In Meta-Messages, I explore the context behind (using reader danjack's term) "meta-messages." A meta-message is where a comic book creator comments on/references the work of another comic book/comic book creator (or sometimes even themselves) in their comic. Each time around, I'll give you the context behind one such "meta-message."

The other day, in Comic Book Legends Revealed, I talked about the short-lived change that saw Captain Britain become Britanic.

The changeover was not fully supported by fans at the time, and, amusingly enough, it also got made fun of a little bit in other comics, namely ClandDestine #10.

ClanDestine was a comic book series introduced by writer/artist Alan Davis about literally the Clan Destine, a family of superheroes. Davis ended up leaving his creation but Marvel somehow decided to keep the series going with other creators.

In ClanDestine #10 (by Glenn Dakin, Dino Rinaldi and Robin Riggs), two of the youngest members of the Destine Clan are being tricked into helping resurrect one of the earliest members of the family. They're visited by a number of famous figures from British history, and one of the first is Captain Britain. While this is a fake Captain Britain, Dakin takes the opportunity for a little commentary about the whole "Britanic" change...

The most amusing thing about these ClanDestine issues making fun of another comic book series is that after the series ended (just four issues after Davis left), Davis got the chance to write the characters again in an X-Men crossover series and the first thing he did? Write off ClanDestine #10 and all of the issues after he left the book as a dream.

So while they were making fun of another comic book title, they were being retconned themselves!

If anyone else has a suggestion for a good future Meta-Message, drop me a line at brianc@cbr.com!