Are Superhero/Superpowered stories becoming over-saturated?

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Don’t get me wrong I’ve enjoyed a ton of them. Community College Hero for one had a great charm to it, Unsupervised was a really refreshing take on the genre, and I have to mention the Hero’s Rise trilogy since it was the first game that pulled me into the interactive text-based world. And I know you guys would practically riot if I didn’t say anything about Fallen Hero, the holy grail of the genre in my most definitely non-bias opinion.

These are all strong games that standout in the genre, and I know there’s a reason these kinds of stories are so popular. But after scrolling through the CoG and Hosted library lately, and the forum as well. I’ve come to realize that there are just so many superpowered stories popping up, and I find myself wondering if we are running into a saturation point.

A lot of newer titles seem to hit the same beats discovering powers, joining an organization, stopping some global or city-wide catastrophe. The polish and writing might vary, but the structure often feels very familiar and predictable to a degree.

On the Run: Rouge Hero comes to mind, in fact it’s the sole reason I felt like writing on this topic as I’ve just got done playing it recently but decided on dropping it. Not because it’s bad or anything like that, but because like I previous stated it just hits the same story beats and conceived me that the genre might be played out and wrung dry.

So I’m curious if others feel the same way. Are you still excited when you see a new Superhero/Superpowered title drop, or do you find yourself skipping over them unless there’s a really unique hook?

Personally, I think there’s still room for superpowered stories, but I’d love to see more that push the boundaries and dive into the less explored perspectives, or mess with genre expectations. One WIP that I picked up recently and come to enjoy is “Villain Intern,” which I feel is a medium for the genre that hasn’t been explored before, and if you haven’t read it yet I would highly recommend that you do so.

But back to my main point as this rant is growing rather lengthy, what’s your take on the Superhero/Superpowered saturation epidemic? And if you’re still loving these stories, what keeps them fresh and exciting for you?

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My take is that it’s not an “epidemic” (hoo boy does that wording leave a bad taste in my mouth), it’s superhero fans writing stories they want to write.

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Funny you mention that, I actually debated whether “epidemic” was too strong a word choice, but decided to go with it anyway. Now i see that I’ve chose wrong. :sob:

Regardless on my phrasing, I’m not suggesting people shouldn’t write about what interests them. My point is that an overabundance of a single type of story can weaken its overall impact. We should consider new ways to approach the genre so that we can experience it differently, rather than in the same familiar patterns we’ve been seeing for years.

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“A story will stand on its own merit whether it has company or not. Whether it has competition or not. A writer should simply follow their vision, and a reader shall simply judge that vision thusly. For writing is art. The artist will suffer, become inspired, and put pen to paper like brush to canvas.” - Me, just now.

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That’s a solid sentiment, and I absolutely get where you’re coming from. Art should be driven by a vision the artist is passionate about, and readers should judge each story on its own merit. No disagreement there.

But I do think there’s room for a more grounded take, especially when we’re talking about genre trends and how saturation impacts both writers and readers.

You see when there’s dozens of stories that are each unique takes on the genre but still are hitting the same narrative beats like power discovery, government agency, world-ending threats, etc. It becomes harder for even a well executed story to stand out. Not because it’s worse, but because the space it’s entering is already so crowded that readers come in with pre-established fatigue of the overly used and tired troopes.

Take Invincible for instance, it’s a great story that manages to stand out on it’s on right despite the abundance of superhero media already out there. But when they introduced the multi-verse concept I couldn’t help but let out a sigh because that troope has been so overused in recent media. Now how they went about executing it was still good by my standards, the fact that I’ve been exposed to the concept so many times before diluted it’s impact for me.

That may not be the same for everyone but my point still stands, too much of something withers away at it’s narrative influence.

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If you are tired of a particular kind of story, you can take a break. You are not obligated to consume everything put out there. An author’s work stands on its own merits, not on your decision to submerge yourself in similar fiction until you run out of air.

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Your kindness and well-thought-out response are appreciated.

Regardless, though, I think there is room for all stories. I’m not saying oversaturation isn’t a thing, and I’m somewhat open to concerns of that nature, but that is a reader’s issue. Not a writer’s one. If a writer wishes to avoid their work being clumped together with similar stories, then they are free to make alterations. As I’ve stated, the pathos should be they should follow their vision.

Yet, if not, then it is their prerogative, and their work should be judged all the same. As you admitted, Invincible executed its multiverse arc well regardless of your familiarity with the fictional trope. But Invincible could not control that you have seen that trope before, nor that are you not insofar as to be so connected to it that you could still react viscerally.

My argument is that this phenomenon is more of a reader’s folly than a writer’s one. The fact that a pattern can be observed in cape fiction being popular to read will obviously be followed with the fact that it is popular to write.

There is demand, and writers are meeting that demand, hopefully with their own twists and turns, but meeting it all the same.

It’s just another Tuesday in this wonderful little sphere.

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I completely agree on your point that no one’s obligated to stick with one genre or consume everything in that narrative flavor, but before I continue I think it’s important to note that I’m an active lurker on this forum and usually check out every new WIP that pops up. That being said, I’ve come to notice a heavy trend toward superpowered or superhero stories

I’m genuinely curious if others have picked up on this pattern too, and how we might approach the genre with fresher perspectives. If someone is planning to write in this space, discussions like this could help them consider new angles and avoid the usual tropes.

Of course, writers should create what they’re passionate about, but keeping the audience in mind can really elevate a story. If others feel there’s some saturation, their input could be useful for anyone aiming to craft something that truly stands out.

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If anything, it seems to be that because such an audience exists, there are more stories written here with such a genre. In any case, ‘superpowers’ can be an incredibly broad category that can encompass many kinds of stories, from classic heroes & villains fighting in spandex to a gritty investigative thriller and many more with even less in common. I can see why it’s an popular medium to try to weave new and unique stories into.

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I really appreciate your ability to look at this topic from a broader perspective, and I find myself aligning with your stance on this. The issue of saturation is definitely more relevant to readers than writers, but like I mentioned in my earlier comment, I believe anyone interested in writing within this genre should consider the points raised in this discussion to help them craft a stronger story.

This is exactly why I suggested in the original post that we offer suggestions on how to deliver these kinds of stories with fresh perspectives. Like you said, saturation is mostly a reader’s issue, but it’s equally important for the writer to understand their audience so their story can be received as intended.

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I disgree, mainly from a a bias perspective cause I am huge comic nerd, but I do notice that alot of them read the same. Now this is mainly because for some reason everyone wants to write a coming of age story in the genre.

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Im either waiting for a sentry kind of hero or ill do it myself.

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Exactly my point, the repetition of the same tired tropes, especially the coming of age angle has started to feel stale. Sure, it’s a tried and tested formula, but it’s definitely become overused over the years.

I’m not saying writers should avoid it altogether though, since “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” still holds weight. But if that’s the route an author chooses, I’d love to see more stories in this genre that explore less common perspectives, and subvert the usual expectations tied to the trope.

So, with your many years of comic reading experience, what would you suggest authors do to keep things fresh, good sir? :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

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This is fair. That being said, I’m also a comic fan, and so the tropes don’t tire me as they might others. I have to admit my slight bias on that.

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I don’t mind super powers as a rule, although It’s true I usually dislike what they bring along - often predictability, teenage stuff and humor that doesn’t always land - not that some of those things can’t be enjoyed It’s just that I personally don’t enjoy them, I like immersive fantasy stories with rich choice variety, rich worldbuilding, well crafted characters and engaging decisions.

That’s why Shattered Eagle for example hits the mark so well

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The Watchmen comics shows that having characters explore moral paradoxes and clashing philosophies can be just as, if not even more, entertaining than your traditional good vs evil trope. The closest thing we have to this is Fallen Hero and it doesn’t fit because the morale debate isn’t what it’s built around. I mean what happen when a Superhero team works for a corrupt government, do they continue to uphold the law even when that law is broken. An IF along those lines could work.

Another one could be, instead of the whole coming of age stroyline, what about a hero that’s coming to the end of their career but they just can’t stop being needed, they’re struggling with their responsibility of being a hero and their want for a retirement. You can give them a family or something to add some more emotional weight to it. As far as I know this has never been done on here.

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This is a fantastic idea that I just might have to steal from you if I ever work up the nerve to create a WIP myself.

That’s only if you wouldn’t mind of course, wouldn’t want to get a plagiarism strike on my first ever WIP now would we? :sweat_smile:

Jokes aside, the moral delimas and psychological aspects that The Watchmen comics brings is a perfect example of an ingenious ways we can re-imagine old troopes that differs from just having your average team of heroes like the Justice league or Avengers.

Fallen Hero stands out because it’s premise is captivating and a offers a fresh breath of air within the genre, same thing persists with stories like Mind Blind and so forth.

I just want people intrested in crafting stories with a superpowered premise to be able to mull over these points and get a grasp on people’s general options and mindsets when reading stories within this category. And your take on the topic has been a great insight that I appreciate you for taking the time to share, and I know that future writers in this field will be grateful for as well. :folded_hands:

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I’d just want to point out that not an insignificant amount of people like those stories.

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I’d like to point out that I never said people didn’t like them, I mean those two teams are the founders of the “Super-team” troope, but as I keep repeating, if you use the same copy and paste formatting over and over again, intrest and impact will eventually dwindle.

The Boy’s for instance did a complete 180 with the troope, making their iteration of the hero team full of morally compromised characters. But if an evil team of heroes became the new trend to follow and people started to write their own iteration of that troope it would lose it’s re-imagined effect.

And as my final note I’d also like to point out how you keep fixating on my phrasing instead of actually inputing a constructive option on the topic. Do you have anything else to add to the discussion or are you just going to continue nitpicking my choice of words?

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There was a time when superhero movies were my favorite genre. The Dark Knight and Infinity War are still some of my favorite movies. I also really liked Invincible and The Boys since they had a more irreverent take on superheroes. Although, in the past several years I have felt the superhero fatigue as well and my interest has switched primarily to horror and fantasy again.

However, I’ve been planning a superhero IF for a long time called The Authority Axiom. You play as the sidekick to a supervillain, Axiom, who considers himself a superhero. You go after the core elements of crime in society like corrupt police, corrupt churches, invasive militaries, ecocidal businesses, and authoritarian politicians. Hence, his supervillain label. In this story, you get your powers from a meteorite and no one but you, your boss, and fellow sidekick have powers. So I feel it will be a fresh take on the genre

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