History BreakTheHaughty / ComicBooks

* In ''ComicBook/Aquaman1986'', Aquaman is quickly rendered helpless by the magic of Thiera Na Oge and ''hates'' it, exerting himself to the point of pain trying and failing to break free of the Orichalcum chains.

** During Craig Kyle and Chris Yost's run in ''New X-Men''. The senior team's decisions all end up actually hurting the younger students that they've sworn to protect leading to the death of some of them. By the [[spoiler: ''Children of the X-Men'' arc]], the team [[spoiler:makes a genuine effort to get to know their students personally instead of just making decisions for them based on what they think is best]].
** Worst hit is ComicBook/EmmaFrost, by the end of [[spoiler:the ''Mercury Falling'' story arc, she's been broken so hard that she gets a genuine PetTheDog moment with her MoralityPet ComicBook/{{X 23}}]].

* Doctor Eggman gets hit with this hard in Archie Comics' ''[[ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics Sonic the Hedhehog]]''. Trying and failing to best Sonic for more than a decade has chipped away at his psyche. After a particularly crippling defeat in Issue #200, Eggman completely loses his mind and is reduced to a babbling lunatic in a padded room. He gets better though.

* This is one of the central themes of the graphic novel ''ComicBook/AsteriosPolyp''. We meet the main character in the middle of being broken, then flash back to him beforehand, when he was an award winner architect, (despite never having any of the designs actually built) a [[DeadpanSnarker snarky professor]] (who always found something sarcastic to say about the work of his students) and a happily married man. (Whose issues need to be the center of attention alienated his wife and eventually caused them to split.)

* Bleez from the [[Characters/GLRedLanternCorps Red Lanterns]]. She was the most beautiful woman on her entire planet, coveted by all, and refused all of her suitors -- that is until she was gang-raped and mutilated by several [[Characters/GLSinestroCorps Sinestro Corpsmen]]. She didn't take it particularly well.

* This trope summarizes the events of ''ComicBook/TheSandman''. Morpheus (a more common name for the titular character) is shown to be proud and self-centered, dedicated to his work above all else, but the events of the series, starting with his imprisonment, include the loss of several of the few he loves and culminates with [[spoiler:his death, or at least the death of the specific incarnation of the concept of Dream.]] By the end, he's far kinder, even if it ends up [[spoiler:being his undoing.]]

* ''ComicBook/{{Ultimatum}}'': Doubles with a KarmicDeath moment when Magneto discovers that mutants aren't actually a product of evolution in the ComicBook/UltimateMarvel universe. They were just the result of genetic experimentation similar to (and related to) the SuperSoldier serum. Essentially, it renders his entire belief system complete bullshit as he and other mutants are just uplifted humans. He dies before we can find out what he'd do with this information.

* Veronica from ''ComicBook/ArchieComics'' is victim often of this trope when [[DependingOnTheWriter is written like a bitch]].

* ComicBook/TransformersWingsOfHonor: [[BigBad Deathsaurus]] was the arrogant schemer, who built up his empire, and squashed the most elite Autobot group in the first arc. In the second, the remnants of the group defeat him, and he retreats to his base, only to find Megatron there whose about to hijack the story from him. Megatron challenges him to a duel, and defeats him, smashing his chest and blowing off half of his face. In the end, Deathsaurus agrees to go into exile, his empire gone and all but one of his minions having deserted him or died.

* Veronica from ''Franchise/ArchieComics'' is victim often of this trope when [[DependingOnTheWriter is written like a bitch]].

* In the miniseries ''ComicBook/FiftyTwo'', ComicBook/BoosterGold is revealed to have staged a supervillain attack using an actor in PoweredArmor to increase his reputation. He becomes a haughty {{Jerkass}} with a bitter hatred for the new hero Supernova and desperately searches for a chance to regain his superhero status. In issue #15 he manages to redeem himself [[spoiler:just before he dies in a ''nuclear explosion'' with only his skeleton left]]. In issue #37 it is revealed that [[spoiler:his fall-from-grace, apparent death, and rivalry with Supernova (who is revealed to be Booster Gold using time travel) was all part of a plan to stop Mister Mind from destroying TheMultiverse. He still hired the fake supervillain to boost his ego, which was his actual lowest point, but that was before he learned what was going on and decided to turn himself around.]]

* Envy Adams from ''ComicBook/ScottPilgrim'', Scott's ex-girlfriend. They met in college and were once a happy couple. However, over time, she begins to change the band she along with Steven and Scott were in by adding more people, taking it in a direction no one was happy or agreed to and even implied that she cheated on him. She reappears with her successful band and her new boyfriend (actually her [[ChildhoodFriendRomance Successful Childhood Friend]] Todd Ingram, also Ramona's 3rd ex) in Volume 3. However, it's here she loses everything that she held dear. [[spoiler: She learns that the incident that Todd used to prove he still loved her (using his vegan psychic powers to create a massive crater in the moon) was actually done for Ramona first. We then find out that he cheated on her with Lynette Guygott, the drummer. Todd even hits her in his pride, believing he can do whatever he wants as a rock star. ]] In the end, all she's left with (besides her talents) are the clothes on her back and some money. Ironically enough, that includes the hoodie that Scott gave her back when they were still dating.
* ''ComicBook/XMen'':
** During Craig Kyle and Chris Yost's run in ''New X-Men''. The senior team's decisions all end up actually hurting the younger students that they've sworn to protect leading to the death of some of them. By the [[spoiler: ''Children of the X-Men'' arc]], the team [[spoiler:makes a genuine effort to get to know their students personally instead of just making decisions for them based on what they think is best]].
** Worst hit is ComicBook/EmmaFrost, by the end of [[spoiler:the ''Mercury Falling'' story arc, she's been broken so hard that she gets a genuine PetTheDog moment with her MoralityPet ComicBook/{{X 23}}]].
** Long before that, Emma's HeelFaceTurn is precipitated by [[spoiler:her waking up from her coma to find that almost all the Hellions, who had trusted her as their mentor, were dead. She had been quite selfish before, but the realization that she had failed to protect her students turned her temporarily suicidal]].

* In the Batman Reborn issues of ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' Damian Wayne went through this as a way of RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap. Getting him to act less arrogant was a major factor in getting more fans to like him. Depending on who you ask, some think that this was always the planned arc for him.

* This is one of the central themes of the graphic novel ''ComicBook/AsteriosPolyp''. We meet the main character in the middle of being broken, then flash back to him beforehand, when he was an award winner architect, (despite never having any of the designs actually built) a [[DeadpanSnarker snarky professor]] (who always found something sarcastic to say about the work of his students) and a happily married man. (Whose issues need to be the center of attention alienated his wife and eventually caused them to split.)

* This happens throughout the later stages of ''ComicBook/SuperiorSpiderMan''. Dr. Octopus doesn't take failure well. His failure in ''ComicBook/EndsOfTheEarth'' shows that. However, his determination in creating a better legacy as Spider-Man than Peter Parker ends up costing him everything Peter had built up, ultimately leading to the ComicBook/GreenGoblin utterly destroying most of that legacy with gusto. He's ultimately left a broken man who [[spoiler:decides to take a HeroicSuicide to bring Peter back and get him to fix the mess.]]

* Veronica from ''Franchise/ArchieComics'' is victim often of this trope when [[DependingOnTheWriter is written like a bitch]].
* This trope summarizes the events of ''ComicBook/TheSandman''. Morpheus (a more common name for the titular character) is shown to be proud and self-centered, dedicated to his work above all else, but the events of the series, starting with his imprisonment, include the loss of several of the few he loves and culminates with [[spoiler:his death, or at least the death of the specific incarnation of the concept of Dream.]] By the end, he's far kinder, even if it ends up [[spoiler:being his undoing.]]
* ''ComicBook/{{Joker}}'': Jonny, a good way to see it is in the artwork where at the start he is always standing tall next to ComicBook/TheJoker, smoking a cigarette, pulling his collar, smugly smiling and all but short to flex at people when he enters the room. Near the end, he looks scared, aimless and depressed.