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HCC: HCC 36-1/2: One Minute Origin
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Tom Russell
Apr 25, 2013, 9:39:30 PM4/25/13
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I seem to have a knack for picking unappealing challenges (or perhaps to pick said challenges at times when real life-- with all its pleasure and misery-- intrudes). Part of it I think is I come up with concepts that are perhaps too precisely defined, that aren't open enough. As the guy who started the HCC, I'm not entirely comfortable with being the guy who killed it. So I thought I'd call a "mulligan" on my previous challenge and throw out one that might be a bit less limiting so that there's a chance there'll be a number thirty-seven. :-)
Before every superhero got their own Year One miniseries, before they wrote for the trade, before even the fifteen-page epic that was Amazing Fantasy # 15's lead story... there was the two-page origin stories for Superman and Batman. Brief, primal, distilled, yet oddly powerful and resonant in ways that the long-form origin story, for all their merits, could not match.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to create a brief and distilled origin story for a hero. I won't put a cap on the word-count, or limit what constitutes a "hero". It can be a new hero or an old one. It can be whatever the words "one minute origin story" move you to write.
Before every superhero got their own Year One miniseries, before they wrote for the trade, before even the fifteen-page epic that was Amazing Fantasy # 15's lead story... there was the two-page origin stories for Superman and Batman. Brief, primal, distilled, yet oddly powerful and resonant in ways that the long-form origin story, for all their merits, could not match.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to create a brief and distilled origin story for a hero. I won't put a cap on the word-count, or limit what constitutes a "hero". It can be a new hero or an old one. It can be whatever the words "one minute origin story" move you to write.
Scott Eiler
Apr 25, 2013, 10:09:47 PM4/25/13
to
On 4/25/2013 6:39 PM, Tom Russell wrote:
> I seem to have a knack for picking unappealing challenges (or perhaps
> to pick said challenges at times when real life-- with all its
> pleasure and misery-- intrudes). Part of it I think is I come up with
> concepts that are perhaps too precisely defined, that aren't open
> enough. As the guy who started the HCC, I'm not entirely comfortable
> with being the guy who killed it. So I thought I'd call a "mulligan"
> on my previous challenge and throw out one that might be a bit less
> limiting so that there's a chance there'll be a number thirty-seven.
> :-)
For my own part, I had a plan to respond to that challenge. I'll still
> I seem to have a knack for picking unappealing challenges (or perhaps
> to pick said challenges at times when real life-- with all its
> pleasure and misery-- intrudes). Part of it I think is I come up with
> concepts that are perhaps too precisely defined, that aren't open
> enough. As the guy who started the HCC, I'm not entirely comfortable
> with being the guy who killed it. So I thought I'd call a "mulligan"
> on my previous challenge and throw out one that might be a bit less
> limiting so that there's a chance there'll be a number thirty-seven.
> :-)
get that story out sometime soon, probably during the current Powernaut
All-Star Break. But I gave other things priority.
For the first High Concept Challenge, I wrote my first RACC story and
made it entirely on topic. But usually I responded to challenges by
cramming them in with whatever else I was writing at the time.
Justifiably, my stories usually lost. So I've given that approach up.
Now my stories have less room for the unpredictable, especially since I
tend to plot them months in advance with rigid panel boundaries.
> Before every superhero got their own Year One miniseries, before they
> wrote for the trade, before even the fifteen-page epic that was
> Amazing Fantasy # 15's lead story... there was the two-page origin
> stories for Superman and Batman. Brief, primal, distilled, yet oddly
> powerful and resonant in ways that the long-form origin story, for
> all their merits, could not match.
>
> Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to create a brief
> and distilled origin story for a hero. I won't put a cap on the
> word-count, or limit what constitutes a "hero". It can be a new hero
> or an old one. It can be whatever the words "one minute origin story"
> move you to write.
Stars, STARring...), which is almost origin stories which take about one
minute to read. Oh, why not write more of that? I'm in the Powernaut
All-Star Break, so my plans are open to change right now. But the
series needs new characters!
Who among RACC wants to bring forth a character who fought in World War
2? Your job is to explain why your character didn't win the war
singlehandedly. My job is to draw an episode of Powernaut 1944 with
your character! Or hey, if *you* want to draw it, so much the better!
Or even just write it as text. Or even not call it Powernaut and the
Power Stars!
... So I guess there is at least one way we can all approach this
challenge. 8{D>
--
(signed) Scott Eiler 8{D> -------- http://www.eilertech.com/ ---------
When you *are* the leader... whatever goes wrong... whether you did it
or not... *you* are held responsible. - Barack Obama
I know. - Archie Andrews
- from Archie #617, March 2011, scripted by Alex Simmons.
Andrew Perron
Apr 25, 2013, 10:14:28 PM4/25/13
to
On Fri, 26 Apr 2013 01:39:30 +0000 (UTC), Tom Russell wrote:
> Before every superhero got their own Year One miniseries, before they
> wrote for the trade, before even the fifteen-page epic that was Amazing
> Fantasy # 15's lead story... there was the two-page origin stories for
> Superman and Batman. Brief, primal, distilled, yet oddly powerful and
> resonant in ways that the long-form origin story, for all their merits,
> could not match.
...oooooooh. Now I'm thinking of the opening page of All-Star Superman #1.
> Before every superhero got their own Year One miniseries, before they
> wrote for the trade, before even the fifteen-page epic that was Amazing
> Fantasy # 15's lead story... there was the two-page origin stories for
> Superman and Batman. Brief, primal, distilled, yet oddly powerful and
> resonant in ways that the long-form origin story, for all their merits,
> could not match.
Andrew "NO .SIG MAN" "Juan" Perron, probably won't be able to get it that
concise, but.
Wil Alambre
Apr 29, 2013, 12:40:36 AM4/29/13
to
On 2013-04-25, at 8:39 PM, Tom Russell <jolt...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to create a brief and distilled origin story for a hero. I won't put a cap on the word-count, or limit what constitutes a "hero". It can be a new hero or an old one. It can be whatever the words "one minute origin story" move you to write.
I dunno if it completely fits into the definition, but this origin story challenge has definitely put a worm into my noggin… so either way, I suppose its succeed in its intended purpose :)
> Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to create a brief and distilled origin story for a hero. I won't put a cap on the word-count, or limit what constitutes a "hero". It can be a new hero or an old one. It can be whatever the words "one minute origin story" move you to write.
In the next issue of "The Super Wizard From Space", delve in the never before seen "SECRET HISTORY OF THE SEVEN COSMIC CROWNS!"
Wil Alambre
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Follow me at http://twitter.com/wilalambre
Scott Eiler
Apr 29, 2013, 12:54:28 AM4/29/13
to
On 04/28/2013 09:40 PM, Wil Alambre wrote:
> On 2013-04-25, at 8:39 PM, Tom Russell <jolt...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to create a brief
>> and distilled origin story for a hero. I won't put a cap on the
>> word-count, or limit what constitutes a "hero". It can be a new
>> hero or an old one. It can be whatever the words "one minute origin
>> story" move you to write.
>
> I dunno if it completely fits into the definition, but this origin
> story challenge has definitely put a worm into my noggin… so either
> way, I suppose its succeed in its intended purpose :)
>
> In the next issue of "The Super Wizard From Space", delve in the
> never before seen "SECRET HISTORY OF THE SEVEN COSMIC CROWNS!"
Oooh! Maybe I'll ask you *later* about Power Stars 1944 starring the
> On 2013-04-25, at 8:39 PM, Tom Russell <jolt...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to create a brief
>> and distilled origin story for a hero. I won't put a cap on the
>> word-count, or limit what constitutes a "hero". It can be a new
>> hero or an old one. It can be whatever the words "one minute origin
>> story" move you to write.
>
> I dunno if it completely fits into the definition, but this origin
> story challenge has definitely put a worm into my noggin… so either
> way, I suppose its succeed in its intended purpose :)
>
> In the next issue of "The Super Wizard From Space", delve in the
> never before seen "SECRET HISTORY OF THE SEVEN COSMIC CROWNS!"
Diabolical Devilman, then! 8{D>
Andrew Perron
Apr 30, 2013, 1:58:04 PM4/30/13
to
On Mon, 29 Apr 2013 04:40:36 +0000 (UTC), Wil Alambre wrote:
> In the next issue of "The Super Wizard From Space", delve in the never
> before seen "SECRET HISTORY OF THE SEVEN COSMIC CROWNS!"
Perfect and wonderful. <3
> In the next issue of "The Super Wizard From Space", delve in the never
> before seen "SECRET HISTORY OF THE SEVEN COSMIC CROWNS!"
Also, Tom, when's the deadline on this challenge?
Andrew "NO .SIG MAN" "Juan" Perron, has finally picked his subject.
Tom Russell
Apr 30, 2013, 8:05:59 PM4/30/13
to
On Tuesday, April 30, 2013 1:58:04 PM UTC-4, Andrew Perron wrote:
> Also, Tom, when's the deadline on this challenge?
I was just waiting to see if anyone was taking part. :-)
> Also, Tom, when's the deadline on this challenge?
I'm very pleased to have finally arrived at a concept that draws people in.
I'm going to give it a fortnight-- until May 14th, with the usual extensions upon request for those that need them.
>
> Andrew "NO .SIG MAN" "Juan" Perron, has finally picked his subject.
Andrew Perron
Apr 30, 2013, 8:54:59 PM4/30/13
to
On Wed, 1 May 2013 00:05:59 +0000 (UTC), Tom Russell wrote:
> I'm very pleased to have finally arrived at a concept that draws people in.
I know, right? 'CAUSE IT'S SHORT
> I'm very pleased to have finally arrived at a concept that draws people in.
> I'm going to give it a fortnight-- until May 14th, with the usual
> extensions upon request for those that need them.
Final: First Phase (coming soon to a newsreader near you)!
Andrew "NO .SIG MAN" "Juan" Perron, but will have to research Francis Bacon
first.
Scott Eiler
Apr 30, 2013, 11:01:22 PM4/30/13
to
ask for more than that, though. And if I'm going to ask, I may as well
ask up front so Andrew gets the extra time too.
Your challenge practically insists on a new Power Stars 1944 story, and
I've found a character to put in. But I've also scheduled a road trip,
on which I traditionally spend my time writing travelogs. May I ask for
May 21st?
Tom Russell
May 3, 2013, 6:40:33 PM5/3/13
to
On Tuesday, April 30, 2013 11:01:22 PM UTC-4, Scott Eiler wrote:
> Your challenge practically insists on a new Power Stars 1944 story, and
>
> I've found a character to put in. But I've also scheduled a road trip,
>
> on which I traditionally spend my time writing travelogs. May I ask for
>
> May 21st?
Granted!
> Your challenge practically insists on a new Power Stars 1944 story, and
>
> I've found a character to put in. But I've also scheduled a road trip,
>
> on which I traditionally spend my time writing travelogs. May I ask for
>
> May 21st?
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