In this feature we examine comic book stories and ideas that were not only abandoned, but also had the stories/plots specifically "overturned" by a later writer (as if they were a legal precedent). Click here for an archive of all the previous editions of The Abandoned An' Forsaked. Feel free to e-mail me at bcronin@comicbookresources.com if you have any suggestions for future editions of this feature.

Today, we take another look at the idea of Thanos clones, with Thanos' (rather short) battle with Squirrel Girl.

As noted in a previous Abandoned an' Forsaked, Jim Starlin introduced the concept of Thanos cloning himself (much like Doctor Doom having Doombots) to explain away some stories featuring Thanos that Starlin did not feel accurately depicted the character.

Well, in 2006, Dan Slott had Squirrel Girl star in one of the stories in the 2006 GLX-Mas Special (starring the Great Lakes Avengers). Slott had a lot of fun with the fact that Squirrel Girl's debut was an "in continuity" story where she defeated Doctor Doom. So Slott really played up this fact - that Squirrel Girl could beat pretty much anyone. So in one of the stories, she defeats MODOK.

Later, as she is headed back to her Great Lakes Avengers friends, she is interrupted...

In another story later in the issue, we see how the fight ended, along with some amusing words from the Watcher...

Classic.

However, Slott was not done there.

In a She-Hulk storyline where Starfox is put on trial over his "charm powers," we discover that Thanos' obsession with Death was originally caused by Starfox!!

Or was it?

Eventually in the issue, we discover that the Thanos who tells this story is not the real Thanos!

Thus, Slott takes his original joke from the Squirrel Girl story (that the Watcher confirms that Squirrel Girl defeated the real Thanos) and takes it to the next level, even further spoofing the notion of using clones to explain away stories.

Do note, though, that this does not specifically retcon the Squirrel Girl story, but it is close enough that I Figured it worth spotlighting here, especially since it's such a fun commentary by Slott on the very notion of "That wasn't the REAL Villain X in that story!" stories.

That’s it for this week!

If YOU have a suggestion for a notable comic book retcon, let me know at bcronin@comicbookresources.com