History DarkerAndEdgier / ComicBooks

** Within the [[{{Animesque manga-inspired]] "Monica Adventures" series, which stars the cast as teenagers, Emerson de Abreu's "End of the World Saga" is an outright horror story, with explicit violence, death and references to the occult. As such, even if it still has moments of the author's trademark humour, it's considerably more frightening and depressing than both the original comics and the other issues of the manga.

* After promising not to change Diana's origin story, and seemingly to do nothing more than provide cheap shock value because he's as much as admitted he cares more about his "artistic vision" than about either the characters or the readers, Brian Azzarello's reimagining of Franchise/WonderWoman's origin story completely destroys the character's history as an empowering role model for girls and women. Here, the Amazons rape sailors to get pregnant, murder them, and trade the male infants as slaves to the god Hephaestus. (This is (sort of) an actual legend about the Amazons of Pontos, but it's by no means the only one; there are others where they simply marry men in the normal way; or they visit a just-men civilization, the Gargareans, who are ''allies'', and any male babies are just given back to their fathers.) Even worse, Diana herself doesn't know about this until she's an adult. Oh yeah -- and she is now the daughter of Zeus, and ''all her powers and abilities come from him'', not from unique Amazon training or as gifts from the goddesses. While Azzarello's stated intention was to hew closer to actual Greek Mythology, female (and some male) readers [[https://www.tor.com/2012/04/04/wonder-woman-comics-and-the-violation-of-the-amazons/ seriously questioned this as a hatchet job]] on the most powerful and longest-lived female character in comics. Fortunately, in ''[[ComicBook/WonderWomanRebirth Rebirth]]'', which doesn't have Azzarello, we find that this horrific mess was untrue, and the Amazons really are just the re-embodied spirits of women who were killed in domestic violence, as George Perez wrote in the 1987 version.

** Really, Image tends to be this compared to Marvel or DC. Mainly due to the emphasis on creator freedom, thus there's a lot more leeway for mature content that the Big Two won't allow.

* Seemingly to do nothing more than provide cheap shock value because he's as much as admitted he cares more about his "artistic vision" than about the character's history as an empowering role model for girls and women, Brian Azzarello's reimagining of Franchise/WonderWoman's origin story involves the Amazons raping sailors to get pregnant, murdering them, and trading the male infants as slaves to the god Hephaestus. (This is (sort of) an actual legend about the Amazons of Pontos, but it's by no means the only one; there are others where they simply visit a just-men civilization, the Gargareans, who are ''allies'' -- and any male babies are just given back to their fathers.) Even worse, Diana herself is now the daughter of Zeus, and ''all her powers and abilities come from him'', not from her own training or as gifts from the goddesses. While Azzarello's stated intention is to hew closer to actual Greek Mythology, female (and some male) readers [[https://www.tor.com/2012/04/04/wonder-woman-comics-and-the-violation-of-the-amazons/ seriously questioned this as a hatchet job]] on the most powerful and longest-lived female character in comics.

** In ''Uderzo croqué par ses amis'', a compilation album of short stories drawn by various artists about Uderzo, one story is a realistically-drawn, historically-accurate, painfully serious take on the concept of a pair of Gaulish warriors fighting Romans using magic potion. For instance, the magic potion appears to be a kind of religious MagicFeather, they put the skulls of dead Roman soldiers around their village to keep them out (like the historical Gauls did), and they murder Romans with swords. It turns the usually ridiculous little Gauls into something quite dramatic and mystical and badass.
*** ''Uderzo croqué par ses amis'' also has another story in a similarly realistic art style, but with the usual characterisations of the Gauls. The story contains a gag where Asterix and Obelix accidentally catch Vitalstatistix ''in flagrante delicto'' with a hot blond who is not his wife, which is depicted in [[FanDisservice intentionally]] {{Squick}}y detail (since Vitalstatistix is both a beloved childhood character and a fat, ugly middle-aged man). ''Asterix'' is not exactly sexless but a gag like that would never get into the main stories.
* Even though ''ComicBook/BillyBatsonAndTheMagicOfShazam'' was generally an all-ages, LighterAndSofter take on Captain Marvel and the Marvel Family, its version of Freddy Freeman was darker than any other continuity's. Instead of suffering from partial paralysis, he's a complete paraplegic; and since Freddy's spine was broken by a building that Captain Marvel imploded, he hates Billy and Mary, and blames them for his injuries. This is a far cry from the original Freddy, whose spine was broken by Captain Nazi, who idolized Captain Marvel for saving his life, and who generally managed to have a fairly upbeat attitude despite his troubles.

* DC's Post-Crisis universe got so grim, what with the Multiverse dying, Jason Todd being bludgeoned to death, Barbara Gordon getting shot through her spine by the Joker and paralyzed, Superman dying, Batman getting his back broken, Hal Jordan becoming evil courtesy of Parallax, Aquaman getting maimed... it drove Bronze Age character ComicBook/SuperboyPrime crazy -- causing him to become a mass-murdering fanatic in ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis''. Superboy-Prime going mad was followed by an even darker storyline called ''ComicBook/FiftyTwo'', and also saw the relaunching of numerous series with a generally darker tone. A prime example is ''ComicBook/{{Checkmate}}''; issue #1 featured a team of superpowered spies infiltrating a Kobra base and leaving no survivors (with the badass heroine of the series, Sasha Bordeaux, shooting the Kobra BigBad dead, execution style). The series muted its violence considerably after the first half-dozen issues.
** ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1987'' (her Post-Crisis title) Is darker than even the most envelope-pushing of her [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 pre-Crisis]] stories -- [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools sometimes to the title's benefit]], [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools sometimes not]]. The ''very first issue'' begins with [[AnArmAndALeg a dismembered caveman]] [[FamilyUnfriendlyViolence killing his mate]], to set up the new concept of all the Amazons (including Diana) as reincarnated souls of women who'd died from DomesticAbuse.
** The ComicBook/New52 reboot saw this taken UpToEleven. Heroes got newer costumes that were more armoured and 'cinematic', as well as grimmer, more dour personalities. Fun elements like the Flash Family or Justice Society of America were ExiledFromContinuity and certain LegacyCharacter heroes were reverted to their silver age selves, who were written as much more serious and grim figures. Heroes also lost their marriages and had their romantic histories erased, as it was believed by those RunningTheAsylum that "heroes are too damaged to get married". This goes further in some books than others.
*** Blue Beetle was originally a fun book that didn't take itself too seriously -- for example, the scarab was played as a HeroicComedicSociopath. In the ComicBook/New52, it was initially just [[SociopathicHero a sociopath]], and Jaime couldn't rein it in as much as he used to at first.
*** A literal version shows in ''Franchise/TeenTitans'', with the character Solstice. Prior to the New 52, she was a cheerful girl with [[LightEmUp light powers]]. Afterwards, she had a permanently inhuman appearance and [[CastingAShadow shadow powers]]. In addition, [[spoiler:Kid Flash has become a murderous rebel leader from the future, Raven is secretly working for her demon father, ComicBook/WonderGirl is now a thief who gets her powers from an ArtifactOfDoom, and Superboy is the clone of Superman and Lois Lane's evil son from the future -- though in his own series, the latter became very much a traditional hero]].
*** [[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Billy Batson]] became a little brat from losing his parents. While he has still shown a [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold hidden heart of gold]], it's still jarring for readers used to seeing him as more of TheCape than Superman.
*** ComicBook/{{Wonder Woman|2011}}'s increasing willingness to kill since her aforementioned offing of Maxwell Lord reaches an extreme with her becoming a proud warrior who casually and proudly murders criminals and boasting about it. This was especially jarring given attempts to hang onto her status as an AllLovingHero, which dates back to the days when she was the DC hero most consistently and vocally ''opposed to killing''.
*** ''ComicBook/Batgirl2011'' saw Barbara Gordon returned to the mantle, but rather than follow in the steps of how she was in the Silver Age, Barbara's story was grim. ''ComicBook/TheKillingJoke'' was kept canon, and it was used to define ''every'' aspect of Barbara's story, with her suffering from PTSD and the recovery and development she made as Oracle after the event completely retconned from her character history. She also faced several villains who took being dark and edgy to an art form, and was regularly and constantly tortured. Notably, this was all mandated by ExecutiveMeddling; Creator/GailSimone ''wanted'' to write a lighter and softer take, but was told repeatedly by her editor to make the story grittier until she eventually left (at which point, the editor was changed and the new creative team launched the LighterAndSofter "Burnside" relaunch of the book). To hammer things home, the [[ComicBook/Batgirl2009 previous Batgirl run]] staring Stephanie Brown as the titular character was a critical and commercial success in large part ''because'' it was focused on being a light, idealistic book about bringing hope to a grim setting, so the grittiness of Simone's run stood out even more.
*** The first ''Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'' title simply called ''Justice League'' was the book that kicked off the ''ComicBook/JusticeLeagueInternational'' era, which (while having darker moments) is best remembered as a comedy in its early days. ''ComicBook/JusticeLeague2011'', which kicked off the New 52 ear, opened with a darker depiction of ComicBook/{{Cyborg}}'s origin, several cases of AdaptationalJerkass, and Darkseid suffering EyeScream.
*** This ultimately is brought in for a {{Deconstruction}}, courtesy of Creator/GeoffJohns and ''DC Universe: Rebirth'' #1, who shows that no one likes a world filled with DarkerAndEdgier ideas, especially when it's the heroes who are hit with this. This is driven home with the revelation that [[spoiler:Dr. Manhattan of ''Watchmen'' is the cause of all of this, having turned the pre-''Flashpoint'' universe into the New 52 universe and seems utterly confused as to why it isn't working.]] It also serves as a TakeThat to those who use the spoilered title as a manifesto to writing comics and not getting the message it was giving out.
* DC's Creator/{{Vertigo|Comics}} imprint revolves around material intended for mature audiences. After the success of ''ComicBook/SwampThing'', ''ComicBook/DoomPatrol'', ''ComicBook/{{Hellblazer}}'', ''ComicBook/ShadeTheChangingMan'', and ''ComicBook/AnimalMan'', all of which starred fairly obscure characters from established DC canon, up to and including a brooding, psychological take on ''ComicBook/BrotherPowerTheGeek''. For the uninitiated, Brother Power is a human-sized hippie rag doll given life and super strength by magic sunshine who once ran for a U.S. congressional seat and was last seen orbiting the Earth.
** Grant Morrison's ''Kid Eternity'' is a particularly archetypal example: Kid Eternity was originally a boy who died with his grandpa due to a clerical error in Heaven and was brought back to life with the power to summon any figure from history to help him. Morrison's version reveals that [[spoiler:his "grandpa" was an unrelated pedophile he was caught up with, the entire "clerical error in Heaven" story was a fabricated scenario created by cosmic beings of Chaos so they could use the Kid as a pawn against cosmic beings of Order, and the "figures from history" were actually demons from hell that could shapeshift into whatever the Kid wanted]].

* The ''ComicBook/EarthOne'' line plays it very straight, however, as among other things, Bruce Wayne isn't as skilled as other versions and is originally solely about bringing in the man he believes had his parents killed to justice, Alfred is the family's bodyguard (not their butler) and encourages Bruce to kill, Jim Gordon is a reluctant DirtyCop, [[spoiler:Diana is a ChildByRape between Hercules and Hippolyta and Hippolyta originally kept Diana for the purpose to enact a war against all males, Starfire is the source of several Titans' powers thanks to STAR Labs (led by Cyborg's [[AdaptationalVillainy villianous]] mother) experimenting on them]], the Green Lantern Corps is already gone by the time Hal Jordan gets his power ring -- [[spoiler:though things improve on that end thanks to Hal]], Hal himself is more jaded and cynical, and [[spoiler:the last Guardian is insane]].

* In 2016, Creator/DCComics started the ''ComicBook/HannaBarberaBeyond'' initiative, which involved various comic books giving the grimmer and grittier treatment to several classic Creator/HannaBarbera cartoons.
** The adaptation of ''WesternAnimation/WackyRaces'' turns the lighthearted kart series into ''ComicBook/WackyRaceland'', a post-apocalyptic desert race more along the lines of ''Film/DeathRace2000'' or ''Film/MadMax'' than a campy Hanna-Barbera cartoon.
** ''ComicBook/TheFlintstones'', while still basically ''WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones'', features a lot more adult humor and storylines than what would be allowed in the 1960s cartoon. For example, Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble are [[ShellShockedVeteran Shell Shocked Veterans]], and in one issue Fred and Wilma are ostracized for practicing monogamy. Despite the more adult themes, the comic has a lot of heart, such as the topic of gay marriages (non-breeding pairs aided others in Fred's tribe).
** ''ComicBook/ScoobyApocalypse'' is a much darker take on ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDoo'' than what was done before by having Mystery Inc. fighting against real monsters in a post-apocalyptic setting.

* ''Marvel Year In Review 1993'' parodied this in their own titles, by taking characters that this had been done for, and then making new characters that turned it UpToEleven:
** Franchise/SpiderMan (Super hero with the proportionate strength of a spider) -- Venom (Obsessed lunatic with the proportionate strength of a spider) -- Carnage (Crazed serial killer with the proportionate strength of a spider) -- Bile (Cannibalistic madman with the proportionate strength of a spider)
** ComicBook/CaptainAmerica (Liberalistic flag-waving symbol of democracy) -- U.S. Agent (Extremist right-wing hard-nosed American) -- The Patriot Missile ("Blow all them foreigners to hell and let God sort 'em out!")
** [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor]] (Norse God of Thunder) -- Thunderstrike (Norse God of Thunder from Brooklyn) -- Godhead (Convinced he is God. Holed up in his compound, waiting for Ragnarok)
** ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} (Savage killing machine with the soul of a Samurai) -- Sabertooth (Uncontrollable, savage killing machine with the attitude of a psychopath) -- Clawjaw (Unhousebroken, uncontrollable killing machine with poor bodily hygiene)
** ComicBook/IronMan (High-tech armored Avenger) -- War Machine (High-tech armored Avenger with an attitude) -- Terror Device (High-tech armored Avenger with two attitudes and PlausibleDeniability)
** [[ComicBook/IncredibleHulk Green Hulk]] (Mindless rampaging monster) -- Gray Hulk (Intelligent rampaging monster) -- New Green Hulk (Intelligent rampaging monster with a big gun) -- [[HilariousInHindsight Red Hulk]] (Intelligent rampaging monster with a big gun and razor-sharp claws)
* Marvel as much as said at the time that the thinking behind [=US Agent=], ComicBook/WarMachine, and Thunderstrike was to have Darker And Edgier versions of ComicBook/CaptainAmerica, ComicBook/IronMan, and ComicBook/TheMightyThor, without losing the originals. There's even a famous ''[[ComicBook/TheAvengers Avengers]]'' cover of the two versions facing off. Though created prior to the decade, they would see their heyday as {{Nineties Anti Hero}}es.
** Interestingly, Thunderstrike was probably the furthest from this trope, as he was a man juggling between being a dad and a superhero. The only time he really entered this trope was when he was possessed by the Executioner's battle axe Bloodaxe

* [[ComicBook/NewMutants New X-Men: Academy X]]. After ''ComicBook/HouseOfM'', the title was hit by Darker and Edgier ''hard'', but the change was especially marked in contrast with the first half of the series. Under Weir and [=DeFilippis=], the book was fairly light-hearted fluff that focused on relationship drama. When Kyle and Yost took over, dozens of students were immediately blown up, and everyone else was left traumatized by their failed rescue attempts. Then a main character was shot in the head and killed. And ''another'' main character betrayed the team, was mutilated, and died. They were replaced by a former assassin TykeBomb. Succeeding plotlines saw the entire team sent to HELL, one of them tortured and spending a lot of time crying herself to sleep, and so forth and so forth. In fact, most of Kyle and Yost's work falls under this trope. See also: X-Force, mentioned above.

* Since his debut Frank Castle, ''ComicBook/ThePunisher'' had held the rank of Captain of the Dark Age of Comic Books. Then he was the tip of the spear of a darker, gritter run, ''Creator/MarvelKnights'' that took him and other "heroes" into their own Darker, Edgier works. Then Castle was promoted to full Dark Lord with ''ComicBook/ThePunisherMAX'' which was a run where, hmm, most may know Jean Grey, she had a Max run that was boarderline lesbian erotica. Now take the Punisher as he was and remove any limits of violence, language, and vigilante gore. Numerous examples were put up as the image source for PayEvilUntoEvil and they were all deemed far too violent.
* The Creator/MarvelComics two-issue miniseres by Creator/WarrenEllis entitled ''ComicBook/{{Ruins}}'', a darker take on ''ComicBook/{{Marvels}}'' where everything in the Marvel Universe has gone horribly wrong and the few characters who aren't horrifically disfigured or horribly killed by the accidents that gave them their powers in the regular Marvel Universe are corrupt and vile. Notable examples include Bruce Banner becoming a barely living mass of tumors instead of the Hulk, Charles Francis Xavier becoming a [[PresidentEvil corrupt president]] who imprisons mutants and mutilates them to keep their powers in check (e.g. blinding Cyclops to disable his optic blasts and de-limbing Quicksilver to prevent him from using his super speed), and Peter Parker's radioactive spider bite covering his body with a terminal web-like rash.

* Here's one way to kill the party: Turn [[FunPersonified cheerful, bouncy]] Robbie Baldwin from the [[PersonalityPowers playfully heroic]] Speedball into an apparent murderer with a [[{{Angst}} guilt complex]] worthy of Series/{{Angel}}. Now he calls himself Penance, and wears a suit with 612 built-in points of pain, one for each person killed that day. His new powers can only manifest when he is in pain.
** In ''ComicBook/{{Thunderbolts}}'', however, Penance has come to terms with the Stamford incident not being his fault. [[BatmanGambit He reveals to Nitro the real reason for the suit.]] [[spoiler:The suit wasn't for Robbie, it was for Nitro. Robbie captured Nitro in Latveria to punish him for the Stamford incident, put him in the suit and proceeded to beat the CRAP out of him, after which he removes the last spike from his own chest to symbolize that he's freed himself of guilt.]]
** He later returns to the Speedball identity as an instructor at the ComicBook/AvengersAcademy, but retains his more serious demeanor. He leaves the school after finally coming to terms with the Stamford incident, and has since appeared in ''ComicBook/{{Nova}}'' with his previous cheerful personality restored. He still occasionally uses the Penance helmet though, as it's apparently the only way he can access his pain-based powers.

* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'':
** In 1959's ''ComicBook/ActionComicsNumber252'', ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} lands on Earth and is found by her cousin who sees that she is being taken care of (even if his methods are questionable). In contrast, Kara Zor-El's 2004 ''ComicBook/TheSupergirlFromKrypton'' origin involves kryptonite meteors, fanservice, a paranoiac Batman and Darkseid kidnapping her and brainwashing her. On the plus side, Superman immediately wanted to take his cousin in and introduce her to Lois.
** At the beginning Kara was a naive, innocent, sweet newcomer. However she grows up during the Silver and Bronze Ages, and although she never stops being an idealistic hero, her childlike innocence goes away. This is made clear in ''Adventure Comics'' #424, in where she wears sexy clothes while trying to get a scoop.
** When Supergirl ''[[ComicBook/Supergirl2005 was rebooted in the Post-Crisis continuity]]'', several writers and editors thought the best way to update the character was turning her into a mood-swinger, self-centered, bratty jerkass. This strategy continued until DC realized that Supergirl's fans hated it. Supergirl's earlier characterization was retconned out and she became a troubled, insecure but ultimately good and heroic teenager again.
** ''[[ComicBook/Supergirl2011 Post-Flashpoint Supergirl]]'' started out this way, with Kara being a reluctant hero at best, traumatised and, like most teenagers would under her circumstances, feeling overwhelmed and simply wanting to go home. She also holds a fairly dim view of humanity at large, but considering that they keep shooting at her and have poisoned the atmosphere with Kryptonite. Grief morphed to rage, partly under the influence of being manipulated and betrayed by H'el, and ''[[ComicBook/RedDaughterOfKrypton she became a Red Lantern for a little bit]]''. Now, however, she's discarded the Red Lantern Ring, has come to terms with her losses, matured and become that much wiser. She has since accepted Superman's charge to be Earth's hero in his stead in ''ComicBook/TheFinalDaysOfSuperman'' and ''ComicBook/SupergirlRebirth''.
** ''ComicBook/SupermanEarthOne'' was explicitly advertised as being darker, sexier, and moodier, and many standard elements of Superman's story are given a darker spin -- for example, Jonathan and Martha are forced to keep Kal-El a secret after government agents secretly impound his spaceship in a secret base, Krypton's destruction was a deliberate act of war, and Superman's more angsty than other portrayals and is distrusted by the public... but despite that, there remains a core of hope, with Clark realising that the people of Earth had a reason to be afraid (after that fear was exploited by Zod [[spoiler: (here, Zod-El, Superman's uncle)]]), and comes to something of an accommodation with the United Nations.
** ''ComicBook/SupermanRedSon'': A "what if" story showing what would happen if baby Kal-Lel landed in Soviet Russia instead of Smallville. The result? A communist empire led by the world's strongest man, with all of Clark's desire to change the world for the better, but with a misguided worldview, and none of his respect for free will.
* ''ComicBook/SuperiorSpiderMan'' runs on this trope. The plot involves Otto Octavius becoming the new Spider-Man after [[GrandTheftMe stealing Peter Parker's body]], and taking up his predecessor's war on crime while ignoring his ThouShaltNotKill rule. He's more vicious, brutal, and [[InsufferableGenius condescending]] than Peter, and even sports a black and red outfit in contrast to Spidey's classic, colorful duds. Fun fact, [[RetCanon the costume was originally designed by Alex Ross for the first]] Creator/SamRaimi ''Film/SpiderMan1'' movie. The suit was mostly black because Ross felt it'd make the outfit [[MovieSuperheroesWearBlack more serious and realistic]]. Ultimately, Superior subverts it by having Otto realize that Peter and his LighterAndSofter approach are superior, making Peter the true Superior Spider-Man.
* ''ComicBook/SupremePower'' is a darker and edgier reimagining of the original ''ComicBook/SquadronSupreme''.

* The Revolutionary War hero ComicBook/{{Tomahawk}} received a pretty good Vertigo reimagining in ''Vertigo Visions: Tomahawk''.

* ComicBook/UltimateMarvel deconstructed most of the characters from Marvel Comics, bringing them back to their initial premise and placing them in a SettingUpdate. In many cases they became AdaptationalJerkass as a result. The superhero team The Avengers was reimagined as a military operation (in ComicBook/TheUltimates) and the supervillain group the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants was reimagined as a terrorist group (in ComicBook/UltimateXMen).
* ''ComicBook/XForce'' demonstrated the trope more than once:
** The original ''X-Force'' book was a Darker and Edgier version of ''ComicBook/NewMutants''.
** The 2008 ''X-Force'' series starred a team led by Wolverine, functioning as the X-Men "black ops" team. [[http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7d/X-Force-1-cover.jpg Where everyone wears black leather and has red eyes, and there is much growling and slashing had by all]]. Or in other words, it was a Darker and Edgier version of an already Darker and Edgier book! The book sometimes reached StealthParody levels, or occasionally overt self-parody, as with a reprint of the first three issues with a variant cover showing [[http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?t=218997 puppies and rainbows coming out of wounds like blood.]] There is also a hint of deconstruction. Deadpool grows increasingly disgusted and angered over the dark actions the team takes over the course of the series. You know things are getting bad when ''Deadpool'' is having to be the OnlySaneMan/moral compass.
* ''ComicBook/XMen'' were always one of the darker comic books since the 80s, what with their focus on a discriminated minority group who often fought against extremists and genocidal bigots who were ANaziByAnyOtherName, and storylines such as the ''Morlock Massacre''. But in the 2000s, after ''ComicBook/HouseOfM'' came the ''Decimation'', where mutant numbers were dropped down to barely past 300, many of whom were immediately murdered, forcing the X-Men to abandon traditional heroics and move towards a more pragmatic, militarised and compartmentalised structure. Not helped was that shortly before this saw ComicBook/JeanGrey, arguably TheHeart of the X-Men, be KilledOffForReal[[note]]under the belief that her death would make Cyclops 'more interesting', and also because those RunningTheAsylum apparently didn't like her original resurrection[[/note]] and her place as the main female lead being replaced by Emma Frost, who functioned as an AntiHeroSubstitute for Jean.
** What's commonly pointed to was the CharacterDevelopment of ComicBook/{{Cyclops}}, who ''started'' this period suffering from PTSD after an incident with Apocalypse, and then manipulated by Emma Frost [[MindRape into a psychic affair during their therapy sessions]] followed by Jean's death and Cyclops being psychically forced into a relationship with Emma afterward. This combined with everything the X-Men were going through prompted him to take decisive action to maintain the survival of the mutant race, even as he was forced to make moral compromises other heroes dared. This was best shown by the formation of ''ComicBook/XForce'', a black-ops hit-squad taking the best and most capable killers among the X-Men's ranks, as well as a BoxedCrook or two. Even Wolverine was a little disturbed by the lengths Cyclops was willing to go to, which eventually caused a bloody falling out between the two.
** The whole "Professor X is no better than ComicBook/{{Magneto}}" creep from the Ultimate to the main universe that was exemplified by ''Deadly Genesis'', where it was [[RetCon revealed]] that Professor X led a team of X-Men to their deaths in rescuing his original team from Krakoa and just mind-wiped everyone into forgetting that it happened and trying again with another new team. And that Professor X later realized that the Danger Room was becoming sentient, but ignored it, leading to Danger being created years later.
** This all came to a head with the finale of ''ComicBook/AvengersVsXMen'', where Cyclops snapped and killed the Professor while possessed by the Phoenix Force. Now he's on the run with his own team of outlaw X-Men, though this is somewhat zig-zagged, however. With mutant numbers restored, Cyclops' team actually returned to the old 'hated and feared' roots, going out of their way to protect those who would harm these new and re-powered mutants, while Wolverine (who had seemingly became LighterAndSofter after a falling out with Cyclops over the aforementioned extreme actions) regularly comes off as a thoroughly sanctimonious and HolierThanThou hypocrite considering his past. He's not alone in it either, something which, after ComicBook/BattleOfTheAtom, Kitty Pryde, moral centre of the X-Men, calls them out for. Indeed, Cyclops' team is arguably still fairly idealistic - specifically, when Magneto reprimands Teen Jean for [[spoiler: trying to mind control Teen Angel into staying with the O5]], he says, "That is not what Charles Xavier taught you, young lady!" It was overall more a case of the team being subject to a lot of InformedWrongness from Wolverine and his team that made them seem Darker and Edgier, especially as while Wolverine's book got ''weirder'' briefly, also lead to an arc where Wolverine loses his powers and becomes so much of a toxic JerkAss as a result it alienates most of the people who cared about him before he was then killed off.
*** And then there was the whole Terrigen Cloud/M-Pox plot, which led to ''ComicBook/InhumansVsXMen''. This particular era was regarded as such a huge DorkAge in large part because it tried to app the previous Darker turn, when it was barely even old history and most fans were calling it out on repeating the same story beats, only without Cyclops to act as the scapegoat for the X-Men's harsher actions to survive. Not helped was that the Inhumans/X-Men conflict was intended as a BothSidesHaveAPoint plot, but the Inhumans' desire to force the mutant population to just ''deal'' with a painful and uncurable pathogen that was wiping them out and objected to their attempts to stop it because of its cultural importance to them instead just turned the Inhumans franchise into a VillainProtagonist group.
*** Following ''ComicBook/{{ResurrXion}}'', however, there was a decided swing to the LighterAndSofter end, with the X-Men being more traditionally heroic. Jean Grey, long-dead during the aforementioned periods, was resurrected and [[ComicBook/XMenRed lead an X-Men team that was all about making the world a better place]], while Kitty Pryde, the moral centre after her, became their new leader. This unfortunately didn't last and things got even darker with ''ComicBook/UncannyXMen2018'', starting with the ''Dissassembled'' storyline and the subsequent run by Matthew Rosenberg which saw Cyclops and Wolverine, back from the dead, struggling to maintain what's left of the mutant community in the wake of the apparent death of the X-Men and the forced mass curing of the mutant population. The series was a lame duck, put out to pass time until ComicBook/JonathanHickmansXMen relaunch, so the creative team just decided to have 'fun' by making everything as depressing and bleak as they can.

* ''DarkerAndEdgier/{{Batman}}''

* ''ComicBook/JemAndTheHolograms'': Multiple:

*** The Metal Virus Saga, spanning Issues #13-32 and an Annual one-off, is a ''Sonic''-style ZombieApocalypse played totally straight, and a top contender for '''THE DARKEST''' ''Sonic'' story ever told. After a brief stint as an amnesiac, [[BigBad Dr. Eggman]] unleashes the Metal Virus, a bioweapon which roboticizes all organics into evil robo-zombies called "Zombots". From #16-29, things constantly go FromBadToWorse for heroes and villains alike: the plague [[DwindlingParty picks off the heroes one by one]] as it spreads, with the survivors [[TraumaCongaLine faring]] [[DespairEventHorizon no]] [[BreakTheCutie better]] than [[AndThenJohnWasAZombie the victims]], and even Eggman loses control of the situation before his EvilerThanThou rivals, [[VideoGame/SonicLostWorld the Deadly Six]], usurp control of the Zombots. It takes a tense EnemyMine, Silver the Hedgehog's presence in Sonic's time, and Sonic and Silver's use of a mysterious warpstone and the Chaos Emeralds to finally set things right. Severe ScheduleSlip, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, resulted in the Metal Virus/Zombot arc [[ArcFatigue dragging on for well over a year, frustrating many fans]] who by Sonic and co.'s DarkestHour were [[DarknessInducedAudienceApathy fed up with the depressing storyline]]. After the arc finally concluded, Evan Stanley succeeded Ian Flynn as head writer and quickly returned the series to its LighterAndSofter roots.

* DC's Post-Crisis universe got so grim, what with the Multiverse dying, Jason Todd being bludgeoned to death, Barbara Gordon getting shot through her spine by the joker and paralyzed, Superman dying, Batman getting his back broken, Hal Jordan becoming evil courtesy of Parallax, Aquaman getting maimed... it drove Bronze Age character SelfDemonstrating/SuperboyPrime crazy -- causing him to become a mass-murdering fanatic in ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis''. Superboy-Prime going mad was followed by an even darker and edger storyline called ''ComicBook/FiftyTwo'', and also saw the relaunching of numerous series with a generally darker tone. A prime example is ''ComicBook/{{Checkmate}}''; issue #1 featured a team of superpowered spies infiltrating a Kobra base and leaving no survivors (with the badass heroine of the series, Sasha Bordeaux, shooting the Kobra BigBad dead, execution style). The series muted its violence considerably after the first half-dozen issues.

* DC's Post-Crisis universe got so grim, what with the Multiverse dying, Jason Todd being bludgeoned to death, Barbara Gordon getting through her spine, Superman dying, Batman getting her spine snapped, Hal Jordan going nuts, Aquaman getting maimed... it drove Bronze Age character SelfDemonstrating/SuperboyPrime crazy -- causing him to become a mass-murdering fanatic in ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis''. Superboy-Prime going mad was followed by an even darker and edger storyline called ''ComicBook/FiftyTwo'', and also saw the relaunching of numerous series with a generally darker tone. A prime example is ''ComicBook/{{Checkmate}}''; issue #1 featured a team of superpowered spies infiltrating a Kobra base and leaving no survivors (with the badass heroine of the series, Sasha Bordeaux, shooting the Kobra BigBad dead, execution style). The series muted its violence considerably after the first half-dozen issues.

* Since his debut Frank Castle, ''ComicBook/ThePunisher'' had held the rank of Captain of the Dark Age of Comic Books. Then he was the tip of the spear of a darker, gritter run, ''Creator/MarvelKnights'' that took him and other "heroes" into their own Darker, Edgier works. Then Castle was promoted to full Dark Lord with ''ComicBook/ThePunisherMAX'' which was a run where, hmm, most may know Jean Grey, she had a Max run that was boarderline lesbian erotica. Now take the Punisher as he was and remove any limits of violence, language, and vigilante gore. Numerous examples were put up as the image source for PayEvilUntoEvil and they were all deemed far too graphic.

** The above story wasn't even the ''only'' Archie comic to feature [[ImMelting face-melting action]]. From 1972 to 1974, Archie published a ''Comicbook/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch'' spinoff, ''Chilling Adventures in Sorcery as Told By Sabrina''. It had the odd combination of [[http://www.misterkitty.org/extras/stupidcovers/stupidcomics284.html straight-up horror stories]] with art in the familiar Archie house style. One story in particular stands out, featuring a boy who teases a stutterer at school. The kindly teacher happens to be a witch, and gives him an enchanted book that ''melts his face off'', and possibly kills him! The story probably violated several rules under UsefulNotes/TheComicsCode, but somehow gained the CCA seal of approval (perhaps because Archie ''ran'' the CCA?)

* DC's Creator/{{Vertigo|Comics}} imprint revolves around material intended for mature audiences. After the success of ''Comicbook/SwampThing'', ''Comicbook/DoomPatrol'', ''ComicBook/{{Hellblazer}}'', ''ComicBook/ShadeTheChangingMan'', and ''Comicbook/AnimalMan'', all of which starred fairly obscure characters from established DC canon, up to and including a brooding, psychological take on ''ComicBook/BrotherPowerTheGeek''. For the uninitiated, Brother Power is a human-sized hippie rag doll given life and super strength by magic sunshine who once ran for a U.S. congressional seat and was last seen orbiting the Earth.

* Parodied by Creator/AlanMoore, at about the same time as he was getting a rep for it, in ''[[http://swords-and-veeblefetzers.blogspot.com/2010/06/anything-goes-2-in-pictopia.html In Pictopia]]'', set in an absurdly darker and edgier version of a CaptainErsatz comic strip setting, with things like not-ComicStrip/{{Blondie}} as a prostitute, who gets raided by not-ComicBook/JudgeDredd. The main character, Nocturno the Necromancer (Comicstrip/MandrakeTheMagician) is horrified by what's happening to the place, especially when his goofy buddy Flexible Flynn (Comicbook/PlasticMan) is replaced by a snarling NinetiesAntiHero.

* ''Comicbook/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen'' is a DarkerAndEdgier take on all Victorian literature, though [[Literature/TheStrangeCaseOfDrJekyllAndMrHyde said literature was]] [[Literature/{{Dracula}} hardly light and fluffy]] to [[Literature/TheWarOfTheWorlds begin]] with.

** [[Comicbook/IncredibleHulk Green Hulk]] (Mindless rampaging monster) -- Gray Hulk (Intelligent rampaging monster) -- New Green Hulk (Intelligent rampaging monster with a big gun) -- [[HilariousInHindsight Red Hulk]] (Intelligent rampaging monster with a big gun and razor-sharp claws)
* Marvel as much as said at the time that the thinking behind [=US Agent=], Comicbook/WarMachine, and Thunderstrike was to have Darker And Edgier versions of ComicBook/CaptainAmerica, ComicBook/IronMan, and ComicBook/TheMightyThor, without losing the originals. There's even a famous ''[[Comicbook/TheAvengers Avengers]]'' cover of the two versions facing off. Though created prior to the decade, they would see their heyday as {{Nineties Anti Hero}}es.

** ''ComicBook/ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog'':

** ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogIDW''

* ''Spencer & Locke'' parodies the cast of ComicStrip/{{Calvin and Hobbes}} and pushes it through the lens of ComicBook/{{Sin City}}. The result is HardboiledDetective with a DarkAndTroubledPast and a seven-foot-tall blue panther ImaginaryFriend.

*** Following ''{{ComicBook/ResurrXion}}'', however, there was a decided swing to the LighterAndSofter end, with the X-Men being more traditionally heroic. Jean Grey, long-dead during the aforementioned periods, was resurrected and [[ComicBook/XMenRed lead an X-Men team that was all about making the world a better place]], while Kitty Pryde, the moral centre after her, became their new leader. This unfortunately didn't last and things got even darker with ''ComicBook/UncannyXMen2018'', starting with the ''Dissassembled'' storyline and the subsequent run by Matthew Rosenberg which saw Cyclops and Wolverine, back from the dead, struggling to maintain what's left of the mutant community in the wake of the apparent death of the X-Men and the forced mass curing of the mutant population. The series was a lame duck, put out to pass time until ComicBook/JonathanHickmansXMen relaunch, so the creative team just decided to have 'fun' by making everything as depressing and bleak as they can.

* DC's Creator/{{Vertigo|Comics}} imprint revolves around material intended for mature audiences. After the success of ''Comicbook/SwampThing'', ''Comicbook/DoomPatrol'', ''ComicBook/{{Hellblazer}}'', ''ComicBook/ShadeTheChangingMan'', and ''Comicbook/AnimalMan'', all of which starred fairly obscure characters from established DC canon, up to and including a brooding, psychological take on ''Brother Power, the Geek''. For the uninitiated, Brother Power is a human-sized hippie rag doll given life and super strength by magic sunshine who once ran for a U.S. congressional seat and was last seen orbiting the Earth.

* Alan Moore did a Darker and Edgier reboot of UK superhero [[ComicBook/{{Miracleman}} Marvelman]]. What had originally started out as a British Captain Marvel rip-off, turned into a gritty, ''[[Film/TotalRecall1990 Total Recall]]''-ish, what-is-real head trip, that even turned his Freddy Freeman-esque sidekick Kid Marvelman into a sadistic psychopath, with graphic violence that was unprecedented in the genre at the time and is still shocking today.
* The ''ComicBook/TransformersGeneration2'' comic books, loosed from even the moderate ContractualImmortality restrictions they had been operating under before, promptly started massacring the cast. Issue #1 cover copy: "This is Not Your Father's Autobot." #2: "Fort Max Gets the Ax." #3: "Killing Frenzy." The characters would also kill without hesitation and use guns that weren't their signature weapons.
* Here's one way to kill the party: Turn [[FunPersonified cheerful, bouncy]] Robbie Baldwin from the [[PersonalityPowers playfully heroic]] Speedball into an apparent murderer with a [[{{Angst}} guilt complex]] worthy of Series/{{Angel}}. Now he calls himself Penance, and wears a suit with 612 built-in points of pain, one for each person killed that day. His new powers can only manifest when he is in pain.
** In ''ComicBook/{{Thunderbolts}}'', however, Penance has come to terms with the Stamford incident not being his fault. [[BatmanGambit He reveals to Nitro the real reason for the suit.]] [[spoiler:The suit wasn't for Robbie, it was for Nitro. Robbie captured Nitro in Latveria to punish him for the Stamford incident, put him in the suit and proceeded to beat the CRAP out of him, after which he removes the last spike from his own chest to symbolize that he's freed himself of guilt.]]
** He later returns to the Speedball identity as an instructor at the ComicBook/AvengersAcademy, but retains his more serious demeanor. He leaves the school after finally coming to terms with the Stamford incident, and has since appeared in ''ComicBook/{{Nova}}'' with his previous cheerful personality restored. He still occasionally uses the Penance helmet though, as it's apparently the only way he can access his pain-based powers.
* ComicBook/UltimateMarvel deconstructed most of the characters from Marvel Comics, bringing them back to their initial premise and placing them in a SettingUpdate. In many cases they became AdaptationalJerkass as a result. The superhero team The Avengers was reimagined as a military operation (in ComicBook/TheUltimates) and the supervillain group the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants was reimagined as a terrorist group (in ComicBook/UltimateXMen).
* ''ComicBook/XMen'' were always one of the darker comic books since the 80s, what with their focus on a discriminated minority group who often fought against extremists and genocidal bigots who were ANaziByAnyOtherName, and storylines such as the ''Morlock Massacre''. But in the 2000s, after ''ComicBook/HouseOfM'' came the ''Decimation'', where mutant numbers were dropped down to barely past 300, many of whom were immediately murdered, forcing the X-Men to abandon traditional heroics and move towards a more pragmatic, militarised and compartmentalised structure. Not helped was that shortly before this saw ComicBook/JeanGrey, arguably TheHeart of the X-Men, be KilledOffForReal[[note]]under the belief that her death would make Cyclops 'more interesting', and also because those RunningTheAsylum apparently didn't like her original resurrection[[/note]] and her place as the main female lead being replaced by Emma Frost, who functioned as an AntiHeroSubstitute for Jean.
** What's commonly pointed to was the CharacterDevelopment of ComicBook/{{Cyclops}}, who ''started'' this period suffering from PTSD after an incident with Apocalypse, and then manipulated by Emma Frost [[MindRape into a psychic affair during their therapy sessions]] followed by Jean's death and Cyclops being psychically forced into a relationship with Emma afterward. This combined with everything the X-Men were going through prompted him to take decisive action to maintain the survival of the mutant race, even as he was forced to make moral compromises other heroes dared. This was best shown by the formation of ''ComicBook/XForce'', a black-ops hit-squad taking the best and most capable killers among the X-Men's ranks, as well as a BoxedCrook or two. Even Wolverine was a little disturbed by the lengths Cyclops was willing to go to, which eventually caused a bloody falling out between the two.
** The whole "Professor X is no better than ComicBook/{{Magneto}}" creep from the Ultimate to the main universe that was exemplified by ''Deadly Genesis'', where it was [[RetCon revealed]] that Professor X led a team of X-Men to their deaths in rescuing his original team from Krakoa and just mind-wiped everyone into forgetting that it happened and trying again with another new team. And that Professor X later realized that the Danger Room was becoming sentient, but ignored it, leading to Danger being created years later.
** This all came to a head with the finale of ''ComicBook/AvengersVsXMen'', where Cyclops snapped and killed the Professor while possessed by the Phoenix Force. Now he's on the run with his own team of outlaw X-Men, though this is somewhat zig-zagged, however. With mutant numbers restored, Cyclops' team actually returned to the old 'hated and feared' roots, going out of their way to protect those who would harm these new and re-powered mutants, while Wolverine (who had seemingly became LighterAndSofter after a falling out with Cyclops over the aforementioned extreme actions) regularly comes off as a thoroughly sanctimonious and HolierThanThou hypocrite considering his past. He's not alone in it either, something which, after ComicBook/BattleOfTheAtom, Kitty Pryde, moral centre of the X-Men, calls them out for. Indeed, Cyclops' team is arguably still fairly idealistic - specifically, when Magneto reprimands Teen Jean for [[spoiler: trying to mind control Teen Angel into staying with the O5]], he says, "That is not what Charles Xavier taught you, young lady!" It was overall more a case of the team being subject to a lot of InformedWrongness from Wolverine and his team that made them seem Darker and Edgier, especially as while Wolverine's book got ''weirder'' briefly, also lead to an arc where Wolverine loses his powers and becomes so much of a toxic JerkAss as a result it alienates most of the people who cared about him before he was then killed off.
*** And then there was the whole Terrigen Cloud/M-Pox plot, which led to ''ComicBook/InhumansVsXMen''. This particular era was regarded as such a huge DorkAge in large part because it tried to app the previous Darker turn, when it was barely even old history and most fans were calling it out on repeating the same story beats, only without Cyclops to act as the scapegoat for the X-Men's harsher actions to survive. Not helped was that the Inhumans/X-Men conflict was intended as a BothSidesHaveAPoint plot, but the Inhumans' desire to force the mutant population to just ''deal'' with a painful and uncurable pathogen that was wiping them out and objected to their attempts to stop it because of its cultural importance to them instead just turned the Inhumans franchise into a VillainProtagonist group.
*** Following ''{{ComicBook/ResurrXion}}'', however, there was a decided swing to the LighterAndSofter end, with the X-Men being more traditionally heroic. Jean Grey, long-dead during the aforementioned periods, was resurrected and [[ComicBook/XMenRed lead an X-Men team that was all about making the world a better place]], while Kitty Pryde, the moral centre after her, became their new leader. This unfortunately didn't last and things got even darker with ''ComicBook/UncannyXMen2018'', starting with the ''Dissassembled'' storyline and the subsequent run by Matthew Rosenberg which saw Cyclops and Wolverine, back from the dead, struggling to maintain what's left of the mutant community in the wake of the apparent death of the X-Men and the forced mass curing of the mutant population. The series was a lame duck, put out to pass time until ComicBook/JonathanHickmansXMen relaunch, so the creative team just decided to have 'fun' by making everything as depressing and bleak as they can.
* A 2004 ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats'' mini, ''Thundercats: The Return''. Lion-O gets trapped in the Book of Omens for five years, and when he gets out he finds the Thundercats beaten, Bengali killed and enslaved by Mumm-Ra. Like Wilykit and Wilykat. Let's just say that puberty has been good to them, and that Mumm-Ra has the same tailor for his slaves as Jabba the Hutt. There is also implied rape of Cheetara by the Mutants. And then there's Lion-O brutally breaking the neck of an ape mutant.
* Marvel as much as said at the time that the thinking behind [=US Agent=], Comicbook/WarMachine, and Thunderstrike was to have Darker And Edgier versions of ComicBook/CaptainAmerica, ComicBook/IronMan, and ComicBook/TheMightyThor, without losing the originals. There's even a famous ''[[Comicbook/TheAvengers Avengers]]'' cover of the two versions facing off. Though created prior to the decade, they would see their heyday as {{Nineties Anti Hero}}es.
** Interestingly, Thunderstrike was probably the furthest from this trope, as he was a man juggling between being a dad and a superhero. The only time he really entered this trope was when he was possessed by the Executioner's battle axe Bloodaxe
* ''ComicBook/SuperiorSpiderMan'' runs on this trope. The plot involves Otto Octavius becoming the new Spider-Man after [[GrandTheftMe stealing Peter Parker's body]], and taking up his predecessor's war on crime while ignoring his ThouShaltNotKill rule. He's more vicious, brutal, and [[InsufferableGenius condescending]] than Peter, and even sports a black and red outfit in contrast to Spidey's classic, colorful duds. Fun fact, [[RetCanon the costume was originally designed by Alex Ross for the first]] Creator/SamRaimi ''Film/SpiderMan1'' movie. The suit was mostly black because Ross felt it'd make the outfit [[MovieSuperheroesWearBlack more serious and realistic]]. Ultimately, Superior subverts it by having Otto realize that Peter and his LighterAndSofter approach are superior, making Peter the true Superior Spider-Man.
* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'':
** In 1959's ''ComicBook/ActionComicsNumber252'', ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} lands on Earth and is found by her cousin who sees that she is being taken care of (even if his methods are questionable). In contrast, Kara Zor-El's 2004 ''ComicBook/TheSupergirlFromKrypton'' origin involves kryptonite meteors, fanservice, a paranoiac Batman and Darkseid kidnapping her and brainwashing her. On the plus side, Superman immediately wanted to take his cousin in and introduce her to Lois.
** At the beginning Kara was a naive, innocent, sweet newcomer. However she grows up during the Silver and Bronze Ages, and although she never stops being an idealistic hero, her childlike innocence goes away. This is made clear in ''Adventure Comics'' #424, in where she wears sexy clothes while trying to get a scoop.
** When Supergirl ''[[ComicBook/Supergirl2005 was rebooted in the Post-Crisis continuity]]'', several writers and editors thought the best way to update the character was turning her into a mood-swinger, self-centered, bratty jerkass. This strategy continued until DC realized that Supergirl's fans hated it. Supergirl's earlier characterization was retconned out and she became a troubled, insecure but ultimately good and heroic teenager again.
** ''[[ComicBook/Supergirl2011 Post-Flashpoint Supergirl]]'' started out this way, with Kara being a reluctant hero at best, traumatised and, like most teenagers would under her circumstances, feeling overwhelmed and simply wanting to go home. She also holds a fairly dim view of humanity at large, but considering that they keep shooting at her and have poisoned the atmosphere with Kryptonite. Grief morphed to rage, partly under the influence of being manipulated and betrayed by H'el, and ''[[ComicBook/RedDaughterOfKrypton she became a Red Lantern for a little bit]]''. Now, however, she's discarded the Red Lantern Ring, has come to terms with her losses, matured and become that much wiser. She has since accepted Superman's charge to be Earth's hero in his stead in ''ComicBook/TheFinalDaysOfSuperman'' and ''ComicBook/SupergirlRebirth''.
** ''ComicBook/SupermanEarthOne'' was explicitly advertised as being darker, sexier, and moodier, and many standard elements of Superman's story are given a darker spin -- for example, Jonathan and Martha are forced to keep Kal-El a secret after government agents secretly impound his spaceship in a secret base, Krypton's destruction was a deliberate act of war, and Superman's more angsty than other portrayals and is distrusted by the public... but despite that, there remains a core of hope, with Clark realising that the people of Earth had a reason to be afraid (after that fear was exploited by Zod [[spoiler: (here, Zod-El, Superman's uncle)]]), and comes to something of an accommodation with the United Nations.
** ''ComicBook/SupermanRedSon'': A "what if" story showing what would happen if baby Kal-Lel landed in Soviet Russia instead of Smallville. The result? A communist empire led by the world's strongest man, with all of Clark's desire to change the world for the better, but with a misguided worldview, and none of his respect for free will.
* DC's Post-Crisis universe got so grim, what with the Multiverse dying, Jason Todd being bludgeoned to death, Barbara Gordon getting through her spine, Superman dying, Batman getting her spine snapped, Hal Jordan going nuts, Aquaman getting maimed... it drove Bbronze Age character SelfDemonstrating/SuperboyPrime crazy -- causing him to become a mass-murdering fanatic in ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis''. Superboy-Prime going mad was followed by an even darker and edger storyline called ''ComicBook/FiftyTwo'', and also saw the relaunching of numerous series with a generally darker tone. A prime example is ''ComicBook/{{Checkmate}}''; issue #1 featured a team of superpowered spies infiltrating a Kobra base and leaving no survivors (with the badass heroine of the series, Sasha Bordeaux, shooting the Kobra BigBad dead, execution style). The series muted its violence considerably after the first half-dozen issues.
** ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1987'' (her Post-Crisis title) Is darker than even the most envelope-pushing of her [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 pre-Crisis]] stories - [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools sometimes to the title's benefit]], [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools sometimes not]]. The ''very first issue'' begins with [[AnArmAndALeg a dismembered caveman]] [[FamilyUnfriendlyViolence killing his mate]], to set up the new concept of all the Amazons (including Diana) as reincarnated souls of women who'd died from DomesticAbuse.

*** Blue Beetle was originally a fun book that didn't take itself too seriously - for example, the scarab was played as a HeroicComedicSociopath. In the ComicBook/New52, it was initially just [[SociopathicHero a sociopath]], and Jaime couldn't rein it in as much as he used to at first.
*** A literal version shows in ''Franchise/TeenTitans'', with the character Solstice. Prior to the New 52, she was a cheerful girl with [[LightEmUp light powers]]. Afterwards, she had a permanently inhuman appearance and [[CastingAShadow shadow powers]]. In addition, [[spoiler:Kid Flash has become a murderous rebel leader from the future, Raven is secretly working for her demon father, ComicBook/WonderGirl is now a thief who gets her powers from an ArtifactOfDoom, and Superboy is the clone of Superman and Lois Lane's evil son from the future - though in his own series, the latter became very much a traditional hero]].

* ''ComicBook/XForce'' demonstrated the trope more than once:
** The original ''X-Force'' book was a Darker and Edgier version of ''ComicBook/NewMutants''.
** The 2008 ''X-Force'' series starred a team led by Wolverine, functioning as the X-Men "black ops" team. [[http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7d/X-Force-1-cover.jpg Where everyone wears black leather and has red eyes, and there is much growling and slashing had by all]]. Or in other words, it was a Darker and Edgier version of an already Darker and Edgier book! The book sometimes reached StealthParody levels, or occasionally overt self-parody, as with a reprint of the first three issues with a variant cover showing [[http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?t=218997 puppies and rainbows coming out of wounds like blood.]] There is also a hint of deconstruction. Deadpool grows increasingly disgusted and angered over the dark actions the team takes over the course of the series. You know things are getting bad when ''Deadpool'' is having to be the OnlySaneMan/moral compass.
* ''Dare'', a 1991 take on Frank Hampson's iconic British 1950s space explorer Dan Dare. The 1991 version was written for Toxic magazine by Creator/GrantMorrison, and illustrated by Rian Hughes. Dare awakes in the 1990s to find that Britain has become a capitalist society, and that a thinly-disguised parody of Margaret Thatcher has sold Britain to the evil Mekon. During the course of the story all of the main characters are killed - Digby even has his arm blown off - and the final edition ends with Dare blowing up London with a nuclear bomb.
* ''Comicbook/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen'' is a DarkerAndEdgier take on all Victorian literature, though [[Literature/TheStrangeCaseOfDrJekyllAndMrHyde said literature was]] [[Literature/{{Dracula}} hardly light and fluffy]] to [[Literature/TheWarOfTheWorlds begin]] with.

* DC's Creator/{{Vertigo|Comics}} imprint revolves around material intended for mature audiences. After the success of ''Comicbook/SwampThing'', ''Comicbook/DoomPatrol'', ''ComicBook/{{Hellblazer}}'', ''ComicBook/ShadeTheChangingMan'', and ''Comicbook/AnimalMan'', all of which starred fairly obscure characters from established DC canon, up to and including a brooding, psychological take on ''Brother Power, the Geek''. For the uninitiated, Brother Power is a human-sized hippie rag doll given life and super strength by magic sunshine who once ran for a U.S. congressional seat and was last seen orbiting the Earth.
** Grant Morrison's ''Kid Eternity'' is a particularly archetypal example: Kid Eternity was originally a boy who died with his grandpa due to a clerical error in Heaven and was brought back to life with the power to summon any figure from history to help him. Morrison's version reveals that [[spoiler:his "grandpa" was an unrelated pedophile he was caught up with, the entire "clerical error in Heaven" story was a fabricated scenario created by cosmic beings of Chaos so they could use the Kid as a pawn against cosmic beings of Order, and the "figures from history" were actually demons from hell that could shapeshift into whatever the Kid wanted]].
* ''ComicBook/SupremePower'' is a darker and edgier reimagining of the original ''ComicBook/SquadronSupreme''.
* The ''ComicBook/EarthOne'' line plays it very straight, however, as among other things, Bruce Wayne isn't as skilled as other versions and is originally solely about bringing in the man he believes had his parents killed to justice, Alfred is the family's bodyguard (not their butler) and encourages Bruce to kill, Jim Gordon is a reluctant DirtyCop, [[spoiler:Diana is a ChildByRape between Hercules and Hippolyta and Hippolyta originally kept Diana for the purpose to enact a war against all males, Starfire is the source of several Titans' powers thanks to STAR Labs (led by Cyborg's [[AdaptationalVillainy villianous]] mother) experimenting on them]], the Green Lantern Corps is already gone by the time Hal Jordan gets his power ring--[[spoiler:though things improve on that end thanks to Hal]], Hal himself is more jaded and cynical, and [[spoiler:the last Guardian is insane]].

* Parodied in issue #10 of the old ''WesternAnimation/ChipNDaleRescueRangers'' comic book. In it, the Rangers are brought to the set of a movie featuring a dark-and-gritty version of a superhero squirrel puppet who originally appeared in a Creator/{{Sid And Marty Krofft|Productions}}-type children's show. The character's creator is shown working as the movie's creative consultant and is not at all happy with the way the movie portrays his creation.
* ''ComicBook/ArchieComics'', surprisingly enough, has done this several times:
** ''ComicBook/LifeWithArchieTheMarriedLife'' presents stories from the "future" in which Archie has grown up and gotten married, and now has more realistic, adult-sized problems to deal with. It's so dark that [[spoiler:Archie gets killed]] in the final issue.
** ''ComicBook/AfterlifeWithArchie'' sounds like a funny concept: Archie meets the ZombieApocalypse. The series is anything but funny. You know something's up when there are [[Franchise/CthulhuMythos Cthulhu]] references in an Archie comic. It's drawn in a dark realistic style and the first issue has Hotdog being hit by a car and dying. Jughead gets Sabrina to bring him back but he's brought back as a zombie. He bites Jughead and...
** The original ''Life With Archie'' series (1958-1991) featured longer, more "adventure" oriented stories than the typical Archie titles, including elements like five-alarm fires, attempted kidnappings, and... [[http://the-isb.blogspot.com/2006/01/life-in-riverdale-surprisingly.html mysterious Satanic boxes that melt people's faces off]].
** One of those stories, "Secrets of the Deep", was a pretty standard scuba-diving-shipwrecks-and-sunken-treasure adventure... in which an evil treasure hunter shot at the gang with a spear gun and set an electric eel on them!
** The above story wasn't even the ''only'' Archie comic to feature [[ImMelting face-melting action]]. From 1972 to 1974, Archie published a ''Comicbook/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch'' spinoff, ''Chilling Adventures in Sorcery as Told By Sabrina''. It had the odd combination of [[http://www.misterkitty.org/extras/stupidcovers/stupidcomics284.html straight-up horror stories]] with art in the familiar Archie house style. One story in particular stands out, featuring a boy who teases a stutterer at school. The kindly teacher happens to be a witch, and gives him an enchanted book that ''melts his face off'', and possibly kills him! The story probably violated several rules under UsefulNotes/TheComicsCode, but somehow gained the CCA seal of approval (perhaps because Archie ''ran'' the CCA?)
** ''ComicBook/ChillingAdventuresOfSabrina'' is in a similar realistic art style as ''Afterlife with Archie'' and has the same writer. It emphasises the horror aspect of ''Sabrina The Teenage Witch'' heavily.
** In one ''ComicBook/JosieAndThePussycats'' story, Josie [[http://www.the-isb.com/?p=578 gets possessed by Satan!]][[note]]''Josie and the Pussycats'' #72 (1973)[[/note]]
** ''ComicBook/ArchieVsPredator'' sees several supporting characters from the series getting gruesomely killed by the titular Franchise/{{Predator}}, firmly planting it in this territory compared to the main books. Interestingly enough it's also something of a case of LighterAndSofter too, since as opposed to both ''Afterlife'' and ''Chilling Adventures'' it isn't played as seriously and several bits in the book are played for (very dark) laughs primarily from the sheer bizarreness of seeing the Archie Gang mix it up with the Predator of all things.
** ''ComicBook/{{Archie|Comics}}'' and ''ComicBook/ThePunisher'' met halfway in their unlikely [[ComicBook/ArchieMeetsThePunisher 1994 crossover]] in which The Punisher tracks an Archie lookalike to Riverdale with orders to apprehend rather than kill him. The original pitch involved Archie hiring The Punisher to kill a psychopath who murdered his entire family, but this was considered [[CerebusSyndrome too dark]].

* ''ComicBook/PaperinikNewAdventures'' is a rare case of this done '''well'''. Those stories are way darker than the ones on "Topolino" (the Italian magazine where it is usually published): Paperinik stops fighting the [[HarmlessVillain Beagle Boys]] to defend the Earth from aliens, time travelers and crazy AIs, creating a [[OldHeroNewPals new roost]] of supporting cast and using weapons which are much more powerful. However, he remains a very optimistic hero, and the comic gives us several funny and heartwarming moments to balance the mood.
** Creator/{{Disney}} Italy does this as an habit. Aside for publishing some 'normal' stories with classic characters and settings with darker themes and complete rejection of FamilyFriendlyFirearms (to the point Scrooge mentioned having at least a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obice_da_149/19_modello_37 149mm artillery piece]] and threatened to fire Donald from it), once in a while they bring back Doctor Vultur (a ''[[ANaziByAnyOtherName Nazi in everything but the name]]'' orango trying to TakeOverTheWorld) and a truer to the origins version of the Phantom Blot, and, in chronological order, they created the following: Paperinik himself (theorically Franchise/DonaldDuck's superhero alter ego. In practice even his lighter stories show the sadistic streak that in two occasions prompted him to ''set off [[TorchesAndPitchforks lynching mobs]]''), ''Paperinik New Adventures'', ''Mickey Mouse Mystery Magazine'' (where Mickey is forced to temporarily move in [[CrapsackWorld a city more corrupted than]] ''[[Franchise/{{Batman}} Gotham]]'' and survive in spite of his very existence being a danger to the men who control the city), ''ComicBook/{{WITCH}}'' (where the heroes have no qualms in trying and killing their enemies), ''ComicBook/MonsterAllergy'' (explicitely a ''horror'', and as scary as the authors could get away with) and ''ComicBook/DoubleDuck''.
* ''ComicBook/GodzillaKingdomOfMonsters'' is this to the entire Godzilla franchise. How dark is it? Godzilla reduces Japan to rubble in the first two issues. The rest of the series has the monsters tearing apart civilization and bringing out the worst of humanity.
** However this actually brings it closer to the tone of both the original film and the Heisei era. One of the complaints people had about the series was that, even with that knowledge in mind, it was little ''too much'' of a tone shift. Especially in reference to the scene of Rodan ''eating a child alive''. There's another dark scene where Godzilla lets loose his atomic ray '''on a bunch of people trying to escape Los Angeles which he was currently destroying at that time.'''
* The European G1 ''ComicBook/MyLittlePony'' comics are darker than the toy-line and [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyAndFriends American cartoons]]. While they were usually cute and fluffy, they delved into certain stuff other parts of the franchise wouldn't. The most infamous issue had an explanation for the Twinkle-Eyed ponies. They were enslaved by a wizard and forced to live in darkness so long they [[EyeScream went blind]]. Applejack [[AccidentalMurder accidentally pushes]] the wizard to his death and saves the ponies. The rescued ponies end up using the jewels in place of eyes, and that's their [[DarkAndTroubledPast backstory]] for characters like Fizzy.
* ''Franchise/MyLittlePonyGeneration4'':
** [=IDW=]'s ''[[ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicIDW My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic]]'' comic series is noticably darker than the [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic animated show]] it was based on. Issue #3 starts with Queen Chrysalis (who by herself is portrayed much more sinisterly here) and her changelings invading a little town of [[RidiculouslyCuteCritter cute loving kitties]] and sucking all the love out of them. One month later the whole land is converted into the new changeling kingdom.
** ''[[ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFiendshipIsMagic My Little Pony: Fiendship Is Magic #1]]'' is perhaps the darkest G4 comic to date. Highlights include the BodyHorror of Sombra's transformations, his shattering of Amore after turning her into Crystal, and the StarCrossedLover story between Sombra and Hope. In contrast to the usual comics and show, there is very little humor in Sombra's tale; it's pure tragedy.
* Creator/RegisLoisel's [[FrancoBelgianComics re-imagination]] of ''ComicBook/PeterPan'' is most definitely this. Forget the cute Disney version of your childhood, this one is most definitely not for children, as this adaptation has [[AbusiveParents abusive]] and {{alcoholic parent}}s, AttemptedRape, and {{self made orphan}}s.

* Creator/ImageComics' March 1993 one-shot ''Darker Image'' is this, featuring the first appearances of DarkAgeOfSupernames heroes Bloodwulf and Deathblow. It is also notable for containing one of the first appearances of ComicBook/TheMaxx.
** Really, Image tends to be this compared to Marvel or DC. Mainly due to the emphasis on creator freedom, thus there's a lot more leeway for mature content that the Big Two won't allow.
* Parodied in an ''ComicBook/{{Asterix}}'' one-shot with the conceit that they were [[RunningTheAsylum fulfilling reader's suggestions]], one of which (pictured) was to add SteamPunk elements, give them all guns, draw them in a less childish style, and have them talk in a more naturalistic way rather than just punning all the time. The characters are shown drawn in a hyperdetailed [[UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks Dark Age]] style (Asterix's feathered helmet wings are replaced with bat wings) with GrossUpCloseUp-type details on the normally cuddly characters; Obelix is wearing a BadassBandolier {{Pistol Whip}}ping Romans with a {{BFG}} in a missile stockpile (Asterix is phoning Getafix to tell him these new gadgets don't work), and everyone is engaging in dreadfully-written ''Film/PulpFiction''-esque BuffySpeak, rendered in the UK English translation as [[UsefulNotes/BritishAccents Geordie]] (and still making a wholly unnaturalistic HurricaneOfPuns).
** Before this were a few twists on dark storytelling in the series; ''Asterix in Switzerland'''s plot involves the heroes' efforts to save an innocent from murder. Quaestor Vexatius Sinusitus' potential death offered a jarring but refreshing sense of drama to the otherwise frivolous comedy strip. The same story also contains a more serious look at the Romans than usual - normally, ''Asterix'' villains tend to be {{Punch Clock Villain}}s, {{Ineffectual Sympathetic Villain}}s or just ordinary people who happen to get in the heroes' way (occasionally even {{Designated Villain}}s, PlayedForLaughs), but Varius Flavus's actions (corruption, insane decadance and poisoning his opponents) are much more like what evil Roman patricians in history actually did. Oh, yeah, and an [[WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids actual Roman orgy]] (if limited to eating like slobs, getting drunk and hideous makeup) is depicted.
** Stories featuring similar moments of deadly menace include ''Asterix and Son'', where the village is burned to the ground, and the impending threat of Orinjade's execution in ''Asterix and the Magic Carpet''. Also ''Obelix All At Sea'', in which both Asterix and Obelix almost die (and the villain does, breaking NobodyCanDie), and ''Asterix and the Picts'', which involves ScarpiaUltimatum and a much more complicated plot than usual. To a lesser extent, ''The Roman Agent'' and ''Caesar's Gift'' are both about just how ridiculously awful living in their QuirkyTown would be.
** In ''Uderzo croqué par ses amis'', a compilation album of short stories drawn by various artists about Uderzo, one story is a realistically-drawn, historically-accurate, painfully serious take on the concept of a pair of Gaulish warriors fighting Romans using magic potion. For instance, the magic potion appears to be a kind of religious MagicFeather, they put the skulls of dead Roman soldiers around their village to keep them out (like the historical Gauls did), and they murder Romans with swords. It turns the usually ridiculous little Gauls into something quite dramatic and mystical and badass.
*** ''Uderzo croqué par ses amis'' also has another story in a similarly realistic art style, but with the usual characterisations of the Gauls. The story contains a gag where Asterix and Obelix accidentally catch Vitalstatistix ''in flagrante delicto'' with a hot blond who is not his wife, which is depicted in [[FanDisservice intentionally]] {{Squick}}y detail (since Vitalstatistix is both a beloved childhood character and a fat, ugly middle-aged man). ''Asterix'' is not exactly sexless but a gag like that would never get into the main stories.

* A lot of Disney comics are often this. ''Franchise/TheLittleMermaid'' and ''Franchise/TheLionKing'' have quite a few dark examples. For example, ''The Little Mermaid'' comic "Serpent Teen" has Ariel meeting a race called the Moray. They thought that mermaids wee a myth and consider them dangerous. The princess ends up keeping Ariel as a pet, and when Ariel's older sister Aquata arrives to help her she's almost eaten by a monster. Ariel ends up revealing she's a princess and is held hostage. The king of the Moray wants to kill all the merpeople however when Triton appears he destroys a lot of their town to get his daughters back.
* ''ComicBook/JemAndTheHolograms'': Multiple:
** The comics is this to the [[WesternAnimation/{{Jem}} cartoon]]. In the cartoon the main characters ''nearly'' died dozens of times but always escape without a scratch. The comics are aimed at a slightly older audience than the cartoons were, so they get away with light curses like "hell" and characters being shown injured. [[spoiler:Clash]] nearly kills Jem in an early issue but [[spoiler:Aja]] pushes her out of the way. [[spoiler:Aja]] ends up with cuts and bruises, as does Jerrica. A few issues later Pizzazz [[spoiler:gets into a violent car crash]] which leaves her unable to be in her band for a while.
** Played comedically in the second arc. In the "Dark Jem" arc Jerrica and her sisters get brainwashed by Synergy. They start dressing in darker toned outfits, start wearing black makeup, begin talking in monotone, act dismissive about everything, and generally act like stereotypical goths. Their new moody attitudes clash heavily with their typical, sweet and energetic ones.
* This is parodied in the "Comic Book Carnage" issue of ''ComicBook/HackSlash'', set at a comic fan convention. A new comics company is depicted reviving an old comic called ''Wunderkind'' (a blatant CaptainErsatz for ''[[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]]'') in a ridiculously over-the-top grimdark manner, whereupon a pair of {{Loony Fan}}s are so outraged that they start murdering the comic's creators ([[AsHimself who are real-world writers and artists]] who were pals of the comic's writer Tim Seeley and didn't mind getting bloodily slaughtered on paper).
* Parodied by Creator/AlanMoore, at about the same time as he was getting a rep for it, in ''[[http://swords-and-veeblefetzers.blogspot.com/2010/06/anything-goes-2-in-pictopia.html In Pictopia]]'', set in an absurdly darker and edgier version of a CaptainErsatz comic strip setting, with things like not-ComicStrip/{{Blondie}} as a prostitute, who gets raided by not-ComicBook/JudgeDredd. The main character, Nocturno the Necromancer (Comicstrip/MandrakeTheMagician) is horrified by what's happening to the place, especially when his goofy buddy Flexible Flynn (Comicbook/PlasticMan) is replaced by a snarling NinetiesAntiHero.
* In 2016, Creator/DCComics started the ''ComicBook/HannaBarberaBeyond'' initiative, which involved various comic books giving the grimmer and grittier treatment to several classic Creator/HannaBarbera cartoons.
** The adaptation of ''WesternAnimation/WackyRaces'' turns the lighthearted kart series into ''ComicBook/WackyRaceland'', a post-apocalyptic desert race more along the lines of ''Film/DeathRace2000'' or ''Film/MadMax'' than a campy Hanna-Barbera cartoon.
** ''ComicBook/TheFlintstones'', while still basically ''WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones'', features a lot more adult humor and storylines than what would be allowed in the 1960s cartoon. For example, Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble are [[ShellShockedVeteran Shell Shocked Veterans]], and in one issue Fred and Wilma are ostracized for practicing monogamy. Despite the more adult themes, the comic has a lot of heart, such as the topic of gay marriages (non-breeding pairs aided others in Fred's tribe).
** ''ComicBook/ScoobyApocalypse'' is a much darker take on ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDoo'' than what was done before by having Mystery Inc. fighting against real monsters in a post-apocalyptic setting.
* Even though ''ComicBook/BillyBatsonAndTheMagicOfShazam'' was generally an all-ages, LighterAndSofter take on Captain Marvel and the Marvel Family, its version of Freddy Freeman was darker than any other continuity's. Instead of suffering from partial paralysis, he's a complete paraplegic; and since Freddy's spine was broken by a building that Captain Marvel imploded, he hates Billy and Mary, and blames them for his injuries. This is a far cry from the original Freddy, whose spine was broken by Captain Nazi, who idolized Captain Marvel for saving his life, and who generally managed to have a fairly upbeat attitude despite his troubles.
* The Creator/MarvelComics two-issue miniseres by Creator/WarrenEllis entitled ''ComicBook/{{Ruins}}'', a darker take on ''ComicBook/{{Marvels}}'' where everything in the Marvel Universe has gone horribly wrong and the few characters who aren't horrifically disfigured or horribly killed by the accidents that gave them their powers in the regular Marvel Universe are corrupt and vile. Notable examples include Bruce Banner becoming a barely living mass of tumors instead of the Hulk, Charles Francis Xavier becoming a [[PresidentEvil corrupt president]] who imprisons mutants and mutilates them to keep their powers in check (e.g. blinding Cyclops to disable his optic blasts and de-limbing Quicksilver to prevent him from using his super speed), and Peter Parker's radioactive spider bite covering his body with a terminal web-like rash.
* ''ComicBook/AmazingAgentLuna'' is becoming this as of Year 2. Not only does Luna undergo TWO {{Plot Mandated Friendship Failure}}s in the course of Volume 7, but it's hinted from the brief description of Volume 8 at the end of Volume 7 that [[spoiler:she may pull a FaceHeelTurn in Volume 8. In fact, a FaceHeelTurn [[FakeDefector may be her only option]] if she wants to win Francesca back, though that's just because she rejoined Elizabeth when she thinks Timothy had dumped her because of Luna.]]
* Since his debut Frank Castle, ''ComicBook/ThePunisher'' had held the rank of Captain of the Dark Age of Comic Books. Then he was the tip of the spear of a darker, gritter run, ''Creator/MarvelKnights'' that took him and other "heroes" into their own Darker, Edgier works. Then Castle was promoted to full Dark Lord with ''ComicBook/ThePunisherMAX'' which was a run where, hmm, most may know Jean Grey, she had a Max run that was boarderline lesbian erotica. Now take the Punisher as he was and remove any limits of violence, language, and vigilante gore. Numerous examples were put up as the image source for PayEvilUntoEvil and they were all deemed far too graphic.
* ''ComicBook/{{Gobots}}'' is noticeably darker fare than ''WesternAnimation/ChallengeOfTheGobots'', with the miniseries having a premise involving [[RobotWar Cy-Kill leading an uprising towards humans]] and featuring much more violence than the Creator/HannaBarbera cartoon.

* ComicBook/XMen were always one of the darker comic books since the 80s, what with their focus on a discriminated minority group who often fought against extremists and genocidal bigots who were ANaziByAnyOtherName, and storylines such as the ''Morlock Massacre''. But in the 2000s, after ''ComicBook/HouseOfM'' came the ''Decimation'', where mutant numbers were dropped down to barely past 300, many of whom were immediately murdered, forcing the X-Men to abandon traditional heroics and move towards a more pragmatic, militarised and compartmentalised structure. Not helped was that shortly before this saw ComicBook/JeanGrey, arguably TheHeart of the X-Men, be KilledOffForReal[[note]]under the belief that her death would make Cyclops 'more interesting', and also because those RunningTheAsylum apparently didn't like her original resurrection[[/note]] and her place as the main female lead being replaced by Emma Frost, who functioned as an AntiHeroSubstitute for Jean.

* ''Comicbook/SuperiorSpiderMan'' runs on this trope. The plot involves Otto Octavius becoming the new Spider-Man after [[GrandTheftMe stealing Peter Parker's body]], and taking up his predecessor's war on crime while ignoring his ThouShaltNotKill rule. He's more vicious, brutal, and [[InsufferableGenius condescending]] than Peter, and even sports a black and red outfit in contrast to Spidey's classic, colorful duds. Fun fact, [[RetCanon the costume was originally designed by Alex Ross for the first]] Creator/SamRaimi ''Film/SpiderMan1'' movie. The suit was mostly black because Ross felt it'd make the outfit [[MovieSuperheroesWearBlack more serious and realistic]]. Ultimately, Superior subverts it by having Otto realize that Peter and his LighterAndSofter approach are superior, making Peter the true Superior Spider-Man.
* ''Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}'':
** ''Comicbook/TheSupergirlFromKrypton'' is her origin story. In the original Silver Age version, she lands on Earth and is found by her cousin who sees that she is being taken care of (even if his methods are questionable). The Post-Crisis StoryArc involves kryptonite meteors, fanservice, a paranoiac Batman and Darkseid kidnapping her and brainwashing her. On the plus side, Superman immediately wanted to take his cousin in and introduce her to Lois.

** When Supergirl ''[[Comicbook/{{Supergirl 2005}} was rebooted in the Post-Crisis continuity]]'', several writers and editors thought the best way to update the character was turning her into a mood-swinger, self-centered, bratty jerkass. This strategy continued until DC realized that Supergirl's fans hated it. Supergirl's earlier characterization was retconned out and she became a troubled, insecure but ultimately good and heroic teenager again.
** ''[[Comicbook/{{Supergirl 2011}} Post-Flashpoint Supergirl]]'' started out this way, with Kara being a reluctant hero at best, traumatised and, like most teenagers would under her circumstances, feeling overwhelmed and simply wanting to go home. She also holds a fairly dim view of humanity at large, but considering that they keep shooting at her and have poisoned the atmosphere with Kryptonite. Grief morphed to rage, partly under the influence of being manipulated and betrayed by H'el, and ''[[Comicbook/RedDaughterOfKrypton she became a Red Lantern for a little bit]]''. Now, however, she's discarded the Red Lantern Ring, has come to terms with her losses, matured and become that much wiser. She has since accepted Superman's charge to be Earth's hero in his stead in ''Comicbook/TheFinalDaysOfSuperman'' and ''Comicbook/SupergirlRebirth''.
* Franchise/TheDCU's ComicBook/PostCrisis universe, when it started off, wasn't overall ''much'' darker than what came before. Though there was a greater degree of ''seriousness'' about this era, DC had already largely moved away from the Silver Age's silliness, and all Post-Crisis did was try to have a consistent continuity in place and stripped the universe of many of TheArtefact elements from the wackier days. Notably, DC actually sidestepped TheDarkAge in the 90's with only a few books (namely Batman) really suffering from this but had titles like ''ComicBook/TheFlash'' and ''ComicBook/YoungJustice'' easily avoiding it. However, in the mid-2000s, under the direction of Creator/DanDiDio, saw DC start painfully grimmifying many elements from the Silver Age, including stories like ''ComicBook/IdentityCrisis'' that gave a brutal CerebusRetcon to the Silver Age Justice League adventures, as well as having Franchise/WonderWoman kill Maxwell Lord.
* After that, things got so grim, it drove UsefulNotes/{{the Silver Age|of Comic Books}}-inspired SelfDemonstrating/SuperboyPrime crazy -- causing him to become a mass-murdering fanatic and perhaps the darkest and edgiest DC character of all time. The Superboy-Prime saga, which climaxed in ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'', was followed by an even darker and edger storyline called ''ComicBook/FiftyTwo'', and also saw the relaunching of numerous series with a generally darker tone. A prime example is ''ComicBook/{{Checkmate}}''; issue #1 featured a team of superpowered spies infiltrating a Kobra base and leaving no survivors (with the badass heroine of the series, Sasha Bordeaux, shooting the Kobra BigBad dead, execution style). The series muted its violence considerably after the first half-dozen issues.

*** [[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Billy Batson]] has become a little brat from losing his parents. While he has still shown a [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold hidden heart of gold]], it's still jarring for readers used to seeing him as more of TheCape than Superman.

* ''ComicBook/SupermanEarthOne'' was explicitly advertised as being darker, sexier, and moodier, and many standard elements of Superman's story are given a darker spin -- for example, Jonathan and Martha are forced to keep Kal-El a secret after government agents secretly impound his spaceship in a secret base, Krypton's destruction was a deliberate act of war, and Superman's more angsty than other portrayals and is distrusted by the public... but despite that, there remains a core of hope, with Clark realising that the people of Earth had a reason to be afraid (after that fear was exploited by Zod [[spoiler: (here, Zod-El, Superman's uncle)]]), and comes to something of an accommodation with the United Nations. The rest of the ''ComicBook/EarthOne'' line plays it very straight, however, as among other things, Bruce Wayne isn't as skilled as other versions and is originally solely about bringing in the man he believes had his parents killed to justice, Alfred is the family's bodyguard (not their butler) and encourages Bruce to kill, Jim Gordon is a reluctant DirtyCop, [[spoiler:Diana is a ChildByRape between Hercules and Hippolyta and Hippolyta originally kept Diana for the purpose to enact a war against all males, Starfire is the source of several Titans' powers thanks to STAR Labs (led by Cyborg's [[AdaptationalVillainy villianous]] mother) experimenting on them]], the Green Lantern Corps is already gone by the time Hal Jordan gets his power ring--[[spoiler:though things improve on that end thanks to Hal]], Hal himself is more jaded and cynical, and [[spoiler:the last Guardian is insane]].

* ''ComicBook/SupermanRedSon'': A "what if" story showing what would happen if baby Kal-Lel landed in Soviet Russia instead of Smallville. The result? A fascist empire led by the world's strongest man, with all of Clark's desire to change the world for the better, but with a misguided worldview, and none of his respect for free will.

* ''ComicBook/{{Gobots}}'' is noticeably darker fare than ''WesternAnimation/ChallengeOfTheGobots'', with the miniseries' premise involving Cy-Kill leading an uprising towards humans and featuring much more violence than the Creator/HannaBarbera cartoon.

* Franchise/TheDCU's ComicBook/PostCrisis universe, when it started off, wasn't overall ''much'' darker than what came before. Though there was a greater degree of ''seriousness'' about this era, DC had already largely moved away from the Silver Age's silliness, and all Post-Crisis did was try to have a consistent continuity in place and stripped the universe of many of TheArtefact elements from the wackier days. Notably, DC actually sidestepped TheDarkAge in the 90's with only a few books (namely Batman) really suffering from this but had titles like ''ComicBook/TheFlash'' and ''ComicBook/YoungJustice'' easily avoiding it. However, in the mid-2000s, under the direction of Creator/DanDiDio, saw DC start painfully grimmifying many elements from the Silver Age, including stories like ''ComicBook/IdentityCrisis'' that gave a brutal CerebusRetcon to the Silver Age Justice League adventures, as well as having Wonder Woman kill Maxwell Lord.

*** The first ''Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'' title simply called ''Justice League'' was the book that kicked off the ''ComicBook/JusticeLeagueInternational'' era, which (while having darker moments) is best remembered as a comedy in its early days. ''ComicBook/JusticeLeague2011'', which kicked off the New 52 ear, opened with a darker depiction of ComicBook/{{Cyborg}}'s origin, several cases of ADaptationalJerkass, and Darkseid suffering EyeScream.

** ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogIDW'', the most game-oriented ''Sonic'' comic to date, started out much lighter than its predecessors, but the return of [[BigBad Dr. Eggman]] after a dozen or so issues leads to probably '''THE DARKEST''' ''Sonic'' story ever told. Now back in business, Eggman unleashes the Metal Virus, a bioweapon which roboticizes all organics into evil robo-zombies called "Zombots". What ensues is a ''Sonic''-style ZombieApocalypse played totally straight, and from Issues #16-29, things ''constantly'' go FromBadToWorse for heroes and villains alike. The Metal Virus [[DwindlingParty picks off the heroes one after another]] as it spreads, with the survivors [[TraumaCongaLine faring]] [[DespairEventHorizon no]] [[BreakTheCutie better]] than [[AndThenJohnWasAZombie the victims]], and even Eggman loses control of the situation before his EvilerThanThou rivals, [[VideoGame/SonicLostWorld the Deadly Six]], usurp control of the Zombots. It takes a tense EnemyMine, the presence of Silver the Hedgehog, and Sonic and Silver's use of the Chaos Emeralds to finally set things right. Severe ScheduleSlip (exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020) combined with the lengthy narrative caused the Metal Virus arc to drag on for 19½ months, leading to ArcFatigue and DarknessInducedAudienceApathy. After the arc concluded, Evan Stanley succeeded Ian Flynn as head writer and quickly returned the series to a LighterAndSofter tone.
*** The ''Tangle & Whisper'' miniseries pits Sonic's new friends [[PluckyComicRelief Tangle the Lemur]] and [[TheQuietOne Whisper the Wolf]] against an AxCrazy shapeshifting mercenary with a NightmareFace, who before the comic's events helped Eggman wipe out Whisper's old team, leaving her traumatized. The same traitor tries several times to murder the two heroines, almost succeeding at one point.

** The first ''Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'' title simply called ''Justice League'' was the book that kicked off the ''ComicBook/JusticeLeagueInternational'' era, which (while having darker moments) is best remembered as a comedy in its early days. ''ComicBook/JusticeLeague2011'', which kicked off the New 52 ear, opened with a darker depiction of ComicBook/{{Cyborg}}'s origin, several cases of ADaptationalJerkass, and Darkseid suffering EyeScream.
** This ultimately is brought in for a {{Deconstruction}}, courtesy of Creator/GeoffJohns and ''DC Universe: Rebirth'' #1, who shows that no one likes a world filled with DarkerAndEdgier ideas, especially when it's the heroes who are hit with this. This is driven home with the revelation that [[spoiler:Dr. Manhattan of ''Watchmen'' is the cause of all of this, having turned the pre-''Flashpoint'' universe into the New 52 universe and seems utterly confused as to why it isn't working.]] It also serves as a TakeThat to those who use the spoilered title as a manifesto to writing comics and not getting the message it was giving out.

** The ComicBook/{{New 52}} reboot saw this taken UpToEleven. Heroes got newer costumes that were more armoured and 'cinematic', as well as grimmer, more dour personalities. Fun elements like the Flash Family or Justice Society of America were ExiledFromContinuity and certain LegacyCharacter heroes were reverted to their silver age selves, who were written as much more serious and grim figures. Heroes also lost their marriages and had their romantic histories erased, as it was believed by those RunningTheAsylum that "heroes are too damaged to get married". This goes further in some books than others.
*** Blue Beetle was originally a fun book that didn't take itself too seriously - for example, the scarab was played as a HeroicComedicSociopath. In the ComicBook/{{New 52}}, it was initially just [[SociopathicHero a sociopath]], and Jaime couldn't rein it in as much as he used to at first.

** Creator/{{Disney}} Italy does this as an habit. Aside for publishing some 'normal' stories with classic characters and settings with darker themes and complete rejection of FamilyFriendlyFirearms (to the point Scrooge mentioned having at least a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obice_da_149/19_modello_37 149mm artillery piece]] and threatened to fire Donald from it), once in a while they bring back Doctor Vultur (a ''[[ANaziByAnyOtherName Nazi in everything but the name]]'' orango trying to TakeOverTheWorld) and a truer to the origins version of the Black Spot, and, in chronological order, they created the following: Paperinik himself (theorically Franchise/DonaldDuck's superhero alter ego. In practice even his lighter stories show the sadistic streak that in two occasions prompted him to ''set off [[TorchesAndPitchforks lynching mobs]]''), ''Paperinik New Adventures'', ''Mickey Mouse Mystery Magazine'' (where Mickey is forced to temporarily move in [[CrapsackWorld a city more corrupted than]] ''[[Franchise/{{Batman}} Gotham]]'' and survive in spite of his very existence being a danger to the men who control the city), ''ComicBook/{{WITCH}}'' (where the heroes have no qualms in trying and killing their enemies), ''ComicBook/MonsterAllergy'' (explicitely a ''horror'', and as scary as the authors could get away with) and ''ComicBook/DoubleDuck''.

* 'DarkerAndEdgier/{{Batman}}''

* 'DarkerAndEdgier/Batman''

* In comics, this move is most famous for Franchise/{{Batman}}. After the end of the ''Series/Batman1966'' TV series, it became apparent the campy tone had burnt out, and DC realized a change was needed quickly. With Denny O'Neil's writing and predominantly Neal Adams's gothic and realistic art, Batman was made a darkly fearsome night stalker much like he was in the original stories before he was softened for kids. Later, in the mid-80s, Creator/FrankMiller's ''Comicbook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns'' overclocked this to dangerous levels.
** The shift also carried over to Batman's RoguesGallery, most notably ComicBook/TheJoker, who had been written as a comical "Clown Prince of Crime", but now returned to his [[MonsterClown psychotic murderous]] roots and building up one of the largest body counts in the DC Universe (only being outdone by alien societies and villains with near-god level power).
** In the '90s the ComicBook/{{Batgirl}} mantle was passed from Barbara Gordon to [[ComicBook/{{Batgirl 2000}} Cassandra Cain]], a character who came complete with a much darker origin (she's a mute [[{{Tykebomb}} trained from birth to be an assassin]]) and a costume that wouldn't look out of place at a BDSM club. Fortunately, she was written well enough in her own series to not come off as ridiculous, in particular being one of the most moral and kindly members of the Bat-family despite her grim background and [[DarkIsNotEvil sinister look]].
** [[ComicBook/{{Knightfall}} Bat-Azrael]] was a [[AntiHeroSubstitute darker, edgier, more brutish version of Batman]], created to show what makes the true Batman ''not'' a vigilante. However, DC was ready to keep Azrael as Batman, if it sold well enough.
** Jason Todd as Batman is similar to Azrael: a thuggish, heavily armored Batman who guns criminals down with his [[GunsAkimbo pair of pistols]]. Fans have taken to calling him "[[FanNickname Gunbats]]".
** From ''ComicBook/DeathOfTheFamily'', a number of people might laugh and say that Joker can't possibly achieve this trope at this point. They would be wrong, because his treatment of [[spoiler: Harley Quinn]] is even worse than it was before! [[KickTheSonOfABitch Though given who she is...]]
** Not even the mantle of Robin is safe from this "dark and edgy" obsession. [[ComicBook/RobinSeries Tim Drake]] whose era as Robin is probably most similar to Dick Grayson, gets replaced by the dark and edgy Damian Wayne. Ironically, Tim Drake was an aversion of this trope by replacing the dark and edgy Jason Todd as Robin and right at the cusp of the Dark Age of Comics no less though his costume was physically darker and more practical than those of his predecessors.
** ''ComicBook/TheNew52'' remade Mr. Freeze in this fashion, because apparently his CanonImmigrant status as a TragicVillain from ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' didn't work with the rest of Batman's RoguesGallery being psychopaths and lunatics. In this new iteration, Freeze and Nora were never married; Nora was frozen in cryogenic stasis in the 1920s for a heart condition, Freeze merely worked at the storage facility where her capsule was kept and became obsessed with her, leading to his physiology-warping accident. Also, Freeze's obsession with freezing things and ice manifested when, after his mother fell through some ice and almost died as a little boy, he subsequently took her back and pushed her back into the freezing-cold water.
* Indeed, UsefulNotes/{{The Dark Age|OfComicBooks}} was an instance of this for the entire American ComicBook medium.
** Creator/AlanMoore, who helped begin the trend with ''Comicbook/{{Watchmen}}'', has shown some regrets over this. [[http://www.avclub.com/content/node/24222 "The apocalyptic bleakness of comics over the past 15 years sometimes seems odd to me, because it's like that was a bad mood that I was in 15 years ago."]]
** A lot of publishers/writers noticed that ''Watchmen'' and ''The Dark Knight Returns'' were both dark and popular and apparently concluding that they were popular ''because'' they were dark. The resultant flood of titles which were dark without also being very ''good'' is one reason there's a lot of overlap between the terms "Dark Age" and "Dork Age" in the minds of many fans.
* Speaking of Alan Moore, he actually did a Darker and Edgier reboot of UK superhero [[ComicBook/{{Miracleman}} Marvelman]] as well. What had originally started out as a British Captain Marvel rip-off, turned into a gritty, ''[[Film/TotalRecall1990 Total Recall]]''-ish, what-is-real head trip, that even turned his Freddy Freeman-esque sidekick Kid Marvelman into a sadistic psychopath, with graphic violence that was unprecedented in the genre at the time and is still shocking today.