Line #6 AdaptationalHeroism/ComicBooks


1	%%%
2	%%
3	%% This page has been alphabetized. Please add new examples in the correct order. Thanks!
4	%%
5	%%%
6
7	In general a popular comic trend in recent years has been to subject female villains to this as a way of compensating for the general scarcity of female superheroes. DC has been especially enthusiastic about revamping their back catalog of villainesses (Harley Quinn is a particularly notable example), but Marvel isn't too far behind the trend.
8
9	Whenever there's an AlternateUniverse or ContinuityReboot, expect to see lots of this.
10
11	AdaptationalHeroism in ComicBooks.
12	----
13	!!The following have their own pages:
14	[[index]]
15	* AdaptationalHeroism/TheDCU
16	* AdaptationalHeroism/MarvelUniverse
17	[[/index]]
18	----
19	!!Other
20	* The ''ComicBook/MegaManArchieComics'' comics do this with the Robot Masters from the original game, with Mega Man's attempts to talk them out of following Wily's orders convinces them to help him, and later join and serve his supporting cast when Wily's programming to them is undone, though this is more because they were already Dr. Light's robots to begin with. This trope rings truer when half of the ''VideoGame/MegaMan2'' and ''VideoGame/MegaMan3'' Robot Masters pull a HeelFaceTurn.
21	* Also from Archie, ''ComicBook/SonicX'', the title character had his AloofAlly, {{Ubermensch}}, and BrilliantButLazy traits dropped in the comic tie in, becoming a goody two-shoes. Of course, he was already a hero and (usually) a friendly guy in the Anime, so this a downplayed case.
22	* ''ComicBook/BeastWarsUprising'': Rampage in ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'' is a SerialKiller with a disturbingly sadistic streak. In ''Uprising'', he proves genuinely self-sacrificing and willing to protect others; while certainly the [[DeathSeeker death wish]] is a factor there, he still does things like several other bots from dying in a fall by serving as a living crumple zone that his BW counterpart would never do. Even when he kills [[spoiler:his creator]], he plans a slow, painful death, and then changes his mind and goes for a MercyKill with a rocket launcher.
23	* Mad Madame Mim from Creator/{{Disney}}'s ''WesternAnimation/TheSwordInTheStone'' was a genuinely villainous character who tried to kill Arthur because, as she made no effort in hiding, ''[[CardCarryingVillain she's evil]]''. In the Disney comics that later featured her, she was more of a harmless witch or occasionally even a heroic one.
24	* The comic for ''VideoGame/DinoCrisis'' Has Dr. Kirk portayed more sympathetically than in the actual game.
25	* Creator/DynamiteComics brings us [[DaddysLittleVillain Phaidor]] in their ''ComicBook/WarlordOfMars'' title. While in the ''Literature/{{John Carter\|OfMars}}'' series, she is a White Martian princess who possesses all her people's negative traits such as [[AGodAmI god delusion]], [[MasterRace racial superiority]], [[GreenEyedMonster jealousy]] and [[ImAHumanitarian cannibalism]] -- though admittedly she had been ObliviouslyEvil all her life over all these things -- the comic downplays all those traits and makes her more sympathetic. Though [[MurderTheHypotenuse she still attempts to kill Dejah Thoris in a fit of jealousy because she is married to the man Phaidor loves]], she ends up regretting the attack and befriends the princess while they are both imprisoned inside a dungeon, ultimately [[PetTheDog coming to Dejah's defense when Phaidor's father assaults her]] and [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy admits before John Carter that she will never earn his affection]], in contrast to the book version, where she remains loyal to her father and [[EvilGloating gloats to Carter's face that he can't save his wife]].
26	* ''ComicBook/HasbroComicUniverse'' has taken many villains and given them a more sympathetic bent.
27	** The Decepticons downplay this, as they were formed as a protest group against the corrupt government, before devolving past HeWhoFightsMonsters and becoming even worse (even the government thugs got hired into their group).
28	** Cyclonus, while usually a NobleDemon actually pulls a HeelFaceTurn in ''ComicBook/TheTransformersMoreThanMeetsTheEye'' and becomes a hero.
29	** Most of the Scavengers are villains outside of ''ComicBook/TheTransformersMoreThanMeetsTheEye'', with the exceptions of Grimlock, who's an Autobot, and Fulcrum and [[spoiler:Nickel]], who are original to MTMTE. Even at the start of their career in the Hasbroverse, they're less "villains" and more "bums", and eventually they commit to doing good full-time...at least when they can afford to.
30	** In ''ComicBook/TheTransformersRobotsInDisguise'' has Tankor pull a HeelFaceTurn and later join the security forces as one of Ironhide's allies. Previous depictions of Octane/Tankor were villains or betrayed the Decepticons for selfish reasons.
31	** Megatron and his three main lieutenants underwent this. Megatron's reasoning for starting the war, over throwing the caste system, are more sympathetic and ultimately he pulls a HeelFaceTurn and becomes an Autobot. Shockwave was a senator who campaigned for a more equal society before the corrupt leaders reprogrammed his mind to lack empathy and even then he snapped out of that and performed a HeroicSacrifice. Soundwave received a more sympathetic play as an outlier and in the present has made a HeelFaceTurn to become one of Optimus's main allies in his quest for peace. Starscream, while still played as the least ethical, ultimately does receive more of a sympathetic edge as he becomes a ByronicHero who is at least trying to help Cybertron.
32	** Knock Out and Breakdown were Decepticons in ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime''; Knock Out defected for pragmatic reasons, and Breakdown died a Decepticon. In ''ComicBook/TheTransformersTillAllAreOne'', Knock Out and an unnamed bot with Breakdown's design[[note]][[OneSteveLimit they already had a Breakdown in the comic]][[/note]] are instead a married couple who hail from the unaligned world of Velocitron, which has a speed obsession. Knock Out is still a ''vain jerk'', but he's a vain jerk who's willing to relocate from his home to Cybertron because his less speedy husband is happier there, and "Breakdown" doesn't do anything villainous at all -- a considerable improvement on the "MadDoctor" and "murderous thug" characterisations they received in ''Prime'', and ones that probably leave them higher up the KarmaMeter than several fully-qualified Autobots, such as Prowl, Getaway and Whirl.
33	* ''ComicBook/JemAndTheHologramsIDW'':
34	** Rio is no longer exceedingly jealous like he was [[WesternAnimation/{{Jem}} in the cartoon]]. He's also firmly just dating Jerrica, and is pissed off when she forgets herself and kisses him as Jem.
35	** Jetta lost a lot of her attitude towards her bandmates. In the cartoon she went as far as to try and scam Pizzazz out of millions, and she was always fighting with Roxy. In the comic Roxy and Jetta are friends and Jetta gets along better with the others.
36	** The comics have tried to humanize Pizzazz more. While she still frequently throws fits over little things she has HiddenDepths and cares for business.
37	** Overall The Misfits are portrayed more realistically. In the cartoon they casually would do stuff that would end them in jail or with restraining orders. In the comics they don't attempt to physically harm the titular band or crash random events.
38	* ComicBook/LadyDeath was originally conceived as a {{villain protagonist}} whose end goal was the complete destruction of mankind due to a curse placed on her by Satan that she could not return to Earth as long as humans walked on it. Subsequent re-imaginings and interpretations of the character made her more traditionally heroic or [[AntiHero tried to]]. In the ''Avatar Press/Boundless'' continuity, she serves as guardian and protector of the [[TheUnderworld Labyrinth]] even if she could be a [[GoodIsNotNice nasty about it]].
39	* ''ComicBook/MonicasGang'': There is nothing particularly heroic about the Boiúna from Myth/BrazilianFolklore, as it's mostly portrayed as a cunning snake that lures people to the rivers in order to devour them. In Tom-Tom's (Papa-Capim in the original) graphic novel, Boiúna is the BigGood, granting the protagonist supernatural powers in order to fight against the villainous White Night.
40	* ''[[ComicBook/MuppetClassics Muppet King Arthur]]'' gives this treatment to King Arthur's EvilNephew Mordred (portrayed by Kermit's nephew Robin), who coerces his uncle into surrendering his kingdom solely to see if his uncle is truly worthy of the throne and commends his uncle for proving that he deserves to be king by being willing to put his people above himself.
41	* King Sombra in ''ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicIDW'' is played very sympathetically as a TragicVillain at worst, accompanied by a MoralityPet, and is ultimately (and abruptly) [[HeelFaceTurn redeemed]] by ThePowerOfLove complete with a HappilyEverAfter type ending, in stark contrast to the [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic source material]] that has consistently portrayed him as an [[MadeOfEvil irredeemable]] [[CastingAShadow darkness-wielding]] villain.
42	* In ''ComicBook/{{Noob}}'', [[ManipulativeBastard Gaea]] negotiated for her guildmates' (except [[StrawMisogynist Omega Zell]]) immunity from [[TheCracker Tenshirock's]] "attacks" as part of her frequent cooperation with him. The webseries and novel storylines have that immunity be Tenshirock's personal initiative while the nicest things Gaea ever said or did fell into JerkWithAHeartOfJerk.
43

Context AdaptationalHeroism / ComicBooks