Action Comics Weekly #637 for Sale - First Appearance of Helena Bertinelli - Where to Buy

Identification plate

Series: Action Comics Weekly (DC, 1988 series)
Issue: #637
Publication date: January 31, 1989
Key date: 1989-01-31
On-sale date: 1988-12-15
Indicia publisher: DC Comics Inc.
Price: $1.50; 1.85 CAD; 0.60 GBP
Pages: 52

Match the book in your hand against this plate before paying an edition-specific price.

Why this issue matters

First appearance of Helena Bertinelli - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of The Huntress - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Vril Dox II - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Strata - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Stealth - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Garryn Bek - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Lyrissa Mallor - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Hotshot - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Billy Lefferts - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Private Eyes - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Lester W. Lee - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Sturgis Butterfield - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Mr. Muscle - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Microwavabelle - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Voice-Over - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Diana Theotocopoulos - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Belle Jackson - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Andy Greenwald - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Diamondette - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Stretch - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Tom Longacre - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Soozie-Q - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Melanie Boulder - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of 500-ZQ - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of The Coordinator - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

The evidence

Claims here come from the story records for this issue, listed under Sources at the bottom of the file. Character hubs with full evidence tables are coming to this site.

Seq	Story	Type	Pages	Credits	Characters
0	See Hollywood -- and Die!	cover	1	pencils: Jerome Moore; inks: Jerome Moore; editing: Robert Greenberger	Roy Harper, Speedy
2	Exiles, Part 2	comic story	7	script: Mark Verheiden; pencils: Louis Williams; inks: Frank McLaughlin; colors: Julianna Ferriter; letters: Tim Harkins; editing: Robert Greenberger	Lian Harper, Roy Harper, Speedy
4	Never Trust a Demon!	comic story	7	script: Alan Grant; pencils: Mark Pacella; inks: Bill Wray; colors: Tatjana Wood; letters: John Costanza; editing: Dan Raspler	Jason Blood, Etrigan the Demon
6	First Day at Work	comic story	7	script: Bob Rozakis; pencils: Stephen De Stefano; inks: Schaffenberger; colors: Bob Ro; letters: Agustin Más; editing: Brian Augustyn	500-ZQ First, Melanie Boulder First, Sturgis Butterfield First, The Coordinator First, Diamondette First, Andy Greenwald First, Tex Thomson, Hotshot First, Belle Jackson First, Lester W. Lee First, Billy Lefferts First, Tom Longacre First, Microwavabelle First, Mr. Muscle First
7	The Power of Darkseid!	comic story	2	script: Roger Stern; pencils: Curt Swan; inks: Murphy Anderson; colors: Tom Ziuko; letters: Bill Oakley; editing: Mike Carlin	Darkseid, Clark Kent, Superman
9	-	letters page	2	script: Brian Augustyn; pencils: Jack Kirby; inks: Terry Austin	Jason Blood, Etrigan the Demon
11	10 Reason to Buy Suicide Squad in 1989!	promo (ad from the publisher)	0.5	pencils: Luke McDonnell; inks: Karl Kesel	The Bronze Tiger, Captain Boomerang, Doctor Light, Lashina, Digger Harkness, Jewelee, Vanessa Kingsbury, Dr. Arthur Light, Mari McCabe, Punch, Rac Shade, Shade, the Changing Man, Shrike, Benjamin Turner
12	-	promo (ad from the publisher)	1	letters: typeset	Helena Bertinelli First, The Huntress First
13	Luck Be a Lady	comic story	7	script: Len Strazewski; pencils: Chuck Austen; inks: Gary Martin; colors: Glenn Whitmore; letters: John Costanza; editing: Mark Waid	Phantom Lady, Dee Tyler
14	-	promo (ad from the publisher)	1	pencils: Luke McDonnell; inks: Luke McDonnell	The Phantom, Kit Walker
16	Invasion-Aftermath!	in-house column	1	letters: typeset
17	Crack Up, Chapter Two: Easy M$ney	comic story	7	script: Max Collins; pencils: Terry Beatty; inks: John Nyberg; colors: Carl Gafford; letters: Tim Harkins; editing: Brian Augustyn	Jack Wheeler, Wild Dog
18	-	promo (ad from the publisher)	1	letters: typeset	Lightray, Metron, Orion
19	Destiny Made Them a Team! Time Will Make Them Heroes!	promo (ad from the publisher)	1	pencils: Barry Kitson; inks: Barry Kitson	Garryn Bek First, Vril Dox II First, Lyrissa Mallor First, Stealth First, Strata First

Plus 6.5 pages of advertisements and other matter across 7 sequences, as published.

Where to read it

Collection	Year
Superman: The Power Within #[nn] ISBN 978-1-4012-5152-9	2015	On eBay ›

Reading the story costs a fraction of owning the issue. Both routes are on every file.

Before you buy

Confirm the UPC box: a publisher mark instead of a barcode means direct edition, a barcode means newsstand.
Glossy covers of this era show edge chipping easily. Check black edges closely in the photos.
Check the staples and centerfold; heavily read anniversary and key issues loosen there first.

Series context

‹ #63637 of 42#638 ›

Sources

Grand Comics Database, issue record (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Wikidata, Q93384289 (Helena Bertinelli), first-appearance property (CC0)

Found an error in this file? corrections@comicrecord.com