History Main / RetroactiveLegacy

* When the [[MilestoneComics Milestone]] heroes were integrated into DC's continuity, it was established that {{Icon}} was now an old friend of {{Superman}}. It was also estalished that [[Comicbook/{{Hardware}} Hardware]] knew BlueBeetle, and this throwaway line would later form the basis for an issue of ''TheBraveAndTheBold''.

* When DC liscensed the Red Circle heroes from ArchieComics, they retroactively inserted the Hangman into DC's GoldenAge during the 1940's. He was retconned into having had adventures with Golden Age heroes such as [[SandmanMysteryTheater]].
* Years after DC gained the characters Judomaster and Tiger thanks to a buy-out of their rival publisher, Charlton Comics, the two were retconned into being members of the AllStarSquadron.
* When the [[MilestoneMedia Milestone]] heroes were integrated into DC's continuity, it was established that {{Icon}} was now an old friend of {{Superman}}. It was also estalished that [[Comicbook/Hardware Hardware]] knew BlueBeetle, and this throwaway line would later form the basis for an issue of ''TheBraveAndTheBold''.

* ''RedDwarf : Back To Earth'' took place after the amazing, best-ever season 9. RedDwarf ended at season 8.

** FridgeBrilliance: Anything in the '60s comics that didn't make sense? It made perfect sense until Sentry was {{Orwellian Retcon}}ned out of it.

* Toy Story 2 established Woody as a valuable antique cowboy doll who used to be the star of an old merchandise driven show called Woody's Roundup.

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* The book ''ThePrincessBride'' pretends to be an abridgement of an older book of the same name written by the fictitious author "S Morgenstern". Remember those parts in the movie where they cut back to the grandpa reading the book to his grandson Fred Savage? That grandson is the character of the "writer" who abridged the book, and those scenes are present in the real life novel as footnotes and forewords.
** In the novel it would be "son" instead of "grandson," so the story about the story being told can't be quite the same in both versions.

** When James Robinson wrote ''{{Starman}}'', DC had six characters by that name, only two of whom had any connection: Ted Knight; the 1950s Starman (who was actually Batman in a story that had been {{Retcon}}ned away); Mikaal Tomas; Prince Gavyn of Throneworld; Will Peyton; and Ted's son David Knight. Robinson created Ted's younger son Jack as "his" Starman, and forged connections between all the above characters, some of whom turned out to be the same people.

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* ''KujibikiUnbalance'' (the first iteration) only had three episodes produced, spaced at random points along the nonexistant series. Despite that, there was a clip show back to episodes that never happened and next episode previews for episodes that also didn't happen.
* The DVD bonus specials for ''PrincessLover!'' have episode previews for ''[[MagicalGirl Magical Knight Maria-chan]]'' starring Silvie's kid sister. These include previews for episode 25 even though the first 24 don't exist, and previews for a ''sequel'' series.

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* ''Leonard Part 6'' supposedly followed five earlier adventures of the protagonist that had been suppressed in the interest of national security. [[SoBadItsHorrible Pity they missed this one.]]

** When James Robinson wrote ''{{Starman}}'', DC had five characters by that name, only two of whom had any connection: Ted Knight; the 1950s Starman (who was actually Batman in a story that had been {{Retcon}}ned away); Mikaal Tomas; Prince Gavyn of Throneworld; Will Peyton; and Ted's son David Knight. Robinson created Ted's younger son Jack as "his" Starman, and forged connections between all the above characters, some of whom turned out to be the same people.

** When James Robinson wrote ''{{Starman}}'', DC had five characters by that name, only two of which had any connection (Ted Knight; the 1950s Starman (who was actually Batman in a story that had been {{Retcon}}ned away); Mikaal Tomas; Prince Gavyn of Throneworld; Will Peyton; and Ted's son David). Robinson created Ted's younger son Jack as "his" Starman, and forged connections between all the above characters, some of whom turned out to be the same people.

* In the ''Dawn of Souls'' remake of ''FinalFantasyII'', it's all but established that [[FinalFantasyIV Kain]] is the son of the playable dragoon Richard Highwind.

* The Sentry from MarvelComics was a character "introduced in the '60s", and was so powerful that knowledge of his existence threatened the universe. So, he made everyone: even himself, even Marvel Comics, and even ''the readers'' forget he existed, until he "re"appeared in 2000.

** They did the exact same thing ''again'' with Moon Maiden, who was basically a cross between SailorMoon and {{Superman}}.

* In ''MerryGearSolid 2'', the synopsis of the game ''Merry Gear'' is available in the Previous Operations section of the menu. The game never actually existed.

* Marvel again: The series ''Alias'' introduced Jessica Jones, who had a backstory of being a C- or D-list superhero before retiring as a private detective. Like with Cable, she's now treated as if she was indeed active back in the BronzeAge. (Interestingly, early concepts were going to use an existing heroine, Comicbook/{{Spider-Woman}}, before switching to an original character.)

** Except Grim DarkAge Supreme, who was the original, RobLiefeld version.

** E.g., when a minor GoldenAge {{Flash}} villain called "Rival" retroactively became the first Reverse Flash.

* The Sentry from MarvelComics was a character "introduced in the 60s", and was so powerful that knowledge of his existence threatened the universe. So, he made everyone: even himself, even Marvel Comics, and even ''the readers'' forget he existed, until he "re"appeared in 2000.
** FridgeBrilliance: Anything in the 60s comics that didn't make sense? It made perfect sense until Sentry was {{Orwellian Retcon}}ned out of it.
* Also from MarvelComics we have Orson Randall, who wielded the power of the ''ImmortalIronFist'' in the 20s, but passed into obscurity, completely unknown to the modern Iron Fist until he "re"appeared in 2007. The series also frequently delves into the histories of the Iron Fists that held the title before Orson, which go back for over a thousand years.

* Similarly, recent Marvel comics have revealed that the ''[[Comicbook/GhostRider Ghost Riders]]'' aren't the only Spirits of Vengeance. The British model draws from Spring-Heeled Jack, the German model closely resembles Shock-Headed Peter, and the Japanese one is a ''bosozoku'' with an oni-like appearance.

* A classic example from Marvel is {{Cable}}, who was created in the 1980's, but as soon as he was introduced he was written into history and characters acted like they had known him forever.
* Marvel again: The series ''Alias'' introduced Jessica Jones, who had a backstory of being a C- or D-list superhero before retiring as a private detective. Like with Cable, she's now treated as if she was indeed active back in the BronzeAge. (Intersestingly, early concepts were going to use an existing heroine, Spider-Woman, before switching to an original character.)

** E.g., when a minor GoldenAge Flash villain called "Rival" retroactively became the first Reverse Flash.
** Or, when Western heroes Nighthawk and Cinnamon became previous incarnations of Hawkman and Hawkgirl.