History CerebusSyndrome / Webcomics

*** {{Lampshaded}} heavily with the [[ShoutOut title of the second]] ''[[ShoutOut Roomies]]'' [[ShoutOut collection]]: [[ComicBook/{{X-Men}} Giant-Sized]] CerebusSyndrome.

* ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive''. After the heavily plot-based, action-packed "Painted Black" arc, the author admitted that he didn't really feel comfortable with that sort of thing. His next arc was about the interpersonal relations of the cast; it was still dramatic, but in a different way. The series continues to shift between drama, humor, and outright weirdness. There are definitely more serious storylines, and [[CerebusRetcon previous weirdness is often explained away]] but the author refuses to go all the way and sacrifice humor entirely

** Nowadays, the strip deviates back and forth between dark and dramatic plotlines and light and goofy SliceOfLife plots, currently passing a dramatic peak and becoming somewhat more airy. However, the strip is still somewhat less whimsical than it's early days. For example, the MediumAwareness and NoFourthWall of the early days is pretty much gone or delegated to non-canon guest/bonus strips.

*** {{Lampshaded}} heavily with the [[ShoutOut title of the second]] ''[[ShoutOut Roomies]]'' [[ShoutOut collection]]: [[ComicBook/{{X-Men}} Giant-Sized]] CerebusSyndrome.

* ''[=AsLAN=]'', Leo the lion's [[ShowWithinAShow comic-within-a-comic]] in ''Webcomic/SkinHorse''. [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=26144 Originally]] a poorly-drawn gag strip about lions telling a [[TheWarOnStraw Strawman]] antelope his opinions on technology are wrong, and then devouring him, it's [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=48680 now]] about a lion with a drink problem, another with father issues, and an antelope whose imminent death is a matter for serious concern.

** The small, sentient robots known as {{AnthroPCs}} were originally just for [[PluckyComicRelief comic relief]], but later strips started discussing seriously what it means to have actual sentient AIs in the world, and how they are treated by humans.

** The small, sentient robots known as AnthroPCs were originally just for [[PluckyComicRelief comic relief]], but later strips started discussing seriously what it means to have actual sentient AIs in the world, and how they are treated by humans.

* Parodied in [[http://www.checkerboardnightmare.com/retro/20051010.shtml this]] ''CheckerboardNightmare'' strip.

* ''Webcomic/LookingForGroup'' broke a record in this category - it started as a random parody of ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', but right after the first few pages the writer to go for a fantasy action-comedy. This has not stopped the constant parody elements and reference jokes thrown in, though.

* ''Webcomic/ProblemSleuth'' started out as a silly romp starring a particularly hard boiled detective and his quest to rescue hysterical dames. By page 1000 or so, it became so complex that it literally needed several entire "recap" pages just to clue readers in on what was going on. Oh, and it's got its own [[http://mspaintadventures.wikia.com/wiki/Problem_Sleuth_%28Adventure%29 wiki]]. Despite the increase in plot arcs as the series goes on, it still never really takes itself ''that'' seriously though.
** ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'', on the other hand, quickly develops several intricate story arcs during the second and third acts, and by the time the BigBad is revealed in Act 4, the series has gotten much, ''much'' darker and more dramatic than when it first started. Though, like ''Webcomic/ProblemSleuth'', it hasn't lost its sense of humor ''entirely'' - the DiscOneFinalBoss [[http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110220213522/mspaintadventures/images/e/e3/02929.gif is a dog wearing sunglasses.]]
*** Indeed, Hussie maintains that every "serious" dramatic event in the story is profoundly silly upon examination: an example of such events include [[spoiler:an [[CaptainErsatz ersatz]] Literature/HarryPotter murdering a girl that comes back to life as an ersatz ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' vampire who murders him in turn and a {{Juggalo}} (who's crazy from going cold turkey off a FantasticDrug) murdering a CatGirl.]]
*** A MAJOR VILLAIN IS A DOG WEARING SUNGLASSES
*** To put it all into perspective, the beginning's problems were fake arms, cake, the creepiness of Lil' Cal, stone wizards, and elusive pets. After they all started up Sburb? [[spoiler: We've seen more onscreen deaths than we can count, seen the slaughter of an planetary army, seen the assassination of royalty, seen the DiscOneFinalBoss given god-like powers, watched nearly all the main characters [[DeathIsCheap die]] AT LEAST ONCE (if you count watching their dreamselves die), see WV be scarred for life and him slowly go crazy because of it, and met the creators of the universe. Of course, we also watched them die.]] But yes, the silliness doesn't go away. We have references to [=SBaHJ=] often (but even that has been depleting in frequency), watched Jack be [[WeaksauceWeakness tempted by Snausages]], [[http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=005590 been given John's derpiest face ever,]] and a fundamental chunk of the plot comes from 'Film/ConAir''.
*** This is particularly noticeable in the contrast between the beta kids -- the heroes at the beginning of the comic -- who despite trading plenty of snark and banter are all basically good friends who get along with each other; versus the alpha kids -- introduced 2.5 years into the story -- who have complex relationships full of [[DysfunctionJunction angst and drama]].
*** Probably the height of Homestuck's Cerebus Syndrome, though, happened when Bro Strider's terrible parenting, which initially had been played entirely for laughs, was retroactively acknowledged to have been seriously abusive and psychologically damaging to Dave.

*** A MAJOR VILLAIN IS A DOG WEARING SUNGLASSES (who happens to both be an expy of Anubis and Yatagarasu at the same time, what with the crow wings and with only having three limbs.)

*** Indeed, Hussie maintains that every "serious" dramatic event in the story is profoundly silly upon examination: an example of such events include [[spoiler:an ersatz Literature/HarryPotter murdering a girl that comes back to life as an ersatz ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' vampire who murders him in turn and a {{Juggalo}} murdering a CatGirl.]]

* ''{{Goats}}'' went from basically being ''Dilbert'' with beer, to a sprawling, dadist, universe hopping epic about the nature of reality.

* ''Webcomic/{{Goblins}}'' transitioned from a deconstruction of fantasy [=RPGs=] in general and ''[[DungeonsAndDragons Dungeons & Dragons]]'' in particular to a more serious story when the original antagonists were discarded in favor of a truly villainous BigBad. ([[KnightTemplar Three]] [[TortureTechnician Big]] [[VisionaryVillain Bads]], actually, and that first probably has a ManBehindTheMan.) The comic arguably [[GrowingTheBeard got better]], as killing off or discarding most of the cast allowed the main characters to become more well-rounded and the strip retained enough humor to keep it from getting too dry.

* The webcomic Webcomic/{{Striptease}} started out with a cartoony art style, and lighthearted jokes about a comic artist and writer working together and the hijinks they and their friends engage in along the way. After a few chapters, we get not only a major ArtShift to a more semi-realistic style (still quite cartoony, but not compared with earlier strips) but the plot changes to something that would be a hilarious parody of soap operas if it wasn't taken so seriously-complete with evil twins, brain tumors, "I am your father" moments, character makeovers and a lot of other things that make it completely different from the story the readers had initially enjoyed.

* ''Webcomic/EmergencyExit'' does this with surprisingly good results. Starting as nothing more than a strip of wacky cartoonish hijinks and a vague plotline about college roomies, it abruptly takes a darker, edgier turn around the time they do a crossover with ''ParallelDementia'' and plunges into a rather gripping dramatic stortyline. It tends to remember its comic roots, however, and doesn't hold back on quips, zingers, and punchlines. Character death has thus far been scarce, but it doesn't hold back on other brutalities, such as [[http://eecomics.net/?strip_id=568 ripping the face off one of the main characters.]]

** It's also a CallBack to the author's previous {{webcomic}}, ''Webcomic/ItsWalky!'', which attempted the transition with varying success; an alternate universe version of the BigBad from that comic shows up when Robin pulls the tag, although in this incarnation he's more of a MetaGuy than a straight villain.

* When ''BobAndGeorge'' started, it was simply a stand-in for another comic the author, Dave, was planning on doing and, as such, was mostly just one-off jokes from comic to comic. After the comic that Dave was working on never managed to lift off the ground, ''Bob and George'' began to get storylines and continuity, although it stayed humorous; the story is mostly told one punch line per comic, with an ending that borders on making a ShaggyDogStory of a two-year storyline.

* The webcomic ''ExploitationNow'' started as comedic, but changed into a drama (with the comic's focus shifting from two characters to two ''other'' characters), ending up with a main character KilledOffForReal.

* ''SamAndFuzzy'' started out as a episodic comedy {{webcomic}} about a taxi driver and his psychotic bear friend, but once the Ninja Mafia is introduced it ends up as a long but still hilarious tale of deception, murder, demons and ninjas.
* ''RPGWorld'' went from gaily romping through {{RPG}} {{trope}}s to blank-eyed villains killing people and fetishistically licking the blood off their swords. It slid back into the middle for a while, before it was [[OrphanedSeries dropped entirely]].
* ''QuestionableContent'' provides an unusual example, as a general plot has been running since the first strip along with the usual gag-a-day format of jokes; however, a deeper storyline was hinted about main character Faye's life prior to the start of the comic. [[http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=500 Comic # 500]] started an arc entitled "The Talk" which, in Faye's own words, was "like interrupting an intricate waltz with a sledgehammer to the knee." Despite handling the arc and its fallout with realistic seriousness, the comedic element was retained in nearly every strip in the arc and since then.
* Parodied a few times in the StickFigureComic ''StickmanAndCube''. [[http://www.drunkduck.com/Stickman_and_Cube/index.php?p=243766 The first comic]] has Stickman assure the audience that there will be no Cerebus or First And Ten Syndrome, because "adding drama would probably involve more drawing". Then, [[http://www.drunkduck.com/Stickman_and_Cube/index.php?p=255831 this comic]] has Stickman ''guarantee'' that there will be no Cerebus or First and Ten, only to have Cube then announce he's pregnant. Stickman is not amused.
* The now-defunct ''LifeOfRiley'' suffered from this, starting out with the requisite author-and-his-friends characters in offbeat gaming-related hijinks and ending with an imminent final battle between the arch-demon Lilith and the reincarnation of Christ (in the person of the main character) over an artifact which could literally ''kill God''. Sadly, a series of personal issues and server crashes left the comic [[OrphanedSeries drifting in the ether]] before the insanity could come to a head.
* ''DresdenCodak'' started out with a series of gag strips with intricate art, until the author decided to introduce continuing characters and then do an ongoing story arc about them. There have been a few more gag strips since then, but the continuity has not gone away.
* ''[[OneOverZero 1/0]]'' originally started out as a nonsensical gag-based comic without a fourth wall, and eventually developed into an entirely serious affair full of symbolism and metaphor.

* ''[[DanAndMabsFurryAdventures DMFA]]'' has mostly kept the syndrome out of the main comic, limiting it to side-stories. Recently, it seems to have crept in, [[spoiler:particularly when Hannah is KilledOffForReal by Dark Pegasus in a flashback]]. The story in question did have its funny moments, although it kinda depends on the reader's sense of humor. The event that preceded it were also rather funny, since Dan's moral-guidance animal got into the liquor cabinet and proceeded to get drunk. [[HilarityEnsues Given that it's also poisonous...]]

* ''{{Newshounds}}'' began as a comedy strip comic, but as years progressed it started to contain a growing number of more serious plotlines. However, the comedy was still kept as the main point of the comic while the same author explored more serious content in the spin-off comic ''Manifestations''. ''Newshounds'' ended temporarily in 2006 and was revived in 2007 as "Newshounds II". This time, the format changed from a 3-panel strip to a larger comic while also turning the series more serious (though not devoid of comedy, now just lacking the obvious punchlines). Fittingly, another new comic by the same author, ''Something Happens'', was launched during the same year; it's the author's main comedy output now.
* ''NipAndTuck'' started out as a gag-a-strip comic about two young brothers, but became more serious as the two brothers grew up.
* ''VenusEnvy'', probably due to either a particularly blatant case of WriterOnBoard or a CreatorBreakdown.
* ''YetAnotherFantasyGamerComic'' made the jump, complete with a previously humorous villain gaining sudden competence.

* ''GeneralProtectionFault'' started as a light-hearted comic with weirdness and humour, but eventually transformed into a complex story arc with angst, character death, and betrayal. Sometime after the first story arc, the comic designer declared an upcoming arc "even better than the last one".
* ''AModestDestiny'' had continuity and all that goes along with it from the start, but as time went on the story got progressively DarkerAndEdgier. The first turning point would probably be the dinner party, where the silliness was interrupted by the murdering of a bunch of innocents, a whole lotta backstabbing and the near-death of the main character. It just kept going from there.

* Josh Lesnick's ''{{Wendy}}'' took a straight nosedive into unexpected drama territory after its first "part" was finished, and according to the post-series epilogue was going to get even worse had it finished the way the author originally intended. Thankfully, this change was not without a bit of [[http://joshlesnick.com/wendy/?comic=78 lampshade hanging]].

* ''CtrlAltDel'' has been accused of this, leading to InternetBackdraft. While the comic has always been more character-based than gag-based (except for the actual gag strips), everything post-[[DramaBomb miscarriage]] has swung a lot more to the dramatic than pre-miscarriage.

* ''{{Goblins}}'' transitioned from a deconstruction of fantasy [=RPGs=] in general and ''[[DungeonsAndDragons Dungeons & Dragons]]'' in particular to a more serious story when the original antagonists were discarded in favor of a truly villainous BigBad. ([[KnightTemplar Three]] [[TortureTechnician Big]] [[VisionaryVillain Bads]], actually, and that first probably has a ManBehindTheMan.) The comic arguably [[GrowingTheBeard got better]], as killing off or discarding most of the cast allowed the main characters to become more well-rounded and the strip retained enough humor to keep it from getting too dry.

* ''NanasEverydayLife''. ''So'' hard. It starts out as a random collection of off-color jokes using the cast of some anime, predominantly ''Manga/ElfenLied''. Then, around strip twenty-something, it suddenly drops the jokes almost entirely, to become one of the most tragic webcomics in existence.

* ''FuzzyKnights''. As with Cerebus itself, it went on to become seriously weird.
* ''TheLastDaysOfFoxhound'' begun as a ridiculously over-the-top parody of hilariously [[CharacterExaggeration exaggerated]] (and violent) versions of the bosses of VideoGame/MetalGearSolid. As the strip went on, it slowly turned into a story-driven, over-the-top parody of the hilariously [[CharacterExaggeration exaggarated]], violent and [[ClusterFBomb filthy-mouthed]] versions of the bosses of VideoGame/MetalGearSolid, with an overarching, compelling and deep plot.

* Deliberately averted by ''ExterminatusNow'', which started out as a merciless lampooning of the authors' DarkerAndEdgier OldShame. [[WordOfGod Eastwood]] himself has stated literally that Cerebus Syndrome is one of his top signs to start murdering his co-authors.

* ''TwistedKaijuTheater'', although (a) the sophomoric humor refuses to stay completely out of the more serious arcs, and (b) the series continues to have strictly-for-laughs one-shots between arcs. Despite this the comic does stray into dark territory at various points and ends up dealing with mature themes like death, betrayal, morality, sacrifice, and political ethics.
* ''ZebraGirl'' has undergone this transition.

* ''WapsiSquare'' undergoes a transition from a light-hearted slice-of-life comedy, to a dark, supernatural drama where the main character has to save the world from a quasi-apocalypse; dropping nearly all of it's supporting cast in the process (although a few do pop in for cameos from time to time), and leaving a large number of unresolved subplots. Aspects of this were hinted at early in the series; but were mostly off-hand comments prior to the appearance of the "Golem Girls"; whose addition to the cast denote the transition point (although it takes a bit longer for the change to really manifest).

* ''SlightlyDamned'' started out as a lighthearted, comedic story about Rhea and Buwaro's adventures in hell. [[spoiler:And then Sakido died]].

* When ''{{Lint}}'' began it wasn't the least bit serious. Now it is chock full of drama, romance, and lots and lots of angst. Humour is still incorporated into the story, albeit at a more infrequent rate.
* Happens in ''MaterialGirl'' around half-way through the comic.

* ''{{Untitled}}'' follows the initial description exactly. It began as a low-continuity slice-of-life comic featuring thinly-veiled representations of the author and her friends, and over some years morphed into a dramatic redemption saga. One particularly illustrative example was an attempt to rationally explain an earlier pure-gag, fourth-wall-breaking character who was invisible, and had been initially introduced as "living in the gaps between the panels." Turns out he's really some kind of inter-dimensional alien plainswalker.
* ''TriangleAndRobert'', a webcomic about a triangle and a rhombus went from jokes about how a geometrical shape can eat to an epic fight to stop the universe from turning into pudding. Or something like that. And became all the more hilarious for it.[[http://home.comcast.net/~pshaughn/tandr.html]]

* ''LookingForGroup'' broke a record in this category - it started as a random parody of ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', but right after the first few pages the writer to go for a fantasy action-comedy. This has not stopped the constant parody elements and reference jokes thrown in, though.
* ''DeathAndTheMaiden'' starts out as a MagicRealism romantic comedy, before the main characters life began to be seriously threatened.
* ''{{Yosh}}'' started out as you standard webcomic, with a bunch of weird stuff. By comic 60, the serious starts to set in (although there is a note in comic 59 that said he warned us). By 120, it's pretty obvious it won't be humor even a majority of the time.

* ''BittersweetCandyBowl'' started out as generally plotless fun, and now has developed into an epic tale of lovecrossed kitties with a [[http://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/introduction.html recommended minimum introduction of 191 pages]]. The humour's still there in abundance, though.

* ''{{Nedroid}}'' parodies the tendency for gag-a-day comics to develop CerebusSyndrome [[http://nedroid.com/2010/05/webcomics-am-i-right/ here]].

* ''{{Concession}}'' started out as a furry comic about the workers of a movie theater, but eventually [[spoiler:half of the characters become gay, quite a few die, and Joel and Artie have supernatural powers]]. Chaos ensues

* ''CastlevaniaRPG'' started as an extremely light hearted action-comedy that managed to stay lighthearted even during the more serious arcs (Blacula's rise to power, the alternate world, etc). Then, towards the end of the second major arc, [[spoiler:they party accidentally unleashes an Elder God. Long story short, [[TotalPartyKill Alec, Princess and Darkmoon die horrible, painful deaths, Katrina's CatGirl curse mutates and turns her fully cat with absolutely no hope of reverting back, and Angel is possessed by the Elder God, who then states his plan to subjugate the world]].]] [[MoodWhiplash Damn]].
* ''{{Bunny}}'' went through something that... is closer to this than anything else. It has always been a gag-a-day strip with no storylines, but as it progressed, hints of continuity started to creep in, as the comic started to slowly paint a portrait of the surreal world The Bunny and his friends inhabit rather than just making isolated jokes.
* While it still is largely a comedic strip, ''PvP'' is sometimes accused of this. Mainly, this is due to its decreasing reliance on game-related humor, the increasing importance of the character relationships within the strip, and the development of long-term dramatic storylines. This has been going on so gradually and for so long though that, combined with the tendency for the strip to still use one-off gags from time to time, it sort of underwent this process so subtly that it's actually debatable if it happened or not.
* [[http://z11.invisionfree.com/WOAM/index.php?showtopic=603 Oak Fable]] [[TakeThat parodies]] Ceberus Syndrome by setting a new record in how quickly comedy circums to drama: It takes effect in ''the second issue.''
* UserFriendly started out as a comic about life behind the scenes at a small Internet Service Provider. The latest stories have dealt with Sid getting cancer, and A.J joining the army, being sent to Afghanistan as a combat medic, and getting shot in action.

* Zig-zagged in the defunct comic ''Alice!''. While it did feature gag-a-day like random newspapers, it started to get some dramatic storylines in place such as Alice's conflict with her dad's girlfriend, Joan, and Dot having an out of body experience. The story would resolve, but then go ''right'' back to gag-a-day strips and the title character's ''CalvinAndHobbes'' like imagination.
* ''[=AsLAN=]'', Leo the lion's [[ShowWithinAShow comic-within-a-comic]] in ''SkinHorse''. [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=26144 Originally]] a poorly-drawn gag strip about lions telling a [[TheWarOnStraw Strawman]] antelope his opinions on technology are wrong, and then devouring him, it's [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=48680 now]] about a lion with a drink problem, another with father issues, and an antelope whose imminent death is a matter for serious concern.

* [[http://www.200-20.com 200:20]] is a great example of this, the series itself seems to want to keep a comedic tone but keeps getting drawn into a more serious subject matter as the story goes along. The creator didn't agree with this, and wanted to keep the story light hearted so it was rewritten. [[http://www.200-20.com/pilot.html Three]] [[http://www.200-20.com/soc.html times]]. Although it is up to debate whether or not that the series won't take another turn for more serious subject matter, it would appear that for now the comic itself is keeping the drama within the story to a minimum successfully.
* The VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft comic Equinox: Defender of the Horde was rather silly and light hearted at first, but near the end of the first series it starts getting more serious and dark, to the point where by the end of the last story it is almost completely serious.
* They're getting faster. ''ModestMedusa'' began in January 2011, began its first serious arc by June, and lampshaded the drama influx by the arc's end in August.

* ''TheLounge'': Originally a gag-a-day strip, inclusion of longer story arcs led to some more serious plots being incorporated, culminating [[spoiler:in serious family conflict between Italy Ishida and her father, and the introduction of the children of her father's former business partner, hellbent on destroying the family business]]
* ''{{Sinfest}}'' resisted for a long time, but has been creeping into territory for the last few years. It started with the story of Fuschia the Devil-Girl falling for Criminy and wanting to be human, and since has involved characters falling into various realms (Hell, The Reality Zone, The River Lethe) and angsting over character flaws that had previously been played for laughs. In particular, the arrival of a young feminist on a big wheel condemning nearly every male character for their chauvinistic ways and causing Monique to have the most seriously played character development arc yet caused fans to cry foul.

* ''{{Narbonic}}'' shifted from "HarmlessVillain {{Mad Scientist}}s bickering among themselves" to "one man's inevitable descent into madness". The storyline that completed the shift also [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/narbonic_plus/series.php?view=archive&chapter=51541&name=narbonic_plus took the time to parody the concept]].
* KhaosKomix started as a cute, funny story about queer teenagers and has been slowly getting darker ever since, by this point containing abuse, rape, transphobia and ''lots'' of angst.

* [[{{Webcomic/Sonichu}} Sonichu]] sort of counts. It was never ([[{{Narm}} intentionally]]) funny, but quickly derailed into Chris-Chan's [[PsychoticManchild horrible]] WishFulfillment over the course of the series, topping it off in issue 10 where he bloodily murders four people [[DisproportionateRetribution just for parodying him and his electric hedgehog]] [[DesignatedHero "heroes"]]. [[WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids All in a comic supposedly intended for kids]].
* [[{{Main/Spinnerette}} Spinnerette]] is pretty light-hearted and humorous most of the time (albeit with a few points that hit you right in the feels), but it all changes in Issue 12 when [[spoiler:Spinnerette is mutated by a blast from a C-K reactor and Universe chops off the multiple arms that keep growing from her body, which sends Spinney into despair until she reclaims her 4 extra arms, but it then causes Tiger to feel guilty of putting her in danger and leave the team.]] Then, stuff starts getting a lot more dramatic in the later issues including angst involving [[spoiler:Spinney and MM's Relationship,]] as well as in issue 16 revealing [[spoiler:MM's past and the death of White Heron.]]

* DeepRise Starts off looking like college drama ([[InSpace with]] [[StarfishAlien Nobles]]), then spirals into madness.