History AscendedExtra / ComicBooks

** The Riddler and The Penguin made more frequent appearances, but were still, at best, recurrent characters. Today, they are ''regular cast members''. The Penguin is now an unshakable Gotham crime boss; Two-Face, the Riddler, and ''Man-Bat'' have all Ascended to "dubious ally" status.

** [[ComicBook/TwoFace Two-Face]] appeared perhaps three times in the GoldenAge, and was unused for roughly ''twenty years'' before his Bronze Age revival;

* Gwenpool began life as part of a variant cover gimmick that each featured Gwen Stacy dressed as a different Marvel hero (ComicBook/CaptainAmerica, Comicbook/IronMan, [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor]], etc..) The character's design proved so popular with cosplayers that Marvel brought her into their official canon as part of the ComicBook/AllNewAllDifferentMarvel universe -- first appearing in a ''Howard The Duck'' backup story, she then proceeded to headline a holiday special, and now she's getting her [[Comicbook/TheUnbelievableGwenpool own ongoing series]].

* Headsman started off as a villain in ''Comicbook/UntoldTalesOfSpiderMan'', but didn't come to attention until he later joined the {{Thunderbolts}}.

* ''Comicbook/{{X-Men}}'' has quite a few characters whose role is expanded in adaptations:

* Gwenpool began life as part of a variant cover gimmick that each featured Gwen Stacy dressed as a different Marvel hero (ComicBook/CaptainAmerica, Comicbook/IronMan, [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor]], etc..) The character's design proved so popular with cosplayers that Marvel brought her into their official canon as part of the ComicBook/AllNewAllDifferentMarvel universe -- first appearing in a ''Howard The Duck'' backup story, she then proceeded to headline a holiday special, and now she's getting her own ongoing series.

** ComicBook/HarleyQuinn was a one-shot Joker minion from the TV show who was drawn only because they wanted a girl-coming-out-of-the-cake gag. Joker minions have an average lifespan of less than a single episode, but Harley became big enough to not only jump to the comics, but get her own self-titled series as well.

* From ''Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'', Oroku Saki, aka The Shredder, was originally a one-time villain. However, he grew popular with the comic's readers. The rest is history.

* Gwenpool began life as part of a variant cover gimmick that each featured Gwen Stacy dressed as a different Marvel hero (CaptainAmerica, Comicbook/IronMan, [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor]], etc..) The character's design proved so popular with cosplayers that Marvel brought her into their official canon as part of the ComicBook/AllNewAllDifferentMarvel universe -- first appearing in a ''Howard The Duck'' backup story, she then proceeded to headline a holiday special, and now she's getting her own ongoing series.

* The ComicBook/BlackWidow was just a supporting character for many years, not a full Avenger (with good reason -- she started out as a Russian spy, and this was the UsefulNotes/ColdWar). She's now been an Avenger long enough that it's hard to think of her otherwise, and adaptations reflect this. In ''WesternAnimation/AvengersAssemble'' she's one of the main cast, and the movie ''Film/TheAvengers'' bumps her all the way up to founding member!
** Similarly with ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}}, who started out as a reluctant Iron Man villain, only to become the Avenger with the second most appearances on the team (behind only Captain America), founding leader of their West Coast branch, headliner of the Solo Avengers spotlight anthology, and present in every animated, and now live action, adaptation of the team.

* Gwenpool began life as part of a series of gimmick covers that each featured Gwen Stacy dressed as a different Marvel hero (CaptainAmerica, Comicbook/IronMan, [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor]], ect.) The character's look proved so popular that Marvel brought her into their official canon after ''Comicbook/{{Secret Wars|2015}}''.

** Similarly with ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}}, who started out as a reluctant IronMan villain, only to become the Avenger with the second most appearances on the team (behind only CaptainAmerica), founding leader of their West Coast branch, headliner of the Solo Avengers spotlight anthology, and present in every animated, and now live action, adaptation of the team.
* ComicBook/PeggyCarter in ''Comicbook/CaptainAmerica'' was introduced as a flashback character and LoveInterest in WWII to link the character to her niece ([[{{Retcon}} originally sister]]), [[{{Comicbook/Agent13}} Sharon Carter]]. Recently, the character got a significant role in the Film/CaptainAmerica film, and worked for the agency which would become SHIELD, her past achievements are moving the storyline to the second series of ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'', and in 2015, [[Series/AgentCarter she got her own television series!]] Not too shabby.

* ''ComicBook/{{Fables}} has Nurse Spratt, who only had a couple of lines and appearances for the first two-thirds or so of the comic, until she [[spoiler: betrayed Fabletown, changed her name and appearance, and revealed herself as one of the most unscrupulous villains in the whole series]].

* ComicBook/TransformersMoreThanMeetsTheEye: Gives big parts to characters unimportant in all other adaptations: Like Swerve and Tailgate who debut as a group of Autobots shooting at Trypticon, here they're the Comedy relief team of a MotorMouth Bar tender and a bot who's spent almost all of his life trapped underground having missed the war. Characters like Chromedome and Brainstorm, while important in other continuities, did almost nothing in the IDW series until this comic came along. Whirl was just a Wrecker with an interesting Cycloptoid design, he rarely had much characterization and died in many of his old appearances. Here he's become the HeroicComedicSociopath who's hated by all his co-workers and may have accidentally started the war by beating up Megatron.
* ComicBook/TransformersLastStandOfTheWreckers took a bunch of obscure background characters from Comicbook/TheTransformers Marvel comics and updated them for their team: Squadron X. Ferak, a redshirt who exploded and died was retconned into being a different redshirt [[CompositeCharacter as well]] and Tornado, another one off character who, again, died in the old run. Now Botcon 2014 is pulling both into their space pirate story, mentioning their Squadron X days, and giving them both toys. Tornado even has a [[https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tornado-Decepticon-Saboteur/735228939844774 Facebook]].

* Gwenpool began life as part of a series of gimmick covers that each featured Gwen Stacy dressed as a different Marvel hero (CaptainAmerica, Comicbook/IronMan, [[TheMightyThor Thor]], ect.) The character's look proved so popular that Marvel brought her into their official canon after ''Comicbook/{{Secret Wars|2015}}''.

** ComicBook/TheRiddler and The Penguin made more frequent appearances, but were still, at best, recurrent characters. Today, they are ''regular cast members''. The Penguin is now an unshakable Gotham crime boss; Two-Face, the Riddler, and ''Man-Bat'' have all Ascended to "dubious ally" status.

* Gwenpool began life as part of a series of gimmick covers that each featured Gwen Stacy dressed as a different Marvel hero (CaptainAmerica, Comicbook/IronMan, [[TheMightyThor Thor]], ect.) The character's look proved so popular that Marvel brought her into their official canon after ''Comicbook/{{Secret Wars|2015}]''.

* Peggy Carter in ''Comicbook/CaptainAmerica'' was introduced as a flashback character and LoveInterest in WWII to link the character to her niece ([[{{Retcon}} originally sister]]), [[{{Comicbook/Agent13}} Sharon Carter]]. Recently, the character got a significant role in the Film/CaptainAmerica film, and worked for the agency which would become SHIELD, her past achievements are moving the storyline to the second series of ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'', and in 2015, [[Series/AgentCarter she got her own television series!]] Not too shabby.

* John Constantine, star of ComicBook/{{Hellblazer}}, was originally just a recurring extra in ''Comicbook/SwampThing'' who looked like Sting. Artists Steve Bissette and John Totleben convinced writer Creator/AlanMoore to give him a speaking part, just because they liked drawing Sting so much. His popularity took off from there.

* [[Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles Oroku Saki]], aka The Shredder, was originally a one-time villain. However, he grew popular with the comic's readers. The rest is history.

* This happens to at least two characters in the film adaptation of ''ThreeHundred''; Stelios turns from a teenage Spartan who is ridiculed by the others when he tires out to an adult, battle-hardened soldier who exemplifies the Spartan image, and the Captain's son is given a name (Astinos) and takes Stelios's place as the eager young Spartan.
* Franchise/{{Batman}} villains, anyone?
** [[ComicBook/TwoFace Two-Face]] appeared perhaps three times in the GoldenAge, and was unused for roughly ''twenty years'' before his Bronze Age revival;
** ComicBook/TheRiddler and The Penguin made more frequent appearances, but were still, at best, recurrent characters. Today, they are ''regular cast members''. The Penguin is now an unshakable Gotham crime boss; Two-Face, the Riddler, and ''Man-Bat'' have all Ascended to "dubious ally" status.
** ComicBook/{{Catwoman}} is now firmly an ''AntiHero'', and rather less "anti" than many of her peers in that group.
** [[SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker Joker]] was a throwaway villain from the first run,
** Harley Quinn was a one-shot Joker minion from the TV show who was drawn only because they wanted a girl-coming-out-of-the-cake gag. Joker minions have an average lifespan of less than a single episode, but Harley became big enough to not only jump to the comics, but get her own self-titled series as well.
* And let's not forget that [[ComicBook/JimmyOlsen random office boy]] who eventually graduated to a long-running book of his own as {{Superman}}'s Pal.
* In the ''Comicbook/GreenLantern'', Mogo, [[GeniusLoci the sentient Green Lantern planet]], began as a clever gag in an Creator/AlanMoore story, but now he's a regular presence in stories about the Corps.
* MarvelComics' Headsman started off as a villain in ''Comicbook/UntoldTalesOfSpiderMan'', but didn't come to attention until he later joined the {{Thunderbolts}}.
* Sandra and Monique from the ''ScottPilgrim'' series. Lampshaded in the final volume when they get multiple introduction scenes.
* Parodied in the very first issue of ''[[Creator/BongoComics Bartman #1]]'' during the scene where [[ComicBook/TheSimpsons Bart Simpson]], Milhouse Van Houten, and Martin Prince all meet in the comic-book shop. Bart points out one comics panel (unseen to the reader) featuring a street scene with a random pedestrian in the background. Bart explains that the writers plan to kill this guy off in the next issue and then [[JokerImmunity bring him back to life]] as a supervillain known as [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking "The Jaywalker"]]!
* In ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'', Eugene "Flash" Thompson was once a JerkJock who bullied Peter Parker, but was a major fan of his web-slinging alter-ego. After the shift away from high school, Flash tended to stick to the background before becoming a soldier. After an accident cost him his legs, he got a second chance in serving his country. He is now the newest ComicBook/{{Venom}}, a member of ComicBook/TheAvengers and dating Valkyrie. Now, that's impressive.
* The ComicBook/BlackWidow was just a supporting character for many years, not a full Avenger (with good reason -- she started out as a Russian spy, and this was the UsefulNotes/ColdWar). She's now been an Avenger long enough that it's hard to think of her otherwise, and adaptations reflect this. In ''WesternAnimation/AvengersAssemble'' she's one of the main cast, and the movie ''Film/TheAvengers'' bumps her all the way up to founding member!
** Similarly with ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}}, who started out as a reluctant IronMan villain, only to become the Avenger with the second most appearances on the team (behind only CaptainAmerica), founding leader of their West Coast branch, headliner of the Solo Avengers spotlight anthology, and present in every animated, and now live action, adaptation of the team.
* ''ComicBook/ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog'' has done this to Muttski, Sonic's dog. When he first appeared in ''WesternAnimation/SonicTheHedgehog'', he was just a random robotic dog. The comics turned him into Sonic's pet and remained that way until the recent CosmicRetcon turned him into the Mobian Ben "Mutt" Muttski, Dr. Chuck's assistant.

* The Star Wars Expanded Universe is famous for this, taking pretty much any and all minor characters from the films and giving them fleshed out backstories while weaving them into the mythos of TheVerse.
** Probably the most stunning example is Davin Felth; he's [[SpearCarrier the random stormtrooper who says "Look sir, droids"]]. The comics give him a full origin story, characterization, and show how he realized how monstrous the Empire was before pulling a HeelFaceTurn. He's also shown to have been present at every major event in the first quarter of Episode IV (such as the slaughter of the jawas and Owen and Beru's deaths, which were the Empire's MoralEventHorizon in his eyes) and is partly responsible for Luke and company escaping Mos Eisley, as he fragged his captain during the firefight in the hanger. All of this from an extra with a single line of dialogue.

** Similarly with ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}}, who started out as a one issue (reluctant) IronMan villain, only to become the Avenger with the second most appearances on the team (behind only CaptainAmerica), founding leader of their West Coast branch, headliner of the Solo Avengers spotlight anthology, and present in every animated, and now live action, adaptation of the team.

** Harley Quinn was a one-shot Joker minion drawn only because they wanted a girl-coming-out-of-the-cake gag. Joker Minions have an average lifespan of less than a single book, but Harley became big enough to have a self-titled series.

* Much of the human cast of ''ComicBook/TheSandman''. Its traditional to introduce a character in one story arc as a minor background character, only to have them reappear in a later arc as the protagonist.

* And let's not forget that [[JimmyOlsen random office boy]] who eventually graduated to a long-running book of his own as {{Superman}}'s Pal.

** Similarly with ComicBook/Hawkeye, who started out as a one issue (reluctant) IronMan villain, only to become the Avenger with the second most appearances on the team (behind only CaptainAmerica), founding leader of their West Coast branch, headliner of the Solo Avengers spotlight anthology, and present in every animated, and now live action, adaptation of the team.

* Peggy Carter in ''Comicbook/CaptainAmerica'' was introduced as a flashback character and LoveInterest in WWII to link the character to her niece ([[{{Retcon}} originally sister]]), [[{{Comicbook/Agent13}} Sharon Carter]]. Recently, the character got a significant role in the Film/CaptainAmerica film, and worked for the agency which would become SHIELD, her past achievements are moving the storyline to the second series of ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'', and in 2015, she got her own television series! Not too shabby.

* Peggy Carter in ''Comicbook/CaptainAmerica'' was introduced as a flashback character and LoveInterest in WWII to link the character to her niece ([[{{Retcon}} originally sister]]), [[{{Comicbook/Agent13}} Sharon Carter]]. Recently, the character got a significant role in the Film/CaptainAmerica, and worked for the agency which would become SHIELD, her past achievements are moving the storyline to the second series of ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'', and in 2015, she got her own television series! Not too shabby.

** Bolivar Trask, creator of the Sentinels. In the comicverse, he dies in the three-parter that introduces them, in a HeroicSacrifice once they get out of control. His son and his nephew also tried their hand at it, but also didn't stick around. Despite ''X-Men'''s love of BackFromTheDead, Bolivar took forty-three years to get there. He finally came back from the dead in the main MarvelUniverse in ''{{X-Force}}'' v3 #6. In the intervening years however? In the [[WesternAnimation/{{X-Men}} 1990s animated series]], he's a {{Recurr|ingCharacter}}er you can expect to see in many a Sentinel story, on the run from his own creations. In ''WesternAnimation/XMenEvolution,'' he's arrested after the initial (unauthorized in this version) Sentinel incident, but kept around by SHIELD to design more once Apocalypse comes onto the scene. Had the series continued past the Apocalypse arc, we'd no doubt have seen a lot more of him and his wayward HumongousMecha children. He's got an expanded, recurring role in UltimateMarvel as well.

** The Spirit Drinker. In the comics, when D'Ken wanted to dispose of Lilandra, he summoned a soul-destroying critter, it targeted her, Kurt teleported her out of the way, its tongue nailed one of D'Ken's own {{Mooks}}, and since it can only take one soul per summon, it vanished. ''Two panels,'' notable only 'cause it was the first time Kurt had ever teleported with anyone else (at the time, it was pure agony for him and he passed out.) If someone with a gun had simply tried to shoot her, absolutely nothing would have changed and it comes off as a BigLippedAlligatorMoment. So, in XMenTheAnimatedSeries? Well, it was only in one episode, but we're talking one episode of sheer NightmareFuel as the Reavers, who'd kidnapped Wolverine to free an alien superweapon, figure out it's a containment unit for something very ''bad'' too late, and this only-partially-substantial soul-eating EldritchAbomination is unleashed to stalk the heroes (and villains through the New York subway tunnels; we get an EnemyMine out of it) as the faces of half-eaten souls continually form from its substance to cry out.