Times where The Chosen One Missed the Call in Comic Books.
- The Extremist Vector: The request for help was initially for Justice League International, but as there was only one person in International headquarters at the time they had to pass their request along to the Euopean division.
- Fray: In the future setting, the demons that plague the Buffyverse were largely evicted years ago, leading to the weakening of the slayer lineage. Cue the return of the vampires, and the calling of Mekala Fray who has the strength, agility, and speed of a Slayer but none of the dreams and memories of those who came before her. Turns out it had all gone to her twin brother, Harth, who was turned and became the Big Bad.
- Freshmen: In the Top Cow Productions comic book series, Norrin, the only member of the team who wanted to be a superhero was out for pizza when the Applied Phlebotinum exploded and gave everyone else superpowers. He takes it fairly well and becomes the team leader and resident Badass Normal.
- Ghost Rider: Danny Ketch. He's the second Ghost Rider, after his long lost brother Johnny Blaze. However, it wasn't meant to be him — the medallion, bike, and powers were actually intended to go to his sister, Barbara. But she ended up hurt and then killed so Danny was saddled with the role. These days, his character is defined by how much being Ghost Rider ruined his life.
- Green Lantern:
- Kyle Rayner was explicitly chosen at random to be the last Green Lantern, but adapted very well and eventually rebuilt the GL Corps. However, the shadow of Hal Jordan always hung over him, as well as his randomly being empowered. With the later return from the dead of Hal Jordan, Kyle felt that he was now replaced by the "true" Green Lantern of Earth. Admittedly, Hal took over for him in the GL comic, but Kyle got a massive power-up and his own limited series.
- In a more direct example of the trope, it is revealed at one point that the ring Hal Jordan received could have gone to either him or Guy Gardner. Hal was chosen because he was physically closer. Guy would later receive his own call.
- Another retcon showed that the ring chose Clark Kent first, but the Guardians of Oa ordered it to ignore him. They really, really hate Kryptonians, and now, generally act like Jerkasses to Superman. (A different story has it that Clark turned down the ring because, well, he's Superman. That story also had a whole bunch of real-world figures who the ring nearly chose.)
- Ironically, Kyle Rayner is widely considered the greatest Green Lantern BECAUSE he was chosen at random. Hal and Stewart were both military men (with Gardner a former cop in the new 52 and raised in a rough home prior to), so both were naturally capable of not being afraid, (thus making them unprepared when they are overcome by it). Contrast to Kyle, who as an artist, is subject to the worry and fear of his work coming under scrutiny and criticism. As such, he accepts his fear and understands terror and started the trend of having Green Lanterns overcome their fear rather than simply not being afraid.
- Major Bummer: This is the premise of the comic, as the Imported Alien Phlebotinum that gave uber-slacker Lou Martin his powers was intended for uber-samaritan Martin Louis, but the alien who left it on Lou's doorstep didn't realize that the phone book prints last names first. Since the phlebotinum can't be removed without a fatal surgical procedure, Lou's stuck with his powers, but for the entire length of the series, he tries his hardest to maintain his slacker lifestyle. Unfortunately, the plot keeps finding him.
- Nightwing: In Nightwing (New 52), it turns out Dick missed a villainous call in his backstory. The Court of Owls wanted to make Dick into a Talon, but Bruce adopting him on the eve of his parents' deaths put him out of their reach.
- Ultimate Spider-Man: Lampshaded, as when the genetically modified spider flew off Peter Parker's hand after biting him and lands on MJ's chest, before being knocked to the ground and stomped on. When MJ finds out that Peter is Spider-Man, she exclaims that "I could'a been Spider-Man too".
- X-Men: In a villainous version, it was revealed that Charles Xavier, not Cain Marko, was actually intended to get the Ruby of Cyttorak and become the Juggernaut, but as luck would have it, Cain was really, really good at being Juggie in the end, so the demon Cyttorak didn't make a fuss... until Jug's Heel–Face Turn. A What If? story once explored what would've happened if Charles had been the one to answer the call, and things got bad to say the least; this new Juggernaut would've made Magneto look like a moderate and ended up shot into space never to return to get rid of him before he could raze the entire country.
