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** ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'', the most famous GenreDeconstruction of superheroes, is full of copies of Charlton Comics characters, as Alan Moore's idea to use the Charlton characters themselves was shot down. Rorschach is one to Creator/SteveDitko creations ComicBook/TheQuestion and ComicBook/MrA, the Comedian is one to ComicBook/{{Peacemaker}} and the CaptainPatriotic archetype in general, Dr. Manhattan is one to ComicBook/CaptainAtom and Franchise/{{Superman}}, and Nite Owl is one to the Ted Kord incarnation of ComicBook/BlueBeetle.
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** ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'', the most famous GenreDeconstruction of superheroes, is full of copies of Charlton Comics characters, as Alan Moore's idea to use the Charlton characters themselves was shot down. Rorschach is one to Creator/SteveDitko creations ComicBook/TheQuestion and ComicBook/MrA, the Comedian is one to ComicBook/{{Peacemaker}} Peacemaker and the CaptainPatriotic archetype in general, Dr. Manhattan is one to ComicBook/CaptainAtom and Franchise/{{Superman}}, and Nite Owl is one to the Ted Kord incarnation of ComicBook/BlueBeetle.
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** ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'', the most famous GenreDeconstruction of superheroes, is full of copies of Charlton Comics characters, as Alan Moore's idea to use the Charlton characters themselves was shot down. Rorschach is one to Creator/SteveDitko creations ComicBook/TheQuestion and ComicBook/MrA, the Comedian is one to ComicBook/{{Peacemaker}} and the CaptainPatriotic archetype in general, Dr. Manhattan is one to ComicBook/CaptainAtom and Franchise/{{Superman}}, and Nite Owl is one to the Ted Kord incarnation of ComicBook/BlueBeetle.
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* ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes'' has two of the same character (namely, [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry Dante]]), in the form of Travis Touchdown and Helter Skelter.
** Helter Skelter is a jab at Dante's nature as an [[NinetiesAntiHero overly-edgy broody]] {{Bishonen}} hero, being an albino with two guns that shoot bullets and [[MacrossMissileMassacre missiles]] and have retractable bayonets. The trailer initially builds him up as the protagonist until Travis kills him, and in the game proper Travis muses that he [[TakeThat can't decide whether Helter was "the shit or just plain shit".]]
** Travis Touchdown has the red coat, the cool sword, the motorbike, and the brother for a rival, but Dante's love of [[TotallyRadical conventionally "cool" things]] like rock music replaced by nerdier interests like anime and video games, and his roguish attitude is more aggressive and vulgar than Dante's.
** Helter Skelter is a jab at Dante's nature as an [[NinetiesAntiHero overly-edgy broody]] {{Bishonen}} hero, being an albino with two guns that shoot bullets and [[MacrossMissileMassacre missiles]] and have retractable bayonets. The trailer initially builds him up as the protagonist until Travis kills him, and in the game proper Travis muses that he [[TakeThat can't decide whether Helter was "the shit or just plain shit".]]
** Travis Touchdown has the red coat, the cool sword, the motorbike, and the brother for a rival, but Dante's love of [[TotallyRadical conventionally "cool" things]] like rock music replaced by nerdier interests like anime and video games, and his roguish attitude is more aggressive and vulgar than Dante's.
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* In ''Film/{{Brightburn}}'', a childless couple (who really want a child) from the American Midwest find a baby boy in a crashed spaceship near their farm one night. They adopt the boy, doing their best to raise him in a loving home. As he grows older, he begins to develop extraordinary powers, including [[FlyingBrick invulnerability, flight, and super speed]] along with [[EyeBeams heat vision]]. He even takes to wearing a red blanket around his shoulders [[SuperheroesWearCapes like a cape]]. He also rapidly develops from a seemingly sweet natured and loving kid into a psychopathic, violent predator who regards humans as prey. A brutally straightforward example of this trope as applied to ComicBook/{{Superboy}} (and presumably eventually ComicBook/{{Superman}}).
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* In ''Film/{{Brightburn}}'', a childless couple (who really want a child) from the American Midwest find a baby boy in a crashed spaceship near their farm one night. They adopt the boy, doing their best to raise him in a loving home. As he grows older, he begins to develop extraordinary powers, including [[FlyingBrick invulnerability, flight, and super speed]] along with [[EyeBeams heat vision]]. He even takes to wearing a red blanket around his shoulders [[SuperheroesWearCapes like a cape]]. He also rapidly develops from a seemingly sweet natured and loving kid into a psychopathic, violent predator who regards humans as prey. A brutally straightforward example of this trope as applied to ComicBook/{{Superboy}} (and presumably eventually ComicBook/{{Superman}}). [[spoiler:As TheStinger shows, there are also corrupt, murdering counterparts to ComicBook/{{Aquaman}} and Franchise/WonderWoman, [[PlayedForHorror and likely others]].]]
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I've never seen the show, but does Kif's original characterization count? Disliking someone who's not portrayed very favorably doesn't seem very "corrupted".
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** Kif Kroker, Zapp's BeleagueredAssistant, was originally written as Spock if he hated Kirk. After a few appearances, the writers threw this characterization out the window and re-invented him as [[OfficialCouple Amy's boyfriend]] and an ExtremeDoormat.
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*** [[spoiler: As Venturion, he's one to Film/{{Robocop}}. The rest of Team Venture was ''horrified'' by Jonas's decision to revive the Blue Morpho as a cyborg and convinced him to
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*** [[spoiler: As Venturion, he's one to Film/{{Robocop}}. Franchise/{{Robocop}}. The rest of Team Venture was ''horrified'' by Jonas's decision to revive the Blue Morpho as a cyborg and convinced cyborg, which caused him to lose interest in doing anything with Venturion other than making him Rusty's nanny, which turned out to be a huge mistake as it awakened his memories of his own son and a plane crash, which led him to strangle Rusty and in turn having his neck snapped by his former sidekick Kano, who took a vow of silence in remorse.]]
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*** Likewise, the rest of the Impossibles have ''terrible'' powers; Sally's skin becomes invisible whenever she's not actively concentrating to keep it visible, Cody flames on in contact from oxygen and can ''feel'' the burns despite being impervious to them, and Ned has mental deficiencies.
** The Groovy Gang is one to [[WesternAnimation/ScoobyDoo Mystery Incorporated]], as they're all send-ups of famous serial killers and other RealLife infamous figures and use solving mysteries at spooky old places as an excuse to loot said places and kill any witnesses.
** Red Death is one to the Red Skull, being a ''terrifying'' villain who is genuinely imposing and has the latter's SkullForAHead, but is a PunchClockVillain like all Guild members and is [[AffablyEvil a pretty darn nice guy when he's not engaging in acts of villainy]].
** The Blue Morpho is one to the Green Hornet, as having a [[HeroWithBadPublicity reputation as a villain]] means that he can and ''[[PragmaticHero will]]'' do some depraved things in the name of duty, such as performing ''every known sex act'' to [[WesternAnimation/JonnyQuest Dr.]] [[LawyerFriendlyCameo Z]] while disguised as Billie Jean King. [[spoiler: Taken UpToEleven with the reveal that Jonas ''blackmailed'' him into doing such work.]]
*** [[spoiler: As Venturion, he's one to Film/{{Robocop}}. The rest of Team Venture was ''horrified'' by Jonas's decision to revive the Blue Morpho as a cyborg and convinced him to
*** [[spoiler: His "Vendata" persona is one to [[DarthVaderClone Darth Vader]], a cyborg FallenHero who was found and rebuilt by Dr. Z and repurposed into a supervillain. However, most of his villainous acts are because of a morality dial installed on him and the remainder are out of justifiable anger at Jonas for turning him into Venturion in the first place.]]
** The Groovy Gang is one to [[WesternAnimation/ScoobyDoo Mystery Incorporated]], as they're all send-ups of famous serial killers and other RealLife infamous figures and use solving mysteries at spooky old places as an excuse to loot said places and kill any witnesses.
** Red Death is one to the Red Skull, being a ''terrifying'' villain who is genuinely imposing and has the latter's SkullForAHead, but is a PunchClockVillain like all Guild members and is [[AffablyEvil a pretty darn nice guy when he's not engaging in acts of villainy]].
** The Blue Morpho is one to the Green Hornet, as having a [[HeroWithBadPublicity reputation as a villain]] means that he can and ''[[PragmaticHero will]]'' do some depraved things in the name of duty, such as performing ''every known sex act'' to [[WesternAnimation/JonnyQuest Dr.]] [[LawyerFriendlyCameo Z]] while disguised as Billie Jean King. [[spoiler: Taken UpToEleven with the reveal that Jonas ''blackmailed'' him into doing such work.]]
*** [[spoiler: As Venturion, he's one to Film/{{Robocop}}. The rest of Team Venture was ''horrified'' by Jonas's decision to revive the Blue Morpho as a cyborg and convinced him to
*** [[spoiler: His "Vendata" persona is one to [[DarthVaderClone Darth Vader]], a cyborg FallenHero who was found and rebuilt by Dr. Z and repurposed into a supervillain. However, most of his villainous acts are because of a morality dial installed on him and the remainder are out of justifiable anger at Jonas for turning him into Venturion in the first place.]]
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** Hal Stewart, Roxanne's cameraman, begins the story as an expy of ''ComicBook/JimmyOlsen'', being a geeky redheaded everyman who works with the leading lady covering the exploits of the local superhero. But whereas Jimmy usually gets portrayed as an {{Adorkable}} and helpful NiceGuy, Hal comes off as creepy even before he becomes a supervillain.
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** Hal Stewart, Roxanne's cameraman, begins the story as an expy of ''ComicBook/JimmyOlsen'', being a geeky redheaded everyman who works with the leading lady covering the exploits of the local superhero. But whereas Jimmy usually gets portrayed as an {{Adorkable}} and helpful NiceGuy, NiceGuy who legitimately wants to do the right thing, Hal comes off as creepy even before he becomes a supervillain.supervillain and only tries to act as a superhero to impress Roxanne.
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-->'''Magma''': No, I'm an accident. Real heroes, they make a choice. And I never did.
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-->'''Magma''': No, I'm an accident. [[ATrueHero Real heroes, they make a choice.choice]]. And I never did.
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* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'': Zapp Brannigan is clear parody of Captain Kirk from ''Franchise/StarTrek'', poking fun at his more inept and egotistical moments. As a result Zapp has Kirk's [[BoldlyComing lustiness]] and ego cranked [[UpToEleven up to "parody,"]] but lacks any of his competence or AFatherToHisMen traits, instead being a GeneralFailure relying on WeHaveReserves. Leela ''once'' had PitySex with him, [[AbhorrentAdmirer and he never let her forget it.]]
** ''Futurama'' also defies the trope with Kif Kroker, Zapp's BeleagueredAssistant. He was originally written as Spock if he hated Kirk, but the writers threw this characterization out the window fairly quickly and re-invented him as [[OfficialCouple Amy's boyfriend]] and an ExtremeDoormat.
** ''Futurama'' also defies the trope with Kif Kroker, Zapp's BeleagueredAssistant. He was originally written as Spock if he hated Kirk, but the writers threw this characterization out the window fairly quickly and re-invented him as [[OfficialCouple Amy's boyfriend]] and an ExtremeDoormat.
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* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'': ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'':
** Zapp Brannigan is clear parody of Captain Kirk from ''Franchise/StarTrek'', poking fun at his more inept and egotisticalmoments.moments (he was specifically meant to be if Kirk was more like [[Creator/WilliamShatner the actor who played him]]). As a result Zapp has Kirk's [[BoldlyComing lustiness]] and ego cranked [[UpToEleven up to "parody,"]] but lacks any of his competence or AFatherToHisMen traits, instead being a GeneralFailure relying on WeHaveReserves. Leela ''once'' had PitySex with him, [[AbhorrentAdmirer and he never let her forget it.]]
**''Futurama'' also defies the trope with Kif Kroker, Zapp's BeleagueredAssistant. He BeleagueredAssistant, was originally written as Spock if he hated Kirk, but Kirk. After a few appearances, the writers threw this characterization out the window fairly quickly and re-invented him as [[OfficialCouple Amy's boyfriend]] and an ExtremeDoormat.
** Zapp Brannigan is clear parody of Captain Kirk from ''Franchise/StarTrek'', poking fun at his more inept and egotistical
**
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* WesternAnimation/{{Archer}} is less an expy of Franchise/JamesBond and more a counter to the [[TuxedoAndMartini Gentleman Spy]] archetype in general. However, Archer has zero gentlemanly traits, is a PsychopathicManchild who habitually bullies his coworkers, routinely endangers missions (and coworkers) due to his [[ItsAllAboutMe self-centeredness]] or lack of any useful skills (beyond asskicking), [[ReallyGetsAround and has had the clap so many times it's more like applause]].
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* WesternAnimation/{{Archer}} is less an expy of Franchise/JamesBond and more a counter to the [[TuxedoAndMartini Gentleman Spy]] archetype in general. However, Archer has zero gentlemanly traits, is a PsychopathicManchild who habitually bullies his coworkers, routinely endangers missions (and coworkers) due to his [[ItsAllAboutMe self-centeredness]] or lack of any useful skills (beyond asskicking), [[ReallyGetsAround and has had the clap so many times it's more like applause]].
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* ''Anime/YuGiOhArcV'' has more than a few as part of its send up of ''Franchise/YuGiOh'' in general, and in fact it spreads to ''[[UpToEleven the entire dimension]]:
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* ''Anime/YuGiOhArcV'' has more than a few as part of its send up of ''Franchise/YuGiOh'' in general, and in fact it spreads to ''[[UpToEleven the entire dimension]]:Fusion and Synchro dimensions]]'':
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** ''Futurama'' also has a [[SubvertedTrope subversion]] in the form of Kif Kroker, Zapp's BeleagueredAssistant. He was originally written as Spock if he hated Kirk, but the writers threw this characterization out the window fairly quickly and re-invented him as [[OfficialCouple Amy's boyfriend]] and an ExtremeDoormat.
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** ''Futurama'' also has a [[SubvertedTrope subversion]] in defies the form of trope with Kif Kroker, Zapp's BeleagueredAssistant. He was originally written as Spock if he hated Kirk, but the writers threw this characterization out the window fairly quickly and re-invented him as [[OfficialCouple Amy's boyfriend]] and an ExtremeDoormat.
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* ''WesternAnimation/TheTick'': Tick and all of his superhero friends are parodies of classic superheroes. The character that most fits this trope is Der Flatermaus, a useless, egomaniacal DirtyCoward parody of Batman.
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** ComicBook/TheSentry is the all-powerful Silver Age Superman--only as a complete neurotic mess who needs a supercomputer to tell him what crisis to respond to and is saddled with an AxCrazy SuperPoweredEvilSide that commits an act of evil for every act of good that the Sentry does.
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* ''ComicBook/TheBoys'' has a fair share of this, owing to Creator/GarthEnnis disliking superheroes.
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* ''ComicBook/TheBoys'' has a fair share of this, owing to Creator/GarthEnnis disliking superheroes.superheroes, and writing the comic as a DeconstructiveParody.
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* ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'': Rick Sanchez is a clear parody of Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown from ''Franchise/BackToTheFuture'', but whereas Doc is an {{Adorkable}} AbsentMindedProfessor, Rick is a MadScientist and an UnsympatheticComedyProtagonist ([[JerkWithAHeartOfGold but not entirely without compassionate moments]]).
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** ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'': {{Defied}} with Hank Henshaw. His origin is a clear riff on Marvel's ComicBook/FantasticFour, with Henshaw himself in the place of Reed Richards (astronauts exposed to cosmic radiation, begin mutating superpowers, but in the DC version, the mutations don't stop and quickly kill them). [[ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman By the time Henshaw resurfaced to take up a truly villainous mantle,]] he'd used his powers to style himself "Cyborg Superman," becoming a wholly unique character completely divorced from his origin as an {{Expy}} of Mr. Fantastic (instead borrowing heavily from [[TerminatorImpersonator The Terminator]]).
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** ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'': {{Defied}} {{Defied|Trope}} with Hank Henshaw. His origin is a clear riff on Marvel's ComicBook/FantasticFour, with Henshaw himself in the place of Reed Richards (astronauts exposed to cosmic radiation, begin mutating superpowers, but in the DC version, the mutations don't stop and quickly kill them). [[ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman By the time Henshaw resurfaced to take up a truly villainous mantle,]] he'd used his powers to style himself "Cyborg Superman," becoming a wholly unique character completely divorced from his origin as an {{Expy}} of Mr. Fantastic (instead borrowing heavily from [[TerminatorImpersonator The Terminator]]).
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*** Nighthawk is ComicBook/{{Batman}} as a wealty black man with a ''gigantic'' racist chip on his shoulder. On the trail of a super-powered serial killer who's killed several black prostitutes, Nighthawk tells Hyperion that if the killer had been going after white, middle-class female twentysomethings, Hyperion would have been all over it ages ago. Never mind that the first time they met, Hyperion specifically mentioned he saw Nighthawk ignoring violent crimes because the victims weren't black, only to jump in the second a black person was the target.
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*** Nighthawk is ComicBook/{{Batman}} as a wealty wealthy black man with a ''gigantic'' racist chip on his shoulder. On the trail of a super-powered serial killer who's killed several black prostitutes, Nighthawk tells Hyperion that if the killer had been going after white, middle-class female twentysomethings, Hyperion would have been all over it ages ago. Never mind that the first time they met, Hyperion specifically mentioned he saw Nighthawk ignoring violent crimes because the victims weren't black, only to jump in the second a black person was the target.
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* ''Film/{{Hancock}}'': {{Deconstructed}}. Hancock starts out as a pretty clear corruption of ComicBook/{{Superman}}, a lazy bum who drinks too much and causes needless collateral damage with his heroics. As he's taken in by a PR man who wants to help clean up his image, it's revealed Hancock has a pretty good FreudianExcuse for his behavior, having come to genuinely believe he's unworthy of affection. Getting over these issues and embracing his potential to be the BigGood is the point of the film and Hancock's own CharacterDevelopment.
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* ''Film/{{Hancock}}'': {{Deconstructed}}. Hancock starts out as a pretty clear corruption of ComicBook/{{Superman}}, Franchise/{{Superman}}, a lazy bum who drinks too much and causes needless collateral damage with his heroics. As he's taken in by a PR man who wants to help clean up his image, it's revealed Hancock has a pretty good FreudianExcuse for his behavior, having come to genuinely believe he's unworthy of affection. Getting over these issues and embracing his potential to be the BigGood is the point of the film and Hancock's own CharacterDevelopment.
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* ''VideoGame/AzureStrikerGunvolt'': Copen is the Franchise/MegaMan equivalent for the game given that he can [[PowerCopying copy the abilities]] of the bosses he fights. Unlike the many incarnations of Mega Man, however, he's a FantasticRacist who aims to [[FinalSolution hunt down and exterminate all Adepts.]]
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* ''VideoGame/AzureStrikerGunvolt'': Copen is the Franchise/MegaMan equivalent for the game given that he can [[PowerCopying copy the abilities]] of the bosses he fights. Unlike the many incarnations of Mega Man, however, he's a FantasticRacist {{Fantastic Racis|m}}t who aims to [[FinalSolution hunt down and exterminate all Adepts.]]
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*** Zarda is ComicBook/WonderWoman with no morals to speak of, honestly beliving humanity is an inferior species and it is her and Hyperion's right to rule them. [[LifeDrinker She drains one man's life force to restore herself to a beautiful princess from a withered corpse, then the man's mother. . . who was on her knees worshipping Zarda as the comuppance Man's World deserves. . . because Zarda still had a gray hair.]]
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*** Zarda is ComicBook/WonderWoman with no morals to speak of, honestly beliving believing humanity is an inferior species and it is her and Hyperion's right to rule them. [[LifeDrinker She drains one man's life force force]] to restore herself to a beautiful princess from a withered corpse, [[KickTheDog then the man's mother. . . mother]]-- who was on her knees worshipping Zarda as the comuppance comeuppance Man's World deserves. . . deserves-- because Zarda still had a gray hair.]]
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A Corrupted Character Copy can be used as a Deconstruction, and the trope itself can be deconstructed.
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The Corrupted Character Copy exists as a twisted reflection of the original, usually to serve as a TakeThat against the original. To wit, there are a few metrics to apply for a character to count:
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The Corrupted Character Copy exists as a twisted reflection of the original, usually to serve as a {{Deconstruction}} or TakeThat against the original. To wit, there are a few metrics to apply for a character to count:
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* ''Film/{{Hancock}}'' starts out as a pretty clear corruption of ComicBook/{{Superman}}, a lazy bum who drinks too much and causes needless collateral damage with his heroics. As he's taken in by a PR man who wants to help clean up his image, it's revealed Hancock has a pretty good FreudianExcuse for his behavior, having come to genuinely believe he's unworthy of affection. Getting over these issues and embracing his potential to be the BigGood is the point of the film and Hancock's own CharacterDevelopment.
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* ''Film/{{Hancock}}'' ''Film/{{Hancock}}'': {{Deconstructed}}. Hancock starts out as a pretty clear corruption of ComicBook/{{Superman}}, a lazy bum who drinks too much and causes needless collateral damage with his heroics. As he's taken in by a PR man who wants to help clean up his image, it's revealed Hancock has a pretty good FreudianExcuse for his behavior, having come to genuinely believe he's unworthy of affection. Getting over these issues and embracing his potential to be the BigGood is the point of the film and Hancock's own CharacterDevelopment.
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Corrupted does not equal Deconstructed
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The Corrupted Character Copy exists as a twisted reflection of the original, usually to serve as a {{Deconstruction}} or TakeThat against the original. To wit, there are a few metrics to apply for a character to count:
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The Corrupted Character Copy exists as a twisted reflection of the original, usually to serve as a {{Deconstruction}} or TakeThat against the original. To wit, there are a few metrics to apply for a character to count:
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* ''Anime/YuGiOhArcV'' has more than a few as part of its deconstruction of ''Franchise/YuGiOh'' in general, and in fact it spreads to ''[[UpToEleven the entire dimensions]]:
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* ''Anime/YuGiOhArcV'' has more than a few as part of its deconstruction send up of ''Franchise/YuGiOh'' in general, and in fact it spreads to ''[[UpToEleven the entire dimensions]]:dimension]]:
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* ''ComicBook/TheBoys'' has a fair share of this, owing to Creator/GarthEnnis disliking and wanting to deconstruct superheroes.
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* ''ComicBook/TheBoys'' has a fair share of this, owing to Creator/GarthEnnis disliking and wanting to deconstruct superheroes.
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* ''Film/{{Hancock}}'': {{Deconstructed}}. Hancock starts out as a pretty clear Corrupted Character Copy of ComicBook/{{Superman}}, a lazy bum who drinks too much and causes needless collateral damage with his heroics. As he's taken in by a PR man who wants to help clean up his image, it's revealed Hancock has a pretty good FreudianExcuse for his behavior, having come to genuinely believe he's unworthy of affection. Getting over these issues and embracing his potential to be the BigGood is the point of the film and Hancock's own CharacterDevelopment.
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* ''Film/{{Hancock}}'': {{Deconstructed}}. Hancock ''Film/{{Hancock}}'' starts out as a pretty clear Corrupted Character Copy corruption of ComicBook/{{Superman}}, a lazy bum who drinks too much and causes needless collateral damage with his heroics. As he's taken in by a PR man who wants to help clean up his image, it's revealed Hancock has a pretty good FreudianExcuse for his behavior, having come to genuinely believe he's unworthy of affection. Getting over these issues and embracing his potential to be the BigGood is the point of the film and Hancock's own CharacterDevelopment.
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** "Legends" is a homage to the old comics where the Justice League would travel to a parallel world and team up with its heroes, the Justice Society. In the episode, the heroes the Justice League meet are the Justice Guild, expies of the Justice Society, due to the episode deconstructing the older heroes' old-fashioned attitudes and also the final reveal that [[spoiler:the ''real'' Justice Guild was killed saving the world, and the versions the Justice League meet are embodied figments of another character's imagination]].
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** "Legends" is a homage to the old comics where the Justice League would travel to a parallel world and team up with its heroes, the Justice Society. In the episode, the heroes the Justice League meet are the Justice Guild, expies of the Justice Society, due to the episode deconstructing the older heroes' old-fashioned attitudes and also the Society. The final reveal is that [[spoiler:the ''real'' Justice Guild was killed saving the world, and the versions the Justice League meet are embodied figments of another character's imagination]].
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** Cadmus seems to have a penchant for creating this trope, as before there was Galatea, they created the Ultimen, a collection of copies of the {{Canon Foreigner}}s from ''WesternAnimation/{{Superfriends}}'': Long Shadow for Apache Chief, Wind Dragon for Samurai, Juice for Black Vulcan, and Shifter and Downpour for the Wonder Twins. {{Deconstructed Trope}}s abound, as even ''Superman'' finds Wind Dragon too corny for his liking and their NewPowersAsThePlotDemands, a staple of the classic Superfriends cartoons, is a sign that they're powers are unstable and that they're suffering from CloneDegeneration. After learning that they're clones, they eventually decide to rebel and destroy the cloning tanks despite [[TokenGoodTeammate Long Shadow]]'s protests of them endangering innocent people, and the Justice League has to stop them.
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** Cadmus seems to have a penchant for creating this trope, as before there was Galatea, they created the Ultimen, a collection of copies of the {{Canon Foreigner}}s from ''WesternAnimation/{{Superfriends}}'': Long Shadow for Apache Chief, Wind Dragon for Samurai, Juice for Black Vulcan, and Shifter and Downpour for the Wonder Twins. {{Deconstructed Trope}}s abound, as even Even ''Superman'' finds Wind Dragon too corny for his liking and their NewPowersAsThePlotDemands, a staple of the classic Superfriends cartoons, is a sign that they're their powers are unstable and that they're suffering from CloneDegeneration. After learning that they're clones, they eventually decide to rebel and destroy the cloning tanks despite [[TokenGoodTeammate Long Shadow]]'s protests of them endangering innocent people, and the Justice League has to stop them.
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*** Noro is one to Cronos de Medici/[[DubNameChange Dr. Vellian Crowler]], as the latter was merely a SternTeacher while Noro himself is an outright ControlFreak. He's [[DownplayedTrope less of one than the others, though]], given both are IneffectualSympatheticVillains.
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*** Noro is one to Cronos de Medici/[[DubNameChange Dr. Vellian Crowler]], as the latter was merely a SternTeacher while Noro himself is an outright ControlFreak. He's [[DownplayedTrope less of one than the others, though]], given both are IneffectualSympatheticVillains.{{Ineffectual Sympathetic Villain}}s.
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*** Sergey is one to both the Dark Signers and Aporia, having an [[EldritchAbomination Earthbound deck]] like the former and being a {{Cyborg}} like the latter. While both of them were already villains, Sergey is a massive KnightOfCerebus and CombatSadomasochist who makes them look like Disney villains by comparison.
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*** Leo Akaba is one for Samejima, the principal of Duel Academy, by virtue of [[CompositeCharacter taking on elements of more villainous characters]] like Yubel's and Professor Viper's motivations and Gozaburo's [[AbusiveParents bad parenting]]
*** Captain Solo/[[DubNameChange Captain Cutter]] is one to Anacis, being a water-themed Duelist OnlyInItForTheMoney, but Solo is a pirate compared to Anacis's naval theme, isn't AffablyEvil to any degree, and uses [[CombatPragmatist a lockdown deck]].
*** Noro is one to Cronos de Medici/[[DubNameChange Dr. Vellian Crowler]], as the latter was merely a SternTeacher while Noro himself is an outright ControlFreak. He's [[DownplayedTrope less of one than the others, though]], given both are IneffectualSympatheticVillains.
*** Battle Beast is one to Taizan/[[DubNameChange Damon]], who ran away to practice his drawing in the jungle and became a WildChild as a result, while [[InSeriesNickname BB]] became a WildChild because of [[DrillSergeantNasty Sanders']] training. He also counts as one to Judai/[[DubNameChange Jaden]] given that both use Contact Fusion and have similar haircuts, but Judai enjoys dueling for fun while BB, like all Academia students, is out for blood whenever he duels.
*** Captain Solo/[[DubNameChange Captain Cutter]] is one to Anacis, being a water-themed Duelist OnlyInItForTheMoney, but Solo is a pirate compared to Anacis's naval theme, isn't AffablyEvil to any degree, and uses [[CombatPragmatist a lockdown deck]].
*** Noro is one to Cronos de Medici/[[DubNameChange Dr. Vellian Crowler]], as the latter was merely a SternTeacher while Noro himself is an outright ControlFreak. He's [[DownplayedTrope less of one than the others, though]], given both are IneffectualSympatheticVillains.
*** Battle Beast is one to Taizan/[[DubNameChange Damon]], who ran away to practice his drawing in the jungle and became a WildChild as a result, while [[InSeriesNickname BB]] became a WildChild because of [[DrillSergeantNasty Sanders']] training. He also counts as one to Judai/[[DubNameChange Jaden]] given that both use Contact Fusion and have similar haircuts, but Judai enjoys dueling for fun while BB, like all Academia students, is out for blood whenever he duels.
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** Cadmus seems to have a penchant for creating this trope, as before there was Galatea, they created the Ultimen, a collection of copies of the {{Canon Foreigner}}s from ''WesternAnimation/Superfriends'': Long Shadow for Apache Chief, Wind Dragon for Samurai, Juice for Black Vulcan, and Shifter and Downpour for the Wonder Twins. {{Deconstructed Trope}}s abound, as even ''Superman'' finds Wind Dragon too corny for his liking and their NewPowersAsThePlotDemands, a staple of the classic Superfriends cartoons, is a sign that they're powers are unstable and that they're suffering from CloneDegeneration. After learning that they're clones, they eventually decide to rebel and destroy the cloning tanks despite [[TokenGoodTeammate Long Shadow]]'s protests of them endangering innocent people, and the Justice League has to stop them.
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** Cadmus seems to have a penchant for creating this trope, as before there was Galatea, they created the Ultimen, a collection of copies of the {{Canon Foreigner}}s from ''WesternAnimation/Superfriends'': ''WesternAnimation/{{Superfriends}}'': Long Shadow for Apache Chief, Wind Dragon for Samurai, Juice for Black Vulcan, and Shifter and Downpour for the Wonder Twins. {{Deconstructed Trope}}s abound, as even ''Superman'' finds Wind Dragon too corny for his liking and their NewPowersAsThePlotDemands, a staple of the classic Superfriends cartoons, is a sign that they're powers are unstable and that they're suffering from CloneDegeneration. After learning that they're clones, they eventually decide to rebel and destroy the cloning tanks despite [[TokenGoodTeammate Long Shadow]]'s protests of them endangering innocent people, and the Justice League has to stop them.
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* In ''Film/{{Brightburn}}'', a childless couple (who really want a child) from the American Midwest find a baby boy in a crashed spaceship near their farm one night. They adopt the boy, doing their best to raise him in a loving home. As he grows older, he begins to develop extraordinary powers, including [[FlyingBrick invulnerability, flight, and super speed]] along with [[EyeBeams heat vision]]. He even takes to wearing a red blanket around his shoulders [[SuperheroesWearCapes like a cape]]. He also rapidly develops from a seemingly sweet natured and loving kid into a psychopathic, violent predator who regards humans as prey. A brutally straightforward example of this trope as applied to ComicBook/{{Superboy}} (and presumably eventually ComicBook/{{Superman}}).
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[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* ''Anime/YuGiOhArcV'' has more than a few as part of its deconstruction of ''Franchise/YuGiOh'' in general, and in fact it spreads to ''[[UpToEleven the entire dimensions]]:
** The City in general is one to [[Anime/YuGiOh5Ds New Domino City]], but with the original class divide taken UpToEleven--they have [[MightMakesRight a culture where the strong crushes the weak and anyone who loses the Friendship Cup gets sent to an underground garbage facility]], and [[ApatheticCitizens none of this is questioned by any Synchro Dimension native except]] [[OnlySaneMan Shinji]], [[TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized who wants to see the Tops overthrown violently]].
*** Duel Chaser 227 is Tetsu Ushio, a prideful Duel Chaser that loses to a Commons D-Wheeler, without any of the CharacterDevelopment
*** Jean Michel Roget is Rex Goodwin, but where Goodwin was an AffablyEvil WellIntentionedExtremist, Roget is a FauxAffablyEvil [[ItsAllAboutMe tyrannic wannabe]].
** Academia is one to [[Anime/YuGiOhGX Duel Academy]], but they [[AcademyOfEvil force students to attend whether they want to or not and train them to be]] {{Child Soldiers}} for a war with [[AbsoluteXenophobe every other dimension]].
[[/folder]]
* ''Anime/YuGiOhArcV'' has more than a few as part of its deconstruction of ''Franchise/YuGiOh'' in general, and in fact it spreads to ''[[UpToEleven the entire dimensions]]:
** The City in general is one to [[Anime/YuGiOh5Ds New Domino City]], but with the original class divide taken UpToEleven--they have [[MightMakesRight a culture where the strong crushes the weak and anyone who loses the Friendship Cup gets sent to an underground garbage facility]], and [[ApatheticCitizens none of this is questioned by any Synchro Dimension native except]] [[OnlySaneMan Shinji]], [[TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized who wants to see the Tops overthrown violently]].
*** Duel Chaser 227 is Tetsu Ushio, a prideful Duel Chaser that loses to a Commons D-Wheeler, without any of the CharacterDevelopment
*** Jean Michel Roget is Rex Goodwin, but where Goodwin was an AffablyEvil WellIntentionedExtremist, Roget is a FauxAffablyEvil [[ItsAllAboutMe tyrannic wannabe]].
** Academia is one to [[Anime/YuGiOhGX Duel Academy]], but they [[AcademyOfEvil force students to attend whether they want to or not and train them to be]] {{Child Soldiers}} for a war with [[AbsoluteXenophobe every other dimension]].
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* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' has the Terrific Trio, an Expy of [[ComicBook/TheFantasticFour]] who [[CompositeCharacter mix-and-match]] [[DecompositeCharacter certain elements]] between each other; Magma has the backstory of Reed Richards and a powerset that's a mix of The Thing and the Human Torch, while Freon is Susan Storm with an inverted version of the Human Torch's powers, and 2-D Man has the powers of Mr. Fantastic with [[FlatCharacter almost no personality]]. They start off as heroes, but after they learn their conditions are unstable and that their friend [[CrazyJealousGuy Dr. Hodges]] was the one who orchestrated the accident that gave them their powers to [[MurderTheHypotenuse take Magma out of the picture]], and after the public, the military, and law enforcement [[HeroWithBadPublicity turn on them]], they become emotionally destroyed and try to duplicate the accident, not caring that the raditation would destroy the city. A conversation between Batman and Magma lampshades this accordingly.
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* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' has the Terrific Trio, an Expy of [[ComicBook/TheFantasticFour]] ComicBook/TheFantasticFour who [[CompositeCharacter mix-and-match]] [[DecompositeCharacter certain elements]] between each other; Magma has the backstory of Reed Richards and a powerset that's a mix of The Thing and the Human Torch, while Freon is Susan Storm with an inverted version of the Human Torch's powers, and 2-D Man has the powers of Mr. Fantastic with [[FlatCharacter almost no personality]]. They start off as heroes, but after they learn their conditions are unstable and that their friend [[CrazyJealousGuy Dr. Hodges]] was the one who orchestrated the accident that gave them their powers to [[MurderTheHypotenuse take Magma out of the picture]], and after the public, the military, and law enforcement [[HeroWithBadPublicity turn on them]], they become emotionally destroyed and try to duplicate the accident, not caring that the raditation would destroy the city. A conversation between Batman and Magma lampshades this accordingly.
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** Cadmus seems to have a penchant for creating this trope, as before there was Galatea, they created the Ultimen, a collection of copies of the {{Canon Foreigner}}s from ''WesternAnimation/Superfriends'': Long Shadow for Apache Chief, Wind Dragon for Samurai, Juice for Black Vulcan, and Shifter and Downpour for the Wonder Twins. {{Deconstructed Trope}}s abound, as even ''Superman'' finds Wind Dragon too corny for his liking, their NewPowersAsThePlotDemands, a staple of the classic Superfriends cartoons, is a sign that they're powers are unstable and that they're suffering from CloneDegeneration. After learning that they're clones, they eventually decide to rebel and destroy the cloning tanks despite [[TokenGoodTeammate Long Shadow]]'s protests of them endangering innocent people, and the Justice League has to stop them.
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** Cadmus seems to have a penchant for creating this trope, as before there was Galatea, they created the Ultimen, a collection of copies of the {{Canon Foreigner}}s from ''WesternAnimation/Superfriends'': Long Shadow for Apache Chief, Wind Dragon for Samurai, Juice for Black Vulcan, and Shifter and Downpour for the Wonder Twins. {{Deconstructed Trope}}s abound, as even ''Superman'' finds Wind Dragon too corny for his liking, liking and their NewPowersAsThePlotDemands, a staple of the classic Superfriends cartoons, is a sign that they're powers are unstable and that they're suffering from CloneDegeneration. After learning that they're clones, they eventually decide to rebel and destroy the cloning tanks despite [[TokenGoodTeammate Long Shadow]]'s protests of them endangering innocent people, and the Justice League has to stop them.
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* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' has the Terrific Trio, an Expy of [[ComicBook/TheFantasticFour]] who [[CompositeCharacter mix-and-match]] [[DecompositeCharacter certain elements]] between each other; Magma has the backstory of Reed Richards and a powerset that's a mix of The Thing and the Human Torch, while Freon is Susan Storm with an inverted version of the Human Torch's powers, and 2-D Man has the powers of Mr. Fantastic with [[FlatCharacter almost no personality]]. They start off as heroes, but after they learn their conditions are unstable and that their friend [[CrazyJealousGuy Dr. Hodges]] was the one who orchestrated the accident that gave them their powers to [[MurderTheHypotenuse take Magma out of the picture]], and after the public, the military, and law enforcement [[HeroWithBadPublicity turn on them]], they become emotionally destroyed and try to duplicate the accident, not caring that the raditation would destroy the city. A conversation between Batman and Magma lampshades this accordingly.
-->'''Batman''': I've gotta shut that thing off! Thousands of people will die! Magma! Dr. Morgan, you can't let that happen! You're a hero, remember?
-->'''Magma''': No, I'm an accident. Real heroes, they make a choice. And I never did.
-->'''Batman''': I've gotta shut that thing off! Thousands of people will die! Magma! Dr. Morgan, you can't let that happen! You're a hero, remember?
-->'''Magma''': No, I'm an accident. Real heroes, they make a choice. And I never did.
** ''Futurama'' also has a [[SubvertedTrope subversion]] in the form of Kif Kroker, Zapp's BeleagueredAssistant. He was originally written as Spock if he hated Kirk, but the writers threw this characterization out the window fairly quickly and re-invented him as [[OfficialCouple Amy's boyfriend]] and an ExtremeDoormat.
** Galatea from ''Justice League Unlimited'' has Power Girl's costume with a smaller CleavageWindow and no cape. She's a clone of Supergirl who's sadistic and ''hates'' Supergirl because her very existence reminds her that she's just a clone.
** Cadmus seems to have a penchant for creating this trope, as before there was Galatea, they created the Ultimen, a collection of copies of the {{Canon Foreigner}}s from ''WesternAnimation/Superfriends'': Long Shadow for Apache Chief, Wind Dragon for Samurai, Juice for Black Vulcan, and Shifter and Downpour for the Wonder Twins. {{Deconstructed Trope}}s abound, as even ''Superman'' finds Wind Dragon too corny for his liking, their NewPowersAsThePlotDemands, a staple of the classic Superfriends cartoons, is a sign that they're powers are unstable and that they're suffering from CloneDegeneration. After learning that they're clones, they eventually decide to rebel and destroy the cloning tanks despite [[TokenGoodTeammate Long Shadow]]'s protests of them endangering innocent people, and the Justice League has to stop them.
** Cadmus seems to have a penchant for creating this trope, as before there was Galatea, they created the Ultimen, a collection of copies of the {{Canon Foreigner}}s from ''WesternAnimation/Superfriends'': Long Shadow for Apache Chief, Wind Dragon for Samurai, Juice for Black Vulcan, and Shifter and Downpour for the Wonder Twins. {{Deconstructed Trope}}s abound, as even ''Superman'' finds Wind Dragon too corny for his liking, their NewPowersAsThePlotDemands, a staple of the classic Superfriends cartoons, is a sign that they're powers are unstable and that they're suffering from CloneDegeneration. After learning that they're clones, they eventually decide to rebel and destroy the cloning tanks despite [[TokenGoodTeammate Long Shadow]]'s protests of them endangering innocent people, and the Justice League has to stop them.
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* ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'': Professor Richard Impossible is the head of the Impossibles, a ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'' parody. Introduced as a CaptainErsatz of Reed Richards, he soon shows a much darker side as a sexist and bigoted {{Jerkass}} who's uncaring and abusive to his family. Much like Reed's [[ComicBook/UltimateFantasticFour Ultimate Universe incarnation]], [[FaceHeelTurn he ends up becoming a villain in his own right]].
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* ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'': ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'', befitting its status as a DeconstructiveParody of [[TwoFistedTales boy's adventure series]], ''loves'' this trope.
** Dr. Thaddeus "Rusty" Venture and Action Johnny are both this to WesternAnimation/JonnyQuest (in fact, the latter was supposed to ''be'' Jonny Quest himself but that was vetoed by ExecutiveMeddling): both former boy adventurers who were both left traumatized by the many near-death experiences they had over the course of their adventures. They've become differently jaded as a result; Rusty has become a [[GenerationXerox super-scientist who's a neglectful father himself]], only [[InadequateInheritor less successful than his father]], and Johnny has rage issues and drug addictions.
** Rusty's father, Jonas Venture, is likewise one to Franchise/DocSavage, being an adventuring scientist and GeniusBruiser par excellence, but was a ''[[AbusiveParents terrible]]'' father to Rusty, exposing him to numerous traumas and then [[ThereAreNoTherapists making minimal effort to help him with the problems he developed from it]]. And that's not even getting into what a horrible ''friend'' he was....
** Professor Richard Impossible is the head of the Impossibles, a ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'' parody. Introduced as a CaptainErsatz of Reed Richards, he soon shows a much darker side as a sexist and bigoted {{Jerkass}} who's uncaring and abusive to his family. Much like Reed's [[ComicBook/UltimateFantasticFour Ultimate Universe incarnation]], [[FaceHeelTurn he ends up becoming a villain in his own right]].
** Dr. Thaddeus "Rusty" Venture and Action Johnny are both this to WesternAnimation/JonnyQuest (in fact, the latter was supposed to ''be'' Jonny Quest himself but that was vetoed by ExecutiveMeddling): both former boy adventurers who were both left traumatized by the many near-death experiences they had over the course of their adventures. They've become differently jaded as a result; Rusty has become a [[GenerationXerox super-scientist who's a neglectful father himself]], only [[InadequateInheritor less successful than his father]], and Johnny has rage issues and drug addictions.
** Rusty's father, Jonas Venture, is likewise one to Franchise/DocSavage, being an adventuring scientist and GeniusBruiser par excellence, but was a ''[[AbusiveParents terrible]]'' father to Rusty, exposing him to numerous traumas and then [[ThereAreNoTherapists making minimal effort to help him with the problems he developed from it]]. And that's not even getting into what a horrible ''friend'' he was....
** Professor Richard Impossible is the head of the Impossibles, a ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'' parody. Introduced as a CaptainErsatz of Reed Richards, he soon shows a much darker side as a sexist and bigoted {{Jerkass}} who's uncaring and abusive to his family. Much like Reed's [[ComicBook/UltimateFantasticFour Ultimate Universe incarnation]], [[FaceHeelTurn he ends up becoming a villain in his own right]].
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The {{Expy}} is a character modeled after another, given their own flair/original traits and altered to fit the story. Sometimes this is done out of appreciation for the character. But sometimes, the {{Expy}} is meant to be a twisted, corrupted and nastier version of the original character. A SupermanSubstitute who's an insensitive {{Jerkass}}, for example.
The Corrupted Character Copy exists as a twisted reflection of the original, usually to serve as a {{Deconstruction}} or TakeThat against the original. To wit, there are a few metrics to apply for a character to count:
* They have to '''obviously''' be an '''intentional''' [[{{Expy}} send up]] of a specific character from another [[CaptainErsatz franchise]] or [[AlternateCompanyEquivalent company]], not just have vague similarities, shared powers, or a few common personality traits. If you look at a given character and immediately think "they're obviously poking fun at [this other given character]," they are a likely candidate for this trope.
* OR they have to be recognizably riffing on a fairly specific character archetype, such as the TuxedoAndMartini spy. Broader archetypes open to greater interpretation likely don't count.
* They have to take the character or archetype in a direction opposed to how it usually goes. There should be some meaningful examination of that character or archetype, and what happens if you keep ''most'' of the traits that make them recognizable, but delete a key few, or dial one or two others UpToEleven.
To aid you in determining if a given character fits this trope, consult the following format guideline:
* ''[Work Featuring Character]'': [Character], Expy of [Template Character with pothole] ([Explanation for why they're an expy of the template]). -- [Explanation for why they are "corrupted"].
This template need not be followed specifically, but if it '''cannot''' be followed, the character in question probably does not count.
Related to, but distinct from, EvilCounterpart, with the difference being that the EvilCounterpart trope deals with an in-universe darker version of another character. Compare AdaptationalJerkass and AdaptationalVillainy, when the original character shows up as a meaner or more villainous incarnation of how they were originally written, and AdaptationalHeroism and AdaptationalNiceGuy, when a character is significantly nicer or more heroic in an adaptation than they are in their main work. This trope is most prevalent in {{Superhero}} fiction, with ComicBook/{{Superman}} himself being the most common target, thus BewareTheSuperman is very closely related.
----
!!Examples:
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Comic Books]]
* Creator/DCComics
** ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'': {{Defied}} with Hank Henshaw. His origin is a clear riff on Marvel's ComicBook/FantasticFour, with Henshaw himself in the place of Reed Richards (astronauts exposed to cosmic radiation, begin mutating superpowers, but in the DC version, the mutations don't stop and quickly kill them). [[ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman By the time Henshaw resurfaced to take up a truly villainous mantle,]] he'd used his powers to style himself "Cyborg Superman," becoming a wholly unique character completely divorced from his origin as an {{Expy}} of Mr. Fantastic (instead borrowing heavily from [[TerminatorImpersonator The Terminator]]).
** Manchester Black and the Elite from "What's So Funny About Truth, Justice and the American Way" are clear [[CaptainErsatz ersatz]] of ComicBook/TheAuthority, themselves AntiHero [[{{Expy}} expies]] of the Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica. Like the Authority they style themselves as an AntiHeroTeam who kill villains, however the Authority benefit from being in a cynical setting [[BlackAndGreyMorality with villains far worse than them]]. The Elite are part of an idealistic {{Reconstruction}} of Superman and TakeThat to ComicBook/TheAuthority, being NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist villains to show why Superman's idealism and ThouShaltNotKill works ([[BewareTheSuperman and how terrifying he'd be if he did kill]]).
* Creator/MarvelComics
** In ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'', the Adjudicator is for all intents and purposes an expy of ComicBook/ThePunisher, except that he WouldHarmAChild.
** ''ComicBook/SupremePower'' takes DC's Justice League and runs them in this direction, the end result being a group of [[AntiHero Anti-Heroes]] '''at best'''.
*** Hyperion is ComicBook/{{Superman}} raised by government agents at the height of the Cold War instead of a loving couple from Kansas, and (unsuccessfully) brainwashed to be the ultimate patriot. BewareTheSuperman is in full effect.
*** Zarda is ComicBook/WonderWoman with no morals to speak of, honestly beliving humanity is an inferior species and it is her and Hyperion's right to rule them. [[LifeDrinker She drains one man's life force to restore herself to a beautiful princess from a withered corpse, then the man's mother. . . who was on her knees worshipping Zarda as the comuppance Man's World deserves. . . because Zarda still had a gray hair.]]
*** Doc Spectrum is ComicBook/GreenLantern as a government secret agent and assassin who left behind almost every shred of empathy and morality a long time ago. The gem that gives him his powers is LoyalPhlebotinum. . . [[spoiler:to ''Hyperion'', not Doc, meaning that the hope that Doc Spectrum could stop Hyperion if necessary was dead a-borning.]]
*** Amphibian (ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}) was abandoned in the ocean as a baby because her parents found her appearance disgusting. Living all on her own in the ocean, she's a CuteMonsterGirl with NoNudityTaboo, and a genuinely kind person, but she just doesn't get humanity or the world outside the ocean, leading to a few accidental deaths.
*** Nighthawk is ComicBook/{{Batman}} as a wealty black man with a ''gigantic'' racist chip on his shoulder. On the trail of a super-powered serial killer who's killed several black prostitutes, Nighthawk tells Hyperion that if the killer had been going after white, middle-class female twentysomethings, Hyperion would have been all over it ages ago. Never mind that the first time they met, Hyperion specifically mentioned he saw Nighthawk ignoring violent crimes because the victims weren't black, only to jump in the second a black person was the target.
** [[https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Ethan_Edwards_(Earth-616) Ethan Edwards]] is another Franchise/MarvelComics sendup of Superman, a Skrull who was sent to Earth from his dying world, raised by a kindly couple in midwest America, became the star reporter of the Daily Bugle in his civilian identity ([[ClarkKenting which didn't]] [[SubvertedTrope last long]]) while becoming a NighInvulnerable FlyingBrick in his costumed identity. Unfortunately, he's also a HotBlooded FailureHero.
* ''ComicBook/TheBoys'' has a fair share of this, owing to Creator/GarthEnnis disliking and wanting to deconstruct superheroes.
** The Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica stand-in is The Seven, the most powerful and photogenic group of superheros Vought has been able to produce.
*** Homelander, Expy of ComicBook/{{Superman}} (his "comic origin" is landing on Earth in an alien spaceship and rapidly growing to adulthood, he was actually created in Vought's labs). He's a racist asshole who only cares about the profits Vought's making off the team (and his cut of them), and raped Butcher's wife (resulting in her death when the superpowered infant came to term).
*** Black Noir, sort of an expy of ComicBook/{{Batman}} [[spoiler:and ComicBook/{{Superboy}}, in that he's a clone of Homelander made for the express purpose of killing Homelander if he ever went rogue. [[SarcasmMode This causes absolutely no problems whatsoever]].]]
*** Queen Maeve, expy of ComicBook/WonderWoman. It's implied she genuinely wanted to be a good, heroic person, but [[spoiler:the bungled attempt to stop 9/11]] drove her into alcoholic apathy.
*** The Deep, expy of ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}. Not all that bad, but doesn't really try and curb the excesses of the supes in TheVerse.
*** Jack From Jupiter, expy of ComicBook/MartianManhunter. Like most of the Seven, really only cares about the profits from his merchandising contracts and enjoying the perks of being able to do whatever (and whoever) he wants with no repercussions.
*** A-Train, expy of ComicBook/TheFlash (Wally West, specifically). His, Hughie's, and the audience's introduction to the world of superheroes in The Boys is A-Train reducing Hughie's genuinely nice, lovely, wonderful girlfriend to bloody smear and a pair of severed arms. He participates in the coerced [[CastingCouch blowbang]] of Starlight (along with Homelander and Black Noir) and later tries to straight-up rape her.
*** Starlight, who could be seen as an expy of ComicBook/PowerGirl, ComicBook/StargirlDCComics, or ComicBook/{{Starfire}}, or a pastiche of all three. [[SubvertedTrope One of the only actually decent people in the entire series.]]
*** Former members include Lamplighter, expy of ComicBook/GreenLantern, who [[WouldHurtAChild burned children alive]], and Marathon Man, another Flash expy, who we learn nothing about.
** ComicBook/TheAvengers stand-in is Payback, consisting of:
*** Stormfront, combo expy of ComicBook/TheMightyThor and ComicBook/{{Shazam}}. He's a Nazi. '''Not''' Neo-Nazi, he was brought over from Nazi Germany in WWII and fully buys into old-school, straight-from-der-fuhrer's mouth propaganda.
*** Soldier Boy, expy of ComicBook/CaptainAmerica. A DirtyCoward PhonyVeteran.
*** Tek-Knight, mostly an ComicBook/IronMan expy, but with a few elements of ComicBook/{{Batman}} (very young sidekick Laddio which is a legacy title, a Tek-Cave, and a loyal butler). He's recently started having sex with anything that catches his fancy, including other members of Payback, small animals, cups of coffee, and his butler's ear. Turns out this was the result of a fist-sized brain tumor. [[SubvertedTrope Aside from that, actually seems a decent guy.]] He tried to get help for his condition, and after it destroys his hero career, he sacrifices his life to save some innocent bystanders from falling debris.
*** Crimson Countess, expy of ComicBook/ScarletWitch (the most blatant one yet, her costume looks almost exactly like something Wanda would actually wear). She's a bit AxCrazy, absolutely determined to vaporize Butcher's dog after it takes a bite out of her (which he did to stop her from vaporizing one of The Boys' heads).
*** Mind-Droid, expy of ComicBook/TheVision, except he's not actually any kind of "droid," just a dude in a costume. We don't know anything specific he might have gotten up to, but went all in on Payback's plan to cripple The Boys, and begs for his life when Butcher corners him. And was serving in Payback under Stormfront (see above).
*** Swatto, expy of ComicBook/AntMan. As with Mind-Droid, WeHardlyKnewYe is in effect, but seems a fairly AxCrazy TheUnintelligible.
** The ComicBook/XMen stand-in is the G-Men, run by John Godolkin, who [[spoiler:abducts kids off the street, raises them in his mansion and gives them superpowers, selling the idea that he's created a safe place for superpowered orphans. He sexually abuses the children under his care, which results them all being severely damaged adults who turn around and assist Godolkin's abuse when he brings in a new batch of kids.]]
* In ''ComicBook/{{Bratpack}}'', the titular teen-hero team are expies of famous sidekicks, with Chippy being ComicBook/{{Robin}}, Luna being ComicBook/WonderGirl, Kid Vicious being [[ComicBook/CaptainAmerica Bucky]], and Wildboy being Speedy. It quickly becomes clear why Rick Veitch used expies, as Chippy is being molested by his adult partner, Luna is a borderline nymphomaniac, Kid Vicious is virulently racist, and Wildboy is a severe alcoholic.
* ''ComicBook/{{Irredeemable}}'': [[SupermanSubstitute The Plutonian]] asks the question of "what if Superman [[BewareTheSuperman turned evil?]]". While he first appears to be a straight example of the SupermanSubstitute before his FaceHeelTurn, it's shown he has a lot more demons in his past than Superman ever had. He had a troubled childhood that psychological damaged him compared to the Man Of Steel's UpbringingMakesTheHero ([[FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse though it's no excuse for his actions]]), his powers [[BlessedWithSuck proved somewhat of a hindrance]], and his motive for heroism was less "wanting to do good things" and more "[[SecretlySelfish secretly]] LoveHungry and CantTakeCriticism".
* In ''ComicBook/{{Planetary}}'', the Big Bad Ensemble the 4 are directly based on the Fantastic Four, with similar concepts and powers.
* ''ComicBook/TheRedTen'' was created because Tyler James wanted to write a murder mystery involving the ComicBook/JusticeLeague getting picked off one by one, but knew that DC would never go for it, so he created the Alliance as expies.
* ''ComicBook/TopTen'' has a team of older superheroes as Justice League stand-ins, who faked a war with an alien species and are all pedophiles who molested each other's wards. Atoman ends up manipulated into committing suicide rather than face imprisonment (since the cop manipulating him knew there'd be severe collateral damage if he went down fighting.)
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Megamind}}'':
** Hal Stewart, Roxanne's cameraman, begins the story as an expy of ''ComicBook/JimmyOlsen'', being a geeky redheaded everyman who works with the leading lady covering the exploits of the local superhero. But whereas Jimmy usually gets portrayed as an {{Adorkable}} and helpful NiceGuy, Hal comes off as creepy even before he becomes a supervillain.
** [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed]] with Metro Man, [[SupermanSubstitute the Superman equivalent]] and HeroAntagonist to Megamind's VillainProtagonist. While a good guy, Metro Man is much more of a SmugSuper who acts like a jerk to Megamind, who's more of an AntiVillain out of expectancy than being truly evil like Luthor or Brainiac. [[spoiler:And Metro Man fakes his death because [[HeroicFatigue tired of heroism]] since it's something he felt was thrust upon him, compared to Superman [[GoodFeelsGood enjoying being a hero for the sake of it]] ]]. [[CharacterDevelopment He does wise up to his more jerkish tendencies as time passes]].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Film -- Live Action]]
* ''Film/{{Hancock}}'': {{Deconstructed}}. Hancock starts out as a pretty clear Corrupted Character Copy of ComicBook/{{Superman}}, a lazy bum who drinks too much and causes needless collateral damage with his heroics. As he's taken in by a PR man who wants to help clean up his image, it's revealed Hancock has a pretty good FreudianExcuse for his behavior, having come to genuinely believe he's unworthy of affection. Getting over these issues and embracing his potential to be the BigGood is the point of the film and Hancock's own CharacterDevelopment.
* ''Film/MySuperExGirlfriend'': G-Girl is basically ComicBook/{{Superman}} (got her powers from an alien meteor instead of being an alien, has a KryptoniteFactor of the same meteor that empowered her, but otherwise the same basic FlyingBrick). The film asks "What if Superman was a woman? An insecure, neurotic, overly-controlling woman with a fondness for DisproportionateRetribution?"
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Live-Action Television]]
* ''Series/TheBoys2019'': As in the comics, the characters are mostly clear expies of existing characters from other comics, mostly Marvel and DC. In some cases, they've altered the expy a bit or made it more clear.
** Homelander, expy of ComicBook/{{Superman}}, but pretty much as a [[BewareTheSuperman straight-up villain.]]
** Queen Maeve, expy of ComicBook/WonderWoman. Her costume draws a lot of inspiration from ''Film/WonderWoman2017'', she's a MultiMeleeMaster, but can't fly (relying on Homelander to carry her when needed). Maeve started out idealistic and gung-ho to save the world, but eventually gave it all up one compromise at a time, and now is a rude, apathetic alcoholic who isn't going to her meetings.
** Black Noir, expy of ComicBook/{{Batman}}. Dresses all in black, good at close-quarters combat with knives, never speaks, mysterious. Time will only tell how corrupted he is, or if [[spoiler:the series will follow the comics where he's a failsafe against Homelander, and is ultimately responsible for most of the things that have gone wrong.]]
** The Deep, expy of ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}, complete with percieved uselessness and fish jokes. He pulls a CastingCouch on Starlight, and [[spoiler:suffers a TraumaCongaLine when it comes out.]] It's also stated he's sexually assaulted (or at least harassed) several other women. His one redeeming trait is his genuine love of all marine creatures, leading to the afforementioned fish jokes, and every time he tries to push this issue forward he's rebuffed (he wants to "shine a light" on Oceanland's questionable animal handling practices, but is told to just go along with the ad campaign Oceanland signed him up for).
** A-Train, expy of ComicBook/TheFlash. Repeatedly called "The Fastest Man Alive." Fear of losing that title [[spoiler:leads to him juicing on Compound V to the point he has a heart attack]]. As in the comics, he's responsible for reducing Hughie's girlfriend to LudicrousGibs, and doesn't really feel that bad about it (he even repeatedly fails to recognize Hughie, even after they met face-to-face and A-Train delivered a Voght-mandated apology). [[spoiler:He's also the key in Homelander's plan to spread Compound V through the world and create supervillains for The Seven to fight, and murders his girlfriend Popclaw when she proves a weak link in this plan.]]
** Translucent, [[AvertedTrope on the other hand]], is just your garden-variety InvisibleJerkass.
** Starlight is made more an expy of [[ComicBook/CarolDanvers Captain Marvel]], with her LightEmUp powers being her primary ability (her comic counterpart was a basic FlyingBrick with some light powers, here her light blasts are her go-to, though she still has SuperStrength enough to beat large ordinary men senseless and can take two fifty-caliber rifle rounds to the chest with only moderate discomfort). She's the kindest, most sincerly heroic character in the story, but dangerously naieve, and while she doesn't go through as bad a BreakTheCutie as she did in the comics, she still gets put through the ringer and has to give up on a lot of her idealism.
** Notably Averted with Ezekiel. While he has powers similar to ComicBook/MisterFantastic, beyond that they're basically complete opposites (Ezekiel is still right bastard, though, make no mistake). Ezekiel is a charismatic religious leader and hypocrite, Reed Richards is an AbsentMindedProfessor of pure science.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Video Game]]
* ''VideoGame/AzureStrikerGunvolt'': Copen is the Franchise/MegaMan equivalent for the game given that he can [[PowerCopying copy the abilities]] of the bosses he fights. Unlike the many incarnations of Mega Man, however, he's a FantasticRacist who aims to [[FinalSolution hunt down and exterminate all Adepts.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Western Animation]]
* WesternAnimation/{{Archer}} is less an expy of Franchise/JamesBond and more a counter to the [[TuxedoAndMartini Gentleman Spy]] archetype in general. However, Archer has zero gentlemanly traits, is a PsychopathicManchild who habitually bullies his coworkers, routinely endangers missions (and coworkers) due to his [[ItsAllAboutMe self-centeredness]] or lack of any useful skills (beyond asskicking), [[ReallyGetsAround and has had the clap so many times it's more like applause]].
* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'': "The Criss Cross Conspiracy" features a crime-fighting "Bat Lady" named Katrina Moldoff, who closely resembles Kathy Kane, the original Bat-Woman in the comics. She goes off the rails and tries to kill the Riddler.
* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanMysteryOfTheBatwoman'' features a character named Kathy [=DuQuesne=], who is named in reference to Kathy Kane, the ComicBook/{{Batwoman}} of the comics. The makers of the movie intended to straight-up name her "Kathy Kane", but were asked by DC to change it because the movie's Kathy is more of a ruthless AntiHero than the comic book version.
* The crew of ''WesternAnimation/DrawnTogether'' are parodies of cartoon characters, each with a darker and more adult edge that usually makes them nastier than what they're parodying. Captain Hero is a SupermanSubstitute who's a macho jerk [[NominalHero and hero in name only]], Ling Ling is a HeroicComedicSociopath [[{{Phonymon}} parodying Pikachu]], Princess Clara is a bigoted Disney Princess, Toot is a bitter and washed up parody of ''WesternAnimation/BettyBoop'', and Wooldoor is a parody of wacky cartoon characters(mainly ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'') with their CloudCuckoolander traits exaggerated.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'': Zapp Brannigan is clear parody of Captain Kirk from ''Franchise/StarTrek'', poking fun at his more inept and egotistical moments. As a result Zapp has Kirk's [[BoldlyComing lustiness]] and ego cranked [[UpToEleven up to "parody,"]] but lacks any of his competence or AFatherToHisMen traits, instead being a GeneralFailure relying on WeHaveReserves. Leela ''once'' had PitySex with him, [[AbhorrentAdmirer and he never let her forget it.]]
* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'':
** "Legends" is a homage to the old comics where the Justice League would travel to a parallel world and team up with its heroes, the Justice Society. In the episode, the heroes the Justice League meet are the Justice Guild, expies of the Justice Society, due to the episode deconstructing the older heroes' old-fashioned attitudes and also the final reveal that [[spoiler:the ''real'' Justice Guild was killed saving the world, and the versions the Justice League meet are embodied figments of another character's imagination]].
** In "Starcrossed", Earth is visited by a group of Hawkgirl's people, the Thanagarians. The group's leader, Hro Talak, closely resembles Katar Hol, Hawkgirl's Thanagarian partner in the comics, but turns out to have a jerkish personality and [[spoiler:and to be a WellIntentionedExtremist who becomes the story arc's main villain]].
* Kitten in ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' is an Expy of Duela Dent, and she's far more malicious and sadistic than Duela (who, while zany and irreverent, was never an outright villain like Kitten).
* ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'': Professor Richard Impossible is the head of the Impossibles, a ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'' parody. Introduced as a CaptainErsatz of Reed Richards, he soon shows a much darker side as a sexist and bigoted {{Jerkass}} who's uncaring and abusive to his family. Much like Reed's [[ComicBook/UltimateFantasticFour Ultimate Universe incarnation]], [[FaceHeelTurn he ends up becoming a villain in his own right]].
[[/folder]]
The {{Expy}} is a character modeled after another, given their own flair/original traits and altered to fit the story. Sometimes this is done out of appreciation for the character. But sometimes, the {{Expy}} is meant to be a twisted, corrupted and nastier version of the original character. A SupermanSubstitute who's an insensitive {{Jerkass}}, for example.
The Corrupted Character Copy exists as a twisted reflection of the original, usually to serve as a {{Deconstruction}} or TakeThat against the original. To wit, there are a few metrics to apply for a character to count:
* They have to '''obviously''' be an '''intentional''' [[{{Expy}} send up]] of a specific character from another [[CaptainErsatz franchise]] or [[AlternateCompanyEquivalent company]], not just have vague similarities, shared powers, or a few common personality traits. If you look at a given character and immediately think "they're obviously poking fun at [this other given character]," they are a likely candidate for this trope.
* OR they have to be recognizably riffing on a fairly specific character archetype, such as the TuxedoAndMartini spy. Broader archetypes open to greater interpretation likely don't count.
* They have to take the character or archetype in a direction opposed to how it usually goes. There should be some meaningful examination of that character or archetype, and what happens if you keep ''most'' of the traits that make them recognizable, but delete a key few, or dial one or two others UpToEleven.
To aid you in determining if a given character fits this trope, consult the following format guideline:
* ''[Work Featuring Character]'': [Character], Expy of [Template Character with pothole] ([Explanation for why they're an expy of the template]). -- [Explanation for why they are "corrupted"].
This template need not be followed specifically, but if it '''cannot''' be followed, the character in question probably does not count.
Related to, but distinct from, EvilCounterpart, with the difference being that the EvilCounterpart trope deals with an in-universe darker version of another character. Compare AdaptationalJerkass and AdaptationalVillainy, when the original character shows up as a meaner or more villainous incarnation of how they were originally written, and AdaptationalHeroism and AdaptationalNiceGuy, when a character is significantly nicer or more heroic in an adaptation than they are in their main work. This trope is most prevalent in {{Superhero}} fiction, with ComicBook/{{Superman}} himself being the most common target, thus BewareTheSuperman is very closely related.
----
!!Examples:
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Comic Books]]
* Creator/DCComics
** ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'': {{Defied}} with Hank Henshaw. His origin is a clear riff on Marvel's ComicBook/FantasticFour, with Henshaw himself in the place of Reed Richards (astronauts exposed to cosmic radiation, begin mutating superpowers, but in the DC version, the mutations don't stop and quickly kill them). [[ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman By the time Henshaw resurfaced to take up a truly villainous mantle,]] he'd used his powers to style himself "Cyborg Superman," becoming a wholly unique character completely divorced from his origin as an {{Expy}} of Mr. Fantastic (instead borrowing heavily from [[TerminatorImpersonator The Terminator]]).
** Manchester Black and the Elite from "What's So Funny About Truth, Justice and the American Way" are clear [[CaptainErsatz ersatz]] of ComicBook/TheAuthority, themselves AntiHero [[{{Expy}} expies]] of the Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica. Like the Authority they style themselves as an AntiHeroTeam who kill villains, however the Authority benefit from being in a cynical setting [[BlackAndGreyMorality with villains far worse than them]]. The Elite are part of an idealistic {{Reconstruction}} of Superman and TakeThat to ComicBook/TheAuthority, being NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist villains to show why Superman's idealism and ThouShaltNotKill works ([[BewareTheSuperman and how terrifying he'd be if he did kill]]).
* Creator/MarvelComics
** In ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'', the Adjudicator is for all intents and purposes an expy of ComicBook/ThePunisher, except that he WouldHarmAChild.
** ''ComicBook/SupremePower'' takes DC's Justice League and runs them in this direction, the end result being a group of [[AntiHero Anti-Heroes]] '''at best'''.
*** Hyperion is ComicBook/{{Superman}} raised by government agents at the height of the Cold War instead of a loving couple from Kansas, and (unsuccessfully) brainwashed to be the ultimate patriot. BewareTheSuperman is in full effect.
*** Zarda is ComicBook/WonderWoman with no morals to speak of, honestly beliving humanity is an inferior species and it is her and Hyperion's right to rule them. [[LifeDrinker She drains one man's life force to restore herself to a beautiful princess from a withered corpse, then the man's mother. . . who was on her knees worshipping Zarda as the comuppance Man's World deserves. . . because Zarda still had a gray hair.]]
*** Doc Spectrum is ComicBook/GreenLantern as a government secret agent and assassin who left behind almost every shred of empathy and morality a long time ago. The gem that gives him his powers is LoyalPhlebotinum. . . [[spoiler:to ''Hyperion'', not Doc, meaning that the hope that Doc Spectrum could stop Hyperion if necessary was dead a-borning.]]
*** Amphibian (ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}) was abandoned in the ocean as a baby because her parents found her appearance disgusting. Living all on her own in the ocean, she's a CuteMonsterGirl with NoNudityTaboo, and a genuinely kind person, but she just doesn't get humanity or the world outside the ocean, leading to a few accidental deaths.
*** Nighthawk is ComicBook/{{Batman}} as a wealty black man with a ''gigantic'' racist chip on his shoulder. On the trail of a super-powered serial killer who's killed several black prostitutes, Nighthawk tells Hyperion that if the killer had been going after white, middle-class female twentysomethings, Hyperion would have been all over it ages ago. Never mind that the first time they met, Hyperion specifically mentioned he saw Nighthawk ignoring violent crimes because the victims weren't black, only to jump in the second a black person was the target.
** [[https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Ethan_Edwards_(Earth-616) Ethan Edwards]] is another Franchise/MarvelComics sendup of Superman, a Skrull who was sent to Earth from his dying world, raised by a kindly couple in midwest America, became the star reporter of the Daily Bugle in his civilian identity ([[ClarkKenting which didn't]] [[SubvertedTrope last long]]) while becoming a NighInvulnerable FlyingBrick in his costumed identity. Unfortunately, he's also a HotBlooded FailureHero.
* ''ComicBook/TheBoys'' has a fair share of this, owing to Creator/GarthEnnis disliking and wanting to deconstruct superheroes.
** The Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica stand-in is The Seven, the most powerful and photogenic group of superheros Vought has been able to produce.
*** Homelander, Expy of ComicBook/{{Superman}} (his "comic origin" is landing on Earth in an alien spaceship and rapidly growing to adulthood, he was actually created in Vought's labs). He's a racist asshole who only cares about the profits Vought's making off the team (and his cut of them), and raped Butcher's wife (resulting in her death when the superpowered infant came to term).
*** Black Noir, sort of an expy of ComicBook/{{Batman}} [[spoiler:and ComicBook/{{Superboy}}, in that he's a clone of Homelander made for the express purpose of killing Homelander if he ever went rogue. [[SarcasmMode This causes absolutely no problems whatsoever]].]]
*** Queen Maeve, expy of ComicBook/WonderWoman. It's implied she genuinely wanted to be a good, heroic person, but [[spoiler:the bungled attempt to stop 9/11]] drove her into alcoholic apathy.
*** The Deep, expy of ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}. Not all that bad, but doesn't really try and curb the excesses of the supes in TheVerse.
*** Jack From Jupiter, expy of ComicBook/MartianManhunter. Like most of the Seven, really only cares about the profits from his merchandising contracts and enjoying the perks of being able to do whatever (and whoever) he wants with no repercussions.
*** A-Train, expy of ComicBook/TheFlash (Wally West, specifically). His, Hughie's, and the audience's introduction to the world of superheroes in The Boys is A-Train reducing Hughie's genuinely nice, lovely, wonderful girlfriend to bloody smear and a pair of severed arms. He participates in the coerced [[CastingCouch blowbang]] of Starlight (along with Homelander and Black Noir) and later tries to straight-up rape her.
*** Starlight, who could be seen as an expy of ComicBook/PowerGirl, ComicBook/StargirlDCComics, or ComicBook/{{Starfire}}, or a pastiche of all three. [[SubvertedTrope One of the only actually decent people in the entire series.]]
*** Former members include Lamplighter, expy of ComicBook/GreenLantern, who [[WouldHurtAChild burned children alive]], and Marathon Man, another Flash expy, who we learn nothing about.
** ComicBook/TheAvengers stand-in is Payback, consisting of:
*** Stormfront, combo expy of ComicBook/TheMightyThor and ComicBook/{{Shazam}}. He's a Nazi. '''Not''' Neo-Nazi, he was brought over from Nazi Germany in WWII and fully buys into old-school, straight-from-der-fuhrer's mouth propaganda.
*** Soldier Boy, expy of ComicBook/CaptainAmerica. A DirtyCoward PhonyVeteran.
*** Tek-Knight, mostly an ComicBook/IronMan expy, but with a few elements of ComicBook/{{Batman}} (very young sidekick Laddio which is a legacy title, a Tek-Cave, and a loyal butler). He's recently started having sex with anything that catches his fancy, including other members of Payback, small animals, cups of coffee, and his butler's ear. Turns out this was the result of a fist-sized brain tumor. [[SubvertedTrope Aside from that, actually seems a decent guy.]] He tried to get help for his condition, and after it destroys his hero career, he sacrifices his life to save some innocent bystanders from falling debris.
*** Crimson Countess, expy of ComicBook/ScarletWitch (the most blatant one yet, her costume looks almost exactly like something Wanda would actually wear). She's a bit AxCrazy, absolutely determined to vaporize Butcher's dog after it takes a bite out of her (which he did to stop her from vaporizing one of The Boys' heads).
*** Mind-Droid, expy of ComicBook/TheVision, except he's not actually any kind of "droid," just a dude in a costume. We don't know anything specific he might have gotten up to, but went all in on Payback's plan to cripple The Boys, and begs for his life when Butcher corners him. And was serving in Payback under Stormfront (see above).
*** Swatto, expy of ComicBook/AntMan. As with Mind-Droid, WeHardlyKnewYe is in effect, but seems a fairly AxCrazy TheUnintelligible.
** The ComicBook/XMen stand-in is the G-Men, run by John Godolkin, who [[spoiler:abducts kids off the street, raises them in his mansion and gives them superpowers, selling the idea that he's created a safe place for superpowered orphans. He sexually abuses the children under his care, which results them all being severely damaged adults who turn around and assist Godolkin's abuse when he brings in a new batch of kids.]]
* In ''ComicBook/{{Bratpack}}'', the titular teen-hero team are expies of famous sidekicks, with Chippy being ComicBook/{{Robin}}, Luna being ComicBook/WonderGirl, Kid Vicious being [[ComicBook/CaptainAmerica Bucky]], and Wildboy being Speedy. It quickly becomes clear why Rick Veitch used expies, as Chippy is being molested by his adult partner, Luna is a borderline nymphomaniac, Kid Vicious is virulently racist, and Wildboy is a severe alcoholic.
* ''ComicBook/{{Irredeemable}}'': [[SupermanSubstitute The Plutonian]] asks the question of "what if Superman [[BewareTheSuperman turned evil?]]". While he first appears to be a straight example of the SupermanSubstitute before his FaceHeelTurn, it's shown he has a lot more demons in his past than Superman ever had. He had a troubled childhood that psychological damaged him compared to the Man Of Steel's UpbringingMakesTheHero ([[FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse though it's no excuse for his actions]]), his powers [[BlessedWithSuck proved somewhat of a hindrance]], and his motive for heroism was less "wanting to do good things" and more "[[SecretlySelfish secretly]] LoveHungry and CantTakeCriticism".
* In ''ComicBook/{{Planetary}}'', the Big Bad Ensemble the 4 are directly based on the Fantastic Four, with similar concepts and powers.
* ''ComicBook/TheRedTen'' was created because Tyler James wanted to write a murder mystery involving the ComicBook/JusticeLeague getting picked off one by one, but knew that DC would never go for it, so he created the Alliance as expies.
* ''ComicBook/TopTen'' has a team of older superheroes as Justice League stand-ins, who faked a war with an alien species and are all pedophiles who molested each other's wards. Atoman ends up manipulated into committing suicide rather than face imprisonment (since the cop manipulating him knew there'd be severe collateral damage if he went down fighting.)
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Megamind}}'':
** Hal Stewart, Roxanne's cameraman, begins the story as an expy of ''ComicBook/JimmyOlsen'', being a geeky redheaded everyman who works with the leading lady covering the exploits of the local superhero. But whereas Jimmy usually gets portrayed as an {{Adorkable}} and helpful NiceGuy, Hal comes off as creepy even before he becomes a supervillain.
** [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed]] with Metro Man, [[SupermanSubstitute the Superman equivalent]] and HeroAntagonist to Megamind's VillainProtagonist. While a good guy, Metro Man is much more of a SmugSuper who acts like a jerk to Megamind, who's more of an AntiVillain out of expectancy than being truly evil like Luthor or Brainiac. [[spoiler:And Metro Man fakes his death because [[HeroicFatigue tired of heroism]] since it's something he felt was thrust upon him, compared to Superman [[GoodFeelsGood enjoying being a hero for the sake of it]] ]]. [[CharacterDevelopment He does wise up to his more jerkish tendencies as time passes]].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Film -- Live Action]]
* ''Film/{{Hancock}}'': {{Deconstructed}}. Hancock starts out as a pretty clear Corrupted Character Copy of ComicBook/{{Superman}}, a lazy bum who drinks too much and causes needless collateral damage with his heroics. As he's taken in by a PR man who wants to help clean up his image, it's revealed Hancock has a pretty good FreudianExcuse for his behavior, having come to genuinely believe he's unworthy of affection. Getting over these issues and embracing his potential to be the BigGood is the point of the film and Hancock's own CharacterDevelopment.
* ''Film/MySuperExGirlfriend'': G-Girl is basically ComicBook/{{Superman}} (got her powers from an alien meteor instead of being an alien, has a KryptoniteFactor of the same meteor that empowered her, but otherwise the same basic FlyingBrick). The film asks "What if Superman was a woman? An insecure, neurotic, overly-controlling woman with a fondness for DisproportionateRetribution?"
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Live-Action Television]]
* ''Series/TheBoys2019'': As in the comics, the characters are mostly clear expies of existing characters from other comics, mostly Marvel and DC. In some cases, they've altered the expy a bit or made it more clear.
** Homelander, expy of ComicBook/{{Superman}}, but pretty much as a [[BewareTheSuperman straight-up villain.]]
** Queen Maeve, expy of ComicBook/WonderWoman. Her costume draws a lot of inspiration from ''Film/WonderWoman2017'', she's a MultiMeleeMaster, but can't fly (relying on Homelander to carry her when needed). Maeve started out idealistic and gung-ho to save the world, but eventually gave it all up one compromise at a time, and now is a rude, apathetic alcoholic who isn't going to her meetings.
** Black Noir, expy of ComicBook/{{Batman}}. Dresses all in black, good at close-quarters combat with knives, never speaks, mysterious. Time will only tell how corrupted he is, or if [[spoiler:the series will follow the comics where he's a failsafe against Homelander, and is ultimately responsible for most of the things that have gone wrong.]]
** The Deep, expy of ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}, complete with percieved uselessness and fish jokes. He pulls a CastingCouch on Starlight, and [[spoiler:suffers a TraumaCongaLine when it comes out.]] It's also stated he's sexually assaulted (or at least harassed) several other women. His one redeeming trait is his genuine love of all marine creatures, leading to the afforementioned fish jokes, and every time he tries to push this issue forward he's rebuffed (he wants to "shine a light" on Oceanland's questionable animal handling practices, but is told to just go along with the ad campaign Oceanland signed him up for).
** A-Train, expy of ComicBook/TheFlash. Repeatedly called "The Fastest Man Alive." Fear of losing that title [[spoiler:leads to him juicing on Compound V to the point he has a heart attack]]. As in the comics, he's responsible for reducing Hughie's girlfriend to LudicrousGibs, and doesn't really feel that bad about it (he even repeatedly fails to recognize Hughie, even after they met face-to-face and A-Train delivered a Voght-mandated apology). [[spoiler:He's also the key in Homelander's plan to spread Compound V through the world and create supervillains for The Seven to fight, and murders his girlfriend Popclaw when she proves a weak link in this plan.]]
** Translucent, [[AvertedTrope on the other hand]], is just your garden-variety InvisibleJerkass.
** Starlight is made more an expy of [[ComicBook/CarolDanvers Captain Marvel]], with her LightEmUp powers being her primary ability (her comic counterpart was a basic FlyingBrick with some light powers, here her light blasts are her go-to, though she still has SuperStrength enough to beat large ordinary men senseless and can take two fifty-caliber rifle rounds to the chest with only moderate discomfort). She's the kindest, most sincerly heroic character in the story, but dangerously naieve, and while she doesn't go through as bad a BreakTheCutie as she did in the comics, she still gets put through the ringer and has to give up on a lot of her idealism.
** Notably Averted with Ezekiel. While he has powers similar to ComicBook/MisterFantastic, beyond that they're basically complete opposites (Ezekiel is still right bastard, though, make no mistake). Ezekiel is a charismatic religious leader and hypocrite, Reed Richards is an AbsentMindedProfessor of pure science.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Video Game]]
* ''VideoGame/AzureStrikerGunvolt'': Copen is the Franchise/MegaMan equivalent for the game given that he can [[PowerCopying copy the abilities]] of the bosses he fights. Unlike the many incarnations of Mega Man, however, he's a FantasticRacist who aims to [[FinalSolution hunt down and exterminate all Adepts.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Western Animation]]
* WesternAnimation/{{Archer}} is less an expy of Franchise/JamesBond and more a counter to the [[TuxedoAndMartini Gentleman Spy]] archetype in general. However, Archer has zero gentlemanly traits, is a PsychopathicManchild who habitually bullies his coworkers, routinely endangers missions (and coworkers) due to his [[ItsAllAboutMe self-centeredness]] or lack of any useful skills (beyond asskicking), [[ReallyGetsAround and has had the clap so many times it's more like applause]].
* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'': "The Criss Cross Conspiracy" features a crime-fighting "Bat Lady" named Katrina Moldoff, who closely resembles Kathy Kane, the original Bat-Woman in the comics. She goes off the rails and tries to kill the Riddler.
* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanMysteryOfTheBatwoman'' features a character named Kathy [=DuQuesne=], who is named in reference to Kathy Kane, the ComicBook/{{Batwoman}} of the comics. The makers of the movie intended to straight-up name her "Kathy Kane", but were asked by DC to change it because the movie's Kathy is more of a ruthless AntiHero than the comic book version.
* The crew of ''WesternAnimation/DrawnTogether'' are parodies of cartoon characters, each with a darker and more adult edge that usually makes them nastier than what they're parodying. Captain Hero is a SupermanSubstitute who's a macho jerk [[NominalHero and hero in name only]], Ling Ling is a HeroicComedicSociopath [[{{Phonymon}} parodying Pikachu]], Princess Clara is a bigoted Disney Princess, Toot is a bitter and washed up parody of ''WesternAnimation/BettyBoop'', and Wooldoor is a parody of wacky cartoon characters(mainly ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'') with their CloudCuckoolander traits exaggerated.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'': Zapp Brannigan is clear parody of Captain Kirk from ''Franchise/StarTrek'', poking fun at his more inept and egotistical moments. As a result Zapp has Kirk's [[BoldlyComing lustiness]] and ego cranked [[UpToEleven up to "parody,"]] but lacks any of his competence or AFatherToHisMen traits, instead being a GeneralFailure relying on WeHaveReserves. Leela ''once'' had PitySex with him, [[AbhorrentAdmirer and he never let her forget it.]]
* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'':
** "Legends" is a homage to the old comics where the Justice League would travel to a parallel world and team up with its heroes, the Justice Society. In the episode, the heroes the Justice League meet are the Justice Guild, expies of the Justice Society, due to the episode deconstructing the older heroes' old-fashioned attitudes and also the final reveal that [[spoiler:the ''real'' Justice Guild was killed saving the world, and the versions the Justice League meet are embodied figments of another character's imagination]].
** In "Starcrossed", Earth is visited by a group of Hawkgirl's people, the Thanagarians. The group's leader, Hro Talak, closely resembles Katar Hol, Hawkgirl's Thanagarian partner in the comics, but turns out to have a jerkish personality and [[spoiler:and to be a WellIntentionedExtremist who becomes the story arc's main villain]].
* Kitten in ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' is an Expy of Duela Dent, and she's far more malicious and sadistic than Duela (who, while zany and irreverent, was never an outright villain like Kitten).
* ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'': Professor Richard Impossible is the head of the Impossibles, a ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'' parody. Introduced as a CaptainErsatz of Reed Richards, he soon shows a much darker side as a sexist and bigoted {{Jerkass}} who's uncaring and abusive to his family. Much like Reed's [[ComicBook/UltimateFantasticFour Ultimate Universe incarnation]], [[FaceHeelTurn he ends up becoming a villain in his own right]].
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