History VillainProtagonist / ComicBooks

* ''ComicBook/StarWarsDarthVader''. 'Nuff said.
** The [[ComicBook/DarthVader old series]] from ''Creator/DarkHorseComics'' too.

** SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker had his own short-lived series back in the '70s in which he cheerfully offed various other characters.

* In the original comic book version of ''ComicBook/TheMask'', the central character (who is called "Bighead", because most people don't know he's wearing a mask) is a sociopathic serial murderer, akin to SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker given powers (which got even scarier in the ''Joker Mask'' miniseries, where this actually happened). Let's just say that in the comics, the early scene in the movie where the Mask shoved mufflers up the asses of the mechanics who ripped him off would have involved a lot of red ink being used in the coloring process. Very often, the actual people wearing the mask are treated as little more than hosts whose bodies are being used to commit Bighead's comedic killing sprees... and they'll still gladly kill each other for the chance to wear it.

* SelfDemonstrating/{{Deadpool}}, the lovable FourthWall-breaking psychotic killer. Same goes for many other mercenary- or hitman-based comics, such as ''ComicBook/ScudTheDisposableAssassin''. He's put effort into being heroic later on, just no-one [[CassandraTruth takes that any more seriously than everything else about him]].

* ''ComicBook/SecretSix'': It has Bane, the man who ''broke [[Franchise/{{Batman}} the Bat]]'', Scandal Savage, the psychotic daughter of ''the first murderer'', and Ragdoll, who is just freaky. Add to that Catman (an honorable but crazy hired killer), Deadshot (a sociopathic hitman) and an actual freakin' ''Banshee'' and you know this is not a team of nice people. Nice to look ''at'', [[FetishFuel sure]], but not nice. ''Definitely'' not nice.

* Klovis the ComicBook/TheRedeemer from the ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' setting. He belongs to a particularly brutal branch of the Imperial Faith known as the Redemptionist Cult that preaches only death can purify the sinners. Klovis is very keen on weeding out heretics, loves torture and is a BadBoss per excellence with his EstablishingCharacterMoment being executing one of his own men for [[DisproportionateRetribution not cleaning his equipment]].

* TheDCU villain Kobra, the MadScientist leader of a ReligionOfEvil, was originally introduced in an eponymous comic series that followed his efforts to TakeOverTheWorld, which were invariably foiled by his good twin brother. The series was cancelled after just seven issues (but Kobra would return).

* The protagonist of the eponymous ''Comicbook/BombQueen'' is a {{supervillain}}ess-turned-{{Evil Overlord}}. There are no apparent efforts to justify a SympatheticPOV In the beginning it showed her character in a more humorous light, but now there is no doubt that she is a monster (she crushes Obama's nuts just for fun in the latest volume, murders all of her "friends", and rapes George Bush. Her actions would make Johan Liebert blush)

* The protagonist of the eponymous ''Comicbook/BombQueen'' is a {{supervillain}}ess-turned-EvilOverlord. There are no apparent efforts to justify a SympatheticPOV In the beginning it showed her character in a more humorous light, but now there is no doubt that she is a monster (she crushes Obama's nuts just for fun in the latest volume, murders all of her "friends", and rapes George Bush. Her actions would make Johan Liebert blush)

* The protagonist of the eponymous ''Comicbook/BombQueen'' is a {{supervillain}}ess-turned-{{EvilOverlord}}. There are no apparent efforts to justify a SympatheticPOV In the beginning it showed her character in a more humorous light, but now there is no doubt that she is a monster (she crushes Obama's nuts just for fun in the latest volume, murders all of her "friends", and rapes George Bush. Her actions would make Johan Liebert blush)

* Creator/MarvelComics ''loves'' this Trope. Villains who've had their own mini-series include ComicBook/{{Venom}}, SelfDemonstrating/{{Loki}}, Sabertooth, Mystique, Baron Zemo, ComicBook/{{Magneto}}, ComicBook/NormanOsborn, and ''especially'' Doctor Doom, who's had many starring roles over the years.

** ComicBook/HarleyQuinn, Poison Ivy, and naturally, {{Lobo}}, have starred in their own titles too.

** SelfDemonstrating/LexLuthor had his own graphic novel, ''ComicBook/LexLuthorManOfSteel'', in which he presents himself as a brave man trying to let humanity take its own course by freeing us from the influence of that meddling alien, ComicBook/{{Superman}}. He was also the star of Creator/PaulCornell's "[[ComicBook/TheBlackRing Black Ring]]" story arc in ''ComicBook/ActionComics'' (concurrent with ''ComicBook/BrightestDay''), which further explored his motivations.

* The seven issue miniseries ''ComicBook/{{Empire}}'' centers around a DoctorDoom-esque protagonist finalizing his conquest of the Earth, and dealing with the question "what next?"

* Creator/MarvelComics ''loves'' this Trope. Villains who've had their own mini-series include ComicBook/{{Venom}}, SelfDemonstrating/{{Loki}}, Sabertooth, Mystique, Baron Zemo, ComicBook/{{Magneto}}, ComicBook/NormanOsborn, and ''especially'' SelfDemonstrating/DoctorDoom, who's had many starring roles over the years.

* SelfDemonstrating/{{Thanos}} is often written this way. He's the main character of CrisisCrossover ''TheInfinityGauntlet'' and a self-titled 12-issue series.

* Creator/MarvelComics ''loves'' this Trope. Villains who've had their own mini-series include {{Venom}}, SelfDemonstrating/{{Loki}}, Sabertooth, Mystique, Baron Zemo, ComicBook/{{Magneto}}, ComicBook/NormanOsborn, and ''especially'' SelfDemonstrating/DoctorDoom, who's had many starring roles over the years.

* Creator/MarkMillar's ''Comicbook/{{Wanted}}'', clearly, since nearly all of the main characters are stand-ins for DC and Marvel supervillains. Beyond the shadow of a doubt, most of those guys (including the protagonist) were too busy accelerating past the MoralEventHorizon to take notice of how they crossed it years ago. And they're still going faster.

* {{Deadpool}}, the lovable FourthWall-breaking psychotic killer. Same goes for many other mercenary- or hitman-based comics, such as ''ScudTheDisposableAssassin''.
** He's put effort into being heroic later on, just no one [[CassandraTruth takes that any more seriously than everything else about him]].
* According to WordOfGod, the ''{{Comicbook/Legion| Of Super-Heroes}} of 3 Worlds'' miniseries is focused on its main villain Superboy-Prime.

* Creator/MarvelComics ''loves'' this Trope. Villains who've had their own mini-series include {{Venom}}, SelfDemonstrating/{{Loki}}, Sabertooth, Mystique, Baron Zemo, SelfDemonstrating/{{Magneto}}, ComicBook/NormanOsborn, and ''especially'' SelfDemonstrating/DoctorDoom, who's had many starring roles over the years.

* Creator/MarvelComics ''loves'' this Trope. Villains who've had their own mini-series include {{Venom}}, SelfDemonstrating/{{Loki}}, Sabertooth, Mystique, Baron Zemo, SelfDemonstrating/{{Magneto}}, [[GreenGoblin Norman Osborn]], and ''especially'' SelfDemonstrating/DoctorDoom, who's had many starring roles over the years.

* ''JohnnyTheHomicidalManiac'', an AxCrazy SerialKiller with touches of the SociopathicHero. In his more collected moments, he's all too aware of it, once even breaking the fourth wall to remind readers that he is the villain in the story.

* Paperinik (a DonaldDuck alter-ego created in Italy) had no problem committing thefts and fighting the police to get revenge on who wronged him in his early stories. He however [[CharacterDevelopment evolved]] into a much more heroic character [[HeelFaceTurn with time]], especially in PaperinikNewAdventures.

* {{Etrigan}}, the titular Demon of DC comics, manages at least in his own series to have you rooting for him despite being ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin. He remains a sympathetic protagonist mainly by frequently allying himself with more, y'know, ''heroic'' heroes against demons who are either even worse than Etrigan, or who at least have more ''immediate'' actively evil plans in motion.

** The series ''Comicbook/SuperiorSpiderMan'' stars DoctorOctopus after he has pulled a GrandTheftMe on Peter Parker and secretly taken his place as Spider-Man, determined to prove himself a "superior" crimefighter to his arch-enemy via [[PayEvilUntoEvil actually killing his rogues]] and using his super-science to change the world. As the series goes on it becomes clear that he's still the same old Doc Ock at heart and his heroic activities become increasingly supervillainous, utilising SinisterSurveillance all over New York and sliding further and further into megalomania. It all comes crashing down when the Green Goblin reappears and [[EvilerThanThou casually and completely decimates everything Octavius built]], along with Peter returning and getting his body back.

* ''ComicBook/DarthVader''. 'Nuff said.

* The protagonist of the eponymous ''Comicbook/BombQueen'' is a {{supervillain}}ess-turned-EvilOverlord. There are no apparent efforts to justify a SympatheticPOV In the beginning it showed her character in a more humorous light, but now there is no doubt that she is a monster (she crushes Obama's nuts just for fun in the latest volume, murders all of her "friends", and rapes George Bush. Her actions would make Johan Liebert blush)