History KnightOfCerebus / ComicBooks

* The appearance of the Anti-Monitor in ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'' was such an up to eleven example (just like everything else about ''Crisis On Infinite Earths'') of this trope that he not only ushered in CerebusSyndrome for ''the entire DC multiverse'', but induced a {{Cosmic|Retcon}} CerebusRetcon upon its entire history. However, instead of taking the danger to a new level, he instead warped the fabric of reality into UsefulNotes/{{the Dark Age|of Comic Books}} and all its DarkerAndEdgier '90s-ness, since no one since has ever been able to come close to either his [[SlidingScaleOfVillainThreat threat level]] or [[SlidingScaleOfAntagonistVileness evilness level.]]

* ''ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}'': When Creator/DCComics decided to transform Aquaman into a more serious superhero, one of the first things they did was transform his nemesis Black Manta, previously a HarmlessVillain best known for commanding a sub crewed by old men in fast food paper hats, into a deadly straight sociopath who murdered Aquaman's son.

* ''ComicBook/ScottPilgrim'' is a [[WidgetSeries crazy]] comic, and starts out very happy until Gideon Graves showed up and [[spoiler: stabbed and killed Scott and Ramona (well, Ramona almost gets killed)]].

* The [[DimensionLord Dread Dormammu]] was this for original ComicBook/DoctorStrange stories. Before him Strange was usually foiling the plans of the likes of [[EvilCounterpart Mordo]] and [[DreamWeaver Nightmare]], which, while usually pretty vile, were't anything he couldn't deal with in ten to twelve pages. Dormammu was the first opponent who required multi-part storyline to be dealt with, setting a much more serious tone. By his second appearance, he threw Strange, [[TheMentor Anciet One]] and [[LoveInterest Clea]] into a desperate fight for survival that lasted through the rest of Creator/StanLee and Creator/SteveDitko's run.

* In ''ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan'', expect things to get dead ''freaking'' serious whenever [[BigBad Norman Osborn]] or anything else having to do with him shows up, possibly even more so then in the main continuity. Venom, too, has this distinction, symbolized by the fact that he's the first villain Peter fights without his Spider-Man costume. Just Venom's suit alone can threaten ''nuclear war!''
** Carnage serves as a classic example from the main continuity. Being a psychotic serial killer with a symbiote that both runs on and craves blood, he particularly stands out amongst Spidey's colorful RoguesGallery because he's not interested in money or power; all he wants to do is kill as many people as he can, as violently as he can.
*** Morlun from [[ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManJMichaelStraczynski JMS' run]] -- not for the run itself (because he was the run's first antagonist), but series as whole. Because he significantly ramps up threat level, his mere presence is a sign things are about to turn grim. ''ComicBook/SpiderVerse'' takes this up to eleven when ''his entire family'' is introduced.

* ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogIDW'' started out being a LighterAndSofter reboot of the ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' comics. But, when the Metal Virus gets introduced halfway through the comic, things start getting bleak for the heroes, especially since most of the heroes ended up being infected by the virus.

** Metallix (The STC version of Metal Sonic) also counts. The first model was the first real threat Sonic faced, with Sonic's victory over him being narrow and the stories afterwords getting much darker. While his successor didn't exactly make things darker, he lead into the next iteration:The Brotherhood of Metalix, an entire army of Metalix as strong as the first model who Sonic barely defeats... only for them to return, as strong as ever and use a pirate omniviewer to rewrite time [[spoiler: So that Dr.Kintobor never became Robtonik and thus never put in the one thing that could stop them: A self distruct. This forces Sonic to create his worst enemy just to stop them. On top of this they held Porker Lewis captive for a month, the trauma of which lead to him quitting the Freedom Fighters.]]

* The appearance of the Anti-Monitor in ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'' was such an UpToEleven example (just like everything else about ''Crisis On Infinite Earths'') of this trope that he not only ushered in CerebusSyndrome for ''the entire DC multiverse'', but induced a {{Cosmic|Retcon}} CerebusRetcon upon its entire history. However, instead of taking the danger to a new level, he instead warped the fabric of reality into UsefulNotes/{{the Dark Age|of Comic Books}} and all its DarkerAndEdgier '90s-ness, since no one since has ever been able to come close to either his [[SlidingScaleOfVillainThreat threat level]] or [[SlidingScaleOfAntagonistVileness evilness level.]]

* And with the advent of ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'' Justice League ally Max Lord was retconned into being one of these. His return as a White Lantern ramps this UpToEleven.

** [[GodOfEvil Anathos]] is probably [[UpToEleven one of the most extreme level]]; whereas the serie had already got quite serious and dark at this point, his appearance made the whole story goes ''[[FromBadToWorse even darker]]'', starting with him [[spoiler:[[DemonicPossession possessing one of the protagonist]], [[ScarsAreForever scarring or crippling all the others]] and almost succeeding in a [[OmnicidalManiac genocide of humanity]]. Even after he was eventually defeated, the serie seems so far to retain a darker tone that it usually had.]]

* In ''ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan'', expect things to get dead ''freaking'' serious whenever [[BigBad Norman Osborn]] or anything else having to do with him shows up, [[UpToEleven possibly even more so then in the main continuity]]. Venom, too, has this distinction, symbolized by the fact that he's the first villain Peter fights without his Spider-Man costume. Just Venom's suit alone can threaten ''nuclear war!''

*** Morlun from [[ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManJMichaelStraczynski JMS' run]] -- not for the run itself (because he was the run's first antagonist), but series as whole. Because he significantly ramps up threat level, his mere presence is a sign things are about to turn grim. ''ComicBook/SpiderVerse'' takes this UpToEleven when ''his entire family'' is introduced.

* The Black Dahlias in ''ComicBook/TheOrder'' were an all-girl gang that attacked and brutally murdered the Order's former members, which was quite a change from the science fiction villains that they'd previously dealt with.

* The appearance of the Anti-Monitor in ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'' was such an UpToEleven example (just like everything else about ''Crisis On Infinite Earths'') of this trope that he not only ushered in CerebusSyndrome for ''the entire DC multiverse'', but induced a [[CosmicRetcon Cosmic]] CerebusRetcon upon its entire history. However, instead of taking the danger to a new level, he instead warped the fabric of reality into UsefulNotes/{{the Dark Age|of Comic Books}} and all its DarkerAndEdgier '90s-ness, since no one since has ever been able to come close to either his [[SlidingScaleOfVillainThreat threat level]] or [[SlidingScaleOfAntagonistVileness evilness level.]]

*** Morlun from [[ComicBook/JMSSpiderMan JMS' run]] -- not for the run itself (because he was the run's first antagonist), but series as whole. Because he significantly ramps up threat level, his mere presence is a sign things are about to turn grim. ''ComicBook/SpiderVerse'' takes this UpToEleven when ''his entire family'' is introduced.

* The supervillain Harm in ''ComicBook/YoungJustice''; the first page of his first appearance is marked by Arrowette, bloodily impaled with one of her own arrows, saying "But that's n-not funny..."