Cliche' Stories

[GogglesPizanno]

So for a project I'm kicking around (in between Map conversions of course) Im trying to come up with an set of generic cliche' comic book story ideas. The kind of staple stories that every comic has used and will continue to use in some variation.

Examples would be things like:

"Kidnap the loved one"
"The Choice (put two innocents in danger with time to save one)"
"Villain quests to obtain the ultimate power 'thing' that will destroy the world when used"
"Encountering some person form your past that is now a nemesis or villain"
"Go back in time to change the present"
"Sucked into a portal to someplace else and have to get home"

etc...
I'm trying to come up with others.
I'm looking for simpler "Broad" or "General" story ideas, nothing character specific.

[Mystik]

you and your mortal enemy must band together to fight a mutual threat (then your enemy betrays you)

[yell0w_lantern]

Star Crossed Lovers
Framed/Mind Controlled Hero


Basically, every mission in the original FF was a cliche.

[kkhohoho]

"Save the World."

Broad and Cliche enough for you? :P

[GogglesPizanno]

"Save the World."
Broad and Cliche enough for you?

Right up there with "Stop the Bad Guys"  ;)

[BentonGrey]

I've got one for you:  "Alien Invasion!"

[Previsionary]

Obviously, the most cliche is,

"stop the bomb from exploding"

or

"capture the fleeing foe"

or

"2 random heroes meet, fight, then attack the true villain"

basically...any early comic stories + what YL said...FF and FFVTTR covered cliche very well.

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

The heroes must escape from an unescapable trap.

[the_ultimate_evil]

the villain being related to the hero

[HumanTon]

1) Two heroes meet, then fight due to a misunderstanding ... then team up to defeat their common foe.

2) A hero is mislead into doing evil by a villain (see #1)

3) The hero is thought to be dead ... but he was just laying low the whole time!

4) A villain infiltrates a group of heroes by pretending to be good.

5) A hero infiltrates a group of villains by pretending to be bad.

[wickerman]

A mysterious villain appears, mops the floor with all of the heroes but is then defeated by the weakest of them because he is the 'best'

this hero is either:

a) a psychopath martial arts master with an arsenal; of tricks and a plan for everything
b) a short, insane regenerating martial arts master with sharp weapons and no grasp of strategy despite claims to the contrary
c) a super patriot martial arts master who is quite simply incapable of losing



hmm somethign tells me I'm not being too original here

[GogglesPizanno]

A little angry at certain characters aren't we?

[GGiant]

"Must detect invisible enemy" :o

[wickerman]

A little angry at certain characters aren't we?

LOL, nah just being sarcastic....


unfortunately, there are basically no stories that are not cliched.    In any fiction writing, the burden falls on the writers to create something interesting by using the old standbys in creative ways.  They pretty much fail.  Now for the purposes of the OP's needs, that's a good thing.  For the rest of us, it pretty much sums up the state of fiction in general and comics in particular.

[doctorchallenger]

Mistaken Identity - Hero has to save a civilian dressed up as hero, and captured by villian in hero's place.

"It can't be you!" -Pretty much an openended cliff hanger device - but if you are going for cliche, you have to link 2 episodes with this device at some point! (I think there's a superme court ruling on it).