ACTION/ADVENTURE GENRE Superhero Sub-genre

Classic Adventure Story PLOT Human against Nature Human against Human Plot is dominant Has a goal, but not the same steps as a quest More episodic Less revelation/change Not so much about a character changing their own consciousness Lots of chases—often the climax is the biggest chase of all

CHARACTER Hero is courageous and perseveres Usually succeeds against dangerous villains Hero may change a little but does not undergo a radical transformation as in the Hero’s Journey of the quest

SETTING Often exotic Dangerous Changes as pursuits of the plot continue Not crucial to the story except to allow for exciting/thrilling/dangerous situations

THEME Courage and integrity is best (even if it doesn’t win) But most of the time, the courageous hero does win – good triumphs over evil

SUPERHERO SUB-GENRE

HERO – extra-ordinary secret identity/costume Bruce Wayne Peter Parker Clark Kent

ARCH-ENEMY often a human gone bad Joker/ Penguin Octopus/Green Goblin/Venom Lex Luthor

CONFIDANT Sidekick Jimmy Olsen Alfred Robin

Authority Commissioner Gordon

LOVE INTEREST Vicky Vale Gwen Stacey Lois Lane

ORIGIN STORIES BATMAN Bruce Wayne avenges his parents’ murder—no superpowers— intellectual/physical perfection –wealthy industrialist SPIDERMAN Teenager bit by radiated spider—given speed/agility/stickiness/spid er sense SUPERMAN Sent to earth as Krypton planet dies/has supernatural skills-can fly Newspaper reporter by day