World Building Elements for a Super-Hero Story
I'm no expert on world-building, but I do like superheroes and I've read a lot of comic books. If you wanted to create a new fictional world for superhero stories, here are some of the things you'd have to address.
1. Aliens
Is there life on other planets? Has it had any prior contact with Earth? How well-known are these facts in the general population?
2. Science/Technology
Is science and tech more advanced than the present day? By how much? Is advanced tech readily accessible, or the domain of the rich and privileged?
3. Public Opinion
Are superheroes celebrated or feared? Derided or respected?
4. Magic
Is magic a part of this world? Are all myths true? How does magic work, how is it acquired?
5. Common sources of Super-Powers
Do #1, #2 and/or #5 play a role, or is there a common source of superpowers?
6. Geography
How closely does this world resemble our own? Do superheroes fly around cities with the same names as ours, or ones that are differently named, yet familiar? Perhaps they look nothing like our familiar places.
7. History
How long have superheroes been around? Have they shaped history to be different than what we know?
8. Limits
Is there a top-end to what superpowers can do? Does every hero have a weakness, or some trade-off/price for their power? Is anything impossible in the world?
9. Tone
Are the stories cynical and full of anti-heroes, or should they reflect the best of what humanity can offer?
10. Villains
Do villains come from varied backgrounds, or do they form one common enemy organization?
