Difference between revisions of "Retcon Hour"

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'''Retcon Hour''' was a [[Classic LNH]] [[crossover]] that started on June 28, 1994 and ended September 8, 1994. Complicated, ridiculous and all over the place, it was one of the biggest LNH crossovers ever.
+
'''Retcon Hour''' was a [[Classic LNH]] [[crossover]] that started on June 28, 1994 and ended September 8, 1994. Kicked off by the approval of [[rec.arts.comics.creative]], it was complicated, ridiculous and all over the place, one of the biggest LNH crossovers ever!
 
 
== The Plot ==
 
 
 
In order to confuse the LNH, the [[Time Crapper I|Time Crapper]] was creating alternate timelines and allowing them to exist simultaneously. Amongst other things, this resulted in multiple versions of [[Myk-El]] and [[Squalor]]. It was revealed that [[Acton Lord]] had been responsible for Myk-El turning evil in the first place, and thus, some of the alternate Myk-Els were evil and some were good.
 
 
 
In order to stop TC, [[Entity]] arranged a RACCelestial Madonna Pageant, which would choose the [[RACCelestial Madonna]] to gain the power to defeat the Time Crapper. Knowing that he'd be defeated by the RACCelestial Madonna, the post-[[Cry.Sig]] version of the [[Time Crapper II|Time Crapper]] tried to prevent the Pageant, but was defeated by [[Decibel Dude]] and [[Panta]].
 
 
 
The pre-Cry.Sig version of TC was oblivious to all this: he was busy trying to coerce [[Contraption Man]] into creating a machine capable of shaping time as he saw fit. However, Contraption Man was under the influence of [[wReamicus Maximus]], having been kidnapped between panels in ''[[Jungle Cheesecake]]'' and brainwashed into being an [[Acolytes of Dfandom|Acolyte of Dfandom]]. wReamicus Maximus reasoned that the LNH would try to recover the [[Ring of Retcon]] as a means of stabilizing time, and laid in wait for that eventuality; he told his Acolyte to play along with TC, but stall rather than build his machine.
 
 
 
Sure enough, [[Continuity Champ Junior]], working with his fellow [[Generation Y]]-ers, managed to retrieve the Ring of Retcon. wReamicus Maximus sent the [[Legion of Unliving Legionnaires]] against Gen Y and stole the ring. When wReamicus put on the ring, he started making [[retcon]]s right and left. This then got the attention of the [[RACCtre]], who gathered up heroes to defeat him.
 
 
 
Meanwhile, [[VAMMO Woman]] was crowned RACCelestial Madonna and teamed up with one of the variant Myk-Els to defeat TC I and II. They then proceeded to join the other heroes in defeating wReamicus Maximus.  With wReamicus defeated, VAMMO Woman used her power as RACCelestial Madonna to recover continuity... with the stipulation that the divergent, heroic Myk-El remain in this timeline and be her consort.
 
 
 
''Retcon Hour'' ended with the introduction of two new [[subgroup]]s, the [[Legion of Occult Heroes]] by [[Paul Hardy]] and [[Dvandom Force]] by [[Dave Van Domelen]], and the promise of many future adventures for them and for the Legion!
 
  
 
== Writers ==
 
== Writers ==
  
* [[Russ Allbery]] aka Eagle
+
* [[Russ Allbery]] aka [[Eagle]]
 
* [[David Anastasion]]
 
* [[David Anastasion]]
* [[Robert Armstrong]] aka Mystic Mongoose
+
* [[Robert Armstrong]] aka [[Mystic Mongoose]]
 
* [[Hubert Bartels]]
 
* [[Hubert Bartels]]
 
* [[Mike Escutia]]
 
* [[Mike Escutia]]
Line 26: Line 12:
 
* [[Scott Johnson]] aka Zagyg
 
* [[Scott Johnson]] aka Zagyg
 
* [[Jeff McCoskey]]
 
* [[Jeff McCoskey]]
* [[Peter Milan]] aka Tick
+
* [[Peter Milan]] aka [[Tick]]
 
* [[Martin Phipps]]
 
* [[Martin Phipps]]
* [[Matt Rossi]] aka Badger
+
* [[Matt Rossi]] aka [[Badger]]
* [[Eric Sturgeon]] aka The Stirge
+
* [[Eric Sturgeon]], aka The [[Stirge]]
 
* [[Dave Van Domelen]]
 
* [[Dave Van Domelen]]
  
 +
== The Plot ==
 +
 +
=== Low-Spoilers Version ===
 +
 +
 +
(Also, there's a crossover with the ''[[Omaha Project]]'' in there.)
 +
 +
=== Full Summary ===
 +
 +
Spoilers ahead for <spoiler text="the whole goshdarn thing...">In order to confuse the LNH, the [[Time Crapper I|Time Crapper]] was creating alternate timelines and allowing them to exist simultaneously. Amongst other things, this resulted in multiple versions of [[Myk-El]] and [[Squalor]]. It was revealed that [[Acton Lord]] had been responsible for Myk-El turning evil in the first place, and thus, some of the alternate Myk-Els were evil and some were good.
 +
 +
In order to stop TC, [[Entity]] arranged a RACCelestial Madonna Pageant, which would choose the [[RACCelestial Madonna]] to gain the power to defeat the Time Crapper. Knowing that he'd be defeated by the RACCelestial Madonna, the post-[[Cry.Sig]] version of the [[Time Crapper II|Time Crapper]] tried to prevent the Pageant, but was defeated by [[Decibel Dude]] and [[Panta]].
 +
 +
The pre-Cry.Sig version of TC was oblivious to all this: he was busy trying to coerce [[Contraption Man]] into creating a machine capable of shaping time as he saw fit. However, Contraption Man was under the influence of [[wReamicus Maximus]], having been kidnapped between panels in ''[[Jungle Cheesecake]]'' and brainwashed into being an [[Acolytes of Dfandom|Acolyte of Dfandom]]. wReamicus Maximus reasoned that the LNH would try to recover the [[Ring of Retcon]] as a means of stabilizing time, and laid in wait for that eventuality; he told his Acolyte to play along with TC, but stall rather than build his machine.
 +
 +
Sure enough, [[Continuity Champ Junior]], working with his fellow [[Generation Y]]-ers, managed to retrieve the Ring of Retcon. wReamicus Maximus sent the [[Legion of Unliving Legionnaires]] against Gen Y and stole the ring. When wReamicus put on the ring, he started making [[retcon]]s right and left. (The ''[[Omaha Project]]'' part happens somewhere in here, and so does ''[[Retcon Midnight]]'', I think.) This then got the attention of the [[RACCtre]], who gathered up heroes to defeat him.
 +
 +
Meanwhile, [[VAMMO Woman]] was crowned RACCelestial Madonna and teamed up with one of the variant Myk-Els to defeat TC I and II. They then proceeded to join the other heroes in defeating wReamicus Maximus.  With wReamicus defeated, VAMMO Woman used her power as RACCelestial Madonna to recover continuity... with the stipulation that the divergent, heroic Myk-El remain in this timeline and be her consort.
 +
 +
''Retcon Hour'' ended with the introduction of the [[Legion of Occult Heroes]] and [[Dvandom Force]], and the promise of many future adventures for them and for the Legion!</spoiler>
 
== Timeline ==
 
== Timeline ==
  
Line 40: Line 46:
 
|[[LNH Triple Play]] #4
 
|[[LNH Triple Play]] #4
 
|[[Jeff McCoskey]]
 
|[[Jeff McCoskey]]
|-
 
|[[Pliable Lad (series)|Pliable Lad]] #21
 
|[[Mike Escutia]]
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|[[Swordmaster and the Load Island Renegades]] #11
 
|[[Swordmaster and the Load Island Renegades]] #11
Line 73: Line 76:
 
|[[Nicks of Time]] #2
 
|[[Nicks of Time]] #2
 
|[[Badger]] & [[Jeff McCoskey]]
 
|[[Badger]] & [[Jeff McCoskey]]
|-
 
|[[Pliable Lad (series)|Pliable Lad]] #22
 
|[[Mike Escutia]]
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|[[Generation Y (series)|Generation Y]] Annual #1
 
|[[Generation Y (series)|Generation Y]] Annual #1
 
|[[Jeff McCoskey|Jeff]], [[Martin Phipps|Martin]], & [[Robert Armstrong|Mongoose]]
 
|[[Jeff McCoskey|Jeff]], [[Martin Phipps|Martin]], & [[Robert Armstrong|Mongoose]]
 
|-
 
|-
|[[Retcon Happy Hour]]
+
|'''Retcon Happy Hour'''
 
|[[Paul Hardy]]
 
|[[Paul Hardy]]
 
|-
 
|-
Line 109: Line 109:
 
|[[Unlikely Aliens (series)|Unlikely Aliens]] #5
 
|[[Unlikely Aliens (series)|Unlikely Aliens]] #5
 
|[[Scott Johnson]]
 
|[[Scott Johnson]]
|-
 
|[[Pliable Lad (series)|Pliable Lad]] #23-24
 
|[[Mike Escutia]]
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|[[Unlikely Aliens (series)|Unlikely Aliens]] #6
 
|[[Unlikely Aliens (series)|Unlikely Aliens]] #6
Line 139: Line 136:
 
|[[Decibel Dude & Vigilante Guy]] #0
 
|[[Decibel Dude & Vigilante Guy]] #0
 
|[[Tick]]
 
|[[Tick]]
 +
|-
 +
|[[LNH Comics Presents]] #22
 +
|[[Martin Phipps]]
 
|}
 
|}
 +
 +
== Legacy ==
 +
 +
Two series spun directly out of ''Retcon Hour'' &ndash; the ''[[Legion of Occult Heroes]]'' by [[Paul Hardy]], and ''[[Dvandom Force (series)|Dvandom Force]]'' by [[Dave Van Domelen]]. As well, ''[[Pliable Lad (series)|Pliable Lad]]'' #24 tied in, leading to the ''[[Retcon Midnight]]'' miniseries.
 +
 +
''Retcon Hour'' was divisive, with some disliking its chaotic nature. This lead to several writers creating what they thought a [[crossover]] should be, limited in scope and plotted out in advance, resulting in the ''[[Crisis of Infinite Sidekicks]]''.
 +
 +
Nonetheless, ''Retcon Hour'' was influential, the model for many later crossovers. Few of them rivaled its scope and level of engagement, partially because the event it celebrated &ndash; the founding of [[rec.arts.comics.creative]] &ndash; resulted in many members of the LNH community founding their own [[imprint]]s and focusing on those instead, and the LNH itself becoming less unified. ''Retcon Hour'' itself tends to be remembered fondly, with references and homages continuing to the present day; ''[[Legion of Net.Heroes Volume 3]]'' #2 deals with a consequence of ''Retcon Hour'' 25 years later.
  
 
== Where to Read ==
 
== Where to Read ==
  
 
The whole overcomplicated thing can be read on the [[Eyrie Archive]] over [http://archives.eyrie.org/racc/lnh/Crossovers/ here].
 
The whole overcomplicated thing can be read on the [[Eyrie Archive]] over [http://archives.eyrie.org/racc/lnh/Crossovers/ here].
 +
 +
It was also reposted by [[Arthur Spitzer]] as part of his [[Classic LNH Adventures]] series:
 +
* [https://lists.eyrie.org/pipermail/racc/2016-May/016138.html Retcon Hour Alpha] (''[[LNH Triple Play]]'' #4, ''[[Swordmaster and the Load Island Renegades]]'' #11, ''[[Generation Y (series)|Generation Y]]'' #7)
 +
* [https://lists.eyrie.org/pipermail/racc/2016-May/016150.html Retcon Hour Beta] (''[[Constellation (series)|Constellation]]'' #30, ''[[Nicks of Time]]'' #1, ''[[System Corruptors]]'' #16)
 +
* [https://lists.eyrie.org/pipermail/racc/2016-June/016164.html Retcon Hour Gamma] (''[[Generation Y (series)|Generation Y]]'' #8, ''[[U-Force (series)|U-Force]]'' #8, ''[[Swordmaster and the Load Island Renegades]]'' #12)
 +
* [https://lists.eyrie.org/pipermail/racc/2016-June/016179.html Retcon Hour Delta] (''[[Swordmaster and the Load Island Renegades]]'' #0, ''[[Nicks of Time]]'' #2, ''[[Generation Y (series)|Generation Y]]'' Annual #1)
 +
* [https://lists.eyrie.org/pipermail/racc/2016-June/016196.html Retcon Hour Epsilon] (''[[Errand Boy (series)|Errand Boy]]'' #6, ''[[U-Force (series)|U-Force]]'' #9. ''Retcon Happy Hour'')
 +
* [https://lists.eyrie.org/pipermail/racc/2016-July/016234.html Omaha Project - The Retcon Hours] (''[[Omaha Project]]'' #16-19)
 +
** Only #16 is necessary to read for the crossover &ndash; we beg of you, don't dive into the ''Omaha Project'' unprepared!
 +
* [https://lists.eyrie.org/pipermail/racc/2016-July/016255.html Retcon Hour Phi] (''[[Nicks of Time]]'' #3, ''[[Tales of the LNH]]'' #310, ''[[Legion of Net.Heroes Volume 1|LNH]]'' v1 #88, ''[[U-Force (series)|U-Force]]'' #10)
 +
* [https://lists.eyrie.org/pipermail/racc/2016-August/016267.html Retcon Hour Chi] (''[[Constellation (series)|Constellation]]'' #31, ''[[Unlikely Aliens (series)|Unlikely Aliens]]'' #5-6)
 +
* [https://lists.eyrie.org/pipermail/racc/2016-August/016276.html Retcon Hour Psi] (''[[Legion of Occult Heroes (series)|Legion of Occult Heroes]]'' #0, ''[[Tales of the LNH]]'' #311, ''[[Nicks of Time]]'' #4, ''[[LNH Comics Presents]]'' #21)
 +
* [https://lists.eyrie.org/pipermail/racc/2016-August/016323.html Retcon Hour Omega] (''Retcon Hour Omega'') (naturally)
 +
* [https://lists.eyrie.org/pipermail/racc/2016-August/016338.html Retcon Hour Odds and Ends] (''[[Decibel Dude & Vigilante Guy]]'' #0, ''[[LNH Comics Presents]]'' #22)
  
 
== Notes ==
 
== Notes ==

Latest revision as of 17:12, 19 May 2024

Retcon Hour was a Classic LNH crossover that started on June 28, 1994 and ended September 8, 1994. Kicked off by the approval of rec.arts.comics.creative, it was complicated, ridiculous and all over the place, one of the biggest LNH crossovers ever!

Writers

The Plot

Low-Spoilers Version

(Also, there's a crossover with the Omaha Project in there.)

Full Summary

Spoilers ahead for the whole goshdarn thing...

Timeline

Title Author
LNH Triple Play #4 Jeff McCoskey
Swordmaster and the Load Island Renegades #11 Badger
Generation Y #7 Martin Phipps
Constellation #30 Dave Van Domelen
Nicks of Time #1 Tick
System Corruptors #16 Badger & Jeff McCoskey
Generation Y #8 Martin Phipps
U-Force #8 Mystic Mongoose
Swordmaster and the Load Island Renegades #12 Badger
Swordmaster and the Load Island Renegades #0 Badger
Nicks of Time #2 Badger & Jeff McCoskey
Generation Y Annual #1 Jeff, Martin, & Mongoose
Retcon Happy Hour Paul Hardy
Omaha Project #16 Russ Allbery & David Anastasion
Errand Boy #6 Stirge
U-Force #9 Mystic Mongoose
Nicks of Time #3 Jeff McCoskey
Tales of the LNH #310 Hubert Bartels
LNH #88: This is Your Life! Martin Phipps
U-Force #10 Mystic Mongoose
Constellation #31 Dave Van Domelen
Unlikely Aliens #5 Scott Johnson
Unlikely Aliens #6 Scott Johnson
Surreal Tales #6 Patrick Gearman
Legion of Occult Heroes #0 Paul Hardy
Tales of the LNH #311 Hubert Bartels
Nicks of Time #4 Tick
LNH Comics Presents #21 Badger & Jeff McCoskey
Tales of the LNH #312 Hubert Bartels
Retcon Hour Omega Jeff McCoskey, Badger, Martin Phipps and the Mystic Mongoose
Decibel Dude & Vigilante Guy #0 Tick
LNH Comics Presents #22 Martin Phipps

Legacy

Two series spun directly out of Retcon Hour – the Legion of Occult Heroes by Paul Hardy, and Dvandom Force by Dave Van Domelen. As well, Pliable Lad #24 tied in, leading to the Retcon Midnight miniseries.

Retcon Hour was divisive, with some disliking its chaotic nature. This lead to several writers creating what they thought a crossover should be, limited in scope and plotted out in advance, resulting in the Crisis of Infinite Sidekicks.

Nonetheless, Retcon Hour was influential, the model for many later crossovers. Few of them rivaled its scope and level of engagement, partially because the event it celebrated – the founding of rec.arts.comics.creative – resulted in many members of the LNH community founding their own imprints and focusing on those instead, and the LNH itself becoming less unified. Retcon Hour itself tends to be remembered fondly, with references and homages continuing to the present day; Legion of Net.Heroes Volume 3 #2 deals with a consequence of Retcon Hour 25 years later.

Where to Read

The whole overcomplicated thing can be read on the Eyrie Archive over here.

It was also reposted by Arthur Spitzer as part of his Classic LNH Adventures series:

Notes

See also Kid Not Appearing In Any Retcon Hour Story.