History AGodAmI / ComicBooks

*** Interestingly {{averted|Trope}} with [[Characters/MarvelComicsExodus Exodus]], who despite being an omega level mutant on par with Apocalypse himself reminds his followers that [[AGodIAmNot he is not God]]. Makes sense, considering that he's a former KnightTemplar and a devout Christian.

*** Ironically {{subverted|Trope}} during "ComicBook/TheKorvacSaga". Korvac, a supervillain, accidentally gains cosmic powers and knowledge... and, realizing humanity is at the mercy of [[CosmicHorrorStory uncaring cosmic beings]], decides to help free the universe from them. Unfortunately, he is tracked down by The Avengers (who had no idea what had happened to him) and is exposed, ruining his plans. In the end, he commits suicide out of despair. This story has been {{retcon}}ned later to make it seem that Korvac was still villainous and that the Avengers were right in opposing him, but anybody who reads the original version can clearly tell that this wasn't the case.

** In one two-part story in ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica'', [[Characters/MarvelComicsRedSkull the Red Skull]] obtains the [[MacGuffin Cosmic Cube]] and becomes this. He demonstrates by making himself a suit of golden armor and generating a {{Golem}} for Cap to fight. Eventually, Captain America knocks the Cube from the Skull's hand, and the Skull [[DisneyDeath presumably dies]] while diving into the water after it (and being weighed down by his aforementioned golden armor).

*** Adam Warlock has encountered a [[FutureMeScaresMe mad future version]] of himself called the Magus who not only believes that he's a god but also has his own vastly powerful church of fanatical followers sweeping across the galaxy in a Crusade. It doesn't help clear up matters when Warlock [[FauxSymbolism is crucified, dies, and comes back to life]].

*** Interestingly {{averted|Trope}} with [[Characters/MarvelComicsExodus Exodus]], who despite being an omega level mutant on par with Apocalypse himself reminds his followers that he is not God. Makes sense considering he was a former KnightTemplar and devout Christian.
*** [[Characters/MarvelComicsXMan Nate Grey]] a.k.a. X-Man, the ''ComicBook/AgeOfApocalypse'' counterpart of ComicBook/{{Cable}} and likewise an ArchEnemy of Apocalypse, is initially violently against this attitude - a point he makes ''extremely'' clear when beating the above-mentioned Exodus to a pulp, before sealing him in a crevasse. Even after being more or less worshipped and referred to as New York's 'Street Messiah', he rejected it. However, over the years he started slipping into a more and more judgmental attitude, "separating the innocent and the guilty", which evolved into this upon his return to full power in ''ComicBook/UncannyXMen2018'', when he more or less effortlessly flattened a team of X-Men that included his mother Jean Grey, Iceman, Storm, and Psylocke, while simultaneously keeping Apocalypse in chains and Magneto on his psychic leash. As he points out to Jean, with his power, where exactly is the difference between playing God and being one? However, it's left a little ambiguous how much he means it, when it's revealed that he's playing the part to [[spoiler:try and save Earth-616 before it is destroyed/destroys itself, the same way his world was]]. Ultimately, he confirms that he doesn't believe it -- even though, having created his own reality, he has a pretty good claim to be one.

*** Another ''Batman'' villain with ambitions of godhood is [[Characters/BatmanTheScarecrow the Scarecrow]], at least during the three-part "God of Fear" story arc during the much larger ''ComicBook/{{Knightfall}}'' saga. A student of all the world's mythologies, Dr. Jonathan Crane becomes annoyed that there is no historical record of a god of fear,[[note]]Ignoring gods like, say, [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Phobos and Deimos]] -- Crane may be a genius in [[PsychoPsychologist psychology]], but he clearly flunked mythology[[/note]] even though that should be the most obvious god because fear is what sustains the gods. Determined to halt the modern world's "flight from religion", he kidnaps several students from the psychology department at the university where he once taught, [[BrainwashedAndCrazy drugs them until they are totally stripped of their will]], dresses them in scarecrow costumes, gives them plastic skulls containing fear toxin and has them use them to spread chaos throughout various parts of Gotham City, creates [[EvilOverlooker an enormous hologram of himself that he projects against the sky]] to make himself ''literally'' look like a god, and orders the Gothamites to officially recognize him as a god or he will destroy the entire city with an entire tanker truck full of his toxin (when in fact he plans to empty the tanker into the city water supply, thus poisoning everyone who uses tap water). While negotiating with him on the phone, Commissioner Gordon tries to get the Scarecrow to see how insane he is acting, pointing out that he is a human being and that, even if Gotham City did declare him a god, he still wouldn't be one. This only enrages the Scarecrow, who, [[InsaneTrollLogic working from completely backward logic]], says that as a god he is incorruptible, and therefore can't possibly be insane. (That's right: The Scarecrow is so insane, he ''doesn't even know he's insane''.)

** In ''ComicBook/JusticeLeagueDark'' (vol. 2), the ''ComicBook/WonderWoman'' villain Circe becomes this at the conclusion of the series' first arc. Posing as a FriendlyEnemy, she manipulated the Wonder Woman and JLD into killing the Goddess Hectate so that Circe would end up inheriting her powers and become the new Goddess of Magic of the DC Universe.

** A... different example is Snowflame from ''ComicBook/TheNewGuardians'', a villain whose power source is ''[[AddictionPowered cocaine]]''. After snorting a massive amount of it, he declares himself "a true god" -- never mind that he has made it expressly clear that he worships cocaine itself as his god. Then again, cocaine and logic haven't always been the best of friends. Mind you, in some traditions, there are deities or deity-like beings that do worship the higher god in the pantheon, but a villain whose power source is a drug probably is just insane.

*** [[AGodIAmNot Thankfully averted by Superman himself]], who never thinks that his powers should grant him privilege and worship. ComicBook/{{Batman}} does note while observing Superman lifting up buildings that it's sometimes hard ''not'' to think of Clark as a god -- and that people are ''very'' lucky that Clark never does. Superman himself discusses this trope on occasion when justifying the often-debilitating strictness of his [[ThouShaltNotKill pacifism]]: the immensity of his power means he doesn't dare risk SlowlySlippingIntoEvil ''at all'' for fear of [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity falling right into the dark side]]. It helps his case that Supes shares a setting with ''actual'' gods, many of whom are as far above him as he is above us, and as such could stomp his ass if he ever got too uppity. Exactly ''how'' far is DependingOnTheWriter, many of whom tend to treat Supes as a genuine god in denial. ComicBook/WonderWoman and the various gods of the pantheon tend to think of Superman as a demi-god. In supplementary material for ''ComicBook/{{Justice}}'', Batman states in his files that Superman is a god -- and thankfully doesn't think of himself as one.

** ''ComicBook/{{Warlock}}'':

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rco026_1468665645.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Kneel before Doom]]
ComicBooks are full of [[SuperHero good guys]] and [[SuperVillain bad guys]] with godlike powers, and one difference is that the bad guys [[AGodAmI aren't afraid to admit it]].

* This is common in SuperHero comics, as WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity. Perhaps the single best-known example is ComicBook/JeanGrey of the ComicBook/XMen, who, as Dark Phoenix, goes to star-eating levels before committing suicide. (Though later {{retcon}}s serve to [[ContinuitySnarl confuse the issue]].) ComicBook/DoctorDoom is also a frequent offender.
** In one particularly literal case, Dr. Doom tried to claim [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor's]] hammer to gain his power.
** Doom is the unsurpassed master and monarch of this trope. "I want that power. By right, it is mine. For ultimate power is the ultimate destiny of Doom!" And, in fact, Victor von Doom has come within a fraction of a hair's width of securing Real Ultimate Power (TM) several times in the past. He has built a siphoning device that has allowed him to successfully steal not only the Power Cosmic of the Silver Surfer and ComicBook/{{Galactus}} but also The Beyonder's apparently omnipotent abilities in the course of the ''ComicBook/SecretWars1984'' story arc, as well as that of a renegade watcher. Naturally, [[StatusQuoIsGod he is beaten in the end once again]], but still...
*** After Creator/MarkMillar's run he gained god-like powers at a level strong enough to kill a Watcher. Still, it's possible that all writers will quickly forget about it.
*** In the Chaos Engine series of novels, Doom rebuilt the siphoning device and used it on Roma, Guardian of the Omniverse to try to claim her throne. The titular Chaos Engine itself was a (faulty) Cosmic Cube that granted Doom whatever he wished within its power- he used it to TakeOverTheWorld, rewrite history[[note]][[ParallelUniverse Or so he thought]][[/note]], and secretly use MindControl on ComicBook/{{Magneto}} to make him into a genocidal monster to be his new ArchEnemy (after he finally defeated that accursed Richards) because VictoryIsBoring. He did not quite claim godhood...but, apart from making himself King of the Earth, he ''did'' think he had the right to kill everyone on the planet when he realised that the Cube was ''killing'' him.
*** And ultimately, all of that was just a warmup for ComicBook/SecretWars2015, where Doom succeeds in the biggest, most absolute way possible: [[spoiler: saving the entire Marvel Multiverse from falling into oblivion, putting all the broken pieces together into one sole existence, and placing himself at its head as its God-Emperor. Forget ruling just a single universe, Doom now rules literally EVERYTHING EVER that exists in Marvel.]] Kneel before Doom, indeed.
** Doom's God complex is impressive enough that [[InsanityImmunity he can use it to]] NoSell mind control. Other people exist for Doom to order about, not the other way around.
* Rughal in ''ComicBook/{{The 99}}'' attempted to become godlike by absorbing all the knowledge of the noor stones. It didn't end well.

* In ''ComicBook/ActionComics'', ComicBook/LexLuthor merges with a Phantom Zone entity and becomes a massive godlike EnergyBeing. He uses his new power to halt entropy in all of existence and grants everyone immortality and eternal bliss while reveling in his godhood and flaunting it in the face of Franchise/{{Superman}}. [[spoiler:Then his Loisbot informs him that the zone entity made sure Luthor couldn't do anything negative with that power such as killing Superman. He can't refrain from trying, and so squanders his power in self-destructive pettiness.]]
* Another [[IncrediblyLamePun X-ample]] with ComicBook/{{Apocalypse}}, who claims to have masqueraded as various gods during his millennia-long life. In the [[WesternAnimation/XMen '90s cartoon]], he delivers a great line to Graydon Creed: "I am as far beyond mutants as they are beyond you! I am ''eternal!''" At times, Apocalypse has expressed the idea that he's ''beyond'' godhood, and considers even gods to be lesser beings.
** And later, the returning [[TheVamp Selene]] has been plotting this since Roman times at least, and in recent years has made it very clear that she was now aiming straight at godhood, with an attempt at a form of ascension being the driving point behind the ''Necrosha'' arc of ''ComicBook/XForce2008'' (where her [[TheDragon dragon]] Eli Bard uses the Techno-Organic virus to resurrect the dead mutants of Genosha for her to drain... all 16 million of them). Well, not before making her enemies suffer and pay for having impeded her -- or after. She's not overly picky.
** Interestingly averted with [[Characters/MarvelComicsExodus Exodus]], who despite being an omega level mutant on par with Apocalypse himself reminds his followers that he is not God. Makes sense considering he was a former KnightTemplar and devout Christian.
** [[ComicBook/XMan Nate Grey]] a.k.a. X-Man, the ''ComicBook/AgeOfApocalypse'' counterpart of ComicBook/{{Cable}} and likewise an ArchEnemy of Apocalypse, is initially violently against this attitude - a point he makes ''extremely'' clear when beating the above-mentioned Exodus to a pulp, before sealing him in a crevasse. Even after being more or less worshipped and referred to as New York's 'Street Messiah', he rejected it. However, over the years he started slipping into a more and more judgemental attitude, "separating the innocent and the guilty", which evolved into this upon his return to full power in ''ComicBook/UncannyXMen2018'', when he more or less effortlessly flattened a team of X-Men that included his mother ComicBook/JeanGrey, Iceman, Storm, and Psylocke, while simultaneously keeping Apocalypse in chains and Magneto on his psychic leash. As he points out to Jean, with his power, where exactly is the difference between playing god and being one? However, it's left a little ambiguous how much he means it, when it's revealed that he's playing the part to [[spoiler: try and save Earth-616 before it is destroyed/destroys itself, the same way his world was]]. Ultimately, he confirms that he doesn't believe it - even though, having created his own reality, he has a pretty good claim to be one.
* The 70s Marvel character [[ComicBook/{{Warlock}} Adam Warlock]] encounters a [[FutureMeScaresMe mad future version]] of himself called the Magus who not only believes he's a god, but has his own vastly powerful church of fanatical followers sweeping across the galaxy in a Crusade. It doesn't help clear up matters when Warlock [[FauxSymbolism is crucified, dies, and comes back to life]].
** When he had all six Infinity Gems in the Infinity Gauntlet and declared "I AM GOD!" in big red letters, it was ''really'' hard to argue with him ([[spoiler: at least until one of 'em proved to be a forgery]].)
** [[ComicBook/{{Warlock}} Adam Warlock]]'s creator the High Evolutionary plays this straight, being an EvilutionaryBiologist who artificially evolved himself into a higher state of being. He often claims to be the apex of human evolution, a boast which doesn't quite bear out when one considers his frequent tendency to devolve back into human or even sub-human states (more than once he has been reduced to a literal ape).

* Ironically subverted during "ComicBook/TheKorvacSaga" in ''ComicBook/TheAvengers''. Korvac, a supervillain, accidentally gains cosmic powers and knowledge... and, realizing humanity is at the mercy of [[CosmicHorrorStory uncaring cosmic beings]], decides to help free the universe from them. Unfortunately, he is tracked down by The Avengers (who had no idea what had happened to him) and is exposed, ruining his plans. In the end, he commits suicide out of despair. This story has been retconned later to make it seem that Korvac was still villainous and that the Avengers were right in opposing him, but anybody who reads the original version can clearly tell that wasn't the case.
* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' villain Max Zeus is one of the "so mad he thinks he's God" versions; although he doesn't possess any superpowers himself, he's managed to delude himself into believing that he is Zeus, All-Powerful Lord of Olympus. His [[PropheticNames last name doesn't help matters]]. Nor does his lightning cannon. It should be mentioned that "Zeus" isn't even his last name, but an alias that he uses exclusively. Max's actual surname is the much less godlike "Zlotski."
* Another ''Batman'' villain with ambitions of godhood is The Scarecrow, at least during the three-part "God of Fear" story arc during the much larger ''ComicBook/{{Knightfall}}'' saga. A student of all the world's mythologies, Dr. Jonathan Crane becomes annoyed that there is no historical record of a god of fear, even though that should be the most obvious god because fear is what sustains the gods. Determined to halt the modern world's "flight from religion," he kidnaps several students from the psychology department at the university where he once taught, [[BrainwashedAndCrazy drugs them until they are totally stripped of their will]], dresses them in scarecrow costumes, gives them plastic skulls containing fear toxin and has them use them to spread chaos throughout various parts of Gotham City, creates [[EvilOverlooker an enormous hologram of himself that he projects against the sky]] to make himself ''literally'' look like a god, and orders the Gothamites to officially recognize him as a god or he will destroy the entire city with an entire tanker truck full of his toxin (when in fact he plans to empty the tanker into the city water supply, thus poisoning everyone who uses tap water). While negotiating with him on the phone, Commissioner Gordon tries to get the Scarecrow to see how insane he is acting, pointing out that he is a human being and that, even if Gotham City did declare him a god, he still wouldn't be one. This only enrages the Scarecrow, who, [[InsaneTrollLogic working from completely backward logic]], says that as a god he is incorruptible, and therefore can't possibly be insane. (That's right: The Scarecrow is so insane, he ''doesn't even know he's insane''.)

* In ''ComicBook/TheBoys'', the Homelander develops this mindset after being driven insane by pictures of himself [[spoiler:actually his clone Black Noir dressed up as him]] committing horrific crimes like baby eating and rape, crimes that he didn't remember committing.
* In one two-part story in ComicBook/CaptainAmerica, the ComicBook/RedSkull obtains the [[MacGuffin Cosmic Cube]] and becomes this. He demonstrates by making himself a suit of golden armor and generating a {{Mook}} for Cap to fight. Eventually, Captain America knocks the Cube from the Skull's hand, and the Skull [[DisneyDeath presumably dies]] diving into the water after it.
* During the end of Creator/PeterDavid's run on Marvel's ComicBook/{{Captain Marvel|MarvelComics}}, Genis, the then-Captain, became Cosmically Aware ''and'' empowered. He was driven mad by being suddenly conscious of every event and being that existed throughout the universe at once, then subsequently went about erasing ''all of reality'' within a meager few pages. Reality gets better later, though. He later goes on to harass preachers and Asgard in an attempt to force his self-declared godhood on the rest of the world.
* A ''ComicBook/ChickTract'' had one of these -- an approximately 8-year-old boy deciding he was a god after his mother explained to him the point of atheism -- thus, he thought that if there is no god, he could become one. StrawAtheist? What else do you expect from Jack Chick?
* The First in Creator/CrossGen comics ("We call ourselves the First, but you would call us gods."). Somewhat justified in the fact that they really do possess godlike powers and a murky sense of their own origins that leads them to believe that they created the universe. Their actual creator [[spoiler: Solusandra]] also adopts this attitude sometimes, or even flat-out declares herself above gods (having created a lot of them after all).
* ComicBook/DoctorStrange, despite being Earth's Sorcerer Supreme, averts the trope. Many of his dimension-hopping adversaries fall into it, though. At this point, claiming godhood is a guaranteed method of '''not''' impressing him.

* The Skull of ''ComicBook/EarthX'' has the power to control the minds (or at least bodies) of every human being on Earth. Not surprisingly, he declares himself to be God. Ironically, he's more of [[TouchedByVorlons a pawn]] of the "real" gods of the setting, the Celestial Host.
--> '''Skull''': "You wouldn't even eat if I didn't remind you to. Fall down. You wouldn't bathe if I didn't get sick of your stink and make you. I'm God."
--> '''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica''': "Then I'm Nietzsche."
** Mar-Vell gains omniscience in the sequel. Yeah, there you go.

* ''ComicBook/GothamCityGarage'': Given the number of people swearing by Lex and reiterating Lex loves them and the fact that years are counted from the called "Luthorrise", it looks like ComicBook/LexLuthor has taken his narcissism and megalomania to the extreme.
* ''ComicBook/TheGreatPowerOfChninkel'': The great crime of the ancient Chinkel king N'om was to have himself worshipped as a god in place of the Almighty Creator god O'ne. The whole chinkel race has since been forced to live in bondage to atone for this and N'om himself [[spoiler:was imprisoned in the interdimensional void and his soul split up into three immortal tyrants waging a ForeverWar amongst themselves.]]
* Blume, the [[{{Cephalothorax}} giant floating head]] from ''ComicBook/GreenLantern'', tries to pass himself off as a "God of Hunger" so he can con aliens out of their valuables. The trick doesn't work very well on [[OneManArmy Larfleeze]].
* In the ''ComicBook/GrooTheWanderer}'' story arc "The Fray of the Gods," Groo has to deal with a king who wishes to promote himself to godhood and displace the other gods. [[spoiler: Some scenes are set on the plane of the gods, where the new "Star God" proclaimed by the king attempts to assert himself, only to find that his power waxes and wanes with the number of his worshippers.]]
* Hiro-Kala, teenage son of Hulk, gave us a really badass example, telling a whole army that:
---> '''Hiro-Kala:''' ''I am the chosen, progeny of Hulk the Green Scar and Caiera, shadow mother of all Sakaar. I am he of shadow, the life-bringer and world-breaker. Upon my planet I was known as Hiro-Kala. You will come to know me as GOD.''
* In ''ComicBook/InnocenceLost'', Dr. Sarah Kinney muses to the rest of the genetics team that scientists have only ''just'' figured out cloning with sheep and cats and have yet to attempt cloning on humans. Meanwhile, they're in the process of attempting to clone ''ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}''. She explicitly invokes this trope.
-->'''Sarah''': Gentlemen, welcome to ''godhood''.
* In ''ComicBook/JusticeLeagueDark'' (vol. 2), Wonder Woman villainous, ComicBook/{{Circe}} becomes this at the conclusion of the series first arc. Posing as a FriendlyEnemy, she manipulated the Wonder Woman and JLD into killing the Goddess Hectate so that Circe would end up inheriting her powers and become the new Goddess of Magic of the DC Universe.
* [[spoiler:Element Lad]] in the ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'' storyline "Legion Lost." [[spoiler:After getting lost through a [[TimeyWimeyBall time/space rift]] he transmutes himself into living mineral to survive, becoming immortal, and starts altering life on developing worlds to pass time, eventually creating whole civilizations of ScaryDogmaticAliens. By the time his time-displaced friends find him again billions of years later, his powers have grown a thousandfold; he's lost all sense of morality and murders one of his former comrades on a whim.]]
* {{Subverted}} in ''ComicBook/{{Lilith}}'': Roman emperor Commodus talks a big game about the divinity of his autority, has renamed after himself the months of the year and ''[[{{Egopolis}} Rome itself]]'', and when he's told that the people wouldn't stand for a woman in the gladiatorial games he replies that [[ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem HE decides what is acceptable or not]], but the moment he mistakes the time traveler Lilith for a goddess he asks for her name so he can worship her.
* Even though (DependingOnTheWriter -- originally and frequently, they really are) the ComicBook/NewGods aren't really gods per se, rather being highly advanced aliens, the New God ComicBook/{{Darkseid}} has always held himself to be a dark god in the flesh and is indeed worshiped as such by the people of Apokolips. He is the unquestioned ruler of his planet, has highly advanced powers and the only opponent who can stop him even temporarily is Franchise/{{Superman}}. In [[WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries the animated series]], when Supes manages to beat Darkseid in battle, his followers pick him up and help him.
---> "I am many things, Kal-El. But here, I am God."
** [[ComicBook/FinalCrisis "I. AM. THE. NEW. GOD."]]
** [[ComicBook/MisterMiracle2017 "Darkseid does not do. Darkseid IS."]]
* A... different example was Snowflame from ''ComicBook/TheNewGuardians'', a villain whose power source was ''cocaine''. After snorting a massive amount of it, he declares himself "a true god" -- never mind that he has made it expressly clear that he worships cocaine itself as his god. But, then, cocaine and logic haven't always been the best of friends.
** In some traditions there are deities or deity like beings that do worship the higher god in the pantheon. But yeah, a villain whose power source is a drug probably is just insane.
* ''ComicBook/NthManTheUltimateNinja'': Alfie O'Meagan often proclaimed himself to be the most powerful and most generous being in the universe. Justified in that he's a RealityWarper PsychopathicManchild.

* In ''[[ComicBook/TheMultiversity Pax Americana #1]]'', Captain Adam of Earth-4 veers into this territory, but he also has plenty of humanity left to realize in horror when his actions cross the line, and opts to have himself put on heavier medication to limit himself.
* In the ''ComicBook/PlanetHulk'' storyline, [[spoiler:the Red King claims to be God in the flesh while fighting the ComicBook/IncredibleHulk in a [[AMechByAnyOtherName mecha suit, yes it was a mecha]]... then the Hulk got [[UnstoppableRage really mad and strongly begged to differ.]]]]
* In ''ComicBook/{{Powers}}'', 'The Sellouts' storyline revolves around a CaptainErsatz of Franchise/{{Superman}} who has lost his mind and believes himself to be a god. The results aren't pretty.
* Doctor Destiny from ''ComicBook/TheSandman1989'' when he briefly acquires one of Morpheus' artifacts. He actually does manage to cause mass chaos in both the real world and the dream world, and almost destroys the dream world entirely... [[spoiler:until he accidentally gives the Lord of Dreams a power-up]].
* The ComicBook/ScarletWitch attained godlike powers for a time, which naturally proved highly detrimental to her sanity. Birthing children with an android probably didn't help.

-->'''Frankenstein Monster''': We are not insects, we are the Adam Eve of your labours!!\\
'''Dr. Pretorious''': I am your god!!... And you will obey me!
* Hopping up on Chaos energy tends to do this to Echidnas in ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'' series; both Enerjak and his descendant Knuckles have attempted to warp reality to their own design after being supercharged by the Master Emerald.
** In an alternate reality's future, Knuckles did succeed in altering the world as he saw fit, crushing all real resistance with ease and tearing out the souls of the most talented opponents (main cast included). However, in a twist of irony, he became so bored without a challenge he let the Freedom Fighters continue to exist for entertainment value.
*** And then, in an aversion of this trope, he has his power taken away and absorbed by [[spoiler: his daughter]], who ''doesn't'' let it go to [[spoiler: her]] head, but instead intends to use the power to undo the damage Alt!Knuckles did before giving the power up.

* In ''ComicBook/SonicTheComic'' this happens ''twice'' to Robotnik. The first time, in the "Robotnik Reigns Supreme" storyline, he manages to absorb the power of the [[GreenRocks Chaos Emeralds]] and has reality completely at his whim until he gets outwitted by Sonic and drained of his powers. Much later he is hooked up to an alien machine supposed to drain the life force out of the planet and into his body, which gives him a brief moment of god-like powers until he is defeated again.
* In ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}: Godfall'', Lyla manages to drain a portion of Superman's power into herself, and she quickly goes to Metropolis and demands worship. She is ''quite'' surprised when the people don't comply.
* Thankfully averted [[BewareTheSuperman by Superman]], who never thinks that his powers should grant him privilege and worship. Batman does note while observing Superman lifting up buildings that it's sometimes hard ''not'' to think of Clark as a god -- and that people are ''very'' lucky that Clark never does.
** Superman himself lampshades this trope on occasion when justifying the often debilitating strictness of his pacifism: the immensity of his power means he doesn't dare risk SlowlySlippingIntoEvil ''at all'' for fear of [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity falling right into the dark side.]]
** It helps his case that Supes shares a setting with ''actual'' gods, many of whom are as far above him as he is above us, and as such could stomp his ass if he ever got too uppity. Exactly ''how'' far is DependingOnTheWriter, many of whom tend to treat Supes as a genuine god [[AGodIAmNot in denial]]. ComicBook/WonderWoman and the various gods of the pantheon tend to think of Superman as a demi-god. Batman in his files, according to supplementary material of ''ComicBook/{{Justice}}'' states that Superman is a god -- and thankfully doesn't think of himself as one.
** Interestingly, Lex Luthor has tried to fulfill this trope on ''on behalf of'' Superman. In an early story, Creator/JohnByrne establishes that Luthor knows how extremely likely it is that Clark Kent is Superman, but he refuses to believe that someone as powerful as Superman would deign to pretend to be a normal human.
* Borderline example: Evil Kryptonians like General Zod tend to see themselves as above everyone due to their incredible power. At least Zod is smart enough to realize ''some'' people can threaten them, urging his {{Mooks}} to learn decent fighting skills and battle tactics.
* In direct contrast to Superman, the title character from the pre-Creator/AlanMoore run of ''ComicBook/{{Supreme}}'' absolutely believes that he, himself, is a god. Or possibly ''the'' God -– he is known to quote scripture when implicitly referring to himself. The Norse god Thor, who is a recurring antagonist, objects to this idea, saying that gods are born while Supreme was created by science.
* During ''ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman'', as the Eradicator and ComicBook/{{Steel}} are fighting, one of the many {{Cult}}s approaches the Eradicator, cheering him on, leading to the deluded metahuman to start acting this way. It certainly doesn't endear him to Steel at all.
* ''ComicBook/TalesFromTheDarkMultiverse'' jabs this trope at ''ComicBook/TheJudasContract'' where the events within the Dark Multiverse went awry compared to the original events of the aforementioned comic book. It shows that Terra, instead of dying at the hands of Beast Boy, manages to survive and [[spoiler: manages to kill Slade Wilson (her mentor) and acquire his superhuman serum, and using her upgraded powers, manages to decimate the Teen Titans and ravage the Earth, leaving a handful of survivors to rule over the broken dark Earth that is located within the Multiverse]].
* Every other appearance by ComicBook/{{Thanos}} has him stealing an artifact or power source that gives them godlike power. This was most obvious when he acquired the Infinity Gems.
* The reason that Marvel's Thor was first banished to earth and bound to the human host Dr. Donald Blake is that his father, Odin, thought he was getting dangerously close to this and needed to learn humility. Ironic, considering that Thor and Odin actually are gods, and Odin himself displays the arrogance of this attitude quite often.
* ''ComicBook/{{Thunderbolts}}'' #120: ComicBook/NormanOsborn loses his shit, resulting in the following exchange;
--> '''Swordsman''': "You can't treat me like this! I'm a [[RoyallyScrewedUp baron]]!"
--> '''Green Goblin''': "I am God!"
* In a Marvel UK ''[[ComicBook/TheTransformersMarvel Transformers Generation 1]]'' story, Galvatron fits a massive energy collector to a volcano and keeps telling everyone present that as soon as he absorbs all the energy, he'll become a god. He fails, but just barely.

* ''ComicBook/{{Ultimatum}}'': Ultimate ComicBook/{{Magneto}} always had delusions of grandeur, but this time he has gone too far, comparing his action with the biblical great flood. Xavier had to point it: Magneto is not God.

* ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} narrowly avoided this during ''Lost in the Funhouse''. After being imbued with the power of the issue's MacGuffin, he briefly revels in the thought of what he could do -- before realising that if he starts using it, he'll never be able to stop and [[HeWhoFightsMonsters end up like the villain of the issue]].
-->"''I'm talkin' like God... only I ain't God. That was Horde's trip.''"

* Doctor Destiny from ComicBook/TheSandman when he briefly acquires one of Morpheus' artifacts. He actually does manage to cause mass chaos in both the real world and the dream world, and almost destroys the dream world entirely... [[spoiler: until he accidentally gave the Lord Of Dreams a PowerUp]].

* In ''Franchise/{{Superman}}: Godfall'', Lyla manages to drain a portion of Superman's power into herself, and she quickly goes to Metropolis and demands worship. She is ''quite'' surprised when the people don't comply.

** Interestingly averted with [[Characters/XMenAcolytes Exodus]], who despite being an omega level mutant on par with Apocalypse himself reminds his followers that he is not God. Makes sense considering he was a former KnightTemplar and devout Christian.

* The 70s Marvel character ComicBook/AdamWarlock encounters a [[FutureMeScaresMe mad future version]] of himself called the Magus who not only believes he's a god, but has his own vastly powerful church of fanatical followers sweeping across the galaxy in a Crusade. It doesn't help clear up matters when Warlock [[FauxSymbolism is crucified, dies, and comes back to life]].

** ComicBook/AdamWarlock's creator the High Evolutionary plays this straight, being an EvilutionaryBiologist who artificially evolved himself into a higher state of being. He often claims to be the apex of human evolution, a boast which doesn't quite bear out when one considers his frequent tendency to devolve back into human or even sub-human states (more than once he has been reduced to a literal ape).

* In a Marvel UK ''[[ComicBook/TheTransformers Transformers Generation 1]]'' story, Galvatron fits a massive energy collector to a volcano and keeps telling everyone present that as soon as he absorbs all the energy, he'll become a god. He fails, but just barely.

* During the end of Creator/PeterDavid's run on Marvel's [[ComicBook/CaptainMarVell Captain Marvel]], Genis, the then-Captain, became Cosmically Aware ''and'' empowered. He was driven mad by being suddenly conscious of every event and being that existed throughout the universe at once, then subsequently went about erasing ''all of reality'' within a meager few pages. Reality gets better later, though. He later goes on to harass preachers and Asgard in an attempt to force his self-declared godhood on the rest of the world.

* [[spoiler:Element Lad]] in the ''ComicBook/{{Legion of Super-Heroes}}'' storyline "Legion Lost." [[spoiler:After getting lost through a [[TimeyWimeyBall time/space rift]] he transmutes himself into living mineral to survive, becoming immortal, and starts altering life on developing worlds to pass time, eventually creating whole civilizations of ScaryDogmaticAliens. By the time his time-displaced friends find him again billions of years later, his powers have grown a thousandfold; he's lost all sense of morality and murders one of his former comrades on a whim.]]

** And later, the returning [[TheVamp Selene]] has been plotting this since Roman times at least, and in recent years has made it very clear that she was now aiming straight at godhood, with an attempt at a form of ascension being the driving point behind the ''Necrosha'' arc of ''ComicBook/XForce2008'' (where her [[TheDragon dragon]] Eli Bard uses the Techno-Organic virus to resurrect the dead mutants of Genosha for her to drain... all 16 million of them). Well, not before making her enemies suffer and pay for having impeded her - or after. She's not overly picky.

* ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} narrowly avoided this during ''Lost in the Funhouse''. After being imbued with the power of the issue's MacGuffin, he briefly revels in the thought of what he could do - before realising that if he starts using it, he'll never be able to stop and [[HeWhoFightsMonsters end up like the villain of the issue]].
-->"''I'm talkin' like God... only I ain't God. That was Horde's trip.''"
* ComicBook/DoctorStrange, despite being Earth's Sorcerer Supreme, averts the trope. Many of his dimension-hopping adversaries fall into it, though. At this point claiming godhood is a guaranteed method of '''not''' impressing him.
* Hopping up on Chaos energy tends to do this to Echidnas in ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'' series; both Enerjak and his descendant Knuckles have attempted to warp reality to their own design after being supercharged by the Master Emerald.
** In an alternate reality's future, Knuckles did succeed in altering the world as he saw fit, crushing all real resistance with ease and tearing out the souls of the most talented opponents (main cast included). However, in a twist of irony, he became so bored without a challenge he let the Freedom Fighters continue to exist for entertainment value.
*** And then, in an aversion of this trope, he has his power taken away and absorbed by [[spoiler: his daughter]], who ''doesn't'' let it go to [[spoiler: her]] head, but instead intends to use the power to undo the damage Alt!Knuckles did before giving the power up.
** Knuckles is almost the most susceptible to this trope, he fell into this again during his stint as Enerjak.
** In a non-Echidna example: Feist is essentially God within the Special Zone, and anyone who goes there has no choice but to abide by his rules.
* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' villain Max Zeus is one of the "so mad he thinks he's God" versions; although he doesn't possess any superpowers himself, he's managed to delude himself into believing that he is Zeus, All-Powerful Lord of Olympus. His [[PropheticNames last name doesn't help matters]]. Nor does his lightning cannon. It should be mentioned that "Zeus" isn't even his last name, but an alias that he uses exclusively. Max's actual surname is the much less godlike "Zlotski."
* Another ''Batman'' villain with ambitions of godhood is The Scarecrow, at least during the three-part "God of Fear" story arc during the much larger ''ComicBook/{{Knightfall}}'' saga. A student of all the world's mythologies, Dr. Jonathan Crane becomes annoyed that there is no historical record of a god of fear, even though that should be the most obvious god because fear is what sustains the gods. Determined to halt the modern world's "flight from religion," he kidnaps several students from the psychology department at the university where he once taught, [[BrainwashedAndCrazy drugs them until they are totally stripped of their will]], dresses them in scarecrow costumes, gives them plastic skulls containing fear toxin and has them use them to spread chaos throughout various parts of Gotham City, creates [[EvilOverlooker an enormous hologram of himself that he projects against the sky]] to make himself ''literally'' look like a god, and orders the Gothamites to officially recognize him as a god or he will destroy the entire city with an entire tanker truck full of his toxin (when in fact he plans to empty the tanker into the city water supply, thus poisoning everyone who uses tap water). While negotiating with him on the phone, Commissioner Gordon tries to get the Scarecrow to see how insane he is acting, pointing out that he is a human being and that, even if Gotham City did declare him a god, he still wouldn't be one. This only enrages the Scarecrow, who, [[InsaneTrollLogic working from completely backward logic]], says that as a god he is incorruptible, and therefore can't possibly be insane. (That's right: The Scarecrow is so insane, he ''doesn't even know he's insane''.)
* Eric Forster of ''ComicBook/AGodSomewhere'' is discovered to be the first documented human being with superpowers. This causes him to become more religious and believe that he has been chosen by God, but this belief quickly develops into megalomania as Eric begins to consider himself a ''real'' god and treat regular people accordingly.
* In ''ComicBook/{{Powers}}'', 'The Sellouts' storyline revolves around a CaptainErsatz of Franchise/{{Superman}} who has lost his mind and believes himself to be a god. The results aren't pretty.

* Winnowill from ''ComicBook/ElfQuest'' has some very distinct ideas about The World How It Should Be - including her own unquestioned dominion over earth and space, and the non-existence of the main cast. Her LoveMartyr Rayek suffers from the same malady, to a somewhat lesser extent (not that much lesser, though). He really goes over the top with it when he acquires the power of the Gliders' spirits, but once he arrives at the Palace they abandon him, leaving him (temporarily) a bit deflated.

* ''ComicBook/GothamCityGarage'': Given the number of people swearing by Lex and reiterating Lex loves them and the fact that years are counted from the called "Luthorrise", it looks like ComicBook/LexLuthor has taken his narcissism and megalomania to the extreme.
* [[spoiler:Element Lad]] in the ''ComicBook/{{Legion of Super-Heroes}}'' storyline "Legion Lost." [[spoiler:After getting lost through a [[TimeyWimeyBall time/space rift]] he transmutes himself into living mineral to survive, becoming immortal, and starts altering life on developing worlds to pass time, eventually creating whole civilizations of ScaryDogmaticAliens. By the time his time-displaced friends find him again billions of years later, his powers have grown a thousandfold; he's lost all sense of morality and murders one of his former comrades on a whim.]]
* In the ''ComicBook/PlanetHulk'' storyline, [[spoiler:the Red King claims to be God in the flesh while fighting the ComicBook/IncredibleHulk in a [[AMechByAnyOtherName mecha suit, yes it was a mecha]]... then the Hulk got [[UnstoppableRage really mad and strongly begged to differ.]]]]

* Ironically subverted during "ComicBook/TheKorvacSaga" in ''ComicBook/TheAvengers''. Korvac, a supervillain, accidentally gains cosmic powers and knowledge... and, realizing humanity is at the mercy of [[CosmicHorrorStory uncaring cosmic beings]], decides to help free the universe from them. Unfortunately, he is tracked down by The Avengers (who had no idea what had happened to him) and is exposed, ruining his plans. In the end, he commits suicide out of despair. This story has been retconned later to make it seem that Korvac was still villainous and that the Avengers were right in opposing him, but anybody who reads the original version can clearly tell that wasn't the case.
* Even though (DependingOnTheWriter- originally and frequently, they really are) the ComicBook/NewGods aren't really gods per se, rather being highly advanced aliens, the New God ComicBook/{{Darkseid}} has always held himself to be a dark god in the flesh and is indeed worshiped as such by the people of Apokolips. He is the unquestioned ruler of his planet, has highly advanced powers and the only opponent who can stop him even temporarily is Franchise/{{Superman}}. In [[WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries the animated series]], when Supes manages to beat Darkseid in battle, his followers pick him up and help him.
---> "I am many things, Kal-El. But here, I am God."
** [[ComicBook/FinalCrisis "I. AM. THE. NEW. GOD."]]
** [[ComicBook/MisterMiracle2017 "Darkseid does not do. Darkseid IS."]]
* Every other appearance by ComicBook/{{Thanos}} has him stealing an artifact or power source that gives them godlike power. This was most obvious when he acquired the Infinity Gems.
* ''ComicBook/{{Thunderbolts}}'' #120: ComicBook/NormanOsborn loses his shit, resulting in the following exchange;
--> '''Swordsman''': "You can't treat me like this! I'm a [[RoyallyScrewedUp baron]]!"
--> '''Green Goblin''': "I am God!"

* A... different example was Snowflame from ''ComicBook/TheNewGuardians'', a villain whose power source was ''cocaine''. After snorting a massive amount of it, he declares himself "a true god" -- never mind that he has made it expressly clear that he worships cocaine itself as his god. But, then, cocaine and logic haven't always been the best of friends.
** In some traditions there are deities or deity like beings that do worship the higher god in the pantheon. But yeah, a villain whose power source is a drug probably is just insane.

* Rughal in ''ComicBook/{{The 99}}'' attempted to become godlike by absorbing all the knowledge of the noor stones. It didn't end well.
* In ''ComicBook/SonicTheComic'' this happens ''twice'' to Robotnik. The first time, in the "Robotnik Reigns Supreme" storyline, he manages to absorb the power of the [[GreenRocks Chaos Emeralds]] and has reality completely at his whim until he gets outwitted by Sonic and drained of his powers. Much later he is hooked up to an alien machine supposed to drain the life force out of the planet and into his body, which gives him a brief moment of god-like powers until he is defeated again.
* Toyed with in ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'', as, when Jon experiments with creating life, he becomes more god-like than most of the examples on this page, and yet he pointedly avoids thinking of himself in such terms.
* Blume, the [[{{Cephalothorax}} giant floating head]] from ''ComicBook/GreenLantern'', tries to pass himself off as a "God of Hunger" so he can con aliens out of their valuables. The trick doesn't work very well on [[OneManArmy Larfleeze]].
* In one two-part story in ComicBook/CaptainAmerica, the ComicBook/RedSkull obtains the [[MacGuffin Cosmic Cube]] and becomes this. He demonstrates by making himself a suit of golden armor and generating a {{Mook}} for Cap to fight. Eventually, Captain America knocks the Cube from the Skull's hand, and the Skull [[DisneyDeath presumably dies]] diving into the water after it.
* Borderline example: Evil Kryptonians like General Zod tend to see themselves as above everyone due to their incredible power. At least Zod is smart enough to realize ''some'' people can threaten them, urging his {{Mooks}} to learn decent fighting skills and battle tactics.
* In a Marvel UK ''[[ComicBook/TheTransformers Transformers Generation 1]]'' story, Galvatron fits a massive energy collector to a volcano and keeps telling everyone present that as soon as he absorbs all the energy, he'll become a god. He fails, but just barely.
** In the US series, [[TheStarscream Starscream]] ''is'' successful in gaining godlike powers when he absorbs part of Cybertron's Underbase, and he proceeds to threaten several Earth cities as a demonstration of his newfound power. He fails, but manages to decimate the combined ranks of the Autobots and Decepticons in the process. [[BigGood Optimus Prime]] comes to realize that the only way to beat Starscream is to allow him to absorb the rest of the Underbase, so that [[PowerIncontinence its full energy will tear Starscream apart]]. It does, just as Starscream is [[KilledMidSentence threatening to utterly disintegrate Optimus and Scorponok]].
** The Decepticon Sunstorm often does this because he's a WalkingWasteland, and he assumes this makes him unbeatable. In the [[ComicBook/TransformersGenerationOne Dreamwave continuity]] (and, to a lesser extent, his ''Universe'' profile) this is taken somewhat seriously; in other G1 continuities, he's just another MauveShirt Seeker.
** In ''ComicBook/TheTransformersDarkCybertron'' event, Shockwave actually does briefly ascend to practical godhood, with the ultimate goal of [[ApocalypseHow destroying the universe]]. Optimus Prime manages to [[IKnowYouAreInThereSomewhereFight break through the brainwashing]] and convince him to shut the machine doing this down, which unfortunately involves killing himself.
* In ''Franchise/{{Superman}}: Godfall'', Lyla manages to drain a portion of Superman's power into herself, and she quickly goes to Metropolis and demands worship. She is ''quite'' surprised when the people don't comply.
* Thankfully averted [[BewareTheSuperman by Superman]], who never thinks that his powers should grant him privilege and worship. Batman does note while observing Superman lifting up buildings that it's sometimes hard ''not'' to think of Clark as a god -- and that people are ''very'' lucky that Clark never does.
** Superman himself lampshades this trope on occasion when justifying the often debilitating strictness of his pacifism: the immensity of his power means he doesn't dare risk SlowlySlippingIntoEvil ''at all'' for fear of [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity falling right into the dark side.]]
** It helps his case that Supes shares a setting with ''actual'' gods, many of whom are as far above him as he is above us, and as such could stomp his ass if he ever got too uppity. Exactly ''how'' far is DependingOnTheWriter, many of whom tend to treat Supes as a genuine god [[AGodIAmNot in denial]]. ComicBook/WonderWoman and the various gods of the pantheon tend to think of Superman as a demi-god. Batman in his files, according to supplementary material of ''ComicBook/{{Justice}}'' states that Superman is a god -- and thankfully doesn't think of himself as one.
** Interestingly, Lex Luthor has tried to fulfill this trope on ''on behalf of'' Superman. In an early story, Creator/JohnByrne establishes that Luthor knows how extremely likely it is that Clark Kent is Superman, but he refuses to believe that someone as powerful as Superman would deign to pretend to be a normal human.
* In direct contrast to Superman, the title character from the pre-Creator/AlanMoore run of ''ComicBook/{{Supreme}}'' absolutely believes that he, himself, is a god. Or possibly ''the'' God – he is known to quote scripture when implicitly referring to himself. The Norse god Thor, who is a recurring antagonist, objects to this idea, saying that gods are born while Supreme was created by science.
* A ''ComicBook/ChickTract'' had one of these -- an approximately 8-year old boy deciding he was a god after his mother explained to him the point of atheism -- thus, he thought that if there is no god, he could become one. StrawAtheist? What else do you expect from Jack Chick?
* The ComicBook/ScarletWitch attained godlike powers for a time, which naturally proved highly detrimental to her sanity. Birthing children with an android probably didn't help.

* In ''ComicBook/ActionComics'', ComicBook/LexLuthor merges with a Phantom Zone entity and becomes a massive godlike EnergyBeing. He uses his new power to halt entropy in all of existence and grants everyone immortality and eternal bliss while reveling in his godhood and flaunting it in the face of Franchise/{{Superman}}. [[spoiler:Then his Loisbot informs him that the zone entity made sure Luthor couldn't do anything negative with that power such as killing Superman. He can't refrain from trying, and so squanders his power in self-destructive pettiness.]]
* Doctor Destiny from ComicBook/TheSandman when he briefly acquires one of Morpheus' artifacts. He actually does manage to cause mass chaos in both the real world and the dream world, and almost destroys the dream world entirely... [[spoiler: until he accidentally gave the Lord Of Dreams a PowerUp]].
* There's a curious heroic version of this trope in the final Eighth Doctor comic strip in ''Magazine/DoctorWhoMagazine''; the Doctor merges with the space-time vortex in order to defeat the Cybermen, becoming a being of practically godlike omnipotence in the process. Although he remains benevolent, his omnipotence distracts him; he's so enthused about how he can see everything and feel everything that he doesn't notice that his companion remains on the Cybermen's rapidly decaying space ship and is about to fall to her death. Then, as the Doctor's about to say goodbye to her forever, he notices her about to fall to her death... and instantly gives up godhood without a second thought so that he can catch her before she falls.
* In ''ComicBook/TheBoys'', the Homelander develops this mindset after being driven insane by pictures of himself [[spoiler:actually his clone Black Noir dressed up as him]] committing horrific crimes like baby eating and rape, crimes that he didn't remember committing.
* The First in Creator/CrossGen comics ("We call ourselves the First, but you would call us gods."). Somewhat justified in the fact that they really do possess godlike powers and a murky sense of their own origins that leads them to believe that they created the universe. Their actual creator [[spoiler: Solusandra]] also adopts this attitude sometimes, or even flat-out declares herself above gods (having created a lot of them after all).

* During ''ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman'', as the Eradicator and ComicBook/{{Steel}} are fighting, one of the many {{Cult}}s approaches the Eradicator, cheering him on, leading to the deluded metahuman to start acting this way. It certainly doesn't endear him to Steel at all.
* In ''ComicBook/InnocenceLost'', Dr. Sarah Kinney muses to the rest of the genetics team that scientists have only ''just'' figured out cloning with sheep and cats and have yet to attempt cloning on humans. Meanwhile, they're in the process of attempting to clone ''ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}''. She explicitly invokes this trope.
-->'''Sarah''': Gentlemen, welcome to ''godhood''.
* ''ComicBook/TwoThousandAD'':
** Nero attempts to become a new deity in ''ComicBook/{{Aquila}}'' by having seven priests of seven gods killed (as well as a couple of actual gods). Of course, the readers know he'll fail.
** ''ComicBook/TheTenSeconders'': Double subverted by [[spoiler:The Scientist]], who taunts Malloy that there's no such thing as Gods, but once he's absorbed all of the star energy, he'll be the closest thing to one.0
* The reason that Marvel's Thor was first banished to earth and bound to the human host Dr. Donald Blake is that his father, Odin, thought he was getting dangerously close to this and needed to learn humility. Ironic, considering that Thor and Odin actually are gods, and Odin himself displays the arrogance of this attitude quite often.

* ''ComicBook/BlackMoonChronicles'': When Wismerhill asks [[SorcerousOverlord Haazheel Thorn]] if he is truly a demigod as his followers say, Haazheel says he might as well be. [[spoiler:In fact, he is the son of the most powerful demon in Hell.]]
* ''ComicBook/TheGreatPowerOfChninkel'': The great crime of the ancient Chinkel king N'om was to have himself worshipped as a god in place of the Almighty Creator god O'ne. The whole chinkel race has since been forced to live in bondage to atone for this and N'om himself [[spoiler:was imprisoned in the interdimensional void and his soul split up into three immortal tyrants waging a ForeverWar amongst themselves.]]
* ''ComicBook/{{Ultimatum}}'': Ultimate ComicBook/{{Magneto}} always had delusions of grandeur, but this time he has gone too far, comparing his action with the biblical great flood. Xavier had to point it: Magneto is not God.
* In the ''ComicBook/GrooTheWanderer}'' story arc "The Fray of the Gods," Groo has to deal with a king who wishes to promote himself to godhood and displace the other gods. [[spoiler: Some scenes are set on the plane of the gods, where the new "Star God" proclaimed by the king attempts to assert himself, only to find that his power waxes and wanes with the number of his worshippers.]]
* ''ComicBook/TalesFromTheDarkMultiverse'' jabs this trope at ''ComicBook/TheJudasContract'' where the events within the Dark Multiverse went awry compared to the original events of the aforementioned comic book. It shows that Terra, instead of dying at the hands of Beast Boy, manages to survive and [[spoiler: manages to kill Slade Wilson (her mentor) and acquire his superhuman serum, and using her upgraded powers, manages to decimate the Teen Titans and ravage the Earth, leaving a handful of survivors to rule over the broken dark Earth that is located within the Multiverse]].

* In ''ComicBook/JusticeLeagueDark'' (vol. 2), Wonder Woman villainous, ComicBook/{{Circe}} becomes this at the conclusion of the series first arc. Posing as a FriendlyEnemy, she manipulated the Wonder Woman and JLD into killing the Goddess Hectate so that Circe would end up inheriting her powers and become the new Goddess of Magic of the DC Universe.

* ''Tales From The Dark Multiverse'' jabs this trope at ''ComicBook/TheJudasContract'' where the events within the Dark Multiverse went awry compared to the original events of the aforementioned comic book. It shows that Terra, instead of dying at the hands of Beast Boy, manages to survive and [[spoiler: manages to kill Slade Wilson (her mentor) and acquire his superhuman serum, and using her upgraded powers, manages to decimate the Teen Titans and ravage the Earth, leaving a handful of survivors to rule over the broken dark Earth that is located within the Multiverse]].

* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' villain Max Zeus is one of the "so mad he thinks he's God" versions; although he doesn't possess any superpowers himself, he's managed to delude himself into believing that he is Zeus, All-Powerful Lord of Olympus. His [[PropheticNames last name doesn't help matters]]. Nor does his lightning cannon.
** It should be mentioned that "Zeus" isn't even his last name, but an alias that he uses exclusively. Max's actual surname is the much less godlike "Zlotski."
** Zeus makes an appearance in [[WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries the animated series]] but has a happy ending, of sorts. After being defeated by Batman (who he insists is Hades, since no mere mortal could best a god), he gets sent to Arkham. When he sees his cellmates "Hermes" (the Joker), "Janus" (Two-Face), and "Demeter" (Poison Ivy), he happily concludes he's reached Olympus at last.
** Also, Ivy used the name "Dr. Demeter" in an earlier episode.

** [[ComicBook/XMan Nate Grey]] a.k.a. X-Man, the ''ComicBook/AgeOfApocalypse'' counterpart of ComicBook/{{Cable}} and likewise an ArchEnemy of Apocalypse, is initially violently against this attitude - a point he makes ''extremely'' clear when beating the above-mentioned Exodus to a pulp, before sealing him in a crevasse. Even after being more or less worshipped and referred to as New York's 'Street Messiah', he rejected it. However, over the years he started slipping into a more and more judgemental attitude, "separating the innocent and the guilty", which evolved into this upon his return to full power in ''ComicBook/UncannyXMen2018'', when he more or less effortlessly flattened a team of X-Men that included his mother ComicBook/JeanGrey, Iceman, Storm, and Psylocke, while simultaneously keeping Apocalypse in chains and Magneto on his psychic leash. As he points out to Jean, with his power, where exactly is the difference between playing god and being one? However, it's left a little ambiguous how much he means it, when it's revealed that [[spoiler: he's playing the part to try and save Earth-616 before it is destroyed/destroys itself, the same way his world was]].

* This is common in SuperHero comics, as WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity. Perhaps the single best-known example is ComicBook/JeanGrey of the Comicbook/XMen, who, as Dark Phoenix, goes to star-eating levels before committing suicide. (Though later {{retcon}}s serve to [[ContinuitySnarl confuse the issue]].) ComicBook/DoctorDoom is also a frequent offender.

* Another [[IncrediblyLamePun X-ample]] with Comicbook/{{Apocalypse}}, who claims to have masqueraded as various gods during his millennia-long life. In the [[WesternAnimation/XMen '90s cartoon]], he delivers a great line to Graydon Creed: "I am as far beyond mutants as they are beyond you! I am ''eternal!''" At times, Apocalypse has expressed the idea that he's ''beyond'' godhood, and considers even gods to be lesser beings.

** [[ComicBook/XMan Nate Grey]] a.k.a. X-Man, the ''ComicBook/AgeOfApocalypse'' counterpart of {{ComicBook/Cable}} and likewise an ArchEnemy of Apocalypse, is initially violently against this attitude - a point he makes ''extremely'' clear when beating the above-mentioned Exodus to a pulp, before sealing him in a crevasse. Even after being more or less worshipped and referred to as New York's 'Street Messiah', he rejected it. However, over the years he started slipping into a more and more judgemental attitude, "separating the innocent and the guilty", which evolved into this upon his return to full power in ''ComicBook/UncannyXMen2018'', when he more or less effortlessly flattened a team of X-Men that included his mother ComicBook/JeanGrey, Iceman, Storm, and Psylocke, while simultaneously keeping Apocalypse in chains and Magneto on his psychic leash. As he points out to Jean, with his power, where exactly is the difference between playing god and being one? However, it's left a little ambiguous how much he means it, when it's revealed that [[spoiler: he's playing the part to try and save Earth-616 before it is destroyed/destroys itself, the same way his world was]].

* Hopping up on Chaos energy tends to do this to Echidnas in ''ComicBook/ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog'' series; both Enerjak and his descendant Knuckles have attempted to warp reality to their own design after being supercharged by the Master Emerald.

* [[spoiler:Element Lad]] in the ''Comicbook/{{Legion of Super-Heroes}}'' storyline "Legion Lost." [[spoiler:After getting lost through a [[TimeyWimeyBall time/space rift]] he transmutes himself into living mineral to survive, becoming immortal, and starts altering life on developing worlds to pass time, eventually creating whole civilizations of ScaryDogmaticAliens. By the time his time-displaced friends find him again billions of years later, his powers have grown a thousandfold; he's lost all sense of morality and murders one of his former comrades on a whim.]]

* Ironically subverted during "ComicBook/TheKorvacSaga" in ''Comicbook/TheAvengers''. Korvac, a supervillain, accidentally gains cosmic powers and knowledge... and, realizing humanity is at the mercy of [[CosmicHorrorStory uncaring cosmic beings]], decides to help free the universe from them. Unfortunately, he is tracked down by The Avengers (who had no idea what had happened to him) and is exposed, ruining his plans. In the end, he commits suicide out of despair. This story has been retconned later to make it seem that Korvac was still villainous and that the Avengers were right in opposing him, but anybody who reads the original version can clearly tell that wasn't the case.

* Toyed with in ''Comicbook/{{Watchmen}}'', as, when Jon experiments with creating life, he becomes more god-like than most of the examples on this page, and yet he pointedly avoids thinking of himself in such terms.
* Blume, the [[{{Cephalothorax}} giant floating head]] from ''Comicbook/GreenLantern'', tries to pass himself off as a "God of Hunger" so he can con aliens out of their valuables. The trick doesn't work very well on [[OneManArmy Larfleeze]].

** The Decepticon Sunstorm often does this because he's a WalkingWasteland, and he assumes this makes him unbeatable. In the [[ComicBook/TransformersGenerationOne Dreamwave continuity]] (and, to a lesser extent, his ''Universe'' profile); in other G1 continuities, he's just another MauveShirt Seeker.

* ''ComicBook/{{Ultimatum}}'': Magneto always had delusions of grandeur, but this time he has gone too far, comparing his action with the biblical great flood. Xavier had to point it: Magneto is not God.

* In ComicBook/JusticeLeagueDark (vol. 2), Wonder Woman villainous, ComicBook/{{Circe}} becomes this at the conclusion of the series first arc. Posing as a FriendlyEnemy, she manipulated the Wonder Woman and JLD into killing the Goddess Hectate so that Circe would end up inheriting her powers and become the new Goddess of Magic of the DC Universe.