I had a realisation that derailed my ideas about Venge. I was creating a story of a crazed, calculating, and unstoppable murderer. No where in my plot lines or character analysis did I leave room for Venge to be weak.
How could anyone enjoy a story that did not have a vulnerable hero? The best hero stories must be a life-or-death struggle in which the hero meets up with a group of like-minded individuals to conquer a feat that is much greater than them. At least one person in the story will become a turncoat/traitor and the hero must overcome a personal obstacle becoming changed in the process.
My story (at least the first 13 issues) would have it all... except one thing. Venge was not vulnerable. Well, not mortally so. He wanted to die. Wants to die. Has died. What now? There is no real risk to his actions. He has plenty of emotional and mental frailties and vulnerabilities but no physical ones.
It makes me think of the novel: Armor written by John Steakley. (spoiler follows, if you have not read it then drop down to the next paragraph) In that story the main character wishes to die but is unable to pull the trigger. He thrusts himself into suicidal situations that he miraculously survives. I found myself cheering for this unstoppable and tragic man. Not a hero, just a man. But why? Was I hoping he would die? Was I hoping that he would single handedly win against all odds? I can't explain it. I felt compelled to see where the story was going. What great triumph was to be his? But then, he apparently dies in the story and I remember how upset I was. I closed the book and didn't open it again for a week. I had to be convinced by the person who lent it to me.
Is this the way my story was steering? I am sure it could be effectively written in such a matter, but was I sure that was something I wanted? It is a good tale for a novel or movie. But, I don't think it was one that I wanted Venge to be in for one main reason. I always had hopes that the major comic book publishing companies would buy the story and reproduce it in a continuing series.
So to have the hero die would be counter productive. In that case, was having him mentally and spiritually tormented enough? Maybe. But the solution was far better suited to my goals.
The original story had Venge kill both his wife and himself, then return to life with some pact from death. The current story has him watch as she killed herself and is then implicated as her murderer but sent to a mental ward. No longer is he some undead and unkillable juggernaut. Now he is flesh and bone vigilante fueled by spiritual energies.
Venge can now be hurt on many fronts.
His sanity will always be questioned through out the series.
His feelings will always be conflicted and under strain.
His body will be damaged and broken.
And only by drawing from the energy of the spirits within him can he pull it all together.
And only by appeasing their whims can they gain energy for him to use.
This shall be my attempt at a psychological action ghost story.
How could anyone enjoy a story that did not have a vulnerable hero? The best hero stories must be a life-or-death struggle in which the hero meets up with a group of like-minded individuals to conquer a feat that is much greater than them. At least one person in the story will become a turncoat/traitor and the hero must overcome a personal obstacle becoming changed in the process.
My story (at least the first 13 issues) would have it all... except one thing. Venge was not vulnerable. Well, not mortally so. He wanted to die. Wants to die. Has died. What now? There is no real risk to his actions. He has plenty of emotional and mental frailties and vulnerabilities but no physical ones.
It makes me think of the novel: Armor written by John Steakley. (spoiler follows, if you have not read it then drop down to the next paragraph) In that story the main character wishes to die but is unable to pull the trigger. He thrusts himself into suicidal situations that he miraculously survives. I found myself cheering for this unstoppable and tragic man. Not a hero, just a man. But why? Was I hoping he would die? Was I hoping that he would single handedly win against all odds? I can't explain it. I felt compelled to see where the story was going. What great triumph was to be his? But then, he apparently dies in the story and I remember how upset I was. I closed the book and didn't open it again for a week. I had to be convinced by the person who lent it to me.
Is this the way my story was steering? I am sure it could be effectively written in such a matter, but was I sure that was something I wanted? It is a good tale for a novel or movie. But, I don't think it was one that I wanted Venge to be in for one main reason. I always had hopes that the major comic book publishing companies would buy the story and reproduce it in a continuing series.
So to have the hero die would be counter productive. In that case, was having him mentally and spiritually tormented enough? Maybe. But the solution was far better suited to my goals.
The original story had Venge kill both his wife and himself, then return to life with some pact from death. The current story has him watch as she killed herself and is then implicated as her murderer but sent to a mental ward. No longer is he some undead and unkillable juggernaut. Now he is flesh and bone vigilante fueled by spiritual energies.
Venge can now be hurt on many fronts.
His sanity will always be questioned through out the series.
His feelings will always be conflicted and under strain.
His body will be damaged and broken.
And only by drawing from the energy of the spirits within him can he pull it all together.
And only by appeasing their whims can they gain energy for him to use.
This shall be my attempt at a psychological action ghost story.
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