I just finished Dethkomic and can't say enough about how cool it was! Do you have pointers for how to write like that, so things feel like they're really epic from the start? Really I can't wait for the second comic for that reason.
That word "epic" gets thrown around a lot, does it not? I appreciate it, though. It's definitely one of the adjectives I'm going for when I write. :)
As I've said in previous answers, I do fully intend to go into more detail about how I write and keep everything together for longer stories. But since you asked specifically about high-stakes fiction, I will give you a few things I've picked up over the years:
#1 - Kill your tank.
Well, maybe don't kill him/her. But take them out in a capacity that lets your audience know the looming threat, whatever it is, is not only very real, but probably going to be made all the tougher to disarm without the heavy.
I do this right out of the gates in Dethkomic II, because we're in that in-between of seasons 2 and 3 where Charles is dead -- but that won't be all I'll be doing in order to tip the scales in the bad guys' favor. You'll have to wait and see what I mean, but suffice to say, I kill a lot of tanks pretty early on.
Uh. Again... probably best you don't take that too literally. I know I'm kinda getting a reputation ever since I killed my own character but I'm not a monster...
Probably.
#2 - Mind your pacing. Mind your direction. Don't give your audience a chance to brace for impact.
There's a reason drama seems amped up ten-fold in a comedy, and it's the complimentary nature of both genres to build up a sense of security in what starts as a lighthearted romp, and ends with the floor falling out and everyone clinging on to what they can grab as shit suddenly gets serious out of nowhere.
This is why I like to write Dethkomic so much, and if I had to guess, why so many of us like MTL in the first place. If you're always surprised by what happens next, then you're going to be compelled to keep watching.
#3 - Do a musical number.
Music/singing/dancing is an immediate cue that some serious emotional turmoil is about to go down. If you can manage it, and if you're musically inclined, why not try to incorporate an original song with some foreboding lyrics into your story?
But wait, in a comic? Who would be crazy enough to...
#4 - Have compelling characters in the first place
This is easier in fanfiction than it is in original fiction, for sure. People are already following you because they find the canon material and its cast compelling. OCs too, get a pass I feel. Even if people don't love them immediately, they'll tolerate them so long as you're giving the main characters hell and putting them through crazy scenarios.
But don't neglect giving your OCs interesting backgrounds or fail to put them in equally frightening situations because you're worried about distracting from the canon. That's the stuff that'll get people on their side faster than anything. I guess, don't be afraid to write your own babies with all your heart.
So! I'll have more on this at a later time, I'm sure. It's a great question and one worth several journal entries, I think.
And now, if you're still reading, I'd like to take the time to respond to another anon query I got but cannot answer, publicly due to the question itself:
Jesus. I am forever damn impressed by you guys and how hardcore you all are about picking up these little breadcrumbs I've left behind in the things I post about Dethkomic.
To that end, I'm sorry I can't post your question in full here, OP. It's too spoilery.
But the answer is yes.
