Western Fantasy?

FalStarr

18 pages

Posted
April 4, 2009 - 05:22

Western Fantasy?

I'm going to call 'Western Fantasy' the genre for my graphic novel.

It's set in modern times, starting in rural Oklahoma.
I don't want it to be high fantasy, but it's going to have fantastic elements of fantasy in it.

For instance, one of the main characters is a werewolf
(please don't think Twilight!) and demonic/angelic possessions occur often.

But I want it to still have that 'John Wayne' Western style flair to it.

Thoughts?

Katarra

4 pages

Posted
April 4, 2009 - 08:13

RE: Western Fantasy?

I'm doing something similar. Altough mine is just vampires, nothing else fantastical about it. Western mixed with supernatural genres (or similar) is so rare, so I wish you the best of luck.

And the werewolf didn't make me think of twilight at all, no worries.

--------------- 2006 NaNo loser 2007 SF & NaNo loser. 2008 SF & NaNo loser, again. *_* Be kind '09

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arnis1

108 pages

Posted
April 4, 2009 - 20:36

RE: Western Fantasy?

A "modern Western" doesn't have to have actual cowboys, but it needs to have the equivilent of the Wild West. Basically, you need clear-cut good guys and clear cut bad guys. A Western is another version of good vs evil. Your hero doesn't have to be perfect, but does need to know the difference between right & wrong, stand for right, and protect those who are innocent. How much or well they do this is up to you. The villian is only interested in his/her self. So right/wrong are determined by how the issue will affect them.

I suggest that you create a "Western" type of situation. Maybe a town is being attacked/used by some sort of gang. Your gang can be fanstatical creatures/beings. Or banks (or something) are being robbed by things that our modern tech/training can't catch. Or maybe your story is about the robbers (just be sure they have a heart of some kind). Or someone is out to get revenge on your hero because the hero caused them to be captured. Or the love interest/family is kidnapped/held hostage. Or some corporation, organization (from our world or not) is trying to take land or people for whatever purpose no matter what they have to do.
These storylines can be found in numerous Westerns. They're familiar, but in a different guise will become original. There's also the Cowboys vs Indians. Boiled down, you're looking at how two very different groups try (or don't try) to co-exist with each other.

So, I think if you get some familiar Western character types, a storyline that mirrors a Western, and, last, very important, shoot 'em up. My grandma loves Westerns. She calls them "shoot 'em up" movies. The best part of a Western is the showdown. The villian and hero meet up for the last time, someone has to die (or be defeated for good). It doesn't have to involve guns, but some show of power from both sides is necessary. The Showdown. The crux of any good vs evil story. It's what we've been waiting and watching for. So make sure it's there.

Werewolves, demonic/angelic possessions, and whatever else you want to throw in there will work fine. My last piece of advice is that the difference between John Wayne and Errol Flynn (who played Robin Hood) is that Wayne is rough and Flynn is genteel. Cowboys, pioneers and that lot were rough people who fought the land and others to survive. They were self-sufficient, independent, hard-working, and tough b/c they had to be. So give your characters that edge.

That's all. I bet you'll have a great shoot-'em-up-other-wordly-style graphic novel. And don't worry, werewolf stories have been around a lot longer than "Twilight". Anyone who's more than dabbled in fantasy won't confine their lycanthrope views to that one series.

2007-Twilight Glow (winner!) 2008-The Return (winnner!) 2009-Ring of Thorns "A good story is life, with the dull parts taken out." ~Alfred Hitchcock

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camelydia

102 pages

Posted
April 9, 2009 - 20:47

RE: Western Fantasy?

I'm doing a 'western fantasy' as well. It's set in the past but the main characters are two kids who are are ancient and can manipulate time.

So far they haven't done much that's supernatural so my story's fitting more the 'western' part rather than the 'fantasy' part right now.

I don't actually have any bad guys yet either. I have some opposition, but no actual 'bad guys'. I agree with arnis1 that if you want to go with a classic western feel like old John Wayne stuff then there should be clear-cut good and bad, but I don't think all westerns necessarily need that. I'm thinking of the movie "Unforgiven" with Clint Eastwood. In my opinion the characters in that movie aren't good or evil, they all kind of walk a line between both. Everyone seems to be looking for their own brand of justice and working toward their own ends which makes them somehow moral and immoral at the same time.

Anyway, I think one of the things important about a western is just to have it set in the west. I know that sounds stupid and obvious, but the setting really does give a specific feel to a story. Even set in modern day it seems like your setting should contain wide open spaces and landscapes or towns that still have a bit of wildness to them.

I'd be interested to hear how your story's going by now.

Good luck.