20 Storytelling Lessons We Can Learn from Marvel

These timeless comics turned blockbuster films have inspired generations to fight for good in the face of evil and find the superheroes within themselves. 

• Only dynamic, flawed characters can connect with dynamic, flawed humans.
• Get inside your hero’s head and figure out what motivates them to do the things they do.
• If your hero has nothing to fight for, your viewers have no reason to root for him/her. Show your viewers why they should care.
• Show where your hero’s loyalties lie. If they can’t pick a side, your viewers can’t either.
• Allow your characters to drive the theme of your story.

• There is no such thing as an unimportant character. Secondary characters bring your hero closer to their goals or drag him/her further away.
• Fully develop a formidable villain that viewers love to hate.

• Some of the best dialogue is riddled with subtext. Don’t just state what you mean.
• Only give your characters lines that they can deliver.
• Well-timed comic relief breaks tension and keeps viewers breathing.
• Appeal to your target audience with fitting pop culture references.

• Learn everything you can about the period/culture you’re trying to portray.
• Create a believable universe, not a pretty backdrop.
• Invent creative solutions to your hero’s problems.
• Give overdone tropes an exciting twist to keep viewers guessing until the end.
• Avoid info-dumping by maintaining a thread of suspense until the last possible moment.
• Leave certain elements open to interpretation.