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Ever notice that a lot of writers, both of fanfic and comics, use a lot of the same plot devices over and over again until until they are done to death? Here's a little list I've composed of the ones I've noticed. They are not meant to point fingers at any one writer or group, and heck, I'm probably guilty of using one or two myself. Just something to think about the next time you sit down to chronicle your hero's latest adventures.
Go to hell!! This is the one I see the most, mainly in actual comics, but occasionally in fanfic. Basically, the villain outlines his latest dastardly plot, anything from flooding the world with cheese to trashing the hero's Led Zeppelin collection. In reply to this, the best thing the hero can come up with is, "Go to hell!". More often then not the villain claims he's "been there, done that." even though he has never stepped foot in hell. Heroes are supposed to be cool. Can't we come up with better comebacks then this?
"Rumors of my death were greatly exaggerated" or "I got better" This one is used a lot when someone who was killed has to explain why they are still alive. It's a quote from Mark Twain (I think the actual quote says, "The report of my death was an exaggeration.") Find some better explanation, or better yet, don't kill someone that you don't really want to die.
Robin's gone rabid, I gotta put him down One of the trends I've seen a few times is having a student/sidekick/son/daughter figure go mad and the father/teacher/hero figure have to kill them, just for the shock factor. I aware that this can be done right and make for a cool story, but I've seen some people use this same formula issue after issue, decimating their young hero population.
OH MY GOD!! YOU KILLED ANGELA!!! In a fanfic group community, this one really irks me. People claiming and using major characters and then just offing them, again, for the shock factor. This robs someone else of a chance to do something wonderful with the character, not to mention, it's cheap.
Ineptness will not be tolerated in my organization. ZAP!! I've seen this in comics, fanfic, and I believe all four Lethal Weapon movies. This is where the villain is introduced by having them kill one of their henchmen for sloppiness, just to show what a brutal bad ass they are.
"Four score and seven years ago, feign! our fathers brought ..." This one is pretty much reserved for comics. This is where the hero makes a long winded speech in mid-leap while they are attacking a villain, or vice versa. How much time are people actually in the air? They seem to have plenty of time to recite all fifty states and their capitals.
Special Chain-smoking Issue Do your characters light up, inhale, exhale, or stub out a cigarette in every paragraph of your story? Some writers are using these little smoking actions way too much and it's really annoying.
A wee note from the Editor: What do you think? Agree, disagree, have more? Let's talk about it! Hop on over to the Message Board and share your thoughts or let us know on the mailing list. -- Jason
