Q&A for How to Make a Superhero

The first thing I recommend doing is looking at myth, legend, and the history of the superhero, not just in comic books, but also in movies and TV. Next, try to work out what is missing from this picture. To make your superhero stand out, think about what people have never seen before.

No, but you should. If the character has no flaws, the story will get boring, because there's no real danger. Also, an important part of a story is the main character facing problems/threats and then overcoming their weaknesses to defeat the problem and grow as a person.

Yes. Most heroes without powers use weapons, and ones with powers can also use them.

Take inspiration from other artists. It's okay to inspire yourself with other people's work. Try to come up with a mask that reflects the superhero's powers in a way that is unique to him, if you plan for your hero to have a mask. Avoid capes, turned up collars, and boots if you want your superhero to have a unique look.

Of course. In your story, Earth doesn't even have to exist.

You could extremely overpower them as much as you want, and then give them a weakness or two to counteract almost every power, and make it possible for different sorts of people to be able to acquire or create his weakness.

Of course! Most readers love seeing heroes try to fit back into their life with no powers, and then struggle to regain them.

Of course, or maybe the first bit could be slowly leading up to her getting her powers. Your hero can develop however you see fit.

It's considered plagiarizing if you make the origin story almost just like another's, only changing little details like location and names. Do not do that. Be creative and come up with something unique and interesting.

Picture it in your head and draw it step by step.

Thought bubbles can show how they think and feel about each other while their actions are cold. Or, if they are a thing and they don't anyone else to know, just have private moments between them and have them act normally when they're not alone.

No, but they should still face difficult conflicts. Superman once obliterated an entire solar system by sneezing, but even he's been put in a coma once thanks to Doomsday. If you feel your character has too much power, give him or her some weaknesses and limits, or even try giving him or her a few emotional struggles so they feel human.

No, they don't need to have a partner at all.

Yes, you can if you want. Batman, Ironman and Hawkeye do not have any powers.

First finish the stories, then contact as many publishers as it takes until one agrees to work with you.

Make it your own. Use your favorite colors, names, animals, bugs, etc. And better yet, if you can design your hero as anime.

You'll find some helpful tips in the wikiHow articles Create a Super Hero and Find Unique Names for Your Characters .

Find some examples of comic paneling, then poses for fighting between two or more people. Then read LOTS of comics! Making a comic takes a lot of time and patience, so keep at it and you'll end up with something REALLY cool.

This is a good idea, but you should think about how the hero's BFF got their power. Did the hero's power somehow rub off on their friend? Or maybe the hero's friend got their superpower from the same source the hero did? Just make sure you have a plan going in.

Sure, as long as your friend is willing to do the illustrations, that should work out well.

Nope! If you look around, there are plenty of non-human heroes out there, and no one will mind if you add another!

It depends on what you mean by "fitting your character into an already existing universe". If you're only doing it for fun like a fanfiction, then sure. if you are planning to publish it as an official character, you'll need to get permission from Marvel first.

Yes, that is very much true. Ever heard of Batman? Or Shadow Cat aka Kitty Pryde of the X-men? People will love your character because of their personality not because of their powers alone.

Not necessarily; there are plenty of superheroes who are aliens, robots, animals, and other non-human creatures. That could be an interesting way to build your hero's powers/abilities, too. For instance, a superhero that's an animal could have heightened senses or better agility, depending on what kind of animal they are.

It's completely optional. A prologue explaining where superheroes/superpowers come from can be a great way to introduce what your story is about while also adding some worldbuilding.

Superheroes can absolutely be kids/teenagers - examples include most versions of Spider-Man, and the Parr family's children from The Incredibles. This is especially common in superhero stories that are aimed at kids, but you can have kid heroes in stories aimed at any demographic - however, kid heroes in stories for older audiences may instead be portrayed as a sidekick to the main hero. When creating a superhero who's a kid, try to think about how they balance their superhero lifestyle with parts of their everyday life, such as going to school. Do they have to keep their secret identity from their parents/family/friends, or do they also know? Consider what works best for your story.

Yes, a lot of superheroes are actually aliens. It's a cool idea and a nice trait.

It could be the opposite of their strengths, or it could be something silly, like "orange juice". If you want it to make sense, make sure it fits with the superhero's personality or powers.

Your superhero can have any super-power they want! That does sound like a cool one, go for it!

Point out some differences between your character and the characters you were accused of copying. Try to really think if it's too similar, or consider adding or re-designing some of your character's traits.