Minimum Viable Superhero
How do you create a new superhero franchise in 2021? How do you create an iconic character rivaling the multi-generational cultural and economic impact of Batman, Spiderman or Wonder Woman? Here's one possible framework: Minimum Viable Superhero. Said another way - think of your superhero franchise as the core product of your new startup, and go from there.
Analogous to the MVP, the MVS should be the lowest cost way you can create, test, and get validation for your superhero concept. Just like a successful MVP can change your startup's destiny, similarly, in the current entertainment landscape, a proven superhero concept is extremely valuable, even if it comes from creators who are "outside the business". The genre continues to lead demand across geographies and formats.
Key elements of the MVS
Core Creative: Memorable name, easy to understand visual concept (a vigilante who dresses as a bat), character arc ("with great power comes great responsibility"), effective worldbuilding ("Wakanda Forever!"). High quality of execution is table stakes here.
Theme & Cultural Context: This is a big reason why some superheroes have always resonated more than others. Batman originally captured the anxieties of early 20th century America, and evolved to capture the anxieties of every decade since; the first X-Men comic book came out at the height of the Civil Rights movement; the Iron Man movies have often explored the implications of rapid technological progress, etc. So creators should ask themselves - what are some of the big things that are going to shape society in the years and decades to come? Personally, I am fascinated by the incredible progress in biotechnology.
Choice of Medium: Every medium has advantages and challenges. Films allow for spectacle, a webseries lets you get really close to characters, comics can be created by smaller teams and thus allow for the author's voice to be preserved, games create agency for the player and thus allow for near-total immersion in your fictional world, and so on. However, I believe that at the MVS stage, the choice of medium should be dictated by how much it allows you to iterate, and if it allows you to build direct relationships with fans.
Iteration & Fandom Building: An effective feedback loop is critical to superhero creation. The MCU is so successful in part because they have decades of feedback from comic book fans. This is also why starting with an expensive VFX-heavy film production has often failed to create superheroes that endure beyond the film - you have no way to build a genuinely engaged fandom till the film is already out or iterate on core creative aspects based on feedback. Social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter, and fan-friendly content platforms like YouTube, Webtoon, and Wattpad are possible startup-friendly alternatives.
What would you add to this framework?
This is something I hope to expand on soon, so if you’re interested in this, or generally in storytelling & entertainment, hit the subscribe button below!