Line #8 HilariousInHindsight/MarvelUniverse


1	!!Franchise/MarvelUniverse
2	* ''ComicBook/MarvelAdventures: ComicBook/TheAvengers'' opens with a story about the U.S. Government wanting to replace the Avengers with a new automated defense system run by an artificial intelligence named ComicBook/{{Ultron}}. ComicBook/IronMan is the first to point out that [[AIIsACrapshoot this sort of thing never works]], commenting that if it did, he'd just make his suit do the job by itself. In ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'', it's Tony who creates Ultron with the express purpose of replacing the Avengers as the Earth's defense system, and it naturally doesn't work. The movie also introduced the Iron Legion, an entire squad of automated armors created by Tony.
3	* ''ComicBook/HowardTheDuck'': During the conception of the character's MAX series, Marvel was concerned about lawsuits from Disney over the similarity to Donald Duck. Howard probably ''is'' inspired by Donald Duck, but in a court of law, they could argue it's a case of ''scenes á faire'' and that the rest of Howard's setting doesn't resemble Donald's enough for them to have a case (no nephews, no greedy uncle and he lives among humans to boot, though it's not where he originally came from), but seemingly they decided it wasn't worth the hassle. It was decided to alter Howard's design... so Creator/SteveGerber, cantankerous as ever, decided that in the very issue, he would turn Howard into... a ''[[Franchise/MickeyMouse mouse]]!''[[note]]Albeit a realistic-looking mouse with brown fur, but the TakeThat was obvious.[[/note]]. This whole pissing contest is hilarious to read about today, when Howard's resemblance to Donald Duck wouldn't have caused any issues whatsoever.
4	* ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHercules'': In issue #138 Amadeus Cho balks at Athena's suggestion that he should become the new [[LegacyCharacter Prince of Power]], pointing to his 'skinny girl arms' as the reason, and jokes that "You're going to have to bombard me with [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk gamma rays]] first or something!" Well, now that he [[ComicBook/TotallyAwesomeHulk stole Bruce Banner's gamma energy, became the new hulk]], and still remains a gamma-powered hero to this day as Brawn, who knows, maybe that conversation gave him some ideas after all.
5	* ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'':
6	** ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk1968'' #418 featured Marlo selling her soul to Mephisto (she thought it was just a dream) in order to have a perfect wedding day. Over a decade later ''Spider-Man: ComicBook/OneMoreDay'' comes out, a story which involves Mephisto convincing Peter Parker to sell his ''marriage'' to him.
7	** ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk1962'' #1 declared, as General Ross named the Hulk, that it was a name that was destined to become immortal. Fast forward decades later, and Hulk's latest title is... ''ComicBook/ImmortalHulk''.
8	** Related to that, a ClueFromEd in What If? Issue #2 ("What if the Hulk retained the mind of Bruce Banner?") said that the original events were chronicled in "the immortal Hulk #1", which is... confusing now.
9	* Creator/StanLee, in the epilogue of ''Origins of Marvel Comics'', briefly refers to the stories contained therein - the very beginnings of Marvel comics - as "[[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse Phase One]]".
10	* The Marvel humor Comic ''What The?'' did a ComicBook/{{Batman}} parody where all the actors playing Batman's villains were being killed. Near the end it is revealed that everyone in Hollywood is afraid to work with him, including Creator/MichaelCaine, who would go on to play Alfred in ''Film/BatmanBegins'', ''Film/TheDarkKnight'' [[Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy and]] ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises''.
11	* ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'' has [[HilariousInHindsight/SpiderMan his own page]].
12	* One for the ComicBook/{{Black Cat\|MarvelComics}}. In issue 3 of her 90s miniseries, ''Felicia Hardy: The Black Cat'', [[https://2.bp.blogspot.com/CLdhCbHT5RyFEvQjeHfP8u2RbGqzkcZeLixsfciy72Hli96qfUILpHshU25qBZUWOcwaObI44EJd_AGkTC0ZWrgvEGaqQnJfsX0KNJzpv92Twg8bQH7I0K3KftOnRrHNlQCorg=s0 Felicia makes the quip]], "Sorry, was "snap, crackle and pop too much of a baby boomer reference for you? ". With the rise of the "okay, boomer" meme, Felicia mocking someone for not understanding a baby boomer reference is pretty funny.
13	* ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica'':
14	** One issue from the Steve Englehart run had a gag where a pedestrian mistook Steve Rogers for Creator/RobertRedford. Decades later, Redford would play the BigBad of ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier''.
15	** In a later 70s issue, ComicBook/{{Quasar}} jokingly says he didn't know ComicBook/NickFury was black after ComicBook/TheFalcon starts barking orders. Decades later, Fury received a RaceLift in the ComicBook/UltimateMarvel universe and the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, where he is played by Creator/SamuelLJackson.
16	** During Mark Gruenwald's ''Captain America'' run, Jack Monroe got into a fight with D-Man and accused him of hitting on Jack's girlfriend, despite D-Man insisting that they were just friends and that he wasn't trying anything untoward. Years later during [[ComicBook/CaptainAmericaSamWilson Nick Spencer's run]], D-Man would be revealed to be gay, making Jack's reaction even more disproportionate in retrospect.
17	** Also during Gruenwald's run, there was a scene where the government was looking up potential candidates to become the new Cap after Steve Rogers retired from the role. ComicBook/TheFalcon was briefly brought up as a candidate, but one of the politicians present shot down the idea while saying something to the effect of "The public isn't ready for a black Captain America." Not only was a mini-series dealing with a black Captain America called ''Truth: Red, White and Black'' released to controversy years later, but Sam Wilson later wound up becoming the new Cap during Rick Remender's run. And, just as predicted, plenty of controversy ensued both in-universe and in real life.
18	** [[http://assistanteditorsmonth.blogspot.com/2011/06/captain-america-289.html Captain America #289]] showcased a rather incoherent dream of [[LoveInterest Bernie Rosenthal]] where she was the CaptainPatriotic superhero and Steve was the helpless {{Muggle}} who had to watch his girlfriend risk her life every day. The villain of the piece was a mash-up of ComicBook/RedSkull and ComicBook/{{MODOK}} named Mo-Skull ([[BizarroEpisode it was assistant editors' month and things were weird]]). Almost four decades later, ''Captain America: The End'' saw another mashup of both villains turn the world into a zombie apocalypse, and he looked ''just'' like Mo-Skull. Neither was this the first time Red Skull was {{Fusion Dance}}d with another supervillain - see ''ComicBook/{{Axis}}''.
19	* In the videogame for ''{{VideoGame/Deadpool}}'', back in 2013, there was an entire mission for him to save ComicBook/{{Rogue}}. Deadpool's main motivation to save Rogue was to have her fall in love with him. After finding her, she kisses him to absorb his healing factor, weakening him enough to make him pass out. In one ''ComicBook/UncannyAvengers'' chapter, Rogue gives Deadpool TheBigDamnKiss, after developing feelings for him, which heals him of earlier injuries. After which, they share two more big kisses, the last being cut short due to ComicBook/WonderMan awakening and being released from Rogue.
20	** When asked if Rogue would be in a relationship with someone other than Gambit or Magneto, WordOfGod stated that a relationship seemed to be developing for her at that moment. It's possible he was referring to Deadpool, whom Rogue started to respect as a friend and comrade. With WordOfGod also stating that they'd always planned the two becoming friends.
21	* A 1996 issue of ''ComicBook/{{Excalibur\|MarvelComics}}'' has Pete Wisdom, in a wheelchair and a bald cap, humorously pretending to be Professor Xavier, including a reference or two to [[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration Jean-Luc Picard]] while he's at it. Four years later, Creator/PatrickStewart was in fact cast to play Xavier in the ''Film/XMenFilmSeries''.
22	** This similarly makes the X-Men/Next Generation crossover comics/novels that much funnier, since many people pause at the resemblance between Xavier and Picard. It's even [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] by Storm in the novel.
23	** Even more hilarious, Patrick Stewart related a tale from that comic while on ''Series/TheDailyShow'' promoting ''Film/X2XMenUnited''. Apparently, he was told about the comic during its production, as well as the fact that Picard and Xavier would be "facing off" on the cover. Sir Stewart jokingly objected, claiming "If I took that role someday, I'd be on the cover twice. That just doesn't seem fair." It's good to know that Sir Patrick Stewart himself appreciates this trope.
24	* In issue #41 of ''ComicBook/GenerationX'', Skin went to rent a bunch of horror movies, the titles of which were parodies of classic horror movies (like ''Yell!'' instead of ''Film/{{Scream\|1996}}''). But among these horror flicks was a film called ''Film/{{Sicko}}'', which nowadays makes readers think more of Creator/MichaelMoore and less of ''Film/{{Psycho}}''.
25	* ''ComicBook/IronMan'':
26	** Washed-up actor Henry Hellrung, alias Anthem, was made leader of ''ComicBook/{{The Order\|2007}}'', California's Initiative team, by his friend Tony Stark. Henry was famous for playing Iron Man on television, until alcoholism ruined his career. To recap, he's an actor who got fired because of issues with addiction, then came back into the fore of media attention after accepting an offer to do with Iron Man... not unlike Robert Downey, Jr. ''The Order'' ran for 10 issues in 2007; ''Film/IronMan'' came out in May 2008.
27	** The ''ComicBook/UncannyXMen'' tie-in to the ''ComicBook/ActsOfVengeance'' crossover featured Wolverine and ComicBook/{{Jubilee\|MarvelComics}} facing off against the Mandarin, Tony Stark's usual ArchEnemy. Throughout the story, it was shown that members of the Hand and the Chinese underworld didn't respect or fear the Mandarin, with it being remarked that his public defeats at the hands of a B-grade American superhero like Iron Man made it impossible for anyone to take him seriously. This insult made sense at the time, largely due to the vast gulf in popularity that existed between the X-Men and Iron Man during TheNineties. Modern fans, meanwhile, would probably be baffled at seeing Iron Man belittled in such a manner, as anyone who has been following American pop culture since 2008 likely thinks of Iron Man as a household name thanks to the popularity of his movies.
28	** Similarly, another issue in the ''Acts of Vengeance'' crossover had a scene where the ComicBook/RedSkull dismissed the Mandarin as "A poor man's Literature/FuManchu." In the 2021 ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings'' film, the Mandarin and Fu Manchu were made into a CompositeCharacter.
29	** In the 2021 volume, a caption underlines Frog-Man's perpetual D-list status by noting that he's never even had an action figure in real life. That same month, Creator/{{Hasbro}} released the first ever Frog-Man action figure as part of the Marvel Legends line.
30	** During the famous "ComicBook/ArmorWars" storyline, there was an issue where [[ComicBook/WarMachine Rhodey]] dressed up in [[{{Blackface}} Whiteface]] in order to pose as the villain Electro. While removing the makeup, a thoroughly embarrassed Rhodey said he hoped there weren't any black people around to see him like this. This becomes funny when you realize that in ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderMan2'', Electro was {{Race Lift}}ed into a black man.
31	* Another hilarious moment caused by Electro's RaceLift in ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderMan2'' comes from Mark Waid's ''ComicBook/{{Irredeemable}}'', where the character Volt complains about [[ElectricBlackGuy black men with electrical powers]] being a stereotype. At the time, this was referencing characters like ComicBook/BlackLightning and ComicBook/{{Static}}.
32	* ''ComicBook/TheAvengers'':
33	** This cover of [[http://www.comics101.com/archives/comics101/images/2003/nov12/avengers221.jpg Avengers 221]] published in 1982 is amusing when you look at the original lineup for Brian Michael Bendis's ComicBook/NewAvengers published 23 years later.
34	** Back in ''Avengers'' #151, a news report cited ComicBook/SpiderMan, ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}, and [[ComicBook/SubMariner Namor]] as three solo heroes who had turned down offers to join the team, closing with "Some people just aren't meant for teams, it seems." All three of those characters have since had high profile stints with the team, with Spider-Man and Daredevil joining in the above-mentioned New Avengers era.
35	** Issue #30 opens with ComicBook/{{Quicksilver}} and ComicBook/ScarletWitch realizing that their mutant powers are beginning to wane. Quicksilver muses that it's possible the twins weren't real mutants in the first place, something that becomes funny (or HarsherInHindsight) when you take into account that their mutant heritage was retconned away during ''ComicBook/{{AXIS}}''.
36	** An issue from the 80's had ComicBook/AntMan claiming he and ComicBook/TheWasp had as much chance of beating Absorbing Man and Titania as Creator/StevenSpielberg had of winning an MediaNotes/AcademyAward for his directing. Fast forward to the 90's and the release of ''Film/SchindlersList'' and ''Film/SavingPrivateRyan''...
37	** An old issue of ''ComicBook/{{Thunderbolts}}'' had a scene where ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}} mentioned that ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} was the exact kind of loose cannon who would never be granted Avengers membership. Guess who joined the Avengers back in [[ComicBook/NewAvengers 2005]] and remained with the team for close to a decade?
38	** There was also a much older story where Captain America himself told Wolverine he'd never be an Avenger. This is ''such'' a prominent example of this trope that when a much later ''Deadpool'' issue featured Cap recounting this incident, Deadpool immediately burst out laughing at the irony.
39	** Another Hawkeye-related one; Hawkeye decided to become a hero after watching Iron Man in action and wanted to be a superhero like him. In the mid-late 2000s ''Film/IronMan'' came out, and reportedly, when Creator/JeremyRenner watched it, he wanted to play a superhero, just like Iron Man. He got his wish, how? By playing Hawkeye in ''Film/{{The Avengers\|2012}}''.
40	** In an issue of ''Avengers Solo'', Hawkeye criticized a ''Film/DirtyHarry''-style vigilante film by saying he longed for the days when a hero could save the day without killing the bad guys. In the ''Avengers'' films, Hawkeye kills people quite liberally, and is in fact described as a "Master assassin" by Iron Man at one point.
41	** Hawkeye's stance against killing in general. In the original comics, he was probably one of the Avengers who was most strongly opposed to the idea of using deadly force, and was extremely shaken after he accidentally killed Egghead in self defense. Cut to ''ComicBook/CivilWarII'', where he [[spoiler: murders Bruce Banner in order to save the world from the Hulk, and is even described by Banner as being one of the few Avengers who could kill someone and then live with the guilt]].
42	** In an issue of Creator/KurtBusiek's ''Avengers'' run, [[ComicBook/SubMariner Namor]] mocked D-Man and suggested that he go join the ComicBook/XMen, since they have much lower standards when it comes to recruitment. Namor later ended up joining the X-Men and played a major role in the ''ComicBook/AvengersVsXMen'' CrisisCrossover.
43	** In ''Avengers'' #329, there was a scene where a member of the Avengers' support crew jokingly suggested that Jarvis and the Vision might be the same person since they're rarely seen together at the same time. ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'' would eventually make Jarvis and the Vision into a CompositeCharacter, with the latter's consciousness being formed from the J.A.R.V.I.S. artificial intelligence Tony Stark had developed in the ''Iron Man'' movies.
44	** During the iconic "[[ComicBook/TheKangDynasty Kang Dynasty]]" storyline from Busiek's run, Triathlon lamented that he'd probably end up as one of those D-list Avengers nobody remembers, citing Mantis, Rage, and Deathcry as examples. While he was correct concerning himself, Mantis would later end up as one of the stars of ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2'' and ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar''.
45	** A major reason Marvel cancelled ''The Avengers'' and relaunched it as ''New Avengers'' was because they wanted to get rid of the "dead weight" (characters who weren't in [[Film/SpiderManTrilogy live action]] [[Film/XMenFilmSeries movies]]) and focus on their A-listers like ComicBook/SpiderMan and ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}, with ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}} and the Scott Lang version of ComicBook/AntMan specifically chosen to die because editorial thought they were worthless characters. Now, of those "dead weight" heroes, Hawkeye was one of the stars of ''Film/{{The Avengers\|2012}}'', Film/{{Black Panther\|2018}}, Film/AntManAndTheWasp and [[Film/CaptainMarvel2019 Carol Danvers]] have starred in successful solo films (with ''Captain Marvel'' and ''Black Panther'' both grossing over a billion dollars each, and the latter becoming one of the highest grossing movies of all time), while ComicBook/TheFalcon, ComicBook/ScarletWitch and ComicBook/TheVision have also appeared in the films and even gotten their own hit [[Series/WandaVision TV]] [[Series/TheFalconAndTheWinterSoldier shows]]. Meanwhile, Marvel began downplaying and marginalizing Wolverine and the other X-Men (including removing them from merchandise and [[ExiledFromContinuity barring them from cartoons and video games]]) due to not having their movie rights, with Spider-Man only escaping the same fate because Creator/{{Sony}} agreed to work together with Marvel to bring Spidey into the MCU after the failure of ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderMan2''. What a difference a few years can make...
46	** In the ultimate example of just how much the notoriety of Marvel's heroes shifted between 2005 and 2018, when Marvel did an A-list relaunch of the ''Avengers'' after ''[[ComicBook/AvengersNoSurrender No Surrender]]'', it included several characters who had previously been dismissed as also-rans back when Bendis took over the series, but were now considered big deals because of the MCU.[[note]]Specifically, Black Panther and Captain Marvel.[[/note]]
47	** Similarly, the very first arc of the 2018 ''[[ComicBook/TheAvengersJasonAaron Avengers]]'' relaunch featured all of ComicBook/TheEternals [[DroppedABridgeOnHim getting unceremoniously killed off]] when the Final Host arrived on Earth. As an ''Film/{{Eternals}}'' movie was unexpectedly revealed to be in development just a short while before this issue was published, it seemed not even Marvel's publishing division seriously thought a group of C-listers like the Eternals had anything approaching cinematic potential.
48	* A major plot point in ''[[ComicBook/TheDefenders The Last Defenders]]'' had ComicBook/IronMan forming a new Defenders team that had almost nobody from the previous iterations of the team, and without the consent of any of the original Defenders. He defended his decision by basically suggesting the new members made for a better, more marketable team despite having no connection to the Defenders. Later in the series, Nighthawk even had a breakdown where he said that people were taking the Defenders away from him and destroying the team's rich legacy. Flash forward to 2017 and Marvel announces a new Defenders series to tie into [[Series/TheDefenders2017 the Netflix show]], which stars four popular, marketable characters with no real connection to any of the past incarnations of the team.
49	* Once, ComicBook/{{Deadpool}} claimed, "If you looked like Ryan Reynolds crossed with a shar-pei, you'd understand!" Creator/RyanReynolds had already outed himself as a Deadpool fan and expressed interest in playing him in a movie at this point, though.
50	** And then he ''did'' play a ...version of Deadpool in ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine'', as well as signing on to do an official Film/{{Deadpool 2016}} movie.
51	** An old solicit cast doubt on the prospect of the character dying, humorously asking if Marvel would ever kill off a character who might have a movie deal (this was when it was rumored Deadpool would be getting a spin-off from ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine''). When you consider that Marvel has recently been accused of deliberately sabotaging characters whose film rights they do not own (such as the Fantastic Four and X-Men), it becomes easier to come to the conclusion "Yes. Yes they would."
52	** A variant cover for the first issue of ''ComicBook/UncannyAvengers'' had Deadpool listing reasons why he should be part of the group, despite lacking any real qualifications to be an Avenger. A few years later, he joined the post-''ComicBook/{{Secret Wars\|2015}}'' relaunch of ''Uncanny Avengers'' as an official member of the team.
53	* ''ComicBook/TheMightyThor'':
54	** In the early days, Thor, in his human guise of Dr. Donald Blake, had a romance with his nurse, Jane Foster. However, he kept the secret of his dual life from her, and Jane, knowing that there was some deep secret that the man she loved refused to tell her, slipped into a crippling depression that took a toll on her physical health. Donald finally snapped her out of it by transforming into Thor at her bedside to prove his love, saving her from "dying of a broken heart". Guess who got to play Jane in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse? [[Film/RevengeOfTheSith Natalie Portman]].
55	** In one of the first issues of ''[[ComicBook/JourneyIntoMystery Thor]]'' to feature ComicBook/{{Loki}}, Jane remarks that [[HorribleJudgeOfCharacter Loki must be good]] since [[BeautyEqualsGoodness he's so handsome]]. Especially funny considering all of the modern fangirls insisting that [[DracoInLeatherPants Loki is redeemable]] due in no small part to him being played by the handsome and charming Creator/TomHiddleston. {{Lampshaded}} by the official Marvel Tumblr, which called the issue "the first appearance of Loki, and the first appearance of a Loki fangirl."
56	** Also, there was a famous storyline where Jane was given the power of an Asgardian, only to be stripped of said power after Odin decreed that she was unworthy of ever being a god. [[spoiler: This is rather amusing now that she's actually proven herself worthy of wielding {{Mjolnir}} and become the new ComicBook/{{Thor\|2014}}.]]
57	** When Thor needed a new identity in Creator/WaltSimonson's run, Nick Fury mentioned that he'd have to settle for an apartment in Brooklyn, since "Even ComicBook/{{SHIELD}} can't find nothin' in Manhattan." With prices in Brooklyn having skyrocketed in recent years thanks to gentrification, they'd be lucky to find a place there for Thor to live nowadays.
58	* In ''ComicBook/MarvelYearInReview '93'', there was a fake ad for ComicBook/AlphaFlight: "We're the UsefulNotes/CanadianFootballLeague of superhero teams! (Except our best heroes don't go to the U.S. and join the Avengers)". Several years later, ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} joined the Avengers.
59	** They also had a bit where they discussed the progression of DarkerAndEdgier versions of characters, and theoretical Darker-er and Edgier-er extensions. One of them was named ComicBook/RedHulk. Later on, Red Hulk became a Hulk villain.
60	** There's also a moment when ComicBook/USAgent and ComicBook/SpiderWoman, two American heroes, joined Omega Flight.
61	** Another ''Year In Review'' special had a joke about how many members of the Avengers are white males with blond hair, as well as how [[OnlySixFaces many of them look exactly alike]]. Decades later, one of the major criticisms of the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse would be the overabundance of {{White Male Lead}}s.
62	-->The MasterRace is alive and well and comprises the core of the Avengers!
63	** Year In Review '92 bashed the CListFodder villain group Riders of the Storm, calling them lame and saying no one would ever bring them back. Then they ''did'' come back, only now they were the "Dark Riders". They then joked that ComicBook/{{Storm\|MarvelComics}} must have complained to management.
64	** [[ComicBook/NewWarriors Speedball]]'s mother once told him, "If you don't stop acting like an idiot, I'll never let you show your face in public again", which led to ''[=MYiR=]'' joking that he would be [[ExactWords getting a new, fully-masked look]]. As Penance, he did wear a full-face mask. And continued to act like an idiot, though [[{{Wangst}} in a different way than previously.]]
65	* In ''Marvel ComicBook/{{Civil War\|2006}}'', shapeshifting alien Hulkling of the ComicBook/YoungAvengers replaced Hank Pym to free the anti-registration heroes. This becomes funny when ''ComicBook/SecretInvasion'' reveals that the Hank Pym Hulkling replaced was himself a shapeshifting alien that had replaced Hank Pym.
66	** And before that in an issue of Fantastic Four, as a prank, it showed Hank Pym using an image inducer to pose as a car stealing skrull.
67	** Similarly, in the (in)famous debut of the "New Fantastic Four", a Skrull named D'Lilah impersonated Alicia Masters, who was later retconned to be a Skrull impersonating Alicia Masters herself! Although D'Lilah was a traitor and might not have known about Lyja (the Alicia-impersonating Skrull)'s mission, it's still amusing that it didn't come up.
68	* [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nothip.jpg This panel]] from an early ''Captain America'' comic becomes funnier after knowing what Cap does during the Civil War storyline.
69	* ''ComicBook/StarWarsMarvel1977'': An issue from 1980 (before Empire or Jedi came to theaters) had a letter to the editor complaining about how the writers of the comic were writing Luke and Leia out of character by proclaiming that "they're obviously in love with each other but you're writing them like they're brother and sister or something."
70	** One issue of the Marvel Star Wars comic, also pre-Empire, had a story about Darth Vader and Luke's father as two different people. Naturally, going off the first movie there was no reason to suspect they ''weren't'' two different people, but it's still hard to ignore.
71	** Much of ''ComicBook/StarWarsMarvel1977'' came out between the films. After ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'', they ran a storyline involving a new Imperial superweapon called the Tarkin. During a briefing, someone says to our heroes, "It answers a lot of questions we've been asking ourselves lately. Like for instance, why hasn't the Empire constructed a [[Film/ReturnOfTheJedi second battle station like the Death Star]] that almost destroyed our base on Yavin?" (The writers had originally intended to depict a second Death Star, but Lucasfilm had vetoed that without explaining why.)
72	** The entire reason Marvel declined to publish ''ComicBook/DarkEmpire'' and gave up the license to Star Wars altogether was that they thought nobody could possibly be interested in the franchise anymore. [[CashCowFranchise Hindsight is always 20/20, huh?]]
73	* ''ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}'':
74	** In an early issue, a character mentioned a TV series called "Agent of ComicBook/{{SHIELD}}". This was referencing ''ComicBook/NickFury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.'', a then-current feature in another corner of Marvel's 'verse. 49 years later, we got ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'' as an actual TV series. (Aw, just one letter off …)
75	** An issue of Creator/MarkWaid's run had [[AlternateCompanyEquivalent someone mistakenly referring to the hero]] as "Red ComicBook/{{Batman}}". Cut to a few years later when it was announced that Creator/BenAffleck would be playing Batman in the ''Film/ManOfSteel'' [[Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice sequel]]...
76	* ''ComicBook/BlackPanther'':
77	** The tie-in to ''ComicBook/{{Civil War\|2006}}'' has a scene where a group of NSA employees discuss the public backlash stemming from the death of Goliath, and one of them claims that it's irrelevant since the black vote won't matter in the next presidential election anyway. [[UsefulNotes/BarackObama He was slightly off with that prediction]].
78	** ''ComicBook/MarvelTeamUp'' #100, the story that established that Black Panther and ComicBook/{{Storm\|MarvelComics}} were childhood friends, ends with a caption that's rather amusing given that they later ended up in a very [[StrangledByTheRedString controversial marriage]] that ultimately ended in divorce:
79	-->As friends, they may wish for more, but this is what they are, what they will remain. ''Forever''.
80	** In an 1960s ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'' story, the titular team is teaching T'Challa how to play baseball. Fifty or so years later, Black Panther would be played by Creator/ChadwickBoseman, who played Jackie Robinson in the movie ''Film/FortyTwo''. Furthermore, that film has Robinson comment that a lot of racist baseball fans are "still fighting the [[UsefulNotes/AmericanCivilWar Civil War]]". Boseman would later make his debut as Black Panther in the movie ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar''.
81	*** Another one regarding the ''Fantastic Four'': Black Panther's first appearance in that comic has him fight the titular team. Fifty years later in ''Civil War'', Black Panther sides against Captain America (played by Creator/ChrisEvans) - a former [[Film/FantasticFour2005 Human Torch]]. After that movie opened in theatres, it was announced that Creator/MichaelBJordan, [[Film/FantasticFour2015 ANOTHER Human Torch]], would be joining the cast of ''Film/{{Black Panther\|2018}}'' as Killmonger.
82	** The ''Jungle Action'' series had T'Challa fight against villains named Venomm and Lord Karnaj. Years later, ComicBook/SpiderMan got two villains with [[ComicBook/{{Venom}} similar]] [[ComicBook/{{Carnage}} names]].
83	* As the "One Nation Under Doom" event in the ''ComicBook/Marvel2099'' line drew to a close [[spoiler: John Herod used a clone of Captain America as a puppet to overthrow Doom with the cover story that Steve Rogers had once again been put in suspended animation in a block of ice. In ''Manifest Destiny'', we find out the real Steve Rogers's fate and as it turns out, history really did repeat itself.]]
84	* When ComicBook/TheInhumans first appeared in ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'', the ComicBook/HumanTorch initially mistook them for {{mutant}}s. This becomes funny when you consider that Marvel and Disney tried years ago to make the Inhumans into {{Suspiciously Similar Substitute}}s for mutants, who at the time couldn't be used in the [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse MCU]] thanks to [[ExiledFromContinuity rights issues]]. The same applies for the storyline in ''Amazing Adventures'' #9-10, which saw ComicBook/{{Magneto}} kidnap ComicBook/BlackBolt after mistaking the Inhuman king for a fellow mutant.
85	* During the standoff between Marvel Studios and Creator/TwentiethCenturyFox over the Fantastic Four's film rights, Marvel did a rather childish TakeThat by having {{Lawyer Friendly Cameo}}s of [[Creator/MilesTeller three]] [[Creator/KateMara of]] [[Creator/JamieBell the]] four stars of the [[Film/FantasticFour2015 ill-fated reboot]] get blown up in an issue of ''ComicBook/ThePunisher''. The only star who didn't get killed off? Creator/MichaelBJordan, who in real life, later wound up jumping ship to Marvel Studios and playing Erik Killmonger in the ''Film/{{Black Panther\|2018}}'' movie. Marvel must've had some serious foresight to spare his life, huh?
86	* In another Disney-related coincidence, ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'' #18 has a scene where ComicBook/{{the Thing}} mockingly claims that the Human Torch is a fan of ''Series/TheMickeyMouseClub'', with the Torch responding by saying Thing sent away for a Mousketeer pin.
87	* In the ComicBook/MarvelNOW parody ''Marvel: Now What?!'', the High Evolutionary predicted that the next CrisisCrossover would involve the heroes and villains swapping allegiances, with Stilt-Man being forced to defend the Earth from the Avengers. Then came ''ComicBook/{{Axis}}''...
88	* The revelation in ''ComicBook/AllNewXMen'' that ComicBook/{{Iceman\|MarvelComics}} was gay retroactively cast some older stories in a ''much different'' light:
89	** Fans like to joke that a CutawayGag in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' actually predicted this years in advance, as it depicted Iceman as a closeted gay man in a loveless marriage with a woman.
90	** The very first issue of ''X-Men'' back in 1963 had a scene where all of the other male X-Men were practically drooling over the newly-arrived ComicBook/JeanGrey, while Iceman made it clear he didn't get what all the fuss was about.
91	--->'''Iceman:''' A girl...big deal!
92	** ''Bizarre Adventures'' #27 had a black-and-white short story that opened with Bobby lovingly admiring an ice sculpture of Angel, noting how handsome and impressive it looked. Decades later in ''All-New X-Men'', the time-displaced teenage Bobby would admit to Jean that he found Angel quite attractive. It also included a scene where Bobby, while modifying one of the {{sculptures}}, compared himself to Creator/LeonardoDaVinci and Creator/MichelangeloBuonarroti, both of whom are widely contended to have been gay by modern scholars. The ''Bizarre Adventures'' story was so heavy on unintentional {{Foreshadowing}} that it was later reprinted in ''X-Men'' #600, the issue where the adult Iceman [[ComingOutStory came out of the closet]].
93	** In ''[[ComicBook/TheDefenders New Defenders]]'' #131, Bobby pranked a female college student by convincing her that he and Beast were dating.
94	** During the 90s, Bobby got dumped by his girlfriend Opal after she got sick of being neglected. While lamenting the breakup, Bobby noted that most guys his age already had wives or girlfriends, and found his own lack of interest in Opal to be odd.
95	** In ''Uncanny X-Men'' #319, Bobby brought ComicBook/{{Rogue}} home to meet his parents, which ended badly due to his dad's anti-mutant bigotry. The issue read ''a lot'' like a gay man having his female friend act as a [[TheBeard beard]] in order to fool his family, an undercurrent that was possibly intentional given the way mutants are [[FantasticRacism often treated as a metaphor for oppressed minority groups]].
96	** In another issue, ComicBook/EmmaFrost sarcastically suggested that Iceman was not cut out to be a superhero, and would be much more comfortable pursuing his true passion: interior decorating. [[note]]For those who don't get the barb, interior decorating is a profession that is stereotypically associated with women and gay men.[[/note]] In the same encounter, Emma taunted him by creating a psychic image of his ex-girlfriend, who had this to say:
97	--> I was never ''really'' your girlfriend. You ''never loved'' me. You just needed me there to make you ''look'' good.
98	* In ''Uncanny X-Men'' #129, new villainess Emma Frost briefly admired how [[WorthyOpponent well the X-Men fought]]. The author had no way of knowing that decades later, she would join them.
99	* ''ComicBook/UltimateFantasticFour'':
100	** [[http://rockofeternity.tumblr.com/image/99433909546 This]] {{Main/Superdickery}}-style cover given Reed becoming Doctor Doom in the ComicBook/UltimateMarvel universe.
101	** The ''Ultimate'' version of the Fantastic Four was the (admittedly loose) basis for ''Film/FantasticFour2015''. Mirroring what happened to Sue and Ben post-''ComicBook/{{Ultimatum}}'', Creator/KateMara and Creator/JamieBell, who played Sue and Ben respectively in the film, got married.
102	* In 1993, Marvel did a line-wide stunt where each annual introduced a brand new character. Mark Gruenwald built these guys up as the next big thing while contrasting them with ComicBook/SquirrelGirl, whom he used as an example of a new hero who likely wasn't ever gonna appear again. In the present day, Squirrel Girl remains a fan favorite and has even had her own [[ComicBook/TheUnbeatableSquirrelGirl series]], while the vast majority of the new characters from the 1993 annuals are either dead or in ComicBookLimbo.
103	* Speaking of Squirrel Girl, fans have joked that [[https://www.reddit.com/r/comicbooks/comments/352cx6/democracy_is_for_stupid_babies_unbeatable/ this gag]] from ''ComicBook/TheUnbeatableSquirrelGirl'' accidentally predicted ComicBook/CaptainAmericaSamWilson.
104	* In ''ComicBook/{{Warlock\|1967}} and the Infinity Watch'' issue #34, ComicBook/{{Gamora}} accidentally punches ComicBook/{{Drax\|The Destroyer}}, who responds, [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/supposed_to_be_my_friend.png "You're supposed to be my friend!"]] Twenty years later, Drax would [[Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy2014 appear in live-action]] portrayed by [[Wrestling/{{Batista}} Dave Bautista]], who previously turned [[https://youtu.be/GRDFskVrvGI?t=1m23s the phrase]] into a meme among Wrestling/{{WWE}} fans (before reading any comics about Drax, to boot).
105	* ''ComicBook/NewXMen #115'' had a minor character named [[Characters/DeadpoolSupportingCharacters Negasonic Teenage Warhead]]. For years, she was never mentioned anywhere outside of [[AtrociousAlias Worst Superhero Names]] lists. Then ''Film/Deadpool2016'' came out, where she was a character, and 'Pool declared her to possess [[AwesomeMcCoolname the best name ever]].
106	* Disney once threatened to sue Marvel for ComicBook/HowardTheDuck's overly close resemblance to Donald Duck, and Marvel had him finding a new outfit in-universe. And to think that Marvel itself was since bought out by Disney (and a comic in 2015 even has him [[BitingTheHandHumor taking a shot at Disneyworld]]).
107	* In [[WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall Linkara]]'s review of ''ComicBook/{{Ultimatum}}'', he said that Doom's plan was so stupid and full of [[GambitRoulette uncontrollable variables]] that it had to have been thought up by [[ActuallyADoombot a Doombot]]. A few years later in ''Ultimate FF'', it was indeed revealed that the Doctor Doom seen in ''Ultimatum'' was an impostor wearing Doom's armor.
108	* The first part of ''Giant-Size Super-Villain Team-Up'' #2, cover-dated June 1975, is about an oil tanker crossing the ComicBook/SubMariner's territory because the Suez Canal has been closed since 1967. When June actually came around, one of the first things to happen was the reopening of the canal.
109	* In a case more related to real life: MediaNotes/TheGreatComicsCrashOf1996 happened in part because people were stockpiling on comics hoping they'd be valuable - [[ArtisticLicenseEconomics in spite of the fact]] old comics were selling for such high prices in the first place only because they were extremely rare, and [[MediaNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks the work made during the early 1990s]] was falling from grace heavily. Yet, as [[http://newmutants98.com one website]] shows, ''ComicBook/NewMutants'' #98 actually is sought by many more than two decades later for being the debut of ComicBook/{{Deadpool}} (though the site makes clear it's probably not as rare as stuff made between the 1930s and 1970s, and thus hardly worthy of prices in the triple digits).
110	* ''ComicBook/WhatIf'' has [[HilariousInHindsight/WhatIf its own page]].
111	* The Infinite Gems were originally called [[Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica Soul Gems]] in ''Marvel Premiere'', volume 1.
112	* In Issue 18 of ''Shogun Warriors'', the Shoguns (who are red-and-blue TransformingMecha) battle an evil HumongousMecha named Megatron. The issue was published four years before ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'' was created.
113	* ''ComicBook/MarvelTwoInOne'': The first team-up with ComicBook/GhostRider is a Christmas Story titled "Silent Night… Deadly Night!" This was nine years before [[Film/SilentNightDeadlyNight the Christmas horror movie of the same name]] was released.

Context HilariousInHindsight / MarvelUniverse