History Main / RUnningTheAsylum

* Superman's super powers were originally basic. He was a man but more. Stronger, faster, tougher, further seeing, things of that nature. The [[WesternAnimation/SupermanTheatricalCartoons theatrical technicolor cartoon]] gave Superman the power of flight, because that was easier than drawing him jumping around, and that made it back into the comic books, with the ''fans'' being asked what super power they wanted they wanted to see Superman use next. From that we saw him duplicate the abilities [[ProtoSuperHero of other popular figures of the time]] such as ice breath, hurricane breath, x-ray vision, heat vision, as well as other ridiculous things like the much mocked "super ventrioquism", "reverse the Earth's spin time travel" while also seeing his existing abilities boosted far beyond their original ranges, super strength and flight now meaning [[BatmanCanBreatheInSpace traveling the vacuum of space unaided]] while juggling planets like ComicBook/TheSpectre. Editorial realized StrongAsTheyNeedToBe and NewPowersAsThePlotDemands was getting out of hand and tried to reign them in, except the fans writing to DC about what powers they wanted Superman to have had gone on to write ''for'' DC and many refused to accept anything less than Superman's Silver Age {{power level}}s, muscling him back up every chance they got. Some of these writers never got the chance to see Superman uses their suggested powers either and so new abilities just kept coming up, [[ComboPlatterPowers such]] as Comicbook/TheFlash like molecular vibrating/infinite mass punch, taking on electromagnetic forms, splitting into two beings, tactile telekinesis, "nova" explosions, psychic martial arts and extradimensional energy absorption. It's all editorial can do to ''[[ComboPlatterPowers just]]'' keep Superman at solar powered FlyingBrick, FlyingFirePower, SuperSenses in the megaton to zettaton range.

** After the DarkerAndEdgier [[ComicBook/WonderWoman2011 Volume 4]]'s laser focus on Myth/ClassicalMythology, ''ComicBook/WonderWomanRebirth'' and ''ComicBook/WonderWomanInfiniteFrontier'' seem intent on not just bringing back as much as they can from the Post Crisis Wonder Woman run, such as Artemis of Bana-Mighdall and Captain of Hippolyta's guard Philippus but also restoring some times that ''weren't'' in Post Crisis, such as removing Nubia from limbo while and removing her newer powers instead making her roughly equal to Diana as she had been in The Silver Age, bringing back Atalanta, who also had been absent since the Silver Age, undoing Antiope's PostHumousCharacter status and bringing back "The Amazons Of The Amazon", [[ReTool albeit no longer as a splinter lead by Atalanta.]] ''Comicbook/WonderWoman2023'' is even revisted ''Comicbook/AmazonsAttack'', of all things. There has been [[ArmedWithCanon some push back]], as not everyone in the Asylum wants to throw out New 52 entirely.

** After the DarkerAndEdgier [[ComicBook/WonderWoman2011 Volume 4]]'s laser focus on Myth/ClassicalMythology, ''ComicBook/WonderWomanRebirth'' and ''ComicBook/WonderWomanInfiniteFrontier'' seem intent on not just bringing back as much as they can from the Post Crisis Wonder Woman run, such as Artemis of Bana-Mighdall and Captain of Hippolyta's guard Philippus but also restoring some times that ''weren't'' in Post Crisis, such as removing Nubia from limbo while and removing her newer powers instead making her roughly equal to Diana as she had been in The Silver Age, bringing back Atalanta, who also had been absent since the Silver Age, undoing Antiope's PostHumousCharacter status and bringing back "The Amazons Of The Amazon", [[ReTool albeit no longer as a splinter lead by Atalanta.]] ''Comicbook/WonderWoman2023'' is even revisting ''Comicbook/AmazonsAttack'', of all things. There has been [[ArmedWithCanon some push back]], as not everyone in the Asylum wants to throw out New 52 entirely.

** ComicBook/DarkCrisis, which had been painting SupportingProtagonist of ''Crisis On Infinite Earths'', Pariah, as such an [[GoMadFromTheIsolation insane villain]] he [[HijackingCthulhu corrupted The Great Darkness]] that [[TheWorfEffect periodically curbstomps Darkseid]] into serving him [[VillainDecay just by noticing it]], concluded in February 2023 with the ''entire'' original DC Multiverse as it was first solidified in ''The Flash Of Two Worlds'' back, [[ResetButton no questions asked]]! That infinitely expanding multiverse established in ComicBook/DCInfiniteFrontier that should have made this crisis crossover and [[CharacterDerailment character assassination]] redundant was [[NegativeContinuity all lies]]! Thank one Joshua Williamson. The event did receive critial praise on the front of focusing primarily on lesser used DC Characters and pushing most of the more commonly used heroes and villains aside, however.

** ComicBook/DarkCrisis, which had been painting SupportingProtagonist of ''Crisis On Infinite Earths'', Pariah, as such an [[GoMadFromTheIsolation insane villain]] he [[HijackingCthulhu corrupted The Great Darkness]] that [[TheWorfEffect periodically curbstomps Darkseid]] into serving him [[EvilerThanThou just by noticing it]], conlcuded in February 2023 with the ''entire'' original DC Multiverse as it was first solidied in ''The Flash Of Two Worlds'' back, [[ResetButton no questions asked]]! Thank one Joshua Williamson.

** ComicBook/DarkCrisis, which had been painting SupportingProtagonist of ''Crisis On Infinite Earths'', Pariah, as such an [[GoMadFromTheIsolation insane villain]] he [[HijackingCthulhu corrupted The Great Darkness]] that [[TheWorfEffect periodically curbstomps Darkseid]] into serving him [[EvilerThanThou just by noticing it]], conlcuded in February 2023 with the ''entire'' original DC Multiverse as it was first solidied in ''ComicBook/TheFlashOfTwoWorlds'' back, [[ResetButton no questions asked]]! Thank one Joshua Williamson.

* Creator/MarvelComics got into this a bit slower (they started five years later and only a handful of their earliest works got incorporated in the "Universe" Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko crafted roughly twenty years later), but it's definitely there. Stuff like ''ComicBook/AvengersForever'' is sometimes referred to as "ContinuityPorn".

* ''ComicBook/{{Nextwave}}'' is massively popular with Marvel writers and staff... not so much with the editors, though, as Joe Quesada declared it [[CanonDiscontinuity non-canon]] and enforced this by preventing writers from referring to it in other mags. References still crept through due to small {{Writer Revolt}}s on occasion. Then the biggest Writer Revolt of them all came in ''Captain America and the ComicBook/MightyAvengers''. In issues #6-7, the Beyond Corporation returns, and Spectrum goes off on a rant about how people made light of everything that happened in the miniseries and [[RealitySubtext acted like it never happened]]. The story is titled "[[BitingTheHandHumor Not in continuity]]", and in one of those recap captions telling you what back issues you need to hunt down to get the reference, editor Wil Moss wrote "See Nextwave #1-12. [[SugarWiki/GushingAboutShowsYouLike You owe it to yourself- so good!]]", so it was absolutely an inside job. [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools Not that we're complaining]], definitely!

* This goes all the way back to ''VideoGame/{{DOOM}}'' -- the "''VideoGame/FinalDoom''" mission pack, released by ID themselves, was two "fan" teams creating full episodes. Whether or not this qualifies as this trope or as AscendedFanfic depends on who you ask.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' has suffered from this, with new generations of writers who were brought up on and inspired by the more surreal and extreme aspects of the show's humor focusing on that to the detriment of the characters. It seems a lot of the writers had different views of the characters, leading to skews in personality ''per episode''.
** It's fairly easy to trace when the show started to be truly run by people who were big fans when they were younger. Once they did, you began to see things like Homer having all the skin completely ripped off his torso, leaving his bones and organs visible, and shrugging it off and going about his business. Things like this made no sense for an episode of the show from early on... but it's ''exactly'' like something that would happen in a ''WesternAnimation/TreehouseOfHorror'' episode, which have always been the most popular and often most rerun episodes of the show. So when fans took over, of course they wanted to write episodes in the style of their favorites ''all the time'' instead of waiting for once a year. This might also explain the increasing frequency of ThreeShorts WholePlotReference episodes.

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' has a variation on this. Creator/LaurenFaust, the main creative force for the show early on, had a habit of playing with ''MLP'' figures when she was a kid and making up her own personalities for them (although those personalities were usually at least to a certain degree based on the characters' canonical ones). Said personalities became the basis for the main cast of her show. [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools This wasn't a bad thing]], since she took a franchise whose previous animated adaptations were mostly considered [[MerchandiseDriven toy commercials]] and made a show that kicked its way out of the GirlShowGhetto.

* Just about all we know of the philosopher Creator/{{Socrates}} is through the writing of his fanboy, Creator/{{Plato}}. There has been much argument as to how much is really Socrates, and how much was Plato using his dead hero as a mouthpiece. Creator/{{Diogenes}} of Sinope had some scathing opinions on the subject.

* ArchEnemy of the ''Franchise/FantasticFour'' Doctor Doom owes a fair bit to this trope. He was already a villain with a lot going for him. Then as he dodged losses via Doombot and gained some PowerCreepPowerSeep, fans really starting bolstering up his reputations and the writers began to buy what they were selling. The result is that Doom is treated as an unstoppable force whom readers think should be allowed to TakeOverTheWorld because he'd be the best for it.

* Just about all we know of the philosopher Creator/{{Socrates}} is through the writing of his fanboy, Creator/{{Plato}}. There has been much argument as to how much is really Socrates, and how much was Plato using his dead hero as a mouthpiece. Diogenes of Sinope had some scathing opinions on the subject.

** The Original Trilogy depicted Darth Vader as powerful, but far from invincible, with it all but stated he was a shadow of his former self and that was the reason he was TheDragon and needed Luke to have a chance at overthrowing his master. The prequel trilogy and Legends continuity largely stuck to this portrayal, but in Disney canon, because he's now written by men and women who were his fans as children, he's stated to be the most powerful force-user ever who's crippling only made him stronger and is feared by his master. Almost every new story he appears in gives him a new feat until [[DoomedByCanon the fact that the OT was written decades before seems the only reason anyone could ever defeat him.]]

** Even before then, Creator/JimShooter began submitting his own layouts and scripts for DC's ''Adventure Comics'' in 1966 at the age of thirteen, writing stories for the Legion of Super-Heroes, of which he was a fan.

* The unusually violent and over-dramatic "Home Schooling" arc of ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'', in which Old Lace [[spoiler:appears to die]], Klara Prast is transformed from a relatively inoffensive CousinOliver into an annoying brat with uncontrolled powers that threaten to destroy the team, and Gertrude Yorkes suddenly reappears out of nowhere, starts to make sense in some sick way when you read series editor Nick Lowe's comments announcing the run, where he promotes the arc as being the best one since the one where Gertrude Yorkes died. One might surmise that Lowe was one of those fans who subscribed to the theory that Klara was a ReplacementScrappy for Gert. Unfortunately for all ''Runaways'' fans, Marvel apparently realized that the inmates had taken over the asylum and decided to shut it down more or less permanently in 2009. Creator/RainbowRowell appears to be continuing the trend as of [[ComicBook/RunawaysRainbowRowell the 2017 run of the book]]: [[spoiler: Gert]] is back, and Klara was PutOnABus.

** Quesada seems to have some major issues with wives, but not with moms; this is why the [[ComicBook/FantasticFour Invisible Woman]] and Characters/JessicaJones are spared. At one point (the ''ComicBook/SpiderGirl'' continuity's version of Mary Jane used to be on the same boat until [[spoiler:Peter was killed off in ComicBook/SpiderVerse, leaving her a widow]]), however [[spoiler: Peter was later brought back to life at the close of the Spider-Geddon event]].

* The writer of ''Amazing ComicBook/SpiderMan'', Creator/DanSlott, has been a rather [[BrokenBase contentious]] example of this. Being a [[PromotedFanboy self-professed Spider-Man fanboy]], his run post-BND brought critical acclaim to the series, shooting the franchise up the sales charts and [[ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManJMichaelStraczynski mirroring the success of JMS's previous run.]] With that said, Slott ''also'' [[TrollingCreator developed quite the reputation with his detractors]], [[DearNegativeReader arguing with his critics on message boards]] and even going as far as [[TakeThatAudience making jabs in the comic itself.]]

* The ''VideoGame/SoulSeries'' had been run by creator Hiroaki Yatoriyama from the beginning all the way until ''Soulcalibur IV''. Then he stepped down as leader, and in his place were director Daishi Odashima and producer Hisaharu Tago. These two were the ones responsible for ''VideoGame/SoulcaliburV''. Many noted the [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks changes they made]], due to having a 17 year TimeSkip. This meant [[ReplacementScrappy replacing many of the veterans]] with blatantly {{anime}}-inspired characters, and a story that focused entirely on Patroklos Alexander, son of series veteran Sophitia, on his quest to save his sister Pyrrha. It's been pointed out that the whole story and characters feel very much like personal {{fan fiction}} being made into reality, instead of an actual sequel to ''Soulcalibur''. Even from a gameplay perspective, it borrowed many of its gameplay mechanics from ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' (and Odashima wasn't shy to admit being a fan of ''[[VideoGame/StreetFighterIII Third Strike]]''). Both of those men left, placing the series under the leadership of Masaki Hoshino. From his tenure came two poorly received FreeToPlay games, ''Lost Swords'' and ''Unbreakable Soul'', which were ultimately terminated from service. Many have pointed out that Hoshino's marketing is based on [[SexSells sex appeal]], [[TamerAndChaster something that was downplayed]] when Odashima was in charge, and has been compared to ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive''. It wouldn't be until ''VideoGame/SoulcaliburVI'', helmed by ''VideoGame/Tekken7'' producer Motohiro Okubo, that this sentiment would reverse itself, brought in part by the game ([[AlternateContinuity essentially]]) being a ContinuityReboot that rewinds back to the era of the original ''Soulcalibur'' and [[TheBusCameBack brought back many of the previously jettisoned series staples]].

* ''VideoGame/SonicMania'' is basically an official ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' fan game, made entirely by people well-known in the Sonic fan-gaming scene (Taxman, Stealth, etc) who have studied the mechanics and level design of Sonic games for ''over a decade'', along with an artist already known for Sonic fan comics and his work on the official Sonic comics (Tyson Hesse) and a popular remix musician known for Sonic remixes (Tee Lopes). The end result was basically praised as the best game the series has had in ''years'' by most of the fandom and critics, further contrasted by Sonic Team's own questionable output over the years, which isn't helped by the arguable significant drop in quality with the release of ''VideoGame/SonicForces'' soon after. Though even then, its critics argued that it was a symptom of another group of "inmates" at the wheel: namely, fans of the Classic games. Classic Sonic's appearance in many of the Modern games of the 2010s, and arguably the high quality and effort put into ''Mania'', is thought of as fans of the older games wanting Sonic to return to how he "used to be."
* With a franchise as old as ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'' this would happen sooner or later. Starting around the [[VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIV fourth entry]], the creative team started to be more and more composed of those who either grew up with the series and more importantly, the various memes surrounding it. Many of those as revealed in interviews also grew up with various anime and wanted to insert elements of that into the series, something that has been a source of much discussion both within the company and with the fanbase. While the older staff was able to reign in most of this in the fourth game, with the release of ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIVApocalypse'', pretty much all of the legacy staff had stepped down and the change in tone and style have become infamous among fans, something the kept going even with [[VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiV the fifth main entry]] with the various memes of the series serving as a clear influence.

* ''WesternAnimation/Ben10Omniverse'' makes use of this, as [[RecycledScript there are many scripts identical to previous episodes of other iterations]], [[CanonDiscontinuity blatantly ignoring some of the most oft-criticized aspects of the previous sequels]] (or in some cases, ones that [[BrokenBase break the base]]), and bringing Ben uncomfortably close to his first series incarnation while ignoring the maturing of the previous sequels. The character designs are also much closer to the first series.

* Bruce Timm has always stated to be a [[spoiler:shipper for Batman and Batgirl (despite them having a father-daughter or teacher-student relationship in the comics and in most adaptations). In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' Barbara Gordon has a dream where she starts making out with Batman and it is brought up in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' that they had a relationship offscreen when they both grew older, but whith ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheKillingJoke'', he finally gets to write about them being together in one of his stories.]]

* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' has several reasons for this even aside from HouseRules tradition meeting Internet communities. "[=3rd=] party" supplements having [[InNameOnly little to do with]] established canon on any issue are okay, and in the D&D3 era even inevitable (due to the OGL). Development for settings dropped while switching to new editions was taken over by fan communities, as some sort of {{Abandonware}}. The new generation of designers ran free, even through [=WotC/Hasbro=] {{sourcebook}}s that are supposed to be {{canon}}. A good thing for uncharted areas, but all too often it isn't expansion, but walking over established parts so obliviously you almost hear "{{Squee}}!" from the page. Things could have gone smoother if this didn't coincide with the time when focus shifted from modelling specific settings to expanding universal rules. Fan enthusiasm knows no limits.

** The revival series had this from the get-go; Creator/RussellTDavies, naturally, was a huge fan, and so was Creator/StevenMoffat. Current showrunner Creator/ChrisChibnall, famously went on TV to complain about the perceived declining quality of the show in the mid '80s. The Tenth Doctor, Creator/DavidTennant, has even stated in interviews that wanting to play the Doctor is what led to his choice of acting when he was young. Creator/PeterCapaldi is also a huge fan, and has been since the show's beginning in 1963!

* Creator/MarvelComics got into this a bit slower (they started five years later and only a handful of their earliest works got incorporated in the "Universe" Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko crafted rought twenty years later), but it's definitely there. Stuff like ''ComicBook/AvengersForever'' is sometimes referred to as "ContinuityPorn".

* Creator/JephLoeb has been pretty apparent for this with his ''ComicBook/SupermanBatman'' series and the "Hush" arc of Batman (putting characters in with no explanation).

* The writer of ''Amazing ComicBook/SpiderMan'', Dan Slott, has been a rather [[BrokenBase contentious]] example of this. Being a [[AscendedFanboy self-professed Spider-Man fanboy]], his run post-BND brought critical acclaim to the series, shooting the franchise up the sales charts and [[ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManJMichaelStraczynski mirroring the success of JMS's previous run.]] With that said, Slott ''also'' [[TrollingCreator developed quite the reputation with his detractors]], [[DearNegativeReader arguing with his critics on message boards]] and even going as far as [[TakeThatAudience making jabs in the comic itself.]]

* You could write a dissertation on ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' and its complicated relationship with its own fans. Creator/EricKripke openly admitted to being influenced by reaction on fan forums, especially in terms of how YaoiFangirl types reacted to female love interests. The writers and directors of the show were well-aware of the slash-shipping that went on in certain quarters of the fandom and often played into it while denying it and mocking it in TakeThat meta-episodes toward their fandom. A debate about queerbaiting, misogyny, and what was and wasn't intentional still rages in the fandom. Whatever the case may be, there's little doubt that the writers and producers never expected the show to run as long as it did or for society to change enough for them to be under legitimate pressure to pay off some of the queerbaiting. They tried [[spoiler: in Season 15 to make Dean/Castiel half canon]] but the reaction was decidedly mixed.

* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' has several reasons for this even aside from HouseRules tradition meeting Internet communities. "[=3rd=] party" supplements having [[InNameOnly little to do with]] established canon on any issue are okay, and in the D&D3 era even inevitable (due to the OGL). Development for settings dropped while switching to new editions was taken over by fan communities, as some sort of {{Abandonware}}. The new generation of designers ran free, even through [=WotC/Hasbro=] {{sourcebook}}s are supposed to be {{canon}}. A good thing for uncharted areas, but all too often it isn't expansion, but walking over established parts so obliviously you almost hear "{{Squee}}!" from the page. Things could have gone smoother if this didn't coincide with the time when focus shifted from modelling specific settings to expanding universal rules. Fan enthusiasm knows no limits.

* This is the entire point of ''TabletopGame/{{Legend of the Five Rings}}''.

* This goes all the way back to ''VideoGame/{{DOOM}}'' -- the "''VideoGame/FinalDoom''" mission pack, released by ID themselves, was two "fan" teams creating full episodes. Whether or not this qualifies as this trope or as AscendedFanboy depends on who you ask.

* As ''VideoGame/EverybodyEdits'' goes on, it seems to become more and more like how players have wanted it to be. Coin gates, blue coin doors, signs, invisible portals, global switches, and [[NonPlayerCharacter NPCs]] were all common game suggestions before being added to the game. It helps that most of the staff members [[AscendedFanboy were once regular players themselves]].

* With a franchise as old as ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'' this would happen sooner or later. Starting around the [[VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIV fourth entry]], the creative team started to be more and more composed of those who either grew up with the series and more importantly, the various memes surrounding it. Many of those as revealed in interviews also grew up with various anime and wanted to insert elements of that into the series, something that has been a source of much discussion both both within the company and with the fanbase. While the older staff was able to reign in most of this in the fourth game, with the release of ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIVApocalypse'', pretty much all of the legacy staff had stepped down and the change in tone and style have become infamous among fans, something the kept going even with [[VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiV the fifth main entry]] with the various memes of the series serving as a clear influence.

* From the way he writes [[UltimateShowdownOfUltimateDestiny ultimate showdowns of ultimate destiny]], it's apparent that Creator/FrankMiller likes Characters/{{Batman|TheCharacter}} but not any of DC Comics' other heroes. Still, he is quite aware of the PowerPerversionPotential of certain superheroes and CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass characteristics of characters like ComicBook/TheFlash and Comicbook/PlasticMan, and plays those up when he gets the chance to write them (not to mention the PhysicalGod aspects of someone with a ComicBook/GreenLantern Ring). The only one he really seems to hate (and whom constantly gets the [[TheWorfEffect short end of the stick]]) is Characters/{{Superman|TheCharacter}}. Of course, he's aware of people saying this about him, and has said that if he ever writes a ''Superman'' comic, he'll give the same dressing down to Batman. As of ''[[Creator/DCBlackLabel ComicBook/SupermanYearOne]]'' however, many fans remain unconvinced.

* From the way he writes [[UltimateShowdownOfUltimateDestiny ultimate showdowns of ultimate destiny]], it's apparent that Creator/FrankMiller likes Characters/{{Batman|TheCharacter}} but not any of DC Comics' other heroes. Still, he is quite aware of the PowerPerversionPotential of certain superheroes and CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass characteristics of characters like ComicBook/TheFlash and Comicbook/PlasticMan, and plays those up when he gets the chance to write them (not to mention the PhysicalGod aspects of someone with a ComicBook/GreenLantern Ring). The only one he really seems to hate (and whom constantly gets the [[TheWorfEffect short end of the stick]]) is Characters/{{Superman|TheCharacter}}. Of course, he's aware of people saying this about him, and has said that if he ever writes a ''Superman'' comic, he'll give the same dressing down to Batman.

* This goes all the way back to ''VideoGame/{{DOOM}}'' -- the "Final DOOM" mission pack, released by ID themselves, was two "fan" teams creating full episodes. Whether or not this qualifies as this trope or as AscendedFanboy depends on who you ask.

When a franchise expands into a {{Long Runner|s}}, themes, ideas, and interpretations will inevitably start being [[AscendedFanon lifted from the fanbase]]. And when a fictional franchise has lasted long enough to [[PromotedFanboy induct its fandom into the ranks of its professional creators]], the same [[{{Fanboy}} devotion]] that produces FanFic will inevitably emerge in the "{{canon}}" material.

* Creator/ReginaldHudlin is a fan of ComicBook/BlackPanther. After he started to write his adventures, T'Challa was turned into a GodModeSue, Wakanda into MarySuetopia, and [[Characters/MarvelComicsStorm Storm]] from ''X-Men'' [[TokenRomance married BP]]. Afterwards, wherever the two go, everyone else immediately gets hit with {{Idiot Ball}}s.

[[folder:Film]]

** Who exactly is Batman's one and only true love? Depends on the author's favorite. Talia al'Ghul is either a near-lunatic woman who raped Batman, a criminal mastermind who happens to have a thing for him and a child by him, or his one and only love who happens to be the daughter of one of his greatest enemies. Comicbook/{{Catwoman}} has nearly the same spectrum, from pure enemy to ally of convenience to true love.

** Returning Kryptonite to its multiple colored forms and the various effects it has on ComicBook/{{Superman}}.
** Bringing back the original ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} in ''ComicBook/TheSupergirlFromKrypton2004''.
** Returning ComicBook/PowerGirl to being Kara Zor-L from Earth-2 instead of an Atlantean.
** Giving Franchise/WonderWoman the Diana Prince secret identity again as a secret agent based in Washington DC (much like [[Series/WonderWoman1975 the 1970's TV series]]) and restoring the Amazons to a monarchy under a revived Queen Hippolyta.

** While not related to ''Crisis'', Creator/GeoffJohns also retconned ComicBook/{{Superboy|1994}} into becoming the clone of Superman and ComicBook/LexLuthor in Franchise/TeenTitans -- which was foreshadowed by a fan letter sent into Superboy's old book... by one "Geoffrey Johns".
** [[ComicBook/Batgirl2011 Restoring Barbara Gordon]] to being ComicBook/{{Batgirl}} and reverting her to her Pre-Crisis backstory (Commissioner Gordon's biological daughter, rather than his adopted niece).

* From the way he writes [[UltimateShowdownOfUltimateDestiny ultimate showdowns of ultimate destiny]], it's apparent that Creator/FrankMiller likes Franchise/{{Batman}} but not any of DC Comics' other heroes. Still, he is quite aware of the PowerPerversionPotential of certain superheroes and CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass characteristics of characters like Franchise/TheFlash and Comicbook/PlasticMan, and plays those up when he gets the chance to write them (not to mention the PhysicalGod aspects of someone with a Franchise/GreenLantern Ring). The only one he really seems to hate (and whom constantly gets the [[TheWorfEffect short end of the stick]]) is Franchise/{{Superman}}. Of course, he's aware of people saying this about him, and has said that if he ever writes a ''Superman'' comic, he'll give the same dressing down to Batman.

** ''ComicBook/OneMoreDay'' is a particularly loathed example of Running the Asylum, with editor in chief Creator/JoeQuesada being 24 when Franchise/SpiderMan got married and [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks hating that Spidey got changed from when he was a kid]]. Apparently everyone else who has read and enjoyed Spider-Man within the past twenty years [[NoTrueScotsman don't count as real fans]], since they want the case to be "Spidey grows old and dies off". That was a direct quote from Quesada.
** Quesada also ordered ComicBook/JeanGrey KilledOffForReal and prevented writers from bringing her back. And from some of his own words, including his thoughts that she didn't do anything of merit since saving the universe, Comicbook/{{Cyclops}} is "more interesting" without her. Then in 2018 she returned in ''ComicBook/PhoenixResurrection''.

** Quesada seems to have some major issues with wives, but not with moms; this is why the ComicBook/InvisibleWoman and Comicbook/JessicaJones are spared. At one point (the ''ComicBook/SpiderGirl'' continuity's version of Mary Jane used to be on the same boat until [[spoiler:Peter was killed off in ComicBook/SpiderVerse, leaving her a widow]]), however [[spoiler: Peter was later brought back to life at the close of the Spider-Geddon event.]]
* The famous ''ComicBook/TheNightGwenStacyDied'' is often accused of being a vehicle for Gerry Conway to [[DieForOurShip kill Gwen so that Peter could hook up with Conway's preferred girlfriend]], ComicBook/MaryJaneWatson. In reality, a graphic novel compilation of the original Clone Saga says the idea of killing ComicBook/GwenStacy was already bandied about when he became the writer, and he was simply the guy who executed it. He admits that he thought Mary Jane was a better love interest for Peter, but more to the point, felt that the death of beloved Gwen Stacy would be another defining moment for a character defined by tragedy. As he says, "tragedy and pathos are meat and potatoes to a guy like me."

* ComicBook/{{Cyclops|MarvelComics}} is often a victim of this trope too. While he's never been the most popular X-Man (he's always had at least a decently large fandom, but he has an even larger {{hatedom}}... and used to also have a lot of readers just bored by him, but thanks to this trope he's more divisive than ever), the main reason for those who dislike him stems from the way [[TheBusCameBack he was written back into the comics]] after leaving to be with his new wife and son. Because of a writer who was a fan of the original five, Cyclops and Jean were returned and reunited, but while it wasn't NEARLY as cut and dry as many remember it, it basically involved Scott leaving and through a series of convoluted events was unable to find his wife and son, believed them dead, and so resumed a relationship with Jean. Because of THAT, there's many people who now hate him, and it affected how he was written. Some writers deliberately write him as unlikable because they dislike him, and because of others reading him like that, it caused his character to be degenerated quite a bit by some writers.
* While we're at it, let's consider ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}'s ridiculous PowerCreepPowerSeep over the years--his HealingFactor going from a simple neck wound being potentially lethal to coming back [[FromASingleCell from being burned down to his adamantium bones]]--and consider that this is what happens [[PopularityPower when childhood fans join up and power-boost their favorite character]].

** Robert Kirkman: ComicBook/{{Onslaught}}, ComicBook/{{Cable}}, Stryfe. ''Anime/DragonballZ'' also has a distinct influence on ''ComicBook/{{Invincible}}''.

** Ed Brubaker has said many times in interviews that the first two comics he bought with his own money were Comicbook/IronFist and an issue of Comicbook/CaptainAmerica featuring the Evil '50s Cap as a villain; in his later career, he revived Iron Fist in a new solo title and, while writing ComicBook/CaptainAmerica's solo title, brought back Evil '50s Cap. Both these runs are widely acclaimed, [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools so this is one of the good examples]]. He also has said that one of the few issues he still has from his youth is one of Steranko's, when Cap "died" for the first time. Not only has he based his entire 50+ issue run on the three Steranko issues, he also "killed" off Cap--to much critical and fan acclaim.

* Creator/ReginaldHudlin is a fan of ComicBook/BlackPanther. After he started to write his adventures, T'Challa was turned into a GodModeSue, Wakanda into MarySuetopia, and ComicBook/{{Storm}} from ''X-Men'' [[TokenRomance married BP]]. Afterwards, wherever the two go, everyone else immediately gets hit with {{Idiot Ball}}s.

* Both Ed Brubaker and Rick Remender have done this towards ComicBook/CaptainAmerica's sidekicks. Both ComicBook/BuckyBarnes and ComicBook/TheFalcon, respectively, have had their lackluster CListFodder status upended (both the fact that Bucky WAS C-List and Falcon's UnfortunateImplications-laden retconned past) and were both turned into Captain America at some point or another, with positive results.
* ComicBook/UltimateMarvel: When Creator/JonathanHickman was hired to write ComicBook/TheUltimates, he said this: "I was pretty excited. When I first started at Marvel, one of the gigs I had looked at as a king of homerun job was the Ultimates. I loved how Brian and Mark had started things off - how real and large the world felt - and I always thought there was a logical next step to be taken. So here we are, one small step..." In his new [[ComicBook/XMen2019 X-Men run]], he also shares the common fan sentiment with Franchise/XMen in the '10s were a massive AudienceAlienatingEra for the ''X-Men'' as a brand, and set out to whip the property in shape and make them A-list again in time for their [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse MCU reboots.]] This does explain why very little of the elements introduced post-2008 actually sticks, the few that do being treated as BroadStrokes that he cherry-picks and reinvents himself (such as making Betsy into ComicBook/CaptainBritain and Kwannon into ComicBook/{{Psylocke}} following Betsy's return to her old body). In general, his run and the accompanying relaunch acts as though it were a sequel building off ''ComicBook/NewXMen'' by Creator/GrantMorrison and ''ComicBook/AstonishingXMen'' by Creator/JossWhedon, than anything even remotely continuing the '10s status quo. Note that Administrivia/TropesAreNotBad is in full effect here, because many fans agree with this, that trying to build off the '10s status quo only made for an even bigger dork age, and Hickman was wise to just ignore it.
* ComicBook/MilesMorales: Saladin Ahmed is the first writer of Miles Morales after his creator Creator/BrianMichaelBendis left Marvel. In reference to that, he said "I've not spoken to Bendis, but he is absolutely brilliant, and his writing was one of the things that brought me back to super hero comics after years away. So of course there's some intimidation factor. But ultimately you have to just respect the work and creation of those who came before you while still being confident enough to put your own stamp on the stuff. Superheroes are myths built with layers of story. If other creators hadn't gone on to help define Peter Parker after Lee and Ditko, we wouldn't have the Spider-Man we know and love today".

* ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekLowerDecks'' was created by Mike McMahan, who previously ran an unofficial Twitter account (@TNG_S8) that posted short summaries of the “unaired” eighth season of ''Star Trek: The Next Generation''. He later turned the same concept into a licensed book before becoming showrunner of Lower Decks, which is in many ways a pastiche of the tropes and styles of ''Next Generation'' era Trek.