The Appeal of the Dark Man
By Chris Green (w/a Crystal Green)

“Make your hero suffer.”

These are the immortal words of Suzanne Brockmann, hero-maker extraordinaire. During last spring’s RWA-SD desert retreat, Ms. Brockmann offered many words of wisdom that resulted in improved plotting and characterization for me. Her advice was also a springboard for further thoughts.

Now, remember, I used to write horror stories throughout my angst-filled teen years (though, come to think of it, nothing much has changed in that department). My critique partners, Judy Duarte and Sheree WhiteFeather, have confirmed that I have a dark side. I readily admit to a fascination with vampires and profilers, creatures who balance on the edge of danger and outright antisocial behavior. I like my heroes as dark as the stillness of a midnight-black hole. I like that only one woman has the power to fill that hole with light.

So what’s the secret of creating a hero who’s mysterious enough to keep you wondering about his murky past? One who’s so tormented that any woman with a decent amount of estrogen will yearn to soothe his pain? Maybe we can shed some brightness on the subject by analyzing a few examples….

He’s the ultimate scarred lost soul, a mask-shrouded Broadway star. Michael Crawford actually became sexy when he donned the tortured façade of the Phantom of the Opera. Half psychopath (he killed people, mind you), half poet, the Phantom cast his spell over more than the musical’s heroine. In my opinion, the man was definitely Beta, a songwriter who adored fine silks and opulently gilded mirrors. (Finally, a hero you can shop at the Bombay Company with.) Why was this character a hit? I might be wrong, but I was really hooked by the Phantom’s vulnerability. He might seem Beta on the surface, but his violent solutions to his pain certainly shot him to the Alpha category. He’s a protector, willing to do anything for the love of his life. That’s kinda hot, in my book.

Next victim…er…example. You know him because of his pasta-paunch belly, his receding hairline, his rather large gun. Yes, it’s Tony Soprano, the human rendition of a monster with a soul. Once, while dining with a well-known author, she said she thought Tony was sexy because he likes to touch people. He has the same sensitive side that the Phantom hides in his own cave—a heart-on-his-sleeve toughness blocked by a scary demeanor. Admit it, when Dr. Jennifer Melfi was brutally raped, you wanted Tony to find out. Because when he did…oh, boy. The other guy would be smashed to a pulp by Tony’s considerable temper.

And, deep inside, most of us want a protector, one we can tame and redeem. It’s sick, but true.

So if a mafioso killer can be a hero, then how about a crazed cannibal? I know women who think Hannibal Lecter is sexy. I’m not joking. I’ve talked to females who rave about the intense eyes, the cultured taste in music (Phantom of the Opera, anyone?), the way you can tell that “he really loves Clarice.” Once again, he’s the monster with a soul. He’s a very likable character, believe it or not, and I think I might know why.

Hannibal kills rude people. He’s the part of our psyches we try to ignore. And he cooks a mean brain, too. But, in all seriousness, Hannibal is capable of that same protective love we saw in the other examples.

What do all these characters have in common? They’ve been fiercely wounded or wronged, thus creating an agonizing vulnerability. They’re soldiers for that one lucky(?) female who steals their hearts. They’re forced to confront their own demons, creating a soul-wrenching black moment for the audience to identify with. When I wrote The Pregnant Bride, my December, 2001, Silhouette Special Edition release (plug, plug) I realized that I’d created a very dark hero, indeed. Nick Cassidy is a modern-day gunslinger who uses words as his bullets. And only one woman can stop him from self-destructing. In order to achieve the right amount of spiritual tragedy for this book, I used Suzanne Brockmann’s advice.

I made my hero suffer.

And, as with the Phantom, Tony Soprano, and Hannibal Lecter, I hope he’s all the more interesting for it.