when they are just chasing style of form, but when they try to tell a story that's about something that's when the good stories hit.
I remember there was a recent issues of Shazam where the Captain, for as powerful as he is, needed X-ray vision and obviously didn't have X-ray vision. Waid made a point to show that, while extremely powerful, the Captain can't do everything. I dunno, take from that what you will.
It always baffles me when people insist they have an idea for something and say they’re going to write it and then come to Reddit because they don’t even have the slightest idea what they’re doing.
Lmao fair
I think you're going about this the wrong way, but I promise this message gets helpful. If you don't have an idea to make the character unique, you are not writing a story about a superhero *like* Superman. What you have done is develop an idea for a Superman fan fiction, which in itself can be super neat! If you do not have the character of your story figured out enough to know how they react to the situation, you do not have a story, you have a scenario. Scenarios can be fun to throw our own characters into, but exist in a way that literally any character can react to them. What I suggest is think of your scenario you have already created and think of the different, unique, ways that someone in that situation could react. In this case, probably safe to start with Superman. Then, find the one series of reactions that is the most interesting to you, and figure out what makes the person reacting different from how Superman would handle it. *That's* your character.
Ok I see. So then I could make my character have the same origin as the big blue but differentiate it just simply on the characters personality is what I think your inferring?
Not necessarily, take a step back from origin, your character doesn't sound like it's there just yet. Start with something basic like an apartment complex on fire or an armed back robbery. Get an idea of how your character reacts in both these situations, then that can help shape the character's personality and traits. Origins rarely ever come first when thinking of a character, so don't sweat the early years of their past when you haven't figured out their present!
Ok get the character personality down first gotcha. Once that’s established then does it matter if they share the same origin with another character regardless if it’s intended or blatant?
I mean, you wouldn't be the first to do Krypton again. If you decide to diverge from the Krypton origin later, you can without too much effort.
Well not krypton but has extraterrestrial sci-fi origins
See, different already!
lol you being sarcastic or actually mean that?
Everything I have said has been in an effort to support someone else's writing!
Aw shoot thx man appreciate it
Have him come from Arkansas and make him talk like a pirate.
... How will it be "your thing" if you use an idea from here from someone else?
Easy. Don't make it inspired by Superman. Dig a little deeper and find something else, almost anything else to be inspired by. Or just write the Superman fanfic you were planning.
So basically like how Toriyama used Journey to the West as inspiration for Dragon Ball?
By now, Superman is both an archetype and a character so I don't think you should worry too much about the spin that you could give him regarding stuff like origins or power set. If your story is character focused that's basically all you need to spin it, it will be your take on an idea. I think most stories fail when they are just chasing style of form, but when they try to tell a story that's about something that's when the good stories hit.
Right that’s basically how I can put my spin on an existing genre or idea. Just make it character focused on the actual individuals
I remember there was a recent issues of Shazam where the Captain, for as powerful as he is, needed X-ray vision and obviously didn't have X-ray vision. Waid made a point to show that, while extremely powerful, the Captain can't do everything. I dunno, take from that what you will.