History Main / RetroactiveLegacy

* The 2010 S.H.I.E.L.D. series recons that there were precursors to the organization as far back as AncientEgypt, when they called themselves "The Shield".

* The "Amalgam Comics" books set in the merged universe created during ''Comicbook/MarvelVersusDC'' did the same thing, with ''Super-Soldier'' (Comicbook/{{Superman}}[=/=]Comicbook/CaptainAmerica) having been published since the forties, ''JLX'' (Comicbook/JusticeLeague[=/=]Comicbook/XMen) being a spin-off of ''Judgement League Comicbook/{{Avengers}}'', and even references to past {{Crisis Crossover}}s like ''Comicbook/{{Secret|Wars 1984}} Comicbook/{{Crisis|On Infinite Earths}} of the Comicbook/{{Infinity|War}} [[Comicbook/ZeroHour Hour]]''.

* The ''ComicBook/{{Widowmaker}}'' series established that the Ronin [[LegacyCharacter identity previously held]] by Maya Lopez and [[ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}} Clint Barton]] was originated by a Japanese nationalist during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII. [[PlotHole Exactly how nobody knew this is never actually explained....]]
* Speaking of Hawkeye, a ''ComicBook/WestCoastAvengers'' arc had him travel back in time to ancient Egypt, where he unknowingly crafted the ceremonial weapons that would one day be used by ComicBook/MoonKnight in the present.

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

** ''ComicBook/{{Daken}}: Dark Wolverine'' revealed that there was, in fact, an ''eighth'' member of the Pride, the HumanoidAbomination Marcus Roston, but he was kicked out after the Steins caught him literally hovering over Chase's bed while he slept.

* Speaking of ''ComicBook/SecretWars1984'', Creator/JonathanHickman's ''[[ComicBook/TheAvengersJonathanHickman New Avengers]]'' run revealed that the Beyonder was actually a child member of an extremely powerful race of godlike extra-dimensional beings called the Beyonders, who had previously appeared in ''Comicbook/MarvelTwoInOne''.

** After another retcon that establishes she and Comicbook/{{Quicksilver}} are not Magneto's biological children, Wanda seeks out her real parents in a 2015 solo title and discovers she unknowingly took her superhero name after her real mother, Natalya Maximoff, the first Scarlet Witch.

* ''ComicBook/{{Avengers}} 1959'' was a 2011 miniseries in which ComicBook/NickFury assembled a team combining surviving Golden Age heroes (Blonde Phantom, Namora) and more modern characters with long backstories (ComicBook/{{Sabretooth}}, Ulysses Bloodstone, Kraven the Hunter, ComicBook/SilverSable and Dominic Fortune).
* Since ComicBookTime means the "modern" Avengers were always founded "about ten years ago", the ''ComicBook/MightyAvengers2013'' chapter of the ''ComicBook/OriginalSin'' crossover finds space for another previous incarnation with an incredibly Seventies team lead by ComicBook/LukeCage's dad and including [[ComicBook/AdamLegendOfTheBlueMarvel Blue Marvel]], obscure Silver Age mystic Kaluu, the Bear (created for a [[ComicBook/IronMan Howard Stark]] flashback the previous year), IntrepidReporter Constance Molina, and ComicBook/{{Blade}} (in his [[ComicBook/TheTombOfDracula original]] yellow open shirt and green wraparound shades look).
* ComicBook/{{Venom}}:

** The ''First X-Men'' mini-series established that before the original X-Men, a pre-Weapon X Wolverine led a sort of proto X-Men that included ComicBook/{{Sabretooth}} and new characters Bomb, Holo, Meteor and Yeti. The group didn't last long, but it was implied that its existence inspired [[Comicbook/ProfessorX Charles Xavier]] and [[Characters/MarvelComicsMagneto Magneto]] to form the X-Men and the Brotherhood, respectively.
** Creator/ChipZdarsky's ''[[Comicbook/TheInvadersMarvelComics Invaders]]'' run would later reveal that the first mutant Xavier had ever tried to recruit to form the X-Men was [[Comicbook/SubMariner Namor]]. Xavier's botched attempt to psychically treat Namor's PTSD instead [[NiceJobBreakingItHero worsened his mental illness]], resulting in him winding up homeless on the streets of New York, where he would later be found by the Human Torch in the original Lee/Kirby ''[[Comicbook/FantasticFour1961 Fantastic Four]]'' run.
* Namor also underwent a bit of this when he was first revived during the Silver Age, with it being established in ''Fantastic Four Annual'' #3 that he was a mutant, retroactively making him the company's first mutant (in terms of publication history at least; in-universe, characters like Comicbook/{{Apocalypse}} and Selene are far older).

* Max Bemis's run on ''ComicBook/MoonKnight'' revealed there'd been Moon Knights since the days of ancient Rome, with Cullen Bunn extending it back to Mesopotamia in 4000 B.C., and Jason Aaron introducing a proto-Moon Knight who led moon-worshippers against the proto-Avengers of 1,000,000 B.C. in his ''Avengers'' run. The ''Comicbook/KangTheConqueror'' limited series, meanwhile, would later establish that a past iteration of Kang's love Ravonna had been the Moon Knight who opposed Rama-Tut during his reign.
* The DC event ''Comicbook/TheNewGoldenAge'' introduces a whole bunch of Golden Age characters, mostly with a connection to the Comicbook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica, who have supposedly been removed from history. The opening one-shot includes ''Who's Who in the DC Universe'' pages at the back, in which all the "new" sidekicks are given a "First appearance" entry that claims they were actually appearing in their mentors' stories in the forties, while Harlequin's Son supposedly appeared in the first issue of ''Comicbook/InfinityInc''. The only two entries where this section is accurate are the Golden Age Comicbook/{{Aquaman}} (who really ''did'' exist in the forties) and John Henry Jr. (who first appeared in ''Comicbook/DCTheNewFrontier'' #6, as the kid with "IRONS" written on his shirt visiting John Henry's grave, now further revealed to be the great-uncle of the better known [[Comicbook/{{Steel}} John Henry Irons]]). Even the third pre-existing character, Thaddeus Brown, gets his first appearance listed as a non-existent Golden Age ''Comicbook/MisterMiracle'' book.
* ''Comicbook/HeroesReborn2021'' takes place in an altered timeline where the Avengers have been replaced by Comicbook/SquadronSupreme. The event contains numerous flashbacks and footnotes referencing non-existent past adventures (and even specific issue numbers), hinting at decades worth of continuity the readers never got to experience firsthand.

* ''Film/TheThirdSaturdayInOctoberPartV'' (2022) is presented as the fifth installment of a series of ''Film/{{Halloween}}'' rip-off slasher films, this one supposedly filmed in 1994. The film was followed by a prequel, ''Film/TheThirdSaturdayInOctoberPartI'', the "original" installment, supposedly filmed in 1979.

* The first three ''Franchise/StarWars'' films began with Episode IV-VI, suggesting an epic series. It wasn't until much later that episodes I through III were created.
** However, [[Film/ANewHope the original film]] only became "Episode IV" once its sequel was greenlit, and the number along with the subtitle "A New Hope" was added in a reissue.

* As an AprilFoolsDay joke [[WebVideo/TheDomReviews Dominic Noble]] did a ''Lost In Adaptation'' episode pretending ''Film/TheRoom'' was based on a Polish book from the 1970s called ''The Room I Died In''.

* ''Series/JimmyMacDonaldsCanada'' is a {{Mockumentary}} about a [[NewsParody Fake Pundit Show]] that took place back in the '60s, and starred a stereotypical [[StrawCharacter ultra-conserative]] who railed against technological innovation and youth culture. The show ended when [=MacDonald=] had a nervous breakdown on TV, made off with all the tapes from the episodes, flew off to parts unknown, but died in a plane crash. Some of the episodes have recently turned up, and the mockumentary features eight episodes of what was supposedly a weekly program that ran for years, intercut with prominent Canadians talking about how hugely influential Jimmy was back in the '60s.

* Creator/NeilGaiman's [[ComicBook/TheSandman Sandman]], Dream of the Endless, was introduced in the 1980s as the original from which the previous Sandmen had derived.

* Music/TheAquabats' first album was called ''Return of the Aquabats''. They're [[RuleOfFunny that sort of band]].

** ''ComicBook/MarvelTeamUp'' #100 revealed that as a young man, T'Challa had been close friends with [[ComicBook/{{Storm}} Ororo Munroe]], and that they both harbored [[UnresolvedSexualTension lingering romantic feelings for one another]]. Decades later, this would be used as the basis for their marriage.

* Creator/FrankMiller's ''ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}: Man Without Fear'' mini-series established that during one of his first vigilante outings, Matt had accidentally killed a teenage prostitute by knocking her out of a window. The later 1997 ''Daredevil[=/=]ComicBook/{{Deadpool}} Annual'' {{Retconned}} the girl into being a young Typhoid Mary, who had actually survived the fall and developed a SplitPersonality as a result.

** Creator/ChipZdarsky's ''[[Comicbook/TheInvadersMarvelComics Invaders]]'' run would later reveal that the first mutant Xavier had ever tried to recruit to form the X-Men was [[Comicbook/SubMariner Namor]]. Xavier's botched attempt to psychically treat Namor's PTSD instead [[NiceJobBreakingItHero worsened his mental illness]], resulting in him ending up homeless on the streets of New York, where he would later be found by the Human Torch in the original Lee/Kirby ''[[Comicbook/FantasticFour1961 Fantastic Four]]'' run.

* ''Comicbook/HeroesReborn2021'' takes place in an altered timeline where the Avengers have been replaced by Comicbook/SquadronSupreme. The event contains numerous flashbacks and footnotes referencing non-existent past adventures (and even specific issue numbers), hinting at decades worth of altered continuity the readers never got to experience firsthand.

* Volton was an obscure hero from UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks. After becoming a PublicDomainCharacter, Marvel included him in the 90s ''[[ComicBook/TheInvadersMarvelComics Invaders]]'' mini-series, where it was established that Volton was an android created by Doctor Nemesis back when he was working with Phineas Horton, the inventor responsible for the Human Torch and ComicBook/TheVision, and the scientist Doctor Nemesis.

* Volton was an obscure hero from UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks. After becoming a PublicDomainCharacter, Marvel included him in the 90s ''[[ComicBook/TheInvadersMarvelComics Invaders]]'' mini-series, where it was established that Volton was an android who was partially created by Phineas Horton, the same inventor responsible for the Human Torch and ComicBook/TheVision.

** The ''First X-Men'' mini-series established that before the original X-Men, a pre-Weapon X Wolverine led a sort of proto X-Men that included ComicBook/{{Sabretooth}} and new characters Bomb, Holo, Meteor and Yeti. The group didn't last long, but it was implied that its existence inspired [[Comicbook/ProfessorX Charles Xavier]] and [[Characters/MagnetoMarvelComics Magneto]] to form the X-Men and the Brotherhood, respectively.

** The ''First X-Men'' mini-series established that before the original X-Men, a pre-Weapon X Wolverine led a sort of proto X-Men that included ComicBook/{{Sabretooth}} and new characters Bomb, Holo, Meteor and Yeti. The group didn't last long, but it was implied that its existence inspired [[Comicbook/ProfessorX Charles Xavier]] and Characters/{{Magneto}} to form the X-Men and the Brotherhood, respectively.

* ''ComicBook/MarvelComicsPresents'' #61-62 reveals the ComicBook/ScarletWitch had a 16th century ancestor, Red Lucy.
** After another retcon that establishes she and Pietro are not Magneto's biological children, Wanda seeks out her real parents in a 2015 solo title and discovers she unknowingly took her superhero name after her real mother, the first Scarlet Witch.

** The ''First X-Men'' mini-series established that before the original X-Men, a pre-Weapon X Wolverine led a sort of proto X-Men that included ComicBook/{{Sabretooth}} and new characters Bomb, Holo, Meteor and Yeti. The group didn't last long, but it was implied that its existence inspired [[Comicbook/ProfessorX Charles Xavier]] and ComicBook/{{Magneto}} to form the X-Men and the Brotherhood, respectively.

* Namor also underwent a bit of this when he was first revived during the Silver Age, with it being established in ''
Fantastic Four'' #3 that he was a mutant, retroactively making him the company's first mutant (in terms of publication history at least; in-universe, characters like Comicbook/{{Apocalypse}} and Selene are far older).

* Brian Falsworth aka Union Jack was created in the 1970s, but was retconned into having been active during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, where he fought alongside ComicBook/CaptainAmerica and ComicBook/{{The Invaders|MarvelComics}}. Taking this a step further, it was established that prior to becoming Union Jack, Brian had been the Destroyer, who was an ''actual'' [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] superhero that had been published during the 40s. "Keen Marlow," the Destoyer's previous real name, was {{Retcon}}ned into being an alias Brian used while infiltrating UsefulNotes/NaziGermany.

* The DC event ''Comicbook/TheNewGoldenAge'' introduces a whole bunch of Golden Age characters, mostly with a connection to the Comicbook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica, who have supposedly been removed from history. The opening one-shot includes ''Who's Who in the DC Universe'' pages at the back, in which all the "new" sidekicks are given a "First appearance" entry that claims they were actually appearing in their mentors' stories in the forties, while Harlequin's Son supposedly appeared in the first issue of ''Comicbook/InfinityInc''. The only two entries where this section is accurate are the Golden Age Comicbook/{{Aquaman}} (who really ''did'' exist in the forties) and John Henry Jr. (who first appeared in ''Comicbook/DCTheNewFrontier'' #6, as the kid with "IRONS" written on his shirt visiting John Henry's grave, now further revealed to be the great-uncle of the better known [[Comicbook/{{Steel}} John Henry Irons]]).

* The DC event ''Comicbook/TheNewGoldenAge'' introduces a whole bunch of Golden Age characters, mostly with a connection to the Comicbook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica, who have supposedly been removed from history. The opening one-shot includes ''Who's Who in the DC Universe'' pages at the back, in which all the "new" sidekicks are given a "First appearance" entry that claims they were actually appearing in their mentors' stories in the forties, while Harlequin's Son supposedly appeared in the first issue of ''Comicbook/InfinityInc''. The only two entries where this section is accurate are the Golden Age Comicbook/{{Aquaman}} (who really ''did'' exist in the forties) and John Henry Jr. (who first appeared in ''Comicbook/DCTheNewFrontier'' #6, as the kid with [[Comicbook/{{Steel}} IRONS]] written on his shirt visiting John Henry's grave).