Denver Comic Con 2016 Panel Spotlight: 'Launching Your Superhero on Screen'

Written by Tim Girard

Launching Your Superhero on Screen
Sunday, June 19, 2016 11:45am-12:35pm
Trai Cartwright, Stephanie Train

Trai Cartwright's panel is for all of us who have seen our favorite super heroes/heroines go from the comics to TV or the big screen and thought, "hey, I have an idea for a great character! How do I get them made into a tv show or movie?" The first obstacle she says people encounter is that before they let their character see the light of day, they want it to be perfect. Trai says, it doesn't have to be perfect, "it's gotta be made." If it's an idea for a story, then write it. You can always edit it later, and there's only so far the first couple chapters of a book will get you. If it's an idea for a comic, find someone to draw it, and get issue number 1 finished. You can always write more issues and refine it as you go. If it's an idea for a TV show or movie, get some friends together, film it, and put it on YouTube. You can always do other episodes, sequels, or even a reboot later.

If you haven't fully fleshed out your character yet, think about other successful creators, and what made their characters a hit, and see if (without copying) you can incorporate some of those elements into your creations. The example that Trai gave was Joss Whedon. We are all familiar with at least some of his work, but really take a look at what he has brought to the table and why his fans love him. The most obvious common thread is his use of strong female characters. This could be something that might make your character stand out: a new female superhero amongst the sea of male superheroes. You could take another page from the Whedonverse playbook and you could give your superhero a sidekick or best friend...and then kill them. Because Whedon will kill his characters, even the most beloved ones, you know that no one is safe. This gives stories a sense of gravity that you don't always get with comic book adaptations. Whedon is also a master at writing for an ensemble. Every character has a role, and the heroes could not have saved the day unless every single character plays their part. Maybe instead of a single superhero, you could create a new team with contrasting and complementing superpowers.

Something Trai suggested to keep in mind when forming the idea for your character and their world is the possibility of expanding to the global market. Some companies will have this in the back of their mind and might take this into consideration when deciding what the next "big thing" might be. If you want to tailor your character for this possibility, two things she said to keep in mind are that when something is made for the global market, they might have to be more diverse, but they also might have to be more simplified. Other countries will be more interested in an American film if the cast is more racially diverse, so keep that in mind when creating your team. Also, if the struggles of your characters are too specific to America's current events, other countries won't be able to identify with them. If your story is more broad and relatable on a basic human level, people all over the world will be able to connect with your characters and their journey.

Right now the market is being flooded with sequels, remakes, franchises, etc. mostly because they are safe. They already have a fan base who will go see them, in some cases, regardless of whether or not they are any good. While some of these might actually be done well and even stand on their own, eventually people will tire of the same things over and over again. This can give your character a chance to stand out if it is unique, compelling, relevant, and well-built.

So, what makes a great superhero/ine? First: they need a great costume. This may seem superficial, but it is the first thing people will see and that impression can decide whether or not that character gets a second look. Second: they have to have great powers. No one will care about a hero unless they have a power that the reader/viewer would want for themselves. The powers of flight, super-strength, invulnerability, etc. may seem cliché, but the reason they are popular is because most people would love to have them. Third: your character must be relatable. most people are fans of a character because they either want to be that character, or idolize them in some way. They want to see some part of themselves in that character. One thing that can help with this is to give your character a tortured backstory. Most people who are fans of fiction will relate to having some terrible event from their past which shapes their future. Giving your character a haunted past and the right powers will set them on an engaging journey that people will want to follow. Trai outright says to "break your character to create conflict," which will complicate their relationships. One way to do this is to make your character an orphan. Think of all of the characters we know who are orphans and all of the complexity that comes with it. They have abandonment and trust issues, guilt, an overinflated sense of responsibility, etc. Another example are Marvel's mutants. They can't fit in with non-mutants, especially those whose mutation manifests itself in a physical way. Their options are to either find others like them, or to try to change the world to either be more like them or so that they are accepted. This can be done either through peace or by force. Doctor Who is another damaged character who broke the timeline, and out of guilt is trying to fix it. His story, like many other compelling characters, is one of redemption. Since the broken piece of the character is what generates the drama, your character can never be healed. "Their best selves have to be subverted by their worst selves," Cartwright says.

Trai strongly believes that a character's powers should come from his/her flaws. Whatever powers are bestowed upon them should connect to who the character was before they got their powers. She used Spider-Man as a "bad example" of this. Peter Parker is a nerdy, smart, awkward kid who gets picked on, but has a loving family at home, even though his original parents died when he was a child. What does that have to do with spiders? She says that Peter Parker should have been given powers that were a metaphor for who he was before. If the idea was to give him super strength to contrast how weak he was before, there are ways to do that besides making him a spider. If you wanted to have a hero who is a spider-man, then he/she should be more like a spider before getting powers: having a dark personality, always creeping around in the shadows, etc. Another way she put it is that "their strength is their weakness" or their weakness becomes their strength. She suggests checking out the animated show "Burka Avenger," about "a superheroine who wears a burka as a disguise to conceal her identity while fighting villains. Her alter ego is Jiya, an 'inspirational teacher' at an all-girls’ school. Jiya fights corrupt politicians and vengeful mercenaries who attempt to shut down girls’ schools, using "Takht Kabadi", a martial art that involves throwing books and pens." (Wikipedia) She is a teacher who fights ignorance with knowledge, so her superpower is to use the "tools of learning" to physically fight those who are trying to actively spread ignorance.

Another problem we can run into when trying to bring our character into the world is the medium. She suggests pursuing every form of media possible. Try to find collaborators for a comic book or graphic novel. If that doesn't work, self-publish it as a novel, make an online mag, or a web series. If you have a more cinematic vision for your character, then write the screenplay, and look for local filmmakers who will help you produce a short film of it. If your idea is very effects-heavy, then partner with CGI companies who are looking for material to create demos. A great resource she mentioned is the Denver Media Professionals which could help you to connect with other creative people who may be able to help you bring your creation to life.

Next up to discuss from Denver Comic Con’s panels: The Sounds of Star Wars.

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