Humble origins.

The origin story is an integral part of the superhero genre.  While some of them are weak (most villains, for instance, seem to gain their powers from laboratory or industrial accidents–see Doctor Octopus, Sandman, Electro, Mr. Freeze, et. al.), some are downright iconic.  Who could forget this image from Superman:

[Iconic only goes so far, of course.  Spider-Man’s next cinematic incarnation, taking place in the Avengers universe, is due in 2017.  Happily, a bit of dialogue in last year’s Ant-Man hinted that this version of Spider-Man was already active as a hero at that time, and this was just confirmed in the latest Captain America: Civil War trailer; thus we’ve apparently been spared our third Spider-Man origin story in fifteen years.  We don’t need it; everybody knows how Spider-Man got his powers.  You know; I know; your grandmother knows; remote mountain tribes in Cambodia know.]

All of which is in service of saying that my own humble foray into superhero fiction, a short story called “The Dilettante and Leonard,” was just published over at SFReader, a great site that features well over a thousand fantasy, science fiction, and horror book reviews, and that also publishes some great fiction as well.  Check it out if you like, and find out why some origin stories aren’t what they seem.  Register and leave a comment if you wish; I’m sure the SFReader folks appreciate feedback.

Additionally, writers and aspiring writers might want to bookmark SFReader‘s fiction contest page in anticipation of its opening to entries once more this December.  This is a contest that I don’t think gets nearly enough love…