2. Quantum and Woody
Eric and Woody Henderson are adopted brothers who, as adults, are estranged until their father is murdered, at which point the devices he was working on bond to the guys and turn them into superheroes Quantum and Woody! Without clinking bracelets every 24 hours, the devices will kill them, so this odd couple must re-learn how to get along while also figuring out how to become superheroes! There is also a goat character who is just a goat. Or is it..? Well, yes – but it’s an awesome goat!
A fun, odd-couple-type combo that could reach out to the family audience, you could definitely edit the script to fit around being shown around *pm prime time: two clean-cut brothers who acquire superpowers, the importance of family, yada, yada, yada. Equally, a more violent, adult-minded approach on two people who hate each other and are forced to stick together following the the death of their father could lead to a darker, more brutal series. The plot device of having them have to click devices every 24 hours could lead to some very interesting tales provided the script is right. If handed to, say, writer Eric Kripke who created on Supernatural, Quantum and Woody could, just maybe, recapture some of that mid-seasons brilliance, the ability to balance comedy and horror, domestic or otherwise, though given how similar the set-ups are – “Two very different brothers forced to reconnect when something bad happens to dad” – maybe someone more unexpected could prove a boon.
1. X-O Manowar
The final choice is “X-O Manowar”, the story of a 5th-Century Visigoth abducted by aliens who obtains a powerful suit of armour and become the superhero X-O Manowar. This year saw Aric defeat the alien Vine and bring his people back to his homeland of Dacia – modern day Romania – without realising 1,500 years had passed! The spacecraft carrying Aric and his people was seen as a hostile invasion by modern governments who’ve begun to fight against this strange incursion, the story of which is currently unfolding in Unity.
A futuristic hero would possibly have to take a slot on one of the more sci-fi specific channels – say, Sy-Fy – rather than your mainstream free-view. Of course, it would also have to be backed up by some epic CGI for the full story to be told and design in order to draw the viewers in. With a few complex, well-written scripts and a very cool piece of armor for our hero to rock, “X-O Manowar” could rise above its genre trappings to attract a broader audience, ala Game of Thrones, which isn’t to say that the geek buck doesn’t still wield major power in this day and age. X-O Manowar’s nemesis is a cloaked ninja – futuristic Samurai battles! – and with some beautiful and scary locations and creatures. Gave Hood, director of Ender’s Game, could be the perfect, just-about-affordable call to bring it all to life.
Well, guys, that’s our selection. If you have any thoughts on the above – good? great? brilliant?! – or ideas of your own, please feel free to comment.
