Harry Stein
Encyclopedia
Harry Stein is a fictional police officer
and secret agent
featured in DC Comics
. Stein first appeared in Vigilante
series 1 #23, (November 1985), and was created by Paul Kupperberg
and Tod Smith.
. His first DCU appearance was in Vigilante
#23 where he is introduced as the head of a police task force operating out of Midtown South. This task force's sole job is the apprehension of Vigilante (Adrian Chase) whom they believed was a cop killer. Gary Washington the very first Checkmate
Knight was also introduced during Harry Stein's run, in Vigilante issue #24 as Stein's partner. In Vigilante Annual #2, Harry Stein uses illegally obtained evidence to prove Adrian Chase is the Vigilante. Stein admitted to illegal search and seizure and all charges against Chase were thrown out. In Vigilante #37 Stein is forced to resign by his supervisor Chief Rogers and hands over his badge, Rogers informs him that there are criminal charges pending against him.
In Vigilante #37, Harry is recruited into the Agency by Valentina Vostok
, his first mission is to help a mentally unbalanced Vigilante (Adrian Chase) take down a ship full of middle eastern terrorists. During the mission, Vostok, Stein and Chase come into conflict with an equally deranged Peacemaker
(Christopher Smith), a man that Adrian Chase had sworn to kill.
Ironically, Adrian Chase would become a cop killer, but he commits suicide out of regret.
series 2 #2, heading for a meeting with his boss, Valentina Vostok. Harry later makes it inside Kalki's complex (father of Celsius
), and shuts down the electrical plant long enough for the Doom Patrol to free themselves from Kalki's traps. Harry promises to leave any mention of Joshua Clay
's double identity as doctor Johnathan Carmichael out of his reports. Harry later informs the Doom Patrol that the Agency needed them to rescue an American superhero who had been taken hostage in San Salvador
.
. Stein later sought out the most stable personnel available from the American and international intelligence and law enforcement communities to form Checkmate. His agency would field only the best-trained and well-equipped of agents, working under the strictest rules of secrecy. For the organizational structure of the re-organized Agency, Stein chose the game of chess
as his working model.
Stein brought in Gary Washington (Knight One) and Black Thorn
as operatives, both of whom were his friends, and both of whom were introduced during his run on Vigilante. Harry Stein's sons Barry and Matthew are introduced in Checkmate series 1 issue #2.
On a rare vacation with his sons, Harry confronts a murderous gang of thieves robbing the payroll of a popular and extensive amusement park. Harry deals with the gang, mostly on his own. Months later, he almost loses one of his sons to a killer's bullet. Harry Stein's last recorded appearance was in Checkmate #33 (January 1991), the final issue of the original series.
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
and secret agent
Secret Agent
Secret Agent is a British film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, loosely based on two stories in Ashenden: Or the British Agent by W. Somerset Maugham. The film starred John Gielgud, Peter Lorre, Madeleine Carroll, and Robert Young...
featured in DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
. Stein first appeared in Vigilante
Vigilante (comics)
Vigilante is the name used by several fictional characters appearing in DC Comics. The original character was one of the first DC Comics characters adapted for live-action film, beating Superman by one year.-Greg Saunders:...
series 1 #23, (November 1985), and was created by Paul Kupperberg
Paul Kupperberg
Paul Kupperberg is a former editor for DC Comics, and a prolific writer of comic books and newspaper strips.-Biography:Kupperberg entered the comics field from comics fandom, as had his brother, writer/artist Alan Kupperberg...
and Tod Smith.
Vigilante
Lieutenant Harry Stein is an eighteen-year veteran of the NYPDNew York City Police Department
The New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest municipal police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City...
. His first DCU appearance was in Vigilante
Vigilante (comics)
Vigilante is the name used by several fictional characters appearing in DC Comics. The original character was one of the first DC Comics characters adapted for live-action film, beating Superman by one year.-Greg Saunders:...
#23 where he is introduced as the head of a police task force operating out of Midtown South. This task force's sole job is the apprehension of Vigilante (Adrian Chase) whom they believed was a cop killer. Gary Washington the very first Checkmate
Checkmate (comics)
Checkmate, a division of Task Force X, is a fictional covert operations agency within the DC Comics universe. It first appeared in Action Comics #598 and proceeded to have its own ongoing title in Checkmate!...
Knight was also introduced during Harry Stein's run, in Vigilante issue #24 as Stein's partner. In Vigilante Annual #2, Harry Stein uses illegally obtained evidence to prove Adrian Chase is the Vigilante. Stein admitted to illegal search and seizure and all charges against Chase were thrown out. In Vigilante #37 Stein is forced to resign by his supervisor Chief Rogers and hands over his badge, Rogers informs him that there are criminal charges pending against him.
In Vigilante #37, Harry is recruited into the Agency by Valentina Vostok
Valentina Vostok
Valentina Vostok is a fictional character by DC Comics. She first appeared in Showcase #94, , and was created by Paul Kupperberg and Jim Aparo.-Fictional character biography:...
, his first mission is to help a mentally unbalanced Vigilante (Adrian Chase) take down a ship full of middle eastern terrorists. During the mission, Vostok, Stein and Chase come into conflict with an equally deranged Peacemaker
Peacemaker (comics)
The Peacemaker is the name of a series of superheroes originally owned by Charlton Comics and later acquired by DC Comics. The original Peacemaker first appeared in Fightin' 5 #40 The Peacemaker is the name of a series of superheroes originally owned by Charlton Comics and later acquired by DC...
(Christopher Smith), a man that Adrian Chase had sworn to kill.
Ironically, Adrian Chase would become a cop killer, but he commits suicide out of regret.
Doom Patrol
Harry Stein shows up next in Doom PatrolDoom Patrol
The Doom Patrol is a superhero team appearing in publications from DC Comics. The original Doom Patrol first appeared in My Greatest Adventure #80...
series 2 #2, heading for a meeting with his boss, Valentina Vostok. Harry later makes it inside Kalki's complex (father of Celsius
Celsius (comics)
Celsius is the superhero alias of Arani Desai, a fictional character in the DC Comics series, Doom Patrol. She first appeared in Showcase #94 , and was created by Paul Kupperberg and Joe Staton...
), and shuts down the electrical plant long enough for the Doom Patrol to free themselves from Kalki's traps. Harry promises to leave any mention of Joshua Clay
Joshua Clay
Joshua Clay is a fictional character, a member of the superhero team Doom Patrol in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Kupperberg and Joe Staton, he first appears as the hero Tempest in Showcase #94 ....
's double identity as doctor Johnathan Carmichael out of his reports. Harry later informs the Doom Patrol that the Agency needed them to rescue an American superhero who had been taken hostage in San Salvador
San Salvador
The city of San Salvador the capital and largest city of El Salvador, which has been designated a Gamma World City. Its complete name is La Ciudad de Gran San Salvador...
.
Checkmate
Harry Stein is appointed Valentina Vostok's replacement in the Agency's command position by Amanda WallerAmanda Waller
Dr. Amanda Blake Waller is a character published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Legends #1 in 1986, and was created by John Ostrander, Len Wein, and John Byrne...
. Stein later sought out the most stable personnel available from the American and international intelligence and law enforcement communities to form Checkmate. His agency would field only the best-trained and well-equipped of agents, working under the strictest rules of secrecy. For the organizational structure of the re-organized Agency, Stein chose the game of chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
as his working model.
Stein brought in Gary Washington (Knight One) and Black Thorn
Black Thorn (comics)
Black Thorn is a DC Comics character. She first appeared in Vigilante #45 , and was created by Paul Kupperberg and Tod Smith.-Fictional character biography:...
as operatives, both of whom were his friends, and both of whom were introduced during his run on Vigilante. Harry Stein's sons Barry and Matthew are introduced in Checkmate series 1 issue #2.
On a rare vacation with his sons, Harry confronts a murderous gang of thieves robbing the payroll of a popular and extensive amusement park. Harry deals with the gang, mostly on his own. Months later, he almost loses one of his sons to a killer's bullet. Harry Stein's last recorded appearance was in Checkmate #33 (January 1991), the final issue of the original series.