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I used to be contemplating 1960′s Marvel Comics and what made that foundation of any comic book universe great, why those characters and books got popular, and that i invented 3 concepts i will expand upon:

1. Community

2. Deficiency of Space Alien Origins

3. Relatable Heroes

1. Community

The Marvel Heroes lived mostly within the same real life city and connected together and ran into one another. With DC Comics for instance, it appears that every hero lives within their own fictional city made only for them. Batman has Gotham City. Superman has Metropolis. Green Lantern has Coast City. You receive the concept.

With Marvel Comics, a lot of them occupied New york. For readers, this created for a relatable setting. Where you as being a reader could believe such meetings could happen. And also better was, as being a writer establishing a predicament for making heroes moving into the identical city meet isn't that difficult.

2. Insufficient Space Alien Origins

This became the factor overlooked by most anyone I hear mention Marvel's success. Outside the Silver Surfer and Thor, EVERY Marvel superhero made then was a man. They didn't get their pleasurable powers from some space creature, or another unrelatable idea.

I do think the complete "alien origin" aspect dilutes a character into that of "just another silly comic book character" from your mainstream public viewpoint. A new consistent person around the street can't relate with that. And having an alien origin just seems silly into a non comic buyer.

Now sure you are able to say: Gets hit having a gamma bomb? Or perhaps a bite from the spider more relatable? I hear whatever you say, and you also are right, but additionally wrong. I believe the sun and rain such as the above tend to be more plausible and believable for any comic book setting. The entire "suspension of disbelief" thing. But something similar to an alien origin is simply too outrageous.

Read the Spider-Man movie or the X-men movie as an example. Their origins sound plausible enough on top the public can accept it. Now say inside the above movies, a room ship drops down and zaps some guy who then becomes Spider-Man. That sounds rather silly doesn't it? Or even a space ship drops down and zaps some guy turning him in to the Hulk. Less cool an origin right? And that is my point. Whether by planning or random luck, Stan Lee and company avoided the alien origins idea.

Concerning Thor plus the Surfer, they didn't spoil the slide mainly because it was a few that had alien origins and so can still squeeze in.

Also Thor was made very human first by Stan Lee. He really was a human who acquired Thor's power. That human base really anchored Thor as being a character.

And also the Surfer caused and was used being an outside observer of humans. Taking a look at us from the viewpoint that people could never see. Telling us how basically how the world was a paradise. If perhaps we might stop destroying one another and reside in peace, could we see this world for your gift it truly is.

3. Relatable Heroes

This is the reason those Marvel heroes got popular also. These Marvel heroes had problems and situations we were able to relate with. Despite their fantastic powers and battles, these people were also to earth. That were there anchors that made us relate or have a pity party on their behalf. They were not invincible heroes, like DC comics had. The DC Heroes being mostly perfect and basically rather shallow once you peeled back the layers. The Marvel Heroes got a depth and knowing that DC would not have.

Such as, except for Iron Man, all the others had financial problems. So you really didn't need to be Iron Man, who was required to suffer in secret.

Spider-Man had relationship, financial, and school problems.

The X-men had trouble fitting in society, yet simultaneously an obligation to safeguard us.

A final thought

I do think these three factors were the keys that made Marvel Comics the successful universe it is today. And reasons why in the past readers taken care of the books to start with. Right now I notice many creators TEND NOT TO use these same rules. As an example after i read Image Comics Savage Dragon as well as the Pitt with the alien origins. My feel on their behalf as being a character got disappointed. They just lost a relatable factor when camping.

Or you might have generic Punisher knock offs, that are blood thirsty heroes. Yet their is not any emotional origin for these heroes to create me take care of them or their situations.

Setting up a successful comic book universe today is difficult, or else almost impossible. But I do believe should you remain focussed on the three principles, you'll not be steered far wrong.

Rob is a very long time comic book fan, collector and commentator. He wants to share his thoughts, opinions and ideas about comic books and related pop culture media.