Why destroy everything?
Just for a plot point?
Maybe…
In the comic, as was mentioned before, this is a post-apocalyptic world. Only, as you dive into the story, it didn’t seem that way.
At first.
At the start of the series, when they depart the facility (once outside, they meet with little resistance), they actually build a house on a vacant stretch of land, close enough to see the nearest major city, but well away from it that few, it would seem, would venture out to investigate. Outside the team tasked briefly with their return.
The focus of the first few issues was to be on the characters, rather than the situation. Getting to know their social dynamics and interactions. It would actually be when they decide to be ‘superheroes’ that they realize what kind of world they’re in.
For example, the vacant land they occupy? My notes indicate that the area would still be affected by the nuclear fallout, and while it would be milder than when The Event occurred, I would compare living there now, to moving to Chernobyl in the late 90s. Too soon, maybe?
That’s not the only issue. While the nearby city (covered in a dome) has millions, there are few cities like it on Earth. I don’t necessarily mean a few domed cities; I mean there are few large population centers of any kind. This particular city wasn’t a big one before the event, but many arrived who survived it.
As the series progressed, my notes indicate there would be less superhero stuff at the start, and more figuring out what’s going on (the city appears not only to survive, but continue to develop, despite no seeming outside input. Like a food source, or raw materials, or even various technology that may not be native to that spot). But, as they explore, opportunities to be a superhero would present themselves.
I can’t say I recall why I needed to destroy everything for the premise of the story, outside of the fact that it was possible. Beyond that, I think I was exploring how you would start over.
One exciting thing I had in my notes was one of the Richest persons in the city would venture out periodically for apparently no reason. The reason this would matter is by the time this would come to light in the story, you would realize that whatever conflict that was started with The Event, actually wasn’t over. It had merely become a ground war, and the sides (I’m not sure how many for sure, but I think it was getting a little out of hand trying to plan this nonsense) were entrenched, and little movement was being made. It would seem a lack of central governments devolved the conflict to the level of provincial (or in the US, state-level) governments taking the lead, or even city-states forming a more robust government. Which is the reason for the many ‘sides.’ It wouldn’t always be clear who is sided with whom, despite what the historical precedents may show today.
The group would also face the threat of invasion from an alien race, though this was more a comical event. Not because they weren’t dangerous, but because it wasn’t as much an invasion as one would think of it. It was more a visit from unwelcome guests, or a heavily armed ‘squatter’ (look the term up in relation to US housing laws. I don’t know a better term to use at the time of publication).
So, what is the overall premise? One creature is given insight into it, at the beginning of the series (in fact, it is the first few panels). I think today I’d probably not do it the same way (I don’t like where that was going; that’s why it’s not in the blog), but the premise wouldn’t change: At a specific point in time, all life on Earth will cease, and only these young people can stop it.
No pressure.
Beyond that initial mention, time would actually pass in the story before this one would begin to even talk to them since he’s trying to find who they are (Hint: he doesn’t know at the outset). Before he would meet with them, we would see them all in the story (Another hint: they all wouldn’t actually know each other, though they would all cross paths). The timeframe where this being is trying to find them is when the first few set out to be superheroes.
There were a lot of overlapping plots in the story. So many, I’m not sure I have everything that explains this. But, I would also point out that my notes only cover certain details that must happen, and then a number of things I wanted to happen. Beyond that, I was trying to keep it flexible.
So, if I had the story ready to go, why did it fail? Likely, even if all I did were produce what I had notes for, it would create its own buzz in a short time. Next week, I’ll address this.
(UPDATE: I found the art! But, this computer only 48 hours ago connected to my home network. And, since it also is SLOOOOOOOOOOOOOW, it is proving difficult to get stuff off. Or, even to know if I did. I’ll share the following, even though this is not from the original series, just ‘concept art’ for other characters in the series)
(7/31/2018) – I noticed from my first blog in this series I was supposed to feature the seventh character. I now have to admit I didn’t like any of the pics I had of her, and I felt she didn’t have enough of a story for an entire blog. So I changed the objective. The pic above is not her BTW, but I did add one of her in this blog. She’s the last on the right.)
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In written form 