You answered your own question.
Darker and Edgier doesn't make things bad. Bad writing makes things bad.
Depends on how darker and edgier it is.
Compare, for example, Pre-Crisis DCU to Post-Crisis DCU. The latter is way darker, filled with death and sex and all, but in the long run, when they managed to balance out the good and the bad, they eventually managed to make the stories darker, more mature, yet altogether better stories than those before, like, say, the death and return of superman. Amazing. The last night (or whatever it was called, I read it in spanish) awesome. Kingdom Come, amazing. Grant Morrison's run on Batman, spectacular. Infinite Crisis, fucking amazing.
I'm not saying one is better than the other, I'm saying... no, wait, that's what I'm saying.
It really depends on how it's written. If it's written in a mature fashion with more adult themes than yes some stories can benefit from it. What doesn't work is when you're trying to beat someone over the head with "We're not kidstuff anymore" and shoehorn in blood n' guts, swearing, Wangst, and clumsily written sex scenes that happpen for no reason other than to have them happen. That only impresses emotionally insecure manchildren and teenagers who force a chuckle at the end of Titanic to show what a badass they are.
"If everybody is thinking alike, somebody isn't thinking"- George S. PattonIt depends. If it's noticeable enough to be noted, and if it's subtle enough, that you still feel the overall tone of the series, then yes.
Take Megaman X, for example. It was darker, yet it still kept the charm of the classic series, while making it's own identity.
If you wanna PM me, send it to my mrsunshinesprinkles account; this one is blorked.I don't usually like darker and edgier, but it can work.
I would like to see more lighter and softer. In fact, going Lighter and Softer is probably harder.
There's Winnie The Pooh. Can you imagine that one being made Darker and Edgier? I can't. In fact, DAE would probably come off as forced in WTP!
Oh, Equestria, we stand on guard for thee!
Well, if you were just raised on the Disney cartoons, the books themselves probably qualify.
Well, the first time that Kanga and Roo show up in the forest, the rest of the characters assume that the newcomers are Tasmanian tigers and that they'll all be eaten.
It's actually hilarious.
Also, Eeyore sounds like he's flat-out clinically depressed.
I'll hide your name inside a word and paint your eyes with false perception.It was the turn of the century. Tasmanian tigers were still around and people read a lot of adventure books and things. They simply confused two very different Australian animals. Really, really badly.
There was already a tiger in the woods, however, which makes things even more curious. I mean, yes, most of them are supposed to be stuffer (Rabbit and the Owl being the possible exceptions), but still...
edited 6th May '12 5:08:03 AM by JHM
I'll hide your name inside a word and paint your eyes with false perception.

I think that's a fair question.
On one hand, you have American Mc Gees Alice, which is Alice In Wonderland gone Darker and Edgier. Fortunately, this approach actually seemed to work!
On the other hand, you have the Star Wars Expanded Universe, which had gone DAE the minute New Jedi Order entered the scene. It seemed like a great idea at the time, but by the time Fate Of The Jedi came out, you have both the readers and the characters stating that this needs to be fixed!
edited 1st May '12 5:01:45 PM by TiggersAreGreat
Oh, Equestria, we stand on guard for thee!