History Main / AdaptationalComicRelief

* ''Franchise/MyLittlePony'':
** Inverted with Wind Whistler in ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyAndFriends''. The toys and UK ''ComicBook/MyLittlePony'' comics present her as TheDitz and her name [[MeaningfulName comes from]] her insistent whistling. In the cartoon she is TheSpock while her friend Fizzy is the goofier {{Cloudcuckoolander}}.
** Played straight with the Smooze. Its [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTheMovie1986 original incarnation]] is a giant juggernaut of a BlobMonster that exists only to smother and destroy all in its path. The [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS5E7MakeNewFriendsButKeepDiscord G4 version]] is a NonMaliciousMonster more interested in eating shiny objects and generally having a good time, and the [[CoveredInGunge slime]] is PlayedForLaughs.

* Whatney Smith in ''[[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S05E19Outlaw Outlaw of Gor]]'' is roughly equivalent to Harrison Smith in the book of the same name, but Harrison doesn't go to Gor and isn't a comic relief character. Whatney is ''supposed'' to be funny -- opinion varies as to whether he is or not.

* {{Inverted}} with ''Film/TheLastAirbender''--Sokka hardly makes a single joke, despite being both PluckyComicRelief ''and'' TheSnarkKnight in [[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender the original show]].

** Reversed by Creator/BasilRathbone as Sherlock Holmes, who was very witty and showy in the stories but became increasingly a straightlaced hero-type throughout the films (although he did have some moments of hilarity, like impersonating a music hall performer singing "I Do Like To Be Beside the Seaside.")

SubTrope of AdaptationPersonalityChange. Contrast AdaptationalAngstUpgrade. Compare DemotedToComicRelief.

* Inverted in ''Manga/{{Bokurano}}''. Aiko "Anko" Tokosumi is significantly more ditzy in the manga than in the anime, although she is capable of being serious and even angsting at times. In the anime, most of Anko's comedic moments, such as losing her temper when Koyemshi vaguely alludes that she'd been having ADateWithRosiePalms before being teleported to Zearth, are cut (in the anime, she's in the middle of drying her hair) and she's shown to be somewhat more emotionally vulnerable.

** Inverted with the title character - in the books, Harry is a DeadpanSnarker with a penchant for GallowsHumor, while his film counterpart is typically more serious.

* Inverted in the 1980s ''Series/{{Casablanca}}'' TV series. In the original film, Sascha is pure PluckyComicRelief; in the series, he has a much more reserved demeanor and is never used for comedy at all.

* ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManTheNewAnimatedSeries'': {{Inverted|Trope}}. Peter Parker in this series is one of the least jokey incarnations of Spider-Man, though he's still pretty quippy and snarky (it ''is'' Spider-Man, after all).

** Fred goes from TheStoic who can transform into a Godzilla {{expy}} to a FunPersonified, PluckyComicRelief character who wears PoweredArmor that looks like a very goofy, cartoonish version of a kaiju.

** {{Downplayed}} with the headcrab species. They are still {{puppeteer parasite}}s that [[NonMaliciousMonster act out on basic instincts]] but [[MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch one exception]] is [[https://www.youtube.com/szpgamer SzpGamer]] who is an obsessed fan of ''{{Videogame/Crysis}}''.

* Digger from Literature/GuardiansofGaHoole in the books was portrayed as TheSmartGuy of the FiveManBand that is... The Band, being described in the latter books as somewhat of a "philosopher"; and was the first to notice important plot details. In WesternAnimation/LegendOfTheGuardiansTheOwlsOfGaHoole, he's a straight comic relief that's prone to going on long tangents and cracking jokes at inopportune times.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* ''WesternAnimation/UltimateSpiderMan''

* In ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitansGo'' just about every character from the original ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' cartoon is turned into a more comedic version of themselves.

* Parodied in a ShowWithinAShow on ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner'' when the band [[XtremeKoolLetterz Limozeen]] becomes the subject of a cartoon show featuring the musicians RecycledInSpace. Within the cartoon, [[GenderBlenderName Mary Palaroncini]] asks why he is drawn as a fat redhead when in real life he is neither of those things, only to be told, "You're the comic relief!"

[[folder:EasternAnimation]]

* The Grand Prince of Kiev Vladimir the Great and his ballad counterpart Vladimir Solnečko ("Vladimir Little Sun") are portrayed in the Russian animated movie franchise ''Tri Bogatyrja'' ("The Three Bogatyrs) by Prince Vladimir, who can be described as an overgrown child who periodically puts his kingdom in danger because of his several [[FatalFlaw fatal flaws]], such as [[TheGamblingAddict losing his kingdom after betting it on a variant of the cup and balls trick]] or paying off a humangous debt by arranging a marriage between his niece Zabava and the merchant he owes the money to. He's also inept and unable to use a sword properly ([[PragmaticHero though he comes up with some pragmatic solutions when his life is at stake]]). This usually leads to him receiving a HumiliationConga by his enemies ([[StatusQuoIsGod but he always manages to get back his throne thanks to the help of his three bogatyrs]]). To put things into perspective, his historical counterpart was a man who lived by the sword: Vladimir the Great waged war against his brother Yaropolk and crushed revolts inside and outside his kingdom with remarkable efficiency. His time as ruler is also considered the first part of the Golden Age of Kievian Rus (with the second part beginning with the coronation of Vladimr's son Yaroslav).

* The Grand Prince of Kiev Vladimir the Great and his ballad counterpart Vladimir Solnečko ("Vladimir Little Sun") are portrayed in the Russian animated movie franchise ''Tri Bogatyrja'' ("The Three Bogatyrs) by Prince Vladimir, who can be described as an overgrown child who periodically puts his kingdom in danger because of his several [[FatalFlaw fatal flaws]], such as [[GamblingAddict losing his kingdom after betting it on a variant of the cup and balls trick]] or paying off a humangous debt by arranging a marriage between her niece Zabava and the merchant he owes the money to. He's also inept and unable to use a sword properly ([[PragmaticHero though he comes up with some pragmatic solutions when his life is at stake]]). This usually leads to him receiving a HumiliationConga by his enemies ([[StatusQuoIsGod but he always manages to get back his throne thanks to the help of his three bogatyrs]]). To put things into perspective, his historical counterpart was a man who lived by the sword: Vladimir the Great waged war against his brother Yaropolk and crushed revolts inside and outside his kingdom with remarkable efficiency. His time as ruler is also considered the first part of the Golden Age of Kievian Rus (with the second part beginning with the coronation of Vladimr's son Yaroslaw).

** Subverted with Watson but played straight with Holmes in the Robert Downey Jr./Jude Law films: Law's Watson is very serious and professional, and the films often emphasize that he's a war veteran and a medical doctor[[note]]According to WordOfGod, they wanted to undo Watson's popular perception as the quintessential bumbling sidekick, and return him to his roots of being Holmes' equal[[/note]] who often acts as the StraightMan to Downey's Holmes, who, while very competent, is much goofier and irreverent than he's normally portrayed as.

** Another figure of note is Deadpool himself. Though he was always considered a comic relief, this adaptation makes him a great deal DenserAndWackier than his grimmer and occasionally more homicidal self, even though this version is no stranger to killing. In fact, his defeat practically comes about in the {{Chibi}} imaginary sequences when Spidey forces Deadpool to face some degree of [[ComesGreatResponsibility responsibility]] for his actions as opposed to avoiding it with humor (which was mentioned in a way in his newer, S.H.I.E.L.D.-related backstory).

** Digger from Literature/GuardiansofGaHoole in the books was portrayed as TheSmartGuy of the FiveManBand that is... The Band, being described in the latter books as somewhat of a "philosopher"; and was the first to notice important plot details. In Film/LegendOfTheGuardiansTheOwlsOfGaHoole, he's a straight comic relief that's prone to going on long tangents and cracking jokes at inopportune times.

** Inverted with Harry himself, whose DeadpanSnarker tendencies from the books are heavily toned down.

* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'':

** While Olenna's sharp tongue can be amusing in the novels, Creator/DianaRigg tinges it all with a mischievous bemusement where the novels portray her as genuinely caustic and spiteful. Instances where this is not possible, such as unprovokedly calling Ellaria Sand "the serpent's whore", are adapted out and the show crafts new entirely-comedic scenes for her such as her "You can smell the shit from here!" arrival in Season 5.

** Fred goes from TheStoic to a FunPersonified, PluckyComicRelief character.

* Genie in WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}} is a standout example; in the original, the lamp and ring genies were helpful to Aladdin, but not funny or interesting (and the lamp genie is so frightful in appearance that Aladdin’s mother faints upon seeing him). In the Disney version, Genie is a friendly, zany character who [[TheGenieKnowsJackNicholson makes pop culture gags]]. Though he’s not all comic; his own wish, to be free, is played seriously.

* In the ''Franchise/SherlockHolmes'' films:

* ''WebVideo/GoblinSlayerAbridged'' turns the eponymous character from a normally [[TheStoic stoic]] man of [[TheQuietOne few words]] into a [[AxCrazy borderline psychotic]] and [[NoIndoorVoice obnoxious]] MotorMouth. The most canon!Slayer got in the form of comedy was being TheComicallySerious. Abriged!Slayer is a HeroicComedicSociopath to boot and acts like ComicBook/{{Deadpool}} [[UpToEleven on crack]] without the MediumAwareness. His obsession with killing goblins is PlayedForLaughs a hundred percent of the time.