In Abandoned an' Forsaked, 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).
Today, we look at a rare case of a retcon of a retcon!
In his last story arc on Doctor Strange, Steve Englehart wrote a story where Doctor Strange and Clea traveled through the past to learn the occult history of America. It was a really cool story arc.
Anyhow, in Doctor Strange #18 (artwork by Gene Colan and Tom Palmer), they ended up in 1775, where they got on a boat with Benjamin Franklin, who Strange wanted to meet.
After some more socializing, they were attacked!
Later, another magic attack left the three of them alone on the boat, so Strange insisted that Clea stick close to Franklin.
However, I don't think Strange expected THIS exactly...
That is just awesome.
However, Marvel disagreed, and in the very first Abandoned an' Forsaked that I ever did, I wrote about how the very next issue of Doctor Strange (with the editor of the series, Marv Wolfman, taking over as the writer (with Alfredo Alcala as #19's artist) and very quickly, the whole Ben Franklin/Clea deal was explained away as an illusion...
In the opening arc of Brian Posehn, Gerry Duggan, Tony Moore and Val Staples' run on Deadpool, Deadpool and SHIELD team-up to take down evil versions of all of the dead Presidents from United States history.
In the second issue of the arc, Deadpool is aided by the ghost of Benjamin Franklin (thus proving that ghosts DO have morals!)...
In the next issue, Deadpool and Franklin turn to Doctor Strange for help taking the Presidents down and we discover that Strange holds a grudge against Franklin over sleeping with Clea, thus retconning the earlier retcon...
Which is good, I think, as come on, that's just awesome that Doctor Strange's girlfriend cheated on him with Benjamin Franklin.
Reader Jon M. noted that the Clea/Franklin issues continued on Deadpool secret cover variants, as well...
If anyone else has a suggestion for a future Abandoned an' Forsaked, drop me a line at brianc@cbr.com!