As far as I know origin stories are unique to comic books. There could be an argument that the gods and heros of old had origin stories but in the modern entertainment world comics, comic book derived movies, TV shows, and books are the main home of the origin story. Usually super-heros have special powers and skills. Their origin is the tale of how they acquired those abilities so a new comic book series will normally start with an origin story.
The problem I have with origin stories is that they are generally pretty boring. There is little variety to them. They are all transformation stories. A guy was one thing, something happens and now he is another. That is the overriding theme to every origin story. They do break down into a few flavors after that. There is 1) guy doesn’t have powers, guy has accident, guy now has powers. 2) someone or thing kills someone guy loves, guy goes out and trains or gets powers, guy kicks ass. 3) guy gets snatched or recruited by someone (good or evil), guy gets experimented on or put through a process, guy gets powers. Not a lot of variety.
Stan Lee always kept his origin stories short. Here are some page lengths for you: Fantastic Four 13 pages, Hulk 6 pages (though part of a 24 page story), Spider-Man 11 pages, Thor 11 pages, Doctor Strange 8 pages, Iron Man 13 pages, X-Men 23 pages, and Daredevil 23 pages. Stan usually got the origins over with quickly and went on to the adventures. Even his full issue (23 page) origin stories were part of an adventure. I think he knew that origin stories were boring. The interesting things start after the guy gets his powers. The reason people read super-hero stories is because of the super powers. A super-hero without his powers is boring. There are some very good comics about everyday people with no super powers. I read more of them than I do super-hero stories. So if you are going to give me a super-hero story there better be adventure, fights and special powers and skills in them. Super-heros can’t compete on a human interest level will Palookaville, Love and Rockets, Age of Bronze, Stray Bullets, Berlin, Eightball, Hate, Finder or any comics that do the human interest thing full time.
I bring this topic up because of one of the comics I bought this week: Rokkin 1 by Andy Hartnell, Nick Bradshaw, and Jim Charalampidis. It is not a bad comic, the art is nice and the script okay. The problem is the plot. Since it says “1st Barbaric Issue” on the cover I assume it is a Conan the Barbarian type of comic but I couldn’t tell by reading it. Conan has no origin. He just came out of the hills as a young man to make his way in the world and have adventures. Not Rokkin. He has an origin. I think it falls under category 2) someone or thing kills someone guy loves, guy goes out and trains or gets powers, guy kicks ass. I’m not sure because the origin story isn’t even over yet and there is no adventure going on. Welcome to 21st century comics.
Longer origin stories have been a trend for a while. When Marvel relaunched Spider-Man as Ultimate Spider-Man they turned Stan and Steve’s 11 page story into six whole issues. A lot of people like all of the extra “detail” in these long origin stories but I find them dull. I want an adventure. That’s what I tuned in for. I don’t like the predictable and origin stories are the most predictable of all stories.
In Rokkin 1 page one we have Rokkin bound in chains and falling into deep water (the ocean?) introducing us to his origin by way of narration. This is followed by a very pretty but pointless (story wise) two page splash. Then we have 12 pages of Rokkin (he’s a butcher) living his idyllic life before he loses his loved one. To be fair he and a few other guys did fight a monster for a couple of page but it seemed unrelated to the story. In the last six pages we see his life ruined by some evil invading army that kills his wife and enslaves him. End of issue. A comic killed by an origin story.
I hate to pick on Rokkin for a trend that it is merely a follower of. It is just the latest example I have found. Six issues from now Rokkin might be a really good book. The people who make it are certainly talented but I’ll never buy issue two because this boring origin story will keep me away.
Even people who liked the six issue Ultimate Spider-Man origin story liked it because it was Spidey. He’s a character they already knew and liked. I doubt many people are going to sit still for a long origin story about a new character. Comic book companies should take a lesson from Stan Lee and keep the origins short. Some new books might have a better chance of success that way.
Wolverine has an origin!! You’re just not cool enough to “get it”!
And you think Herb Trimpe sees a dime as co-creator? I’ll bet not.
JR Sr. or Len Wein either…
I’ll bet the 70’s was the last era that people actually created new characters organically for the two majors. Who wants to create anything for free anymore? No me.
I’m gonna tell everyone at San Diego you were dissing Wolverine!
🙂
Giarusso is a genius. And a tool.
🙂
As Chris Giarrusso and I once defined it: A mutant is a super-hero with no origin. They just get their powers when they hit puberty. So the problem with Wolverine: Origin was that he doesn’t have an origin.
“I’m actually talking about the more recent one….”
Oh. Nevermind…
You’re right. That did suck.
I’m actually talking about the more recent one…. a Kuburt brother did the art and I can’t remember the writer… maybe Paul Jenkins?
“Look at Wolverine Origin a few years back. I’m still not sure what the Origin was. I can barely remember what happened in that storyline it was so long and boring”
If you’re referring to the Barry Windsor Smith WeaponX miniseries, I agree with you for the most part. However, that had some outrageously beautiful artwork. Some of the best of BWS’ career. It made it less dull, at least to me, than if an average artist were hacking it out. I guess sometimes great art can make an average story seem better than it is. Vice-versa too…
I just talked about long, often meaningless stories over at my Blog… I even mentioned you, Jared, so go check it out.
Everything seems to be stretched out to 6 issues or more today, I lettered a 9 page diner conversation the other day. 9 pages of heroes babbling over a cup of coffee. Ugh. My favorite Spider-Man story is Amazing 26 & 27… 2 issues packed full of Spidey action, Crime Drama, Mystery, Green Goblin, a Faulty Spidey costume, Peter Parker girl/money problems, Jonah Jameson fun, Gang War, there’s probably more but I’d have to dig the issue out. To get that much story into a comic today would be a 12 issue maxi-series, probably with a few tie-in issues.
Look at Wolverine Origin a few years back. I’m still not sure what the Origin was. I can barely remember what happened in that storyline it was so long and boring.
Meh. I’m going to watch Cobra on TNT.
I don’t think Akira had an origin story. At least not that I noticed. I just remember a long story with guys taking pills and riding motorcycles. Oh yeah, and NeoTokyo was about to explode…again.
Another question: What’s the longest origin story ever?
Perhaps Akira, as that dragged on far longer than anyone’s interest in it. Seems like it went on for hundreds of issues with no actual resolution to the story…
I just checked my copy of Man of Steel and it all started when a “winter storm” was brewing. The night the Kents found baby Superman the “grandfather of all blizzards” the “storm of the century” hit and the Kents “didn’t get back to Smallvile for FIVE MONTHS”. Being that winter starts about December 21st that blizzard kept the Kents on their farm until the end of May. Now that is a storm. Clark did appear for one panel as a babe in arms though.
It is a good thing the these origin re-imaginings make so much more sense than the originals.
My favorite idiotic origin reimaginging was when John Byrne, successfully for the most part, redid Superman back in the 80’s.
When Supes lands in Smallville, Seigel and Schuster had the Kents find him in the rocket and take him home. End of story. All annoying plotholes were ignored.
Byrne, I guess realizing that babies don’t just appear from nowhere without busybodies asking questions, had the Kents find Kal El and then get snowed in by a months-long snowstorm! When the storm ended, ol’ Ma Kent emerged with a new baby! The fact that he was a toddler was never addressed…
I know Kansas has shitty weather in winter, but that seems a little ridiculous…