What is needed for a good heroes vs. heroes storyline/event comic?

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Aros001

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#1  Edited By Aros001

It might be because the heroes vs. heroes stories are tricky to pull off or because the big two (mostly Marvel at the moment but DC shares some guilt as well) use the concept way too often to the point where all the good idea have been used up or maybe a combination of the two, but regardless, there haven't been any very good heroes vs. heroes stories in comics for quite some time.

With all the problems one can point out about the bad stories like A vs. X or Civil War 2, it does make you wonder how these kind of stories could be made to work these days in a way that doesn't make you hate both the writers and the characters in the events.

So, can anyone think of must-haves or key important details that a superheroes vs. superheroes storyline/event needs to have in order to make it work and actually be good?

1. The most immediate solution I can think of, and mind you it's not a requirement but it definitely helps the story, is make the event set in an alternate universe. I have a lot of problems with the Injustice games and comics and most of them tend to center around how Superman and Wonder Woman's characters are treated, having them act like straight up villains with not apparent remorse for anything they've done. But since it is set in an alternate universe and has no impact on the main DC continuity, I can pretty much just ignore it or treat it like a fan-fic that has parts I don't quite like.

Now, what if Civil War 2 had been set in an alternate universe and not in Marvel's main continuity? Captain Marvel would still be acting like an out of character fascist and be pissing off her fans just as much as Injustice pisses off Superman fans. But since it wouldn't be the main universe Carol, most would just get over it and treat the event and this version of Carol as their own separate thing. If the consequences of this heroes vs. heroes event applies only to this separate universe and not the rest of the character's entire history, readers are more likely to give it a chance and forgive the parts that they'd absolutely despise happening in the main universe.

Not to mention that people are sick of events interrupting ongoing storylines in the books they're already reading and heroes vs. heroes events tend to pull a LOT of characters way from their stories. Having the event set in an alternate universe means that the main universe book are not interrupted and the event also has more freedom with what characters they can use and how.

2. This IS a requirement for heroes vs. heroes stories however: unless one or both sides are under mind control, both sides of the conflict should have very immediate and understandable positions. What they are in support of should still be something that you can understand a hero supporting. To the original Civil War's credit, the sides of registering their secret identity to the government and working with it to maintain accountability vs. keeping your identity a secret to protect your freedom and not risk having others tell you who the bad guys are, are both very understandable points of view to have and neither side is in the immediate wrong. What divides the sides in Injustice? Enforce order and peace by taking over the world and killing those who disagree vs. just keep doing what we've been doing. Gee, I wonder which side is the bad one? What divides the sides in Civil War 2? Lock people up without a trial based on what they might do because of the predictions of a guy everyone just met vs. keep doing what we've been doing. Gee, which side are we supposed to root for, I wonder?

In a heroes vs. heroes story, the characters still need to feel like heroes, otherwise what's the point of having them beat on each other instead of the villains? All that does is just piss off the fans of heroes who picked the obviously wrong side.

3. Have there be a hidden instigator. Someone on one side or both sides who is manipulating things to push the heroes past where they'd normally go. This is also something that doesn't need to be in the story but it does help. In a review I saw on Youtube, someone pointed out that wouldn't it make more sense for someone like Maxwell Lord or Lex Luthor to be subtly pushing Superman to go further and further over the edge than Wonder Woman? Someone who, in this universe, would have Superman's trust and confidence but have their own agenda or reasons for wanting their side to win over the other at all cost? I'd have an easier time believing Superman's fall into fascism if their was someone else (someone who is not Wonder Woman or another hero) taking advantage of his very vulnerable emotional state to create the perfect world they wanted instead of Superman just falling easily into the dark side on his own.

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Sly_141

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An actual reason to fight.

Predicting the future is not one of them.

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Druzzie

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@sly_141 said:

An actual reason to fight.

Predicting the future is not one of them.

Have you never seen Minority report and Paycheck?

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Sly_141

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@druzzie: I'm referencing CW 2 specifically. Predicting the future shouldn't have been a reason to fight especially that people in Marvel Universe had been doing that prior to Ulysses...

If there are stories that involve time as a leg image point of contention then they differ from CW2 in a crucial aspect which is all that matters

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deactivated-5ebcd5ad9fb95

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All you need is a good reason.

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JediXMan

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#6 JediXMan  Moderator

When both sides can be in the right.

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ScouterV

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Valid Viewpoints

Somewhat even adversaries

A satisfying outcome.

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Guru_Crack

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They need a valid reason to fight. Not this who's that guy let's punch him and find out later. Or I was explaining myself then fell on him so he had a fight type dynamic they always use in these stupid things.