AR

Legion fans have adopted the use of AR, short for "anal retentive," to denote comics which have either some connection to the Legion of Super-Heroes, but which are not part of any regular Legion series, or a significant guest appearance.

The use of "AR," often by posting an "AR Alert" on any number of Legion-related message boards or email lists, indicates that the item of interest (not necessarily a comic book) has some Legion content, although only a fanatic Legion collector is likely to make a special effort to seek it out for that reason alone. The term has been in use since the mid-1990s after originating on the rec.arts.comics.dc.lsh Usenet newsgroup [1], and was described in the group's FAQ as "when used in conjunction with a Legion appearance, it usually refers to an appearance that only a true LSH completist would find it necessary to own." [2]

Examples of AR comics include:

• Asides - in which a character mentions a Legion character, item, or an alien race most often associated with the 30th century world of the Legion.
• Cameos - in which a Legion character, item, or alien race appears for only a few panels and/or is not central to the plot of the story.
• Easter Eggs - in which a Legion character or item is drawn into the background of a panel.
• Twice-Told Tales - in which the comic has no Legion content, but whose plot was later recycled as a Legion story.