History BreakoutVillain / ComicBooks

* Top Dollar was just a lowly member of a largely interchangeable gang of thugs in the original ''ComicBook/TheCrow'' comic book, but was promoted to protagonist Eric Draven's ArchEnemy in [[Film/TheCrow the 1994 film]], [[Series/TheCrowStairwayToHeaven the 1998 live-action television series]], and the 1999 comic book series published by Creator/ImageComics.

* ''ComicBook/UsagiYojimbo'': When the series first started, Lord Hikiji was billed as Usagi's ArchNemesis while Jei-san was supposed to just be a one-shot villain. However, Jei made more of an impression on readers. As time went by, Hikiji was DemotedToExtra while Jei took over as Usagi's ArchNemesis.

* As the page image on the main page shows, Scourge the Hedgehog from ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'' was absolutely ''humongous'' in the Sonic fandom, even to those who didn't read the Archie Comics. Interestingly, he happened to be one of the very first OriginalGeneration characters, being introduced in Issue #11, the first comic in the series written by Creator/KenPenders, as Anti-Sonic. However, he was originally a [[TheScrappy scrappy]] who was known as a generic EvilCounterpart that had no motivation besides making Sonic and the rest of Mobius' lives miserable. That is, until Creator/IanFlynn took over in Issue #160, and his first order of business was transforming Anti-Sonic into Scourge, resulting in him ''exploding'' in popularity. It helped that he now had an understandable motivation, wanting to be better than all of his opponents, seeing Sonic as a WorthyOpponent instead of a [[TheChewToy Chew Toy]], and that he managed to usurp the title of ''[[TheUsurper King]]'' in his home dimension of Moebius. It's also worth noting that, while Mobius Prime was undergoing a pseudo-continuity reboot during the "Genesis" story arc of the main series, Scourge and the rest of the Destructix in ''Sonic Universe'' were busy having a prison break from Zone Jail in [[GreatEscape "Scourge: Lockdown"]]. Flynn even wanted to bring Scourge over to the [[CosmicRetcon post-Super Genesis Wave timeline]], complete with [[https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/sonic/images/5/51/Scourge_the_Hedgehog_Official_Artwork.png/revision/latest?cb=20211023003152 a 3D model]], but since Penders technically owned the rights to Anti-Sonic, Scourge was unfortunately ScrewedByTheLawyers, upsetting many a fan.

* As the page image on the main page shows, Scourge the Hedgehog from ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'' was absolutely ''humongous'' in the Sonic fandom, even to those who didn't read the Archie Comics. Interestingly, he happened to be one of the very first OriginalGeneration characters, being introduced in Issue #11, the first comic in the series written by Creator/KenPenders, as Anti-Sonic. However, he was originally a [[TheScrappy scrappy]] who was known as a generic EvilCounterpart that had no motivation besides making Sonic and the rest of Mobius' lives miserable. That is, until Creator/IanFlynn took over in Issue #160, and his first order of business was transforming Anti-Sonic into Scourge, resulting in him ''exploding'' in popularity. It helped that he now had an understandable motivation, wanting to be better than all of his opponents, seeing Sonic as a WorthyOpponent instead of a [[TheChewToy Chew Toy]], and that he managed to usurp the title of ''[[TheUsurper King]]'' in his home dimension of Moebius. It's also worth noting that, while Mobius Prime was undergoing a pseudo-continuity reboot during the "Genesis" story arc of the main series, Scourge and the rest of the Destructix in ''Sonic Universe'' were busy having a prison break from Zone Jail in [[GreatEscape Scourge: Lockdown]]. Flynn even wanted to bring Scourge over to the [[CosmicRetcon post-Super Genesis Wave timeline]], complete with [[https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/sonic/images/5/51/Scourge_the_Hedgehog_Official_Artwork.png/revision/latest?cb=20211023003152 a 3D model]], but since Penders technically owned the rights to Anti-Sonic, Scourge was unfortunately ScrewedByTheLawyers, upsetting many a fan.

* As the page image on the main page shows, Scourge the Hedgehog from ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'' was absolutely ''humongous'' in the Sonic fandom, even to those who didn't read the Archie Comics. Interestingly, he happened to be one of the very first OriginalGeneration characters, being introduced in Issue #11, the first comic in the series written by Creator/KenPenders, as Anti-Sonic. However, he was originally a [[TheScrappy scrappy]] who was known as a generic EvilCounterpart that had no motivation besides making Sonic and the rest of Mobius' lives miserable. That is, until Creator/IanFlynn took over in Issue #6, and his first order of business was transforming Anti-Sonic into Scourge, resulting in him ''exploding'' in popularity. It helped that he now had an understandable motivation, wanting to be better than all of his opponents, seeing Sonic as a WorthyOpponent instead of a [[TheChewToy Chew Toy]], and that he managed to usurp the title of ''[[TheUsurper King]]'' in his home dimension of Moebius. It's also worth noting that, while Mobius Prime was undergoing a pseudo-continuity reboot during the "Genesis" story arc of the main series, Scourge and the rest of the Destructix in ''Sonic Universe'' were busy having a prison break from Zone Jail in [[GreatEscape Scourge: Lockdown]]. Flynn even wanted to bring Scourge over to the [[CosmicRetcon post-Super Genesis Wave timeline]], complete with [[https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/sonic/images/5/51/Scourge_the_Hedgehog_Official_Artwork.png/revision/latest?cb=20211023003152 a 3D model]], but since Penders technically owned the rights to Anti-Sonic, Scourge was unfortunately ScrewedByTheLawyers, upsetting many a fan.

* As the page image on the main page shows, Scourge the Hedgehog from ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'' was absolutely ''humongous'' in the Sonic fandom, even to those who didn't read the Archie Comics. Interestingly, he happened to be one of the very first OriginalGeneration characters, being introduced in Issue #11, the first comic in the series written by Creator/KenPenders, as Anti-Sonic. However, he was originally a [[TheScrappy scrappy]] who was known as a generic EvilCounterpart that had no motivation besides making Sonic and the rest of Mobius' lives miserable. That is, until Creator/IanFlynn took over in Issue #6, and his first order of business was transforming Anti-Sonic into Scourge, resulting in him ''exploding'' in popularity. It helped that he now had an understandable motivation, wanting to be better than all of his opponents, seeing Sonic as a WorthyOpponent instead of a [[TheChewToy Chew Toy]], and that he managed to usurp the title of ''[[TheUsurper King]]'' in his home dimension of Moebius. It's also worth noting that, while Mobius Prime was undergoing a pseudo-continuity reboot during the "Genesis" story arc of the main series, Scourge and the rest of the Destructix in ''Sonic Universe'' were busy having a prison break from Zone Jail in [[GreatEscape Scourge: Lockdown]]. Flynn even wanted to bring Scourge over to the [[CosmicReboot post-Super Genesis Wave timeline]], complete with [[https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/sonic/images/5/51/Scourge_the_Hedgehog_Official_Artwork.png/revision/latest?cb=20211023003152 a 3D model]], but since Penders technically owned the rights to Anti-Sonic, Scourge was unfortunately ScrewedByTheLawyers, upsetting many a fan.

* ''Comicbook/TheTransformersMarvel'': Bludgeon and Thunderwing were initially unassuming Decepticon Pretender toys, with no real notoriety to them. Once writer Simon Furman took over the US book and included them, however, they became more defined characters, with both of them [[BigBad taking Megatron's job of being the leader of the Decepticons]] at various points. As such, the two have had more homages and new toys than any other Transformer from 1989, and their toys tend to go for higher prices on the second-hand market as a result.

* ''Comicbook/TheTransformers'': Bludgeon and Thunderwing were initially unassuming Decepticon Pretender toys, with no real notoriety to them. Once writer Simon Furman took over the US book and included them, however, they became more defined characters, with both of them [[BigBad taking Megatron's job of being the leader of the Decepticons]] at various points. As such, the two have had more homages and new toys than any other Transformer from 1989, and their toys tend to go for higher prices on the second-hand market as a result.

* Top Dollar was just a lowly member of a largely interchangeable gang of thugs in the original ''[[ComicBook/TheCrow Crow]]'' comic book, but was promoted to protagonist Eric Draven's ArchEnemy in [[Film/TheCrow the 1994 film]], [[Series/TheCrowStairwayToHeaven the 1998 live-action television series]], and the 1999 comic book series published by [[Creator/ImageComics Image]].
* In the ComicBook/DisneyDucksComicUniverse, Flintheart Glomgold started out as TheRival to Scrooge for the title of Richest Duck in the World. Flintheart only appeared in three stories by his creator Creator/CarlBarks, but by his third appearance, he had ascended to Scrooge's EvilCounterpart and was one of the few villains to demonstrate [[ItsPersonal murderous intent]] against Scrooge and his nephews. The Second Richest Duck in the World was mostly forgotten for the next twenty years, until Don Rosa reintroduced him in "Son of the Sun". Comics, the cartoon series ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales1987'', and video games have since portrayed Flintheart as a step above Scrooge's usual villains to the point of being his ArchEnemy.

!!!Franchise/TheDCU
* Most successful ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' villains are Breakout Villains.
** ComicBook/TheJoker is arguably the epitome of this trope. DC's initial intention was to kill him off in his second appearance, as they were concerned that having recurring villains would diminish Batman's reputation as a skilled crime-fighter. Editor Whitney Ellsworth convinced the writers to spare him, [[JokerImmunity a panel was hastily added to show that he'd survived]], and the Joker rapidly became not only Batman's ArchEnemy, but arguably ''the'' most iconic example of an ArchEnemy in ''all of fiction''.
** ComicBook/HarleyQuinn from ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' (see relative description under) become a CanonImmigrant in the comics thanks to this, and she proceeded to become one of the main characters (if not ''the'' main character) of several comic series, such as the ''ComicBook/HarleyAndIvy'' mini-series, her own ongoing and ''ComicBook/GothamCitySirens''. She even became the main villain in the ''Birds of Prey'' TV adaptation even though she's not prominent in the original comic. Later on she got a big role in the ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamSeries'' video games, became a member of the ComicBook/SuicideSquad, and got a second ongoing which became DC's highest-selling title with a female lead!
** ComicBook/TheRiddler was featured in a whopping ''two'' stories in his debut year (1948) before being promptly forgotten for nearly twenty years. After being brought back into the comics (just in time for the [[Series/Batman1966 60s show]]), he climbed his way up to the highest tier of the Bat-Rogues almost overnight.
** Scarecrow was featured in only two stories as well, neither of them memorable in the least. Then came a certain issue of ''ComicBook/TheBraveAndTheBold'' comic book that gave him his fear gas... and the rest is history.
** For decades, Mr. Freeze was a joke villain from the 60s in the same league as Calendar Man and Killer Moth. Then the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' episode "[[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE14HeartOfIce Heart of Ice]]" aired, and he instantly became an A-list villain and one of the most haunting and tragic characters in Batman's rogue gallery. Ironically, they had killed him off just before the cartoon hit and were forced to pull an AuthorsSavingThrow to revive him.
** In the third ComicBook/TwoFace story, Batman persuaded him to turn himself in and submit to any needed psychotherapy and surgery by loading a coin to land on its edge, and he did it and got better. However, the character's visuals proved so memorable that [[http://www.cbr.com/comic-book-legends-revealed-222/ a number of successors popped up in his wake]], until a 1954 story restored the original's scars and insanity (and took away his MoralityPet wife, to boot). Ironically, the ComicsCodeAuthority would then send the character into a ''fifteen-year'' hiatus (barring the occasional reprint, and [[http://about-faces.livejournal.com/16819.html one truly bizarre instance]] where ''Batman'' got turned into him), until Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams truly canonized him as a top villain in the 1970s.
* ComicBook/{{Darkseid}}. Originally part of the self-contained universe of the ComicBook/NewGods as originally envisioned by Creator/JackKirby, he later became a prominent villain in the DCU's continuity.
* Comicbook/BlackAdam: [[Comicbook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]] was such a [[FunPersonified happy, fun, feel-good-superhero series]] at first... then Black Adam came along. Originally intended as a one-shot baddy back in the 40's, Black Adam [[TheBusCameBack came back in force]] several years before the ''Comicbook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'', to become the most powerful villain/antihero of not only the Captain Marvel mythos, but also one of the most powerful villains in Franchise/TheDCU. In later years, he's proven to be more popular than the hero he was created to oppose. It is all the more interesting in that Captain Marvel already ''had'' a designated "primary villain" in the form of Dr. Sivana, who debuted alongside him in ''Whiz Comics'' #2, bedeviling the Big Red Cheese with [[CardCarryingVillain a whole deck of Villain cards]] throughout UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks.
* Played with with '''two''' ''ComicBook/CaptainAtom'' villains. Major Force was never more than a secondary or even tertiary adversary for Captain Atom, but he later became a fairly major ''Franchise/GreenLantern'' villain, particularly for Kyle Rayner. Wade Eiling, by contrast, was always intended to be the central antagonist for Captain Atom, but has since broken out to become a major villain for the entire DCU. He has also broken out to be a major antagonist for the whole Justice League in ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Unlimited'', and now seems slated to become a major recurring antagonist for ''Series/TheFlash2014''.
* The Iron Major became a popular recurring villain for Comicbook/SgtRock, despite dying in his first appearance.
* [[ComicBook/{{Deathstroke}} Deathstroke the Terminator]] was just going to be a villain to the [[ComicBook/TeenTitans Teen Titans]] for one story arc. But he had his role extended to being the villain of a much bigger story arc, then later became an AntiHero with his own comic, and when he went back to villainy, he became one of the most famous and prominent villains in the DC Universe who was not just limited to the Titans anymore, clashing with the likes of Batman, Green Arrow, and the entire Justice League.
* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}''
** ComicBook/LexLuthor started out as a minor if powerful villain, with only two comic appearances in the first year he was created. Superman's original arch-nemesis was intended to be the now largely forgotten Ultra-Humanite.
** Though not a character, Kryptonite was first introduced in [[Radio/TheAdventuresOfSuperman the radio series]]. This AchillesHeel became a defining element of the Superman mythos. (Something called "K-Metal", which amounted to the same thing as Kryptonite, figured in a comic book script well before the radio show, but the script was [[WhatCouldHaveBeen never published]] because it included [[StatusQuoIsGod Lois Lane discovering Superman's identity]].)
** General Zod was originally a rather minor figure among the many Kryptonian Phantom Zone prisoners that Superman tussled with. Thanks to his popularity in various adaptations, most notably ''Film/SupermanII'', he eventually started to grow in prominence as the Phantom Zone's ''de facto'' leader and one of Superman's [[ArchEnemy arch-enemies]] alongside Lex Luthor and Brainiac.
* Flash Comics' character Johnny Thunder is a seldom remembered Golden Age superhero. The most iconic character in his strips was a little thief (though, it was later revealed she was [[TheMole a spy]] who infiltrating gangs) known as "the ComicBook/BlackCanary". In the span of less than ten issues, Black Canary quickly eclipsed the titular hero and was given her own stand-alone comic. She was changed into a full-fledged superheroine and has been a comic book staple since.
* ComicBook/EobardThawne AKA Reverse Flash: While he's still solely fixated on the Flash Family, the TurnOfTheMillennium promotes Eobard to a multiversal threat due to his constant tampering with time.
!!!Franchise/MarvelUniverse
* Bullseye for Comicbook/{{Daredevil}}. DD had a fairly extensive Rogues' Gallery, but it was considered a pretty poor one. Then Bullseye, the assassin who [[ImprobableAimingSkills never misses]] debuted in issue #131, 12 ''years'' after DD himself appeared, and the great rivalry was on.
* ComicBook/DoctorDoom is this to the ComicBook/FantasticFour; appearing in their fifth issue, he took over their second annual, getting a DeathByOriginStory background for him and his parents, and has since then had his own book, own team-up series, and antagonized most of the Marvel [[TheVerse verse]] by power-hoarding {{MacGuffin}}s and being TheChessmaster MagnificentBastard with PoweredArmor. Lampshaded in Doom's third appearance: Creator/StanLee and Creator/JackKirby spend some time discussing how good of a villain Doom wound up unexpectedly being and lament killing him off so fast. Doom promptly storms in, very much alive, and berates them for doing the same.
* Early in his professional career, comic book writer/artist Jim Starlin was offered to pencil and co-write an issue of ComicBook/IronMan. Starlin didn't think his career would last very long, so he took the chance to introduce a couple of new characters for his one-off issue. One of those characters was the issue's villain, ComicBook/{{Thanos}}. Starlin would go on to write many more comic books, and Thanos would become one of the [[BigBad Biggest Bads]] in the Marvel Universe.
* ''Franchise/SpiderMan'':
** The [[Comicbook/NormanOsborn Green Goblin]] was originally a fairly average villain, with possibly the only thing which made him stand out being the fact that his identity wasn't revealed and he kept escaping. Then he found out Spider-Man's identity... [[ComicBook/TheNightGwenStacyDied then he killed Gwen Stacy]]. He's also an unusual case in that he was dead for quite a long time by comic book standards, but after he was brought back he tends to have some hand in almost every major plot against Spider-Man.
** Comicbook/{{Venom}}. While he wasn't intended to be just another regular villain (he made his debut in a double-sized 300th issue), neither Marvel nor its creator foresaw him becoming the most popular Spider-Man villain and becoming one of the "big three" along with the Green Goblin and Doc Ock. At the beginning, its creator David Michelinie even had plans to eventually kill him off, but his popularity prevented this.
*** As a result, Michelinie created ComicBook/{{Carnage}} in order to kill him off in his place. Once again, his plans were foiled when his debut issues quickly sold out despite lack of marketing and the character went on to become extremely popular, rivaling even Venom's fame and prompting Marvel to follow the story up with a [[Comicbook/MaximumCarnage 14-issue crossover event centered on him]].
** [[ComicBook/JMSSpiderMan Joe Straczynski's run]] has Morlun - he was an antagonist only in the first JMS story, but was the only one to be brought back, usually as a part of a big event, as [[KnightOfCerebus his mere presence shows things are getting serious]].
** Spidey's ''Brand New Day'' era of comics introduced a large slew of forgettable C and D-list villains, but one of them - Martin Li, otherwise known as Mister Negative - had enough staying power to be a consistently recurring foe since, owing to his interesting design and concept. He even got to star as one of the main villains in the high-profile [[VideoGame/SpiderManPS4 PS4 Spider-Man game]], with the producers at Insomniac studios citing that Mr. Negative is a villain that really emphasizes what Spidey's life is about: His civilian and vigilante life colliding when he really doesn't want it to.
* ComicBook/{{Deadpool}} is known as the famous Merc with the Mouth, one of Marvel's most popular characters, with his movie franchise being even more successful than the ''ComicBook/XMen'' themselves. With his massive following, merchandise, sales and surrounding culture, it might be hard to believe that when he was introduced, he was not the famous AntiHero we know him for, but rather a villain. Furthermore, Creator/RobLiefeld created him as nothing more than a CaptainErsatz of ComicBook/{{Deathstroke}}, being a run of the mill GunAndSword-wielding SuperSoldier mercenary who tangled with the ComicBook/NewMutants and had practically ''none'' of the personality we know him for now. It was when other writers like Joe Kelly began [[GrowingTheBeard diversifying his characterization]] did he become so popular like he is today. Back then, ''no one'' could've expected how popular Deadpool would've ended up being, considering he's now bigger than all the New Mutants put together. Even Comicbook/{{Cable}} himself, who was intended from the start to be a big deal to the ''X-Men'' franchise and ended up as an even bigger deal than Liefeld ever imagined, still ultimately got eclipsed by Deadpool's popularity. The 2004 ''ComicBook/CableAndDeadpool'' series started out with Cable as the lead character and Deadpool as his sidekick, but by 2008 it was Deadpool who was the undisputed main character, and the book was cancelled in favor of a new Deadpool solo book.
* While the ComicBook/UltimateMarvel universe would never really fully recover from its SeasonalRot, and would for all intents and purposes end in 2015, there were a number of [[CanonImmigrant/UltimateMarvel Canon Immigrants]]. While ComicBook/MilesMorales was transplanted and remains popular, especially due to his presence in media outside of comics, within Marvel's comics themselves, a character who has had more and more appearances is ComicBook/TheMaker, the evil FallenHero version of [[ComicBook/MisterFantastic Reed Richards]]. ''Ultimate Fantastic Four'' is the least talked about comic from the Ultimate line, but its former protagonist has gained newfound popularity as not only a foil to Reed Richards but also as a MadScientist supervillain in his own right.
* Magneto, as created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby was just one of many villains facing the X-Men. He wasn't even their most frequent foe. Magneto actually spent a lot of time during his early years teaming up with Doctor Doom, The Sub Mariner, and others as co-villains. It wasn't until Chris Claremont reimagined the X-Men that he became the former friend of Xavier who went separate ways due to philosophical differences. This is when Magneto became the antithesis of Xavier's dream of mutants existing in peace with humans [[note]]Today many fans will liken Xavier and Magneto to Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, but this didn't happen until the 80s when mutants became an explicit stand-in for ethic minorities[[/note]].