origin of the term Retroactive continuity was coined by comic book writer Roy Thomas in his 1980s series All Star Squadron which featured the DC Comics superheroes of the 1940s The earliest known use of the term is from Thomas s letter column in All Star Squadron 20 April 1983 where Roy Thomas wrote that he heard it at a convention This makes very little sense First it is asserted that Thomas coined the phrase But according to the next sentence he didn t coin it he heard it at a convention Does anyone know which of these is true