History DarkerAndEdgier / Webcomics

* ''Webcomic/{{Qxlkbh}}'' [[ParodiedTrope parodies]] this trope in [[https://qxlkbh.github.io/86 qxlkbh 86]] which proudly announces itself s the "DARKER AND EDGIER VERSION". [[ExactWords True to its name]] the comic ''is'' darker, and also edgier due to a lack of anti-aliasing; Baseball Cap even trips over an edge.

** There was also the student film "Bring Me The Head Of Charlie Brown" by future ''[[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons Simpsons]]'' writer Jim Reardon, which involves the Great Pumpkin hiring the kids as hitmen to kill Charlie Brown in gruesome ways, eventually he snaps and goes on a killing spree.

* Formerly LawfulStupid Cale, from ''Webcomic/LookingForGroup'' has certainly come a long way since the comic started. Due to the influence of [[TokenEvilTeammate undead warlock]] [[OmnicidalManiac Richard]], cynical companions [[PoisonousFriend Pella]], [[ActionGirl Benny]], and [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Krunch Bloodrage]], and the fact that his new Kingdom was [[spoiler: PoweredByAForsakenChild]], Cale has become far more flexible with regards to his morals, and smiles when he sees an old foe intimidated by Richard's undead townsfolk.

* ''Webcomic/{{Erma}}'' has been dabbling in drama for a while, Spirit's Bloom is quite a bit darker than the rest. [[spoiler: Most notably, three innocent extras die very gruesomely toward the end, and Erma is revealed to be a key piece of a plot to destroy the world.]]

* ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'' has several points where it gets darker and grimmer: playing a ''VideoGame/TheSims'' [[JustForFun/XMeetsY Meets]] ''VideoGame/EarthBound'' game causes TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt, when we learn that AnyoneCanDie and [[spoiler: winning the game won't save them]], when EldritchAbomination[=s=] are revealed to be real, when we meet the Trolls and ''their'' CrapSackWorld ends, and when Rose has started to ScrewDestiny with a passion, aided by the aforementioned abominations. Fortunately it never gets ''too'' dark:

* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'': While the comic has its fair share of darker moments, the prequel book ''Start of Darkness'' manages to go further than the comic. Genocide and the murder of one's family is just the tip of the iceberg, culminating in a tragic DownerEnding where Redcloak [[spoiler:senselessly kill his own brother to further his own plans.]]

%%* ''Webcomic/SailorMoonCS'', at least compared to the anime it's primarily based on.
* The superhero parody webcomic ''Emokid and Chemokid'' was initially dark comedy, but eventually became a suspenseful story with deep backgrounds and character development while still maintaining the odd sense of humor that only the writer of ''Webcomic/HeadTrip'' can provide.
* Spoofed by the StickFigureComic ''Webcomic/StickmanAndCube'' in [[http://www.drunkduck.com/Stickman_and_Cube/index.php?p=271281 this strip.]] The cartoonist announces that he is making the comic "Darker And Edgier", gives the characters new {{Wangst}}-ridden backstories and sums it up by saying that "basically everyone's just going to shoot each other and swear a lot." At which point Stickman says "Oh, HELL no." [[http://www.drunkduck.com/Stickman_and_Cube/index.php?p=271661 The characters later get back at the cartoonist for this. With extreme prejudice.]]
* In a May 2008 ''Webcomic/DominicDeegan'' strip, the title characters learns, to his horror, that his favorite comic is about to become Darker And Edgier... by {{retcon}}ning the hero into a demon. It's like making Superman Darker And Edgier by giving him a German heritage, a small mustache, and a great personal hatred of Jews.
** It was [[{{Foreshadowing}} foreshadowed]] at the end of the Storm of Souls arc. One of the cosmic consequences of breaking the storm was that many of the souls normally bound for Heaven or Hell ended up in the wrong place.

* Occurred in ''Webcomic/AModestDestiny'', around the third story arc. Up to that point it was a lighthearted and humorous fantasy spoof. Then came "The War of Fate" arc, which was much more darker and serious, such as the female lead considering getting an abortion.
* The original material that ''Webcomic/ExterminatusNow'' is based on was 'The Grim Darkness', a project to make the ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'' comic universe GRIMDARK by blending it with ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}''. According to WordOfGod: "...[[OldShame in reflection, one of the worst ideas I have ever had]]." The actual webcomic makes fun of it.

* ''Webcomic/WapsiSquare'' has certainly gotten much darker and edgier since it shifted from a slice-of-life comedy, to a supernatural drama; dragging in themes of suicide, human sacrifice, manifesting personal demons, and a [[ResetButton looming quasi-apocalypse]].
* ''[[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/poyorick/botg/series.php?view=archive=10960 Breakfast Of The Gods]]'' is a DarkerAndEdgier and BloodierAndGorier use of breakfast cereal mascots. Tightly-written and exquisitely drawn, it's [=D&E&B&G=] at its finest. Frankenberry is a sadistic thug, Sonny the Cuckoo is batshit insane, The Trix Rabbit is a private investigator, Toucan Sam runs a bar and acts a lot like [[Film/{{Casablanca}} Rick]]. It's now completed.
%%* ''Webcomic/{{Shortpacked}}!'' mocks this tendency [[http://www.shortpacked.com/d/20080218.html here]] and [[http://www.shortpacked.com/d/20090420.html again]] in reference to WesternAnimation/GIJoeResolute.
%%* The concept is mocked in [[http://kitsune.rydia.net/comic/fwhalloween09.html this]] ''FeyWinds'' page.
* ''Webcomic/{{Sonichu}}'' started out with Chris-Chan's poor attempt at making a crossover between ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' and ''VideoGame/{{Pokemon}}''. In the last three issues, we've seen [[{{Squick}} his electric hedgehogs have sex]] [[FetishRetardant in graphic detail]], [[AMillionIsAStatistic Chris murdering trolls by the hundreds]], and Chris [[MinorInjuryOverreaction torturing people in the most inhumanly brutal ways possible for... making fun of him online.]]

* ''WebComic/MagickChicks'' has always had a more dramatic narrative than ''WebComic/EerieCuties'', in general, even though both comics are PG-13.
** As of chapter 15, [[CerebusSyndrome it's become noticeably darker]] once [[spoiler: Cerise]] [[FaceHeelTurn turned evil]] and not only [[http://www.magickchicks.com/strips-mc/girls_who_resisted betrayed her friends]], she decided popularity was worth killing for - [[MassTeleportation by banishing the student council]], [[UncertainDoom whose fates remain unknown.]] Though she claims to have sent them [[spoiler: [[http://www.magickchicks.com/strips-mc/crossing_the_styx into a volcano]]]]!
** Which was soon followed by Melissa's mother, Dakota attempting to kill [[spoiler: [[http://www.magickchicks.com/strips-mc/super_secret_melissa_origin_time_go!_-_chapter_17 her other mom, Anastasia]]]] in the following chapter. [[http://www.magickchicks.com/strips-mc/the_perfect_weapon Except it didn't work.]]
* Formerly LawfulStupid Cale, from ''Webcomic/LookingForGroup'' has certainly come a long way since the comic started. Due to the influence of [[TokenEvilTeammate undead warlock]] [[OmnicidalManiac Richard]], cynical companions [[PoisonousFriend Pella]], [[ActionGirl Benny]], and [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Krunch Bloodrage]], and the fact that his new Kingdom was [[spoiler: PoweredByAForsakenChild]], Cale has become far more flexible with regards to his morals, and smiles when he sees an old foe intimidated by Richard's undead townsfolk.

* In ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', the "Painted Black" arc is one of the darkest story arcs and as it came after the silly "Q&A #2" and the relatively light "Tam Eh Tedd" storylines its [[WhamEpisode impact was felt all the more heavily]].
* ''Webcomic/DistortionNuzlocke'' is this compared to ''Pokemon'' and some other Nuzlockes. The Pokemon aren't even real, and it contains a lot of violence and questioning sanity.
* Mocked in ''Webcomic/{{Fanboys}}'' when Paul claims that to appeal to their readers they will have to resort to foul language, gun usage, drug abuse and sex appeal.
* ''Webcomic/WeaponBrown'' is ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'' (and other cartoon characters) made ludicrously grimdark and set in TheApunkalypse.
** There was also the student film "Bring Me The Head Of Charlie Brown" by future ''[[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons Simpsons]]'' writer Jim Reardon, which involves the Great Pumpkin hiring the kids as hitmen to kill Charlie Brown in gruesome ways, eventually he snaps and goes on a killing spree.
-->'''Charlie Brown:''' (in a [[Main/TheAhnold thick Austrian accent]]) [[Main/BondOneLiner Happiness is a warm Uzi.]]

* ''Webcomic/NightTerror'' 2 is far darker than than the one that came before or after it, largely due to the [[GodOfEvil Boogeyman's greater involvement.]] Fitting, for the (canonically) last entry in the series.

* ''WebComic/TheNonAdventuresOfWonderella'' parodied the idea [[http://nonadventures.com/2011/02/05/joke-and-mirrors/ here]], when Jokerella tried to invoke this trope.
-->'''Hitlerella:''' ''Every'' villain goes through this. You want to be taken more seriously, so you get some edgy new outfit, maybe make a demonic pact to score some evil ambient lighting. It all seems like a great idea at the time. But in six months, all you'll have left is your shame and halloween contact lenses.

* The ''Webcomic/TeamFortress2'' comics go from the offbeat BlackComedy of the games to a wacked-out dramedy with surprisingly solemn moments scattered throughout. Despite these changes, It never loses the humor throughout its run.
* In ''Webcomic/TheHaresBride'', Creator/EmilyCarroll's adaptation of the fairy tale of the same name, the hare is more menacing and monstrous than in the original tale. In the original, he attacks the straw dummy by hitting it on the head. In this comic, he takes on a more monstrous appearance before tearing apart the dummy with his limbs and teeth. There are also some implications that the girl may have been InvitedAsDinner.