I think I'll take this opportunity, now that the outline is done, to commit to internet-memory a few of the other preparatory steps that went into laying the groundwork for the novel.
The original concept was one I'd been trying in vain to develop into a short story for the 3rd Philippine Graphic/Fiction Awards. The basic premise was that in a world where battles between superheroes and supervillains resulted inevitably in civilian casualties, a group was founded - composed mostly of individuals who lost their families in such calamities but who were themselves rescued - to watch over and protect the civilian/human families of the heroes. The members of this group were grateful to the heroes yet had nothing much else to live for, and as such could dedicate their lives to the task, and as such were equipped with some sort of weapon/technology that allowed them to turn themselves into human bombs to protect their wards - sort of like "good suicide bombers."
Sounded alright to me - until I broached it to my wife. (Paraphrased conversation folows):
---
Her: Uhm... its OK.
Me: You don't like it...
Her: I just don't get it.
Me: What do you mean?
Her: Well, who are they supposed to protect the families from?
Me: Ah, well, from supervillains mainly. I mean, ordinary police could handle ordinary threats.
Her: And they do this by... exploding?
Me: Yeah!
Her: That's dumb.
Me: (At a loss for words)
Her: What if the villain has a beam weapon or something? What if they have super speed? What if they can fly? What good is a bomb?
Me: Uhm, w-well... They could... I dunno... pile up on the villain? Or, um, throw themselves at him?
Her: ... Don't get it.
Me: (Crestfallen)
Her: ... and second - you're saying that the heroes know about this?
Me: Yeah, sure. They're very grateful.
Her: They wouldn't allow it.
Me: Huh?
Her: Superman wouldn't consent to people committing suicide.
Me: Well not every hero is as conservative as Superman... and it's not suicide!
Her: Close enough - I just don't see how any moral hero would go around hiring people to do that.
Me: It's just like hiring bodyguards!
Her: Bodyguards can do more than blow themselves up.
Me: ...
Her: Sorry. I just don't get it.
Me: (Breaks down, quits writing and becomes a monk)
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So much for my brilliant concept @_@ My new premise is much better now that i've addressed the holes my wife poked in the old one... Or at least I think so.
I haven't run the new concept by her yet :P
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