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Okay, I've spinning my wheels in my head a lot. Part of this post is just to weigh the pros and cons on paper for myself. I figured If I was gonna do it, I might as well get feedback too. A good super story has a lot of supers and a lot of recurring characters. (I am terrible at large casts, and this series is an attempt to work on that foible.)  I'm also not sure how to handle the raid on the gangster's weapon shipment.

Should they A: find a bunch of cool stuff/introduce a new teammate? I'm thinking bioweapon who is part of the shipment.

Or 

B: run face first into the wider super world. (I.E) their robbery gets tangled up in a raid by superheros, and they have to fight their way out or else get arrested.

Or both, maybe?

Do I need to introduce a bunch more supers in rapid succession to kind of form a background cast? What would that look like? A school or some kind of organization? The Characters are almost out of school, and Idunno what kind of organization they could join.

^This is something I'm seriously concerned about because I always feel as if I've done a poor job of maintaining background characters and populating a world with enough characters that are as powerful or better than the MC. (At the time) as well as believable organizations.I feel as though option B would be better for worldbuilding, because it emphasizes that MC is a little fish in a big pond.I feel as though option A is necessary eventually BC we need more teammates, at least 4-5 to maintain a decent sized main cast.

Also, should I add another POV to give world glimpses into the workings of the city and politics? Superminion did this pretty often, giving the reader an outside view of what was going on, mostly to recap the reactions people had to the MC's actions, and to expand the worldbuilding.

And if so, recurring or introduce someone relevant for each minor POV, then toss them?It might be a little early to worry about this, as we're only on chapter 7, but hey. It never hurts to plot and plan when you're writing a story.Also, how does the worldbuilding feel so far? Does it feel like it's missing anything in particular? does it suspend your disbelief? Are the hints about why the world is the way it is good enough? too hamfisted? *shrug?*I wrote 2k words today and will post them in a few minutes after this post is up.Don't hesitate to toss up your opinions about what I'm doing right/wrong, or where you see the story going. While it *probably* won't amount to anything, I'm really good at stealing ideas or building new ones off of comments that spark my imagination.

Comments

Darune Albane

The supers/villains is not the issue but the power levels 1-4 really powerful ones with a lot of low/mid or other

Chunq

Being a patron here is kinda different than others. I like it.

vetro 26

I'm loving the story so far, I think doing both adding a team mate and having them fight a super would be awesome. Your worlds are all the best so what ever you decide to do I will support it. Also love that you have read super minion to

Macronomicon

So I should introduce one or two people that are out of his league (right now) on each side of the equation?

Darune Albane

As world building ya ..but think local, city, state, national .. the truly powerful will work for or control gov the background can add xtra complexity down the road as story grows/expands and will help you "limit" story scope till you ready .. so make it a neighborhood/city thing

Ford-Thomas Frank Loveland

Maybe you can pull a Worm and complicate the heist with another group of super juveniles targeting the same shipment as a way to add more characters. They don't even need to team up then but it gives another group in a similar position to be a comparison. Maybe they are goody two shoes and our more level headed MCs find them ridicules

Darune Albane

Addition .. i am thinking powers should be common .. like 1 out of 1000 but simple and weak .. think super str .. 1.5x normal

Driftward

Think option A, but they could also almost get wrecked by a 'Dull' gang. Provide the appropriate 'still not on a super level' despite gaining powers. Powered academy/University is pretty common trope. Done well its a good addition but would also be funny if he was given a full ride and was just like, nah, ima do my own thing.

Ford-Thomas Frank Loveland

I do like random civilian #372 POVs as a fun way of seeming normal people react the craziness that is Superworlds. Or just a different throwaway character to fill in a aprt of that setting that the MC won't interact with but serves to fill in interesting background info

loimprevisto

B sounds like Worm if the MC was a tinkerer. This guy's parents might hold him back from escalating quite that much though... I've enjoyed the worldbuilding so far. The tidewatch being a common household item, the existence of the wall and prawn guns, the magical refugees, and the little bit of hero/villain interactions all give us an idea of what's going on in the world.

Darune Albane

Then state level 1 out of 100000 .. just x100 each level

Jared Bowers

I vote B. At this point he should not be a big fish and bringing that home while also helping to set power baselines is always a good thing. The determination that someone has powers is one thing but they have a unique thing not necessarily the most powerful thing.

DeeSharkman

I think one of the better things you can do for the wider world building is set a power ceiling - like how powerful can any super get and the level Perry will reach/surpass at the end of the story. Then populate that level with however many characters. Then figure out what organization(s) those characters belong to. Then the goals of those organizations. And then, through a mix of throwaway POVs and bits from the top, you can set up world building and plot with relatively little effort/few words while keeping most of the focus on Perry.

Ford-Thomas Frank Loveland

They could even be heroes who think the are attacking a random truck believing the MC is the villian. Play it however you want but I think a junior hero team would be a cool way to introduce similar character

Joshua Flowers

I vote B, I feel it's a little early for him to have another teammate already. I like the idea of seeing other supers, juvenile ones around his power level, and heavy hitters they need to run from might be a good introduction to the wider world.

Joe ?

I think you should do both. Let them get in over their heads, then reveal that things higher up aren't all Goofy theatrics. Heather's dad is a competent minor player getting in on the new big bad conspiracy. I don't think a top tier villain is a good idea yet for an interlude, but maybe Heather's dad. True villain interludes have to be saved for easy later for the Dun Dun Dunnnn moment. I do think you should have a POV of the local heroic bigwig. As for ways to introduce more characters/ world stuff I think that the leviathan fought from worm is a great example. Everyone is having their petty feuds, then suddenly a world ending that shows up and shows us how small all of the characters are.

Joshua Flowers

I fun thing in world like this is a lot of juvenile supes are probably unsure of what they want to do with their career and a lot are probably independent/neutral parties until they start growing in strength or getting more experience in the business.

KB

Teen super team whose bust they interrupt? Some sort of reporter/blogger for outside POV?

Macronomicon

that's kind of where it seems to be heading.

FreakShow

My opinion would be for them to have a successful heist and introduce ONE new character for them to interact with in the setting. I definitely don’t think it’s necessary to go full on to the wide world of supers so soon, especially considering you don’t feel comfortable with the genre. I think the story would benefit from sticking to Perry’s POV until something really big happens. I’ve really enjoyed everything so far and think you’re doing a great job.

Jeff Wells

Honestly I think it can work either way, so if you're trying to push yourself then whatever moves more that direction is the way to go. This can affect how dark your story is too, though I don't think it necessarily has to. It's just that a lot of the darker, grittier stories I've read tend to have periodic major/catastrophic interference from very high end supers (e.g. Brennus, Worm, etc), while lighter stuff tended to almost pretend higher level supers don't exist or are far outside the MC's realm of interactions (Super Powereds, the Descendants, etc). It's easy to see why high-level interactions would tend to make the story darker, just imagine if Superman was a psychopath. Bad ju ju. And of course there is everything in-between, comedic horror comes to mind, where the horrifying catastrophes didn't make the story dark at all. So, really, sky's the limit.

Pastor Joubert

Introduce the supers through “job search”. People posting on a supers only match making site. “Find your nemesis and plan your career in cartoon super hero antics.” cant have the kids enter a “super pub”, or shady back rooms. But an app or a secret clubhouse at a collage could work. I don’t think our character should rely on adults. Every adult already got their motives. Either their going to be kind, charitable and parental or they will exploit you. Other supers his age will be more chaotic in motive and actions. adults for world building, a bailout and a reality check. kids his age to grow with.

Macronomicon

I am trying to keep the tone light, for a couple reasons. Because I naturally tend towards dark and I need practice with light/slice of lice, and because when it DOES get dark I want it to punch people in the gut.

KB

A “hero” tinker who isn’t very good who tries to patent Perry’s invention? Also, Perry needs to patent his invention if its really as valuable as the unicorn guy said?

SunderGoldmane

An interesting POV for side chapters would be to have a new lense each time you jump to a perspective that’s outside the main characters view. So, each time a POV chapter is built it is centered around a new person. Then, while writing from this other perspective you are free to write about the mc or mc Adjacent actions. Some characters that would be enjoyable to read about and first come to mind would be Dave the unicorn and what a day in his life looks like and how it fits into and around the schedule of the MC and other Supers that populate the universe. He’s a shop keep so there are a number of believable reasons for him to have interactions with a wide host of diverse characters with a common need. A journalist, a police officer, or some combination of the two in the form of a neighborhood watch whose also a blogger would serve a similar function. Both characters have reason to interact with the world which supers shape and from their POV it can be demonstrated how that world is different and fits into the normal one.

SunderGoldmane

If my memory serves, there are a few fictions and anime’s that introduce a new secondary character to the world and the audience at the pace on one per season or, more accurately, one per major plot point. If the characters that will be introduced to us can be planned out ahead of time then their plot point debut and requisite transitions can be slowly hinted at towards the wrap up of the current plot points.

Carl Mason

Honestly, i like all these ideas. Probably have a new teammate in the bioweapon/slave that they free and escape with when the hero team busts in. Maybe make the capes a team of junior heroes, have them eventually figure out who they are and act as intermittent tutors on capery. Pull up relevant POVs for perspective on action/fallout, not necessarily as throw away characters but not frequently recurring: a news anchor or field reporter for their favorite station, the mayor or a city councilman, random cops responding on scene, etc. You need your MC, supporting characters, minor characters and throw away characters. At least, other categories may be formed as needed. The world building I like, but we need to get more information on the Tide and the wall and how supers came to be if there was ever a time without. Major world details are currently being implied, if that is purposeful and related to your intended plot direction (the kids Scooby-Doo that suit and solve world problems) so be it, we can wait and find out with them or whatever you decide. As far as super schooling if they are nearly done with high-school and are adults, then maybe send them to super college where they recieve focused training with their abilities above and beyond that recieved in their current prep school. Maybe they join a campus activist group that turns out to be a vigilante/terrorist group that they take relevant and appropriate actions toward. Or just send them out and get captured and inducted into a cape team.

Roeland

Both. The world building hints at something cool but feels like it's missing something. Emotional depth maybe? Like they are too ok with the way the world is. Outside perspective reviews sound great. Maybe from a pleb who does not live in the rich part of town hearing about this ridiculous new cape/cowl affiliation unknown wearing cardboard. also seems early for him to join a group . It all also seems to be going too easy for him. Just some thoughts. No need for the level of challenge you give some of your mcs at this point haha

Roeland

You know I take back the last part. that I think mcs should have emotional or mental damage in their history says more about me then that it is needed. Build him up as you like I always appreciate it

Blackneoshifter

To me it sounds like leaning towards option A should be the best for now, stopping gun running sounds a bit low on the priority list for a strongish super to pop up, unless this peson/ bio weapon is strong/scary enough for some decently strong ones to want to intercept them. A slight merge between the two where everything goes a bit wrong seems the best way to go, where the two of them maybe get away with with only a couple of boxes in the middle of the raid after the bigger supes show up. Could even make it where they grab the new member by accident and don't realise until they pop the box Edit: just thought after sending this comment off, could even include their disbelief about the higher tier super team coming after the gun running, how out of the ordinary it is. End the chapter after popping one of a few boxes they nabbed with the old, I think I know what they were after, after seeing the bio inside. Doesn't even have to be a hero team after the new super, another villain group would work just as well.

Deinos

I vote A and B, with a little bit of C, which would be child-cape team (official or unofficial) Also trying to jump the truck 😂. Reason could be one of them overheard their parents but thought they heard the big capes wouldn't have time for that or something according to that, so they (the child-cape and their compatriots) decided to take it on themselves; only to get in each others way when the big guys come in. And since you mentioned bio-weapon I had to think of Super Minion, hilarious but also difficult character (since he has no morals).

Jackson Andrews

I am really enjoying the story so far, but I also do feel as though something is missing from the wilder world. I am a huge fan of su[erhero web fiction. And while I dont think going down a darker path "Ie: worm" would be best, I do think its really important in superhero literature to have a concrete understanding of how the normal humans view supers. Humans would not enjoy knowing that their are some people with powers that defy all logic and reason, they would be afraid. I think we really need to see how this world was shaped, and what the dynamics between supers and humans look like. Because its seems unlikely that people would be ok if heroes and villains were treating their world as a game.

Benjamin Walsh

I vote for B; super school could be cool, but I think it should be more like media training with a smattering if elite forces training. Like Vaught in The Boys or the hero organization in Worm. I’d prefer only 1 POV, but if there are interludes with other POVs, that’s a fair compromise.