Works In Progress: The Responders (Comic Book/TV Show)
A book about a superhero team that doesn't fight crime.
I have a number of stories that I am either currently developing, or have shelved half-finished. I'm currently wondering what to do with some of these, or am looking for some feedback as to what to do with them next. If you don't mind, I'd appreciate some feedback on these ideas.
I am an unapologetic fan of superhero comics. Always have been, always will be. But as much as I love these stories, I noticed that the majority of them are stuck in the whole "good guy vs bad guy" power fantasy formula. I started wondering if there were other ways to approach superhero stories. I also wondered how all these heroes that weren't super-rich or had great paying civilian jobs kept their bills paid and still had time to do superhero stuff. these two questions combined to give me an idea: what if there were a superteam that was forbidden from fighting crime? and what if superheroing was how they paid their bills? How would that look? I know there were a few stories in Marvel and DC that addressed these questions for laughs (i.e. Damage Control and Formerly Known as the Justice League), but I wanted a story that took tis premise seriously.
This led to The Responders, a superteam dedicated strictly to salvage and rescue, that is not allowed to engage in confrontations with supercriminals for liability reasons. Yes, liability, because this team also doubles as an insurance agency for corporations and local government. The hook is they are the only insurer that can provide disaster relief while the disaster is still happening by sending low-level superheroes to save lives and minimize property damage (which means smaller insurance claims). and here's another hook: the team was founded and is led by a reformed supervillain.
Once I had my premise, ideas flowed in for possible stories. I came up with 12 issues worth, to be exact. Most stories are standalone, with the occasional 2-parter for bigger problems. each issue sees a team deal with one specific disaster. I'm starting to get tired of every storyline in comics taking 4-5 issues to resolve. I miss standalone 1-issue stories where someone that has never read that comic (or any comic) before can pick up an issue and get a full story, and the quality of the storytelling is what makes them interested in reading more as opposed to a manufactured cliffhanger. Basically, I wanted the comic to be formatted similar to a TV show, with each issue being an episode. But there is also a backstory that explores the team's leader and her past: her early life of crime, her decision to give up the life and start the agency, her struggles with running the company on the business side of things, recruiting and training heroes, and her current life outside of running her company.
I have two two-issue stories planned. one deals with an Alien invasion and how this team finds ways to do its jobs while letting the major superheroes take out the invaders, and the other is a story where the team has to deal with a supervillain that targets the team's family specifically. this series is a concept I could easily adapt to any comic book universe, so if I were by some miracle able to gain an audience with a major comic publisher, could make it work with the heroes they already have.
This is a project I really want to make happen, which is why I have it listed as a Work-In-Progress and not an Unused Idea. I have all twelve issues outlined, and I actually have first drafts for full scripts of the first three issues written. I even have backstories for a few of the heroes on the team that could be expanded into comic miniseries of their own. The biggest obstacle is the art. I can't afford an artist and I don't want to draw the thing myself. and that's before you take into account getting the story published and distributed. So my treatment, outlines and scripts are in the vault until something further develops. And I really hope something further develops.
If any of you think this idea is intriguing and are maybe interested in helping me bring this idea to life, I will take all the help I can get.
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And if you have something to say about this idea, I wanna hear it. Say something in the comments!