History Main / MeetYourEarlyInstallmentWeirdness

* Arguably this was the point of the JLA/JSA crossovers in general. One of them, in issues 91-92 of the Silver Age JLA series, deliberately paired the Silver and Golden Age counterparts up to emphasize the differences between them.
* A few issues of {{Archie}} had Archie and his pals run into the 1950's versions of themselves while walking down "Memory Lane"
* During the Avengers/Invaders crossover (Marvel's WWII and modern hero teams) Namor the Sub-Mariner was the only guy who was alive for both of them (the Steve Rogers Captain America was dead at this time). Modern Namor is a little annoyed at his younger counterpart, who is brash and hotheaded.

* ''TurtlesForever'', in which the 2003 Ninja Turtles meet the 1980's ones, and later, the earlier comic book ones.
* The ''WesternAnimation/AlvinAndTheChipmunks'' cartoon did an episode that was a parody of ''Film/BackToTheFuture'' in which the 80's Chipmunks meet the 60's Chipmunks, complete with a LimitedAnimation ArtShift.

* In an episode of ''TheFairlyOddParents'', "The Crimson Chin meets Mighty Mom and Dyno Dad", The Crimson Chin meets several of his old personalities, from [[TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks 30's pulp-fiction Chin]], to [[DarkerAndEdgier edgy]] [[TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks 1985]] [[DarkerAndEdgier Chin, who got cancelled for swearing.]] They all fight crime together.

* A music video seen in ''HouseofMouse'' had MickeyMouse, DonaldDuck, {{Goofy}}, and [[PlutothePup Pluto]] walk on top of a bridge made from a fallen log, causing them to turn black and white (similar to Simba becoming an adult during the song "Hakuna Matata" from ''Disney/TheLionKing'').

* One Strong Bad Email from ''HomestarRunner'' involved Strong Bad visiting several alternate universes, including one based on the storybook the website was apparantly based on.

This will usually be handled one of two ways; the show might view the old incarnation of the characters with a level respect and maybe with only a few tongue-in-cheek jokes at their expense (with the older versions of the characters having some critiques of their own), or it can go into full-on SelfDeprecation, poking fun at how "bad" the show used to be and [[{{Flanderization}} Flanderizing]] the earlier versions. The second type is more likely when a different writer is handling the newer installments of the franchise, though having it be used as an outlet for CreatorBacklash by the same creator is also possible. As such, use of this trope may either bring fans of all incarnations of the franchise together and be a celebration of the franchise as a whole, or it could just entertain new fans while alienating older fans.

* ''TurtlesForever'', in which the 2003 Ninja Turtles meet the 1980's ones, and later, the earlier comic book ones. Though fairly heavy {{Flanderization}} of the 80's Turtles does occur, to the point where the four of them barely have unique personalities.

* ''TurtlesForever'', in which the 2003 Ninja Turtles meet the 1980's ones, and later, the earlier comic book ones. Though {{Flanderization}} of the 80's Turtles does occur it ultimately treats the different incarnations with some respect.

* One episode of Ben10UltimateAlien had Ben meeting his original Ben10 incarnation.

** ''KingdomHeartsII'' does pretty much the same thing in the stage based on ''SteamboatWilly''.

* A music video seen in ''HouseofMouse'' had MickeyMouse, DonaldDuck, {{Goofy}}, and [[PlutothePup Pluto]] walk on top of a bridge made from a fallen log, causing them to turn black and white (similar to Simba becoming an adult during the song "Hakuna Matata" from ''Disney/TheLionKing'').

* There is a ''QuackPack'' episode wherein DonaldDuck is [[FountainOfYouth de-aging]]. Teenage Donald is actually how he appeared in his debut in ''[[SillySymphonies The Wise Little Hen]]'', way back in 1934.

* ''{{Shortpacked}}'' once parodied ''The Return of Bruce Wayne'' by theorizing what [[http://www.shortpacked.com/2010/comic/book-12/02-batman-jokes/thepoorfool/ would happen]] if Modern Age {{Batman}} met his much more ruthless Golden Age counterpart.

* ''{{Shortpacked}}'' once parodied ''The Return of Bruce Wayne'' by showing what [[http://www.shortpacked.com/2010/comic/book-12/02-batman-jokes/thepoorfool/ would happen]] if Modern Age {{Batman}} met his much more ruthless Golden Age counterpart.

* A gag in SuperMarioBrosZ has Mario (whose sprite is from SuperMarioRPG) emerge from a pipe, and see three other pipes with an earlier version of Mario (going back to the 8-bit version).

* {{Shortpacked}} once parodied ''The Return of Bruce Wayne'' by showing what [[http://www.shortpacked.com/2010/comic/book-12/02-batman-jokes/thepoorfool/ would happen]] if Modern Age {{Batman}} met his much more ruthless Golden Age counterpart.

* The old version of {{Garfield}} (which, [[InformedAttribute unlike the newer model, actually was fat]], had small beady eyes, and walked like a cat) once met the newer one, which allowed them to indulge in some LampshadeHanging.

* ''SuperMarioGalaxy'' and ''SuperMarioGalaxy2'' had Mario/Luigi occasionally visit planets shaped like 8-bit versions of themselves. Also while Koopa Troopa are now depicted as bipeds, they revert back into quadrupeds in these games.

** One CouchGag had the modern Simpsons find the early Simpsons already sitting on the couch, both of them freaking out upon seeing each other.

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* ''SonicGenerations'': The new Sonic and supporting characters come in contact with the versions of themselves from the SegaGenesis days, and old levels from the games are remade.

Sometimes, especially if a franchise is a LongRunner that is about to have a MilestoneCelebration, the creators might find it fun to do an episode or TV special in which the newer versions of the characters meet their past selves, before their ArtEvolution or CharacterDevelopment took place.

Related to EraSpecificPersonality, ArtEvolution, {{Retreaux}} and of course EarlyInstallmentWeirdness.