History CorruptedCharacterCopy / TheVentureBros

* Baron Ünderbheit is one to Characters/DoctorDoom, initially built up as Dr. Venture's [[KnightOfCerebus serious archenemy]] in contrast to [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain the Monarch]]. He rules [[{{Ruritania}} Ünderland]] with an iron fist and was disfigured in a lab accident he blamed Rusty on, but ultimately proved too one-dimensional to properly fulfill the KnightOfCerebus role and was quickly eclipsed as Rusty's nemesis by [[NotSoHarmlessVillain the Monarch]] ''and'' as the KnightOfCerebus by Phantom Limb, [[DemotedToDragon who he would later end up working for]].

* "It Happening One Night" opens by introducing The Doom Factory in a way that deliberately imitates ''WesternAnimation/{{Superfriends}}''' introduction of the LegionOfDoom. Its members, ten of "the most ruthlessly self-involved villains," are parodies of various villains from Creator/DCComics. Each one also doubles as a NoCelebritiesWereHarmed parody of a 20th-century artist: the group's leader Wes Warhammer is a fusion of Lex Luthor and Creator/AndyWarhol, and the others represent artists of the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warhol_superstars Warhol Superstars]].

* S.P.H.I.N.X. starts out as a clear-cut parody of [[Franchise/GIJoe Cobra]], being a NebulousEvilOrganisation opposing the OSI [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome that got completely eradicated]] in the Pyramid Wars of '87 [[spoiler: Late in the series however, [[OrderReborn S.P.H.I.N.X. is rebuilt]] by Hunter Gathers to [[HeelFaceTurn fight non-Guild evils]]]], thus becoming an inversion of the trope.

!''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBro''

!''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers''

* Dr. Byron Orpheus is one to ''ComicBook/DoctorStrange''. He has no real [=PhD=], only a degree in Communications and a minor in Women's Studies from a community college (Stephen Strange was an accomplished neurosurgeon before becoming Sorceror Supreme), he just calls himself a "necromancer" because all of the other magic-user titles have fallen out of favor (note that he actually ''can'' communicate with and raise the dead as a proper {{Necromancer}} does, it's just not his primary field of magic), is constantly outdone by his student the Outrider (who also stole his wife), and his LargeHam tendencies are considered annoying and embarrassing by his daughter. Nonetheless, [[DarkIsNotEvil he's by far the nicest]] member of the main cast.

** Professor Richard Impossible is introduced as a CaptainErsatz of Reed Richards, but soon shows a much darker side as a sexist, bigoted {{Jerkass}} who's uncaring and abusive to his family with a destructive ForScience attitude. Hilariously, he actually predates a lot of Marvel's own deconstructions of Reed, like hiss [[ComicBook/UltimateFantasticFour Ultimate Universe]] incarnation, who [[FaceHeelTurn ends up becoming a villain in his own right]], and the Council of Reeds.

** Professor Richard Impossible, head of the Impossibles, is introduced as a CaptainErsatz of Reed Richards, but soon shows a much darker side as a sexist and bigoted {{Jerkass}} who's uncaring and abusive to his family with a destructive ForScience attitude. Much like Reed's [[ComicBook/UltimateFantasticFour Ultimate Universe]] incarnation, [[FaceHeelTurn he ends up becoming a villain in his own right]].

* The Guild of Calamitous Intent is one example that zig-zags the trope all over the place, being written as a parody of particularly large LegionOfDoom organizations like the post-ComicBook/IdentityCrisis Secret Society of Super-Villains. The zig-zaggging comes from the fact that the guild are not so much an organization of supervillains as they are a combination SuperRegistrationAct[=/=]WeirdTradeUnion for the bad guys, keeping the supervillains focused on "arches" who can face them fairly rather than let them run rampant against the civilian populace and in turn, keep them from getting into fights with heroes far out of their league and getting themselves killed.

* And the titular brothers themselves are one to ''Literature/TheHardyBoys'', boy adventurers who initially start out as TheDividual. While they ''think'' they're out solving mysteries and braving danger, in truth they are TooDumbToLive and in over their heads, and only survive thanks [[spoiler: to getting cloned after the ''many'' times they died]]. By the time CharacterDevelopment kicks in, Dean [[IJustWantToBeNormal does everything he can to get out]] of the adventuring super-scientist life, while Hank [[SubvertedTrope outgrows]] [[TookALevelInBadass his uselessness]].

Befitting its status as a DeconstructiveParody of [[TwoFistedTales boy's adventure series]], this series ''loves'' [[CorruptedCharacterCopy this trope]].

* Dr. Thaddeus "Rusty" Venture and Action Johnny are both this to WesternAnimation/JonnyQuest (in fact, the latter was supposed to ''be'' Jonny Quest himself but that was vetoed by ExecutiveMeddling): both former boy adventurers who were both left traumatized by the many near-death experiences they had over the course of their adventures. They've become differently jaded as a result; Rusty has become a [[GenerationXerox super-scientist who's a neglectful father himself]], only [[InadequateInheritor less successful than his father]], and Johnny has rage issues and drug addictions.

* Dr. Byron Orpheus is one to ''ComicBook/DoctorStrange''. He has no real [=PhD=], only a degree in Communications and a minor in Women's Studies from a community college (Stephen Strange was an accomplished neurosurgeon before becoming Sorceror Supreme), he just calls himself a "necromancer" because all of the other magic-user titles have fallen out of favor (note that he actually ''can'' communicate with and raise the dead as a proper {{Necromancer}} does, it's just not his primary field of magic), is constantly outdone by his student the Outrider, and his LargeHam tendencies are considered annoying and embarrassing by his daughter. Nonetheless, [[DarkIsNotEvil he's by far the nicest among Dr. Venture and his allies.]]

!!The OSI
* The OSI is this to groups like Franchise/GIJoe and ComicBook/{{SHIELD}} They're a patriotic group of superspies who fight evil, but they have more than a few skeletons in their closet and several members, frustrated by bureaucracy holding them back, [[spoiler: jump ship and [[StartMyOwn rebuild S.P.H.I.N.X.]] to fight threats that the OSI can't]].
** General Treister is this to both [[Characters/ShieldDirectors Nick Fury]] and [[Characters/IncredibleHulkCentralRoguesGallery "Thunderbolt" Ross]]. He's the head of the OSI and patriotic as all get-out, but his behavior (he believes that he's become a "hulk" out of gamma radiation therapy to cure his cancer, goes to the bathroom in his own office, and wrestles people as a form of negotiation) doesn't inspire much confidence. [[spoiler: Subverted with TheReveal that he was only acting as such to fool Cardholder and Doe and trick Hunter into returning to the OSI.]]

* Professor Richard Impossible is the head of the Impossibles, a [[TheFantasticFaux Fantastic Faux]]. Introduced as a CaptainErsatz of Reed Richards, he soon shows a much darker side as a sexist and bigoted {{Jerkass}} who's uncaring and abusive to his family. Much like Reed's [[ComicBook/UltimateFantasticFour Ultimate Universe]] incarnation, [[FaceHeelTurn he ends up becoming a villain in his own right]].
** Likewise, the rest of the Impossibles [[BlessedWithSuck have terrible powers]]: Sally's skin becomes invisible (''just'' her skin, [[BodyHorror leaving her musculature fully visible]]) whenever she's not actively concentrating to keep it visible, Cody flames on in contact from oxygen and can ''feel'' the burns despite being impervious to them, and Ned is more like a giant callous than a giant rock.

* The Groovy Gang is one to [[Franchise/ScoobyDoo Mystery Incorporated]], as they're all send-ups of famous serial killers and other infamous figures from RealLife. They use solving mysteries at spooky old places as a flimsy excuse to loot said places and kill any witnesses.

* "The Terminus Mandate" features Blind Rage, an egotistical jerkass ComicBook/{{Daredevil}} knockoff.

Befitting its status as a DeconstructiveParody of [[TwoFistedTales boy's adventure series]], this series ''loves'' this
[[CorruptedCharacterCopy trope]].

Befitting its status as a DeconstructiveParody of [[TwoFistedTales boy's adventure series]], this series ''loves'' this trope.

* The Guild of Calamitous Intent is one example that zig-zags the trope all over the place, being written as a parody of particularly large LegionOfDoom organizations like the post-ComicBook/IdentityCrisis Secret Society of Super-Villains. The zig-zaggging comes from the fact that the guild are not so much an organization of supervillains as they are a combination SuperRegistrationAct[=/=]WeirdTradeUnion for the bad guys, keeping the supervillains focused on "arches" who can face them fairly rather than let them run rampant against the civilian populace.

** General Treister is this to both [[Characters/ShieldDirectors Nick Fury]] and [[Characters/MarvelComicsGammaMutates "Thunderbolt" Ross]]. He's the head of the OSI and patriotic as all get-out, but his behavior (he believes that he's become a "hulk" out of gamma radiation therapy to cure his cancer, goes to the bathroom in his own office, and wrestles people as a form of negotiation) doesn't inspire much confidence. [[spoiler: Subverted with TheReveal that he was only acting as such to fool Cardholder and Doe and trick Hunter into returning to the OSI.]]

* The OSI is this to groups like Franchise/GIJoe and ComicBook/{{SHIELD}} They're a patriotic group of superspies who fight evil, but they have more than a few skeletons in their closet and several members, frustrated by bureaucracy holding them back, [[spoiler: jump ship and [[StartMyOwn rebuild SPHINX]] to fight threats that the OSI can't]].

* S.P.H.I.N.X. is one to [[Franchise/GIJoe Cobra]], as a NebulousEvilOrganisation opposing the OSI [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome that got completely eradicated]] in the Pyramid Wars of '87 [[spoiler: and [[OrderReborn later rebuilt]] by Hunter Gathers to [[HeelFaceTurn fight non-Guild evils]]]].

* The Guild of Calamitous Intent is one to particularly large LegionOfDoom organizations like the post-ComicBook/IdentityCrisis Secret Society of Super-Villains, as they're not so much an organization of supervillains as they are a combination SuperRegistrationAct[=/=]WeirdTradeUnion for the bad guys, keeping the supervillains focused on "arches" who can face them fairly rather than let them run rampant against the civilian populace.

* Rusty's father, Jonas Venture, is likewise one to Franchise/DocSavage, an adventuring ScienceHero and GeniusBruiser par excellence. He stands on a BrokenPedestal, because he was a ''[[AbusiveParents terrible]]'' father to Rusty, exposing him to numerous traumas and making [[ThereAreNoTherapists minimal effort to help him with that trauma]]. And that's not even getting into what a horrible ''friend'' he was...

** Likewise, the rest of the Impossibles [[BlessedWithSuck have terrible powers]]: Sally's skin becomes invisible whenever she's not actively concentrating to keep it visible, Cody flames on in contact from oxygen and can ''feel'' the burns despite being impervious to them, and Ned is more like a giant callous than a giant rock.

* Rusty's father, Jonas Venture, is likewise one to Franchise/DocSavage, being an adventuring scientist and GeniusBruiser par excellence, but was a ''[[AbusiveParents terrible]]'' father to Rusty, exposing him to numerous traumas and then [[ThereAreNoTherapists making minimal effort to help him with the problems he developed from it]]. And that's not even getting into what a horrible ''friend'' he was...
* And the titular brothers themselves are one to ''Literature/TheHardyBoys'', being boy adventurers who initially start out as TheDividual. They're repeatedly shown that while they think they're out solving mysteries in reality they're being TooDumbToLive and very much in over their heads, and in fact [[spoiler: have repeatedly died and subsequently cloned by their father]]. By the time CharacterDevelopment kicks in, Dean [[IJustWantToBeNormal does everything he can to get out of the adventuring super-scientist life]] while Hank [[SubvertedTrope outgrows]] [[TookALevelInBadass his uselessness]].

* S.P.H.I.N.X. is one to [[Franchise/GIJoe Cobra]], as a NebulousEvilOrganisation opposing the OSI [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome that got completely eradicated in the Pyramid Wars of '87]] [[spoiler: and [[OrderReborn later rebuilt by Hunter Gathers]] [[HeelFaceTurn to fight non-Guild threats]]]].

* Baron Underbheit is one to Characters/DoctorDoom, initially built up as Dr. Venture's [[KnightOfCerebus serious archenemy]] in contrast to [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain the Monarch]]. He rules [[{{Ruritania}} Underland]] with an iron fist and was disfigured in a lab accident he blamed Rusty on, but ultimately proved too one-dimensional to properly fulfill the KnightOfCerebus role and was quickly eclipsed as Rusty's nemesis by [[NotSoHarmlessVillain the Monarch]] ''and'' as the KnightOfCerebus by Phantom Limb, [[DemotedToDragon who he would later end up working for]].

** Likewise, the rest of the Impossibles have ''terrible'' powers; Sally's skin becomes invisible whenever she's not actively concentrating to keep it visible, Cody flames on in contact from oxygen and can ''feel'' the burns despite being impervious to them, and Ned is more like a giant callous than a giant rock.

* The Groovy Gang is one to [[Franchise/ScoobyDoo Mystery Incorporated]], as they're all send-ups of famous serial killers and other RealLife infamous figures and use solving mysteries at spooky old places as an excuse to loot said places and kill any witnesses.

** [[spoiler: His "Vendata" persona is one to Darth Vader, a cyborg FallenHero who was found and rebuilt by Dr. Z and repurposed into a supervillain. However, most of his villainous acts are because of a morality dial installed on him and the remainder are out of justifiable anger at Jonas for turning him into Venturion in the first place. And unlike Vader whose part-machine qualities add to his menace and mystique, Vendata's cybernetics get him no respect and are shown to be outdated more than once.]]

* And the titular brothers themselves are one to ''Literature/TheHardyBoys'', being boy adventurers who initially start out as TheDividual. They're repeatedly shown as being TooDumbToLive and very much in over their heads, and in fact [[spoiler: have repeatedly died and subsequently cloned by their father]]. By the time CharacterDevelopment kicks in, Dean [[IJustWantToBeNormal does everything he can to get out of the adventuring super-scientist life]] while Hank [[SubvertedTrope outgrows]] [[TookALevelInBadass his uselessness]].

* The Guild of Calamitous Intent is one to particularly large LegionOfDoom organizations like the post-ComicBook/IdentityCrisis Secret Society of Super-Villains, as they're not so much an organization of supervillains as they are a SuperRegistrationAct for the bad guys.

!!''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers''

* Red Death is one to the [[Characters/MarvelComicsRedSkull Red Skull]], being a ''terrifying'' villain who is genuinely imposing and has the latter's SkullForAHead, but is a PunchClockVillain like all Guild members and is [[AffablyEvil a pretty darn nice guy when he's not engaging in acts of villainy]].
* Baron Underbheit is one to Characters/DoctorDoom, initially built up as Dr. Venture's [[KnightOfCerebus serious archenemy]] in contrast to [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain the Monarch]]. He rules [[{{Ruritania}} Underland]] with an iron fist and was disfigured in a lab accident he blamed Rusty on, but ultimately proved too one-dimensional to properly fulfill the KnightOfCerebus role and was quickly eclipsed as Rusty's nemesis by [[NotSoHarmlessVillain the Monarch]] ''and'' as the KnightOfCerebus by Phantom Limb, [[DemotedToDragon who he would later end up working for]].