History SmallNameBigEgo / ComicBooks

* ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica'': Albert Malik, the second Red Skull, likes to boast about how he's more dangerous than Johann Schmidt could ever be. Schmidt's life is a laundry list of pure skin-crawling evil, both large and petty, while Malik's greatest (and, frankly, ''only'') claim to fame is killing Spidey's parents.

* Cacofonix, the [[MeaningfulName meaningfully named]] [[DreadfulMusician bard]] from ''ComicBook/{{Asterix}}''. His bravado makes him the perfect unwitting weapon against the Romans, but usually he's just made to shut up with varying degrees of force. His moment to shine came when Vitalstatistix's nephew Justforkix was being held by Normans who wanted to learn the meaning of fear. Cacofonix's singing was so bad they became scared for the first times in their lives.
** In one story, a newcomer to the village has called an election as he has a (tenuous) claim on being chief, so the current chief sends Cacofonix, as the person he most trusted to vote for him, to spy on the others to find out who they'd vote for. Cacofonix returns with the data, and a black eye given to him by CausticCritic Fulliautomatix, who thought he was going to sing. The chief attempts to comfort him by saying that he appreciates his music, so Cacofonix, obviously very excited to have someone to play to, starts playing him a new song he wrote. The chief starts [[SuckinessIsPainful screaming in agony]] and begging him to leave, so Cacofonix storms out, announcing he's changing his vote.[[note]]This was an untranslatable pun in the original version, since the words for ''vote'' and ''voice'' are the same in French[[/note]]

* The infamous ''24 Hours'' story from the beginning of ''ComicBook/TheSandman1989'' starts by introducing a waitress named Bette who, unbeknownst to everyone else, has written numerous stories, most of them about her customers at the diner. Bette figures that someday, she'll send the stories out to be published, become famous, and all the famous talk show hosts and critics will marvel at her depiction of small-town life. However, while we are never shown these stories, the narration states that all of them end happily, and some of them have her pairing up two young lesbians with "fine young men" because she considers what they do is "a sin". (But the couple themselves don't come off much better. It's eventually revealed to be a relationship that's turned emotionally and physically abusive.) Added that some of her tales involve her ex-husband and her convict son coming back to her, it's obvious that Bette's stories are self-indulgent garbage meant to give her an escape from her crappy and boring life, and by the issue's gruesome end, it's obvious that she knows next to nothing about her customers.
* Cat Grant from the ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'' and ''ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}'' books thinks that she is the center of the universe (she isn't), and in ''ComicBook/SupergirlRebirth'' she believes that several train hijackers were after her (they weren't).

--->'''Penguin:''' So I resign. [[UsefulNotes/RichardNixon You don't get Oswald Cobblepot to kick around anymore!...]] At least not until the fall election, you've seen what I can do as Mayor, Gotham City. When the time comes, I'm sure to come back in a landslide!!... Now, NO further questions you vultures! I'm done with you!

* ''ComicBook/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast'': Roam is arrogant, snide, condescending and thinks ''he'' should be the prophesied hero destined to save Hyrule. When Roam challenges Link for the Master Sword, the latter wins with a single Sword Beam.

* Brainy Smurf of ''ComicBook/TheSmurfs'', more so in [[WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs the cartoon show]] where he usually elevates his importance to levels beyond his ability to deliver upon his claims.

* Jack from ''[[{{ComicBook/Fables}} Jack of Fables]]'' is a rare example of a ''main character'' being a Small Name Big Ego. He frequently embellishes himself while narrating; for example, in the beginning, when he recapped the events of ''{{ComicBook/Fables}}'', he made it look as though he was the [[BigDamnHeroes Big Damn Hero]] of the Battle of Fabletown when he really just played a minor role, and failed at it, to boot.

* Guy Gardner from Franchise/GreenLantern is constantly lamenting the fact that he is not the primary Lantern of Earth's sector, and bad-mouths Hal Jordan, Kyle Rayner and John Stewart any chance he gets. There is a tradition beginning with Keith Giffen, J.M. [=DeMatteis=] and Kevin Maguire's first issue of ComicBook/JusticeLeagueInternational of Guy demanding to be instated leader of any new incarnation of the League, for reasons obvious to no-one but himself.
* The infamous ''24 Hours'' story from the beginning of ''ComicBook/TheSandman'' started by introducing a waitress named Bette who, unbeknownst to everyone else, has written numerous stories, most of them about her customers at the diner. Bette figures someday she'll send the stories out to be published, become famous, and all the famous talk show hosts and critics will marvel at her depiction of small-town life. However, while we are never shown these stories, the narration states that all of them end happily, and some of them have her pairing up two young lesbians with "fine young men" because she considers what they do is "a sin." (But the couple themselves don't come off much better. It's eventually revealed to be a relationship that's turned emotionally and physically abusive.) Added that some of her tales involve her ex-husband and her convict son coming back to her, it's obvious that Bette's stories are self-indulgent garbage meant to give her an escape from her crappy and boring life, and by the issue's gruesome end, it's obvious she knows next to nothing about her customers.
* Cat Grant from the Franchise/{{Superman}} and ''Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}'' books thinks she is the center of the universe (she isn't), and in ''Comicbook/SupergirlRebirth'' she believes that several train hijackers were after her (they weren't).

** Deconstructed through Anode; during her apprenticeship at the Lighthouse, she would frequently make boasts well beyond her actual skill level. This ends biting her in the ass when [[spoiler: she's given an assignment she wasn't fully prepared for and killed a protoform as a result.]]

* ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica:'' Albert Malik, the second Red Skull, likes to boast about how he's more dangerous than Johann Schmidt could ever be. Schmidt's life is a laundry list of pure skin-crawling evil, both large and petty, while Malik's greatest (and, frankly, ''only'') claim to fame is killing Spidey's parents.
* In ''ComicBook/GrantMorrisonsBatman'', Wingman, the former Batman of Sweden, will tell anyone who'll listen that he definitely ''wasn't'' trained by Batman; they just worked together once because Batman recognized his skill. And he's not ripping off Batman with his near-identical outfit and name, because he came up with the concept a year before Batman debuted. As it turns out, he's abundantly aware that he's far less impressive than Batman career-wise, but he's convinced himself that [[ICouldaBeenAContender all he needed was one push.]]