All October long I will be exploring the context behind (using reader danjack's term) "meta-messages." A meta-message is where a comic book writer comments on/references the work of another comic book in their comic. Each time around, I'll give you the context behind one such "meta-message." Here is an archive of the past installments!

Today we look at Alan Davis explaining away some "problems" he had with an Excalibur story that came out between his first and second run on the title.

Again, do note that writers retcon older stories all of the time. What is interesting here is not that Davis decided to retcon an older story, but the WAY he does it makes it a "meta-message."

So Davis was the co-plotter and artist on Excalibur for its first two years, then he left for awhile and returned with issue #42 in late 1991. Well, in early 1991, Michael Higgins and Tom Morgan did an Excalibur Special Edition.

In Excalibur #47, Davis has Captain Britain and Roma go over how that story made no sense...







Here are the pages being referenced above from Excalibur: The Possession, a special one-shot comic from 1991...









Reader Matt Bird suggested this one. If YOU have a suggestion for a future edition, e-mail me at bcronin@comicbookresources.com. E-MAIL me your suggestion. Do not post your suggestions in the comments section. Remember that - do NOT post your suggestions in the comments.