Origin story

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Pourquoi story. (Discuss)

See also: Creation myth

In comic book terminology, an origin story is an account or back-story revealing how a character or team gained their superpowers, or the circumstances under which they became superheroes or supervillains.

In order to keep their characters current, comic book companies frequently rewrite the origins of their oldest characters. This goes from adding details that do not contradict earlier facts to a totally new origin which make it seem this an altogether different character.

"Origin story" or pourquoi story is also a term used in the study of myths. It can refer to narratives of how the world began, how creatures and plants came into existence, and why certain things in the cosmos have certain qualities.

[edit] Examples

Batman: Year One
Judge Dredd: Origins
Secret Origins
The Origin of Superman
- Superman: Birthright
- The Man of Steel
The Rise of Apocalypse
Origin - Wolverine

[edit] Well-known Examples of Origin Stories

Batman - His parents murdered by a mugger, Bruce Wayne used his vast family fortune to become Batman.
Superman - Born on the planet Krypton, infant Kal-El was sent to Earth after an explosion destroyed his home planet. His strong moral code motivated him to fight for justice.
Spider-Man - Bitten by a radioactive spider, Peter Parker was motivated to fight crime by his uncle's death, which he blames on himself.
Wonder Woman - Amazon princess. Leaves her Amazon homeland to battle injustice.
Iron Man - American industrialist Tony Stark was captured by Vietnamese military and forced to build weapons for them. Instead, he built powered armor to escape.
Fantastic Four - Four astronauts who were exposed to cosmic rays, which gave them superpowers.
Daredevil - Blinded as a child when he was hit in the face by radioactive waste, the death of his father and an inept justice system motivated Matt Murdock to become Daredevil.
Incredible Hulk - Physicist Bruce Banner is exposed to radiation from an experimental gamma bomb, which causes him to transform into the Incredible Hulk when angry.
Green Lantern - Test pilot Hal Jordan receives a power ring from the dying alien officer, Abin Sur.