History Main / PoorlyDisguisedPilot

* Speaking of ''ComicBook/TheDefenders'', they also got their start this way. Prior to the launch of the series, the three future core members of the Defenders (ComicBook/DoctorStrange, ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk and [[ComicBook/SubMariner Namor]]) teamed up in a crossover that ran between their solo books, followed by a second crossover where Namor partnered with the Hulk and the ComicBook/SilverSurfer in his own series.

* A character [[PutOnABus moving away or leaving a team]], sometimes with a SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute introduced in his place.

* This is apparently the reason for Ruri being PutOnABus in ''LightNovel/{{Oreimo}}''; so she could receive a spinoff.

* The first short for Creator/ColumbiaPictures featuring Film/TheThreeStooges, was technically a part of another Columbia short subject series, ''[[https://columbiashortsdept.weebly.com/the-musical-novelties.html Musical Novelties]]''. The resulting EarlyInstallmentWeirdness stems largely from this, including all the dialogue being delivered in rhyme. (Later reissues added the classic "Three Stooges" title card, but kept the "Musical Novelty" title card as well.)

** Creator/KurtBusiek introduced the ComicBook/PowerCompany in the 61st issuw before quickly spinning them off in their own series.

* ''ComicBook/JLA1997'' has several arcs that serves as preludes for new series.

* ''ComicBook/JLA'' has several arcs that serves as preludes for new series.

* The "Crisis Times Five!" arc from Creator/GrantMorrison's ''ComicBook/JLA1997'' ended with several former members of the ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica deciding that it might be time to put the team back together and mentor the newest generation of heroes, leading into James Robinson and David Goyer's ''JSA'' relaunch.
* The "Obsidian Age" arc from ''JLA'' ended with Aquaman resigning from the team and being put on trial for sinking Atlantis, leading directly into Rick Veitch's 2003 ''Aquaman'' relaunch.
* Creator/KurtBusiek introduced the ComicBook/PowerCompany in an issue of ''[[ComicBook/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica JLA]]'' before quickly spinning them off in their own series.
* Seems to be a common thing for ''JLA'', as the "Tenth Circle" storyline by Creator/JohnByrne and Creator/ChrisClaremont ended with an advertisement for Byrne's upcoming ''ComicBook/DoomPatrol'' relaunch, as well as the promise that the story's {{Cliffhanger}} would be resolved there.

** ''WesternAnimation/AtlantisMilosReturn''

* ''Series/{{Daredevil}}'' #7 guest-starred [[Comicbook/SubMariner Namor]] and ended with him returning to Atlantis to quash a coup led by Warlord Krang, directly setting up the ''Sub-Mariner'' feature that began running in ''Comicbook/TalesToAstonish'' several months later.

* ''Film/{{Daredevil}}'' was basically [[ExecutiveMeddling hacked to pieces by Fox executives]] to serve as a pilot for the ''Film/{{Elektra}}'' spin-off. When given the opportunity to put out the movie as it was originally conceived, the director cut Elektra's screentime substantially, restored a half dozen missing subplots, and turned it into a movie that was actually worthwhile. The ''Elektra'' spinoff was even more poorly-received than ''Daredevil'' was.

* The ''Franchise/{Godzilla}'' series has done this more than once:

** ''Film/GodzillaAndMothraTheBattleForEarth'' seemed to focus more on Mothra and her EvilCounterpart Battra as opposed to Godzilla, as it was meant to serve as a launching pad of sorts for Creator/{Toho}'s ''[[Film/RebirthOfMothra Rebirth]] [[Film/RebirthOfMothra2 of]] [[Film/RebirthOfMothra Mothra]]'' film trilogy.

* ''Film/GodzillaVsMegalon'' was intended in part to launch a new Giant Hero, the robotic Jet Jaguar, for Toho Studios. In some ways this is the opposite; it was originally planned as a Jet Jaguar movie and Godzilla was added to attract an audience.

** Phase 4 sees [[Characters/{{Ironheart}} Riri Williams]] introduced in ''Film/BlackPantherWakandaForever'' in a manner that rather blatantly sets her up for the ''Series/{{Ironheart}}'' spin-off series on Creator/DisneyPlus.

* ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII'', as well as its DLC, was intended to be this for Verum Rex - an intended SpiritualSuccessor to the original ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVersusXIII''. Nomura decided to scrap it and incorporate these element(s) into ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIV'' after fear that this would cause confusion and worry fans that Kingdom Hearts would once again enter DevelopmentHell.

* The "Crisis Times Five!" arc from ''ComicBook/JLA1997'' run ended with several former members of the ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica deciding that it might be time to put the team back together and mentor the newest generation of heroes, leading into James Robinson and David Goyer's ''JSA'' relaunch.

* Speaking of ''ComicBook/TheDefenders'', they also got their start this way. Prior to the launch of the series, the three future core members of the Defenders (ComicBook/DoctorStrange, the ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk and [[ComicBook/SubMariner Namor]]) teamed up in a crossover that ran between their solo books, followed by a second crossover where Namor partnered with the Hulk and the ComicBook/SilverSurfer in his own series.

* The ''Music/ConfessionExecutiveCommittee'' music video that formally introduces LIP×LIP is "Romeo", an ''in-universe'' music video showcasing their careers watched by the other ''Love Series'' characters. One of the members themselves, Yujiro, was previously given importance at the tail end of "Blooming Into the Color of Love" with a then newly introduced girl about his age, who turns up again in "Romeo" coupled with lyrics implying she'd be the group's love interest. Sure enough, "Romeo" would later serve as the starting point for the ''Idol Series'', a set of videos centered around the universe's entertainment industry.

* The "Bloodlines" Creator/DCComics crossover of the early 90s is basically one massive series of Poorly Disguised Pilots, with that year's "annual" issue for each ongoing series showcasing the origin of a new superhero. Although a few of these "New Blood" characters were later featured in mini-series or ongoing series, the only one that managed any kind of success was Creator/GarthEnnis's ''Comicbook/{{Hitman|1993}}'', which spun out of ''[[ComicBook/{{Etrigan}} The Demon]]''.

* DC tried this again in 2000 with their ''Planet DC'' event, where, once again, a bunch of annuals introducing new characters were launched. Pretty much the only new heroes who saw any real use were Nemesis (introduced in the ''[[Comicbook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica JSA]]'' annual) and Bushido (introduced in the ''[[Comicbook/TeenTitans Titans]]'' annual), and even those two ended up being killed off.

* Creator/MarvelComics, at the start of the [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]], had what are now called "tryouts". For instance, one ComicBook/HumanTorch story features a Comicbook/CaptainAmerica impostor and asks the readers if they wanted to bring back the real Captain America. On the other hand, the [[FanDumb fevered imagination of fans]] (and/or the greed of comic book speculators) has been prone to see tryouts in Marvel's pre-superhero era even when links between the precursor and later characters are tenuous at best (e.g., a '50s monster character who happens to be called "Hulk" and was renamed Xemnu the Titan once the ComicBook/IncredibleHulk showed up to avoid confusion).

** More successful than her is probably Comicbook/AmadeusCho, who co-starred in ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHercules'' and eventually became the ComicBook/TotallyAwesomeHulk.

* Speaking of Creator/GregPak's ''Comicbook/TotallyAwesomeHulk'' run, one arc had Amadeus team up with a group of fellow Asian and Asian-American superheroes like Comicbook/ShangChi, [[Comicbook/MsMarvel2014 Ms. Marvel]], Comicbook/{{Silk}} and Jimmy Woo. Several of these characters later reunited during ''Comicbook/WarOfTheRealms'' as the new ''Comicbook/AgentsOfAtlas'', with Pak returning to write their book.
* DC's ''Showcase'' launched a large number of successful features, including the [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] versions of ''ComicBook/TheFlash'', ''ComicBook/GreenLantern'' and ''Comicbook/TheAtom'', ''ComicBook/ChallengersOfTheUnknown'', ''ComicBook/MetalMen'', ''Sea Devils'', and many more. The series lasted from 1956 to 1970, and was briefly revived from 1977 to 1978. The series introduced and/or spotlighted:

** Comicbook/SgtRock headlined issue #45 (August, 1963). He was already the cover character of an anthology series, but DC apparently considered him for "graduation" to his own series. He did not "graduate", and continued dominating the anthology title ''Our Army at War'' to 1977. The series was then renamed after him.

** The Comicbook/TeenTitans headlined issue #59 (December, 1965). Feedback was positive and the Titans "graduated" to their own series in February, 1966. Their ongoing series was published regularly to 1973, was revived in 1976, and cancelled in 1978.

** Dolphin debuted in #79 (December, 1968). She was a mysterious {{Apparently Human Mer|folk}}woman with an implied WildChild background. Her first appearance covered her first contact with human civilization and learning basic language skills. Again DC had no real plans for her and she went straight to ComicBookLimbo. In the [[TheEighties 1980s]] she became a member of the SuperTeam Forgotten Heroes, which consisted of other characters who had not been used in a while, took part in the ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths, and had a team-up with Comicbook/AnimalMan. In the [[TheNineties 1990s]], she joined the supporting cast of ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}.

** Nightmaster debuted in #82 (May, 1969). He also headlined issues #83-84 (June-August, 1969). The basic concept was that modern-day rock musician Jim Rook and his girlfriend Janet Jones walk into TheLittleShopThatWasntThereYesterday and find themselves in a [[HeroicFantasy Sword and Sorcery]] dimension. Jim learns that he is a descendant and a LegacyCharacter to a local sword-wielding hero. Inheriting the Sword of Night, a CoolSword with mystical powers, Jim becomes the Nightmaster and gets involved in the conflicts of his new home dimension. The Nightmaster did not sell well enough to "graduate" to an ongoing series, and went straight to ComicBookLimbo. He was revived in the 1990s with cameos in ''Comicbook/AnimalMan'' and ''ComicBook/TheBooksOfMagic'', and more substantial roles in ''Primal Force'' and ''Comicbook/SwampThing''. In the 2000s, he joined the ComicBook/{{Shadowpact}}.

** Some of this was due to the introduction of UsefulNotes/TheComicsCode. MoralGuardians convinced comic publishers to ban horror-related subjects like vampires, ghouls, and the undead, and those titles floundered for awhile, eventually throwing out different subjects and characters to see what would stick. This was easy enough to do, as many of them were [[AnthologyComic anthology comics]] with 3-4 stories per issue. ''Comicbook/JourneyIntoMystery'' started telling the story of ComicBook/TheMightyThor, and the ComicBook/IncredibleHulk (after his one-shot series was canceled) started to guest star in ''Tales to Astonish''. In ''Tales of Suspense'', the stories introducing ComicBook/IronMan and reintroducing ComicBook/CaptainAmerica spawned their own titles.

** Likewise, Comicbook/DoctorStrange debuted in ''Strange Tales'', a former horror anthology series that had been turned into a split book featuring various characters like the Human Torch. The feature became so popular that the series was eventually retitled ''Doctor Strange'' with issue #169. Another feature, ''Comicbook/NickFury: Agent of Comicbook/{{SHIELD}}'' (which had {{ReTool}}ed Fury from a [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII WW2-era soldier]] to a Film/JamesBond-esque UsefulNotes/ColdWar super spy), was also spun off into its own book.

* One StoryArc in ''Comicbook/{{Runaways}}'' is this for "Excelsior", a support group for former teen heroes that ended up getting sent to chase the main characters. It was eventually launched as ''ComicBook/TheLoners'', after it turned out that the trademark on "Excelsior" belonged to Creator/StanLee, who had put out a book about his experiences in comics by that title.
* Creator/JackKirby famously begin planting the seeds for his upcoming ''[[Comicbook/NewGods Fourth World]]'' family of titles in the pages of ''Comicbook/SupermansPalJimmyOlsen''. This included the first appearance of Comicbook/{{Darkseid}}, who would go on to be the BigBad of the ''Fourth World'' books.
* During the nineties, ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'' meets during a battle with Comicbook/{{Hydra}} a superhero named "Shoc", obviously meant to appear in his own series. It's also pretty obvious who his SecretIdentity was. Fortunately, he was quickly forgotten.
** Speedball first appeared in a ''Spider-Man Annual'' that depicted him on the cover, soaring over both Spidey and Comicbook/{{Daredevil}}. The annual shoehorned Speedball into the main story and featured a solo back-up tale. This led to a short-lived solo series, ''ComicBook/SpeedballTheMaskedMarvel''. Despite this, the character has been around for about 30 years, was a prominent member of Comicbook/NewWarriors, and played a large role in ''Comicbook/CivilWar''.
** ''Amazing Comicbook/SpiderMan'' #86 was meant to set up the short-lived ''Comicbook/BlackWidow'' solo series that appeared in ''Amazing Adventures''.
** ''Amazing Spider-Man'' #92 featured a guest appearance from Comicbook/{{Iceman}} of the X-Men. The story was apparently testing the waters for an Iceman/Doctor Strange split-book that had been planned, but the series never materialized.

* The "Crisis Times Five!" arc from ''ComicBook/JLA1997'' run ended with several former members of the Comicbook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica deciding that it might be time to put the team back together and mentor the newest generation of heroes, leading into James Robinson and David Goyer's ''JSA'' relaunch.

* Seems to be a common thing for ''JLA'', as the "Tenth Circle" storyline by Creator/JohnByrne and Creator/ChrisClaremont ended with an advertisement for Byrne's upcoming ''Comicbook/DoomPatrol'' relaunch, as well as the promise that the story's {{Cliffhanger}} would be resolved there.
* The penultimate issue of the Comicbook/{{New 52}} ''Justice League'' series was a [[WholeEpisodeFlashback Whole Issue Flashback]] detailing Comicbook/{{Robin}}'s first encounter with the League. The story served as a lead-in to the Comicbook/DCRebirth ''[[Comicbook/TeenTitans Titans]]'' book that launched not long after.

* The notorious 'Comicbook/ThePunisher Goes Black' story arc in 1992 that guest-starred ComicBook/LukeCage served as a pilot for the 1990s Cage series.
* ''Comicbook/XFactor'', the reunion of the original 5 Silver Age Comicbook/XMen members, was set up by events that occurred in several other Marvel titles at the time:
** A crossover of sorts between ''Comicbook/TheAvengers'' #263 and ''Comicbook/FantasticFour'' #286 revealed that Comicbook/JeanGrey, who had seemingly died at the end of ''Comicbook/TheDarkPhoenixSaga'', was actually alive in a cocoon at the bottom of Jamaica Bay.
** ''Uncanny X-Men'' #201 saw Comicbook/{{Cyclops|MarvelComics}} leave the X-Men after losing a duel for leadership of the team to Comicbook/{{Storm}}.
** The final issue of ''[[Comicbook/TheDefenders New Defenders]]'' ended with most of the team being killed off, with former X-Men members [[ComicBook/WarrenWorthingtonIII Angel]], Comicbook/{{Beast|MarvelComics}} and Comicbook/{{Iceman}} left as the only survivors.
** The ''Comicbook/{{Dazzler}}'' series ended with the title character seeking a new beginning, with Beast recommending that she join the new team he was putting together.

* Speaking of ''Comicbook/TheDefenders'', they also got their start this way. Prior to the launch of the series, the three future core members of the Defenders (Comicbook/DoctorStrange, the Comicbook/TheIncredibleHulk and [[Comicbook/SubMariner Namor]]) teamed up in a crossover that ran between their solo books, followed by a second crossover where Namor partnered with the Hulk and the Comicbook/SilverSurfer in his own series.
* Comicbook/ThePunisher himself has his own pilot in the pages of Comicbook/SpiderMan (man, Spidey is popping up a lot).
* Another famous case is ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}. He first popped up in an issue of the ComicBook/IncredibleHulk. The creators wanted to use him in other titles but didn't have a clear idea what they wanted to do with the character. They ended up tossing him onto the ComicBook/XMen, in large part because he had been identified as Canadian and they wanted "international" characters for the new team.

* ''Avengers World'' had an ''ComicBook/{{AXIS}}'' tie-in that ran in issues #16-17, where, after undergoing a temporary CharacterAlignment change, Comicbook/DoctorDoom formed his own team of heroes to stop the evil Comicbook/ScarletWitch. The story ended with the heroic Doom using the Witch's power to resurrect [[Characters/AntManHeroes Cassie Lang]], a plot point that had very little to do with the story at hand, but existed to set up the new ''ComicBook/AstonishingAntMan'' series that launched soon after, and under the same writer to boot.

* The ''Comicbook/TeenTitans'' Annual #2 introduces us to Comicbook/{{Vigilante}}, who got his own comic book the following month.
* The second-to-last ''Comicbook/TeenTitans'' storyline by Felicia Henderson was meant to be a backdoor pilot for a new ''Comicbook/{{Static}}'' comic book series. The DC relaunch delayed the series, and by the time it launched a year later, it had been retooled to the point that it literally abandoned every bit of set-up introduced in the ''Teen Titans'' arc, and had a new writer as well.
* Earlier, Creator/GailSimone and Creator/RobLiefeld had collaborated on a two-issue ''Teen Titans'' filler arc that saw the Titans team up with Comicbook/HawkAndDove to battle Kestrel. According to Liefeld, the arc was testing the waters for a ''Titans East'' spin-off series that never got made.

* ''Comicbook/WhatIf'':
** The ninth issue of the original series was probably intended to be this for a series starring the various heroes from Marvel's 1950s comics. Which did happen, albeit 30 years later, with ''Comicbook/AgentsOfAtlas''.

* ''Comicbook/{{Nova}}'' has a story arc where Sam meets Justice and Speedball, two of the washed-up former members of the New Warriors. Around the same time, ''Comicbook/SuperiorSpiderMan Team-Up'' features an arc where Otto encounters a new heroine named Sun Girl. The characters involved later meet and team up for the Comicbook/MarvelNOW relaunch of ''ComicBook/NewWarriors''.

* ''Comicbook/{{Secret War|2004}}'' featured a team-up between many of the characters who would go on form the core cast of ''Comicbook/NewAvengers'', and also set up several plot threads for that series.
* The final arc of ''Comicbook/UltimateSpiderMan'' features a team-up between Spidey (Miles), Comicbook/CloakAndDagger, ComicBook/SpiderWoman, and Bombshell. This same group appears in the ''[[Comicbook/CataclysmTheUltimatesLastStand Cataclysm]]: Ultimate Spider-Man'' mini-series before being spun-off in their own book as the ''All-New [[ComicBook/TheUltimates Ultimates]]''.

* The first arc of ''Avengers Assemble'' was set-up for a new ''Comicbook/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'' series. It brought the Guardians out of ComicBookLimbo, teased the mystery of how Star-Lord and Comicbook/{{Thanos}} had escaped the [[Comicbook/TheThanosImperative Cancerverse]], and ended with the Badoon vowing vengeance on the Earth.
* ''Avengers'' #684 (part of ''Comicbook/AvengersNoSurrender'') was a lead-in to ''Comicbook/ImmortalHulk''.
* Whether intended as one or not, the ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'' three-parter that introduces ComicBook/{{Galactus}} serves as a backdoor pilot for the ''ComicBook/SilverSurfer''. The same run also introduced Comicbook/BlackPanther and Comicbook/TheInhumans, who would later receive their own titles.

* Following the end of Creator/JamesTynionIV's tenure as the writer of ''[[Comicbook/DetectiveComicsRebirth Detective Comics]]'', Bryan Edward Hill was hired to write a short {{Filler}} arc before the start James Robinson's run. The arc saw Batman bring Comicbook/BlackLightning to Gotham in order to help train Cassandra Cain and Duke Thomas, with the group later encountering Comicbook/{{Katana}} as the story progressed. Unsurprisingly, it was eventually announced that the storyline would lead into a new volume of ''[[Comicbook/TheOutsiders Batman and the Outsiders]]'', with Hill as the writer.

** ''Film/IronMan2'' in particular received a ''lot'' of ExecutiveMeddling to make it set up ''Avengers'', with ComicBook/NickFury and Comicbook/BlackWidow's roles in the plot being a good example of this. Creator/JonFavreau was so frustrated by this that he refused to direct ''Film/IronMan3''.

** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld2YoshisIsland'' (''Super Mario Bros. 5'' in Japan) still has Mario present, but he's mostly just being [[EscortMission escorted]] by Yoshi, and the game, while still considered a main line game, ended up launching the ''VideoGame/YoshisIsland'' franchise.

* DC's ''Showcase'' launched a large number of successful features, including the [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] versions of ''Franchise/TheFlash'', ''Franchise/GreenLantern'' and ''Comicbook/TheAtom'', ''ComicBook/ChallengersOfTheUnknown'', ''ComicBook/MetalMen'', ''Sea Devils'', and many more. The series lasted from 1956 to 1970, and was briefly revived from 1977 to 1978. The series introduced and/or spotlighted:

** Franchise/TheFlash[=/=]Barry Allen debuts in issue #4 (October, 1956). He also headlines issues #8 (June, 1957) and #13-14 (April-June, 1958). The character had enough positive feedback for DC to revive the old ''The Flash'' series with Barry as the protagonist, starting with issue #105 (March, 1959). His ongoing lasted to 1985, making the greatest hit to graduate from ''Showcase''.

** Franchise/GreenLantern[=/=]Hal Jordan debuts in #22 (October, 1959). He also headlines #23-24 (December, 1959-February, 1960). Feedback and sales were positive enough for Hal to "graduate" to his own ongoing series, starting in August 1960. His ongoing was regularly published to 1972. It was revived in 1976 and (with a couple of revamps on the way) lasted to 1988.

** ComicBook/DoctorFate and ComicBook/{{Hourman}} headlined issues #55-56 (April-June, 1965). DC had recently revived the ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica and was variously testing the waters for further use of the characters involved. These issues did not generate enough interest for either hero to get his own series. Their lasting mark was a successful revival of 1940s villain Solomon Grundy who would become a recurring character again. As for the heroes, they remained supporting characters of the Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica for several years.

** Jonny Double debuted in #78 (November, 1968). He was a [[PerpetualPoverty Perpetually Broke]] PrivateDetective who tried to make a living on what his customers were willing to pay him. DC was not eager to give him an ongoing series, so the character went straight to ComicBookLimbo. In this case, however, writers of the [[TheSeventies 1970s]] did find use of him in several series headlined by more popular characters. So Jonny is better known for supporting roles in stories of the Challengers of the Unknown, ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}, Franchise/WonderWoman, and Kobra.

** ComicBook/{{Hawkman}}[=/=]Katar Hol headlined issues #101-103 (June-August, 1978). Basically he had a crossover with Adam Strange, featuring a war between the planets Rann and Thanagar. Nothing came of it, and Hawkman remained a featured player in the Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica.

** There were known plans for subsequent issues. At least one featuring the ComicBook/{{Huntress}}[=/=]Helena Wayne and a ''World of Krypton'' story which would further flesh out the background of Franchise/{{Superman}}'s doomed homeworld. This version of Huntress would get a backup series in ''Franchise/WonderWoman'' [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 Vol 1]] which was often more popular than the main feature, while ''World of Krypton'' would be published as a mini-series in 1979.

* Creator/JackKirby famously begin planting the seeds for his upcoming ''[[Comicbook/NewGods Fourth World]]'' family of titles in the pages of ''[[Comicbook/JimmyOlsen Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen]]''. This included the first appearance of Comicbook/{{Darkseid}}, who would go on to be the BigBad of the ''Fourth World'' books.
* During the nineties, ''Franchise/SpiderMan'' meets during a battle with Comicbook/{{Hydra}} a superhero named "Shoc", obviously meant to appear in his own series. It's also pretty obvious who his SecretIdentity was. Fortunately, he was quickly forgotten.

* Issue 99 of Gerard Jones's ''Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'' run is clearly an attempt to drum up support for a series about the altered children who took over the issue, the Strangebrood. This didn't pan out, and the Strangebrood never showed up again anywhere.

* Creator/KurtBusiek introduced the ComicBook/PowerCompany in an issue of ''[[Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica JLA]]'' before quickly spinning them off in their own series.

* The final issues of the ''Franchise/{{Superman}}: Grounded'' storyline were intended by writer Chris Roberson as (among other things) a backdoor pilot for a "Supermen of America" series.
* [[Creator/ChristopherPriestComics Christopher Priest]] has admitted he only added the Korean heroine Mystek to the ''[[Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica Justice League Task Force]]'' during his run to set her up for her own mini-series. [[TorchTheFranchiseAndRun When plans for the mini-series were axed, Priest quickly killed her off.]]

* Franchise/WonderWoman makes her cinematic debut in ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'' in order to set up a solo ''Film/{{Wonder Woman|2017}}'' movie starring the same actress. The other members of the Franchise/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica all appear in cameos to set up the ''Film/{{Justice|League 2017}} [[Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague League]]'' movie, with some critics likening the cameo sequence to a trailer within the movie.

* ''ComicBook/UncannyXMen'' #358 (August 1998) is a spotlight issue for the OddCouple of Comicbook/{{Bishop}} and Deathbird, established earlier, with them gaining a new ally and getting involved in a struggle against another version of TheEmpire in space. The issue is often commented on, in retrospect, as seeming to serve as a pilot or sales pitch for a SpaceOpera series or storyline, but if so the plans never materialized.