Care Bears #1 - First Appearance of Tenderheart Bear, Printings and Contents

Identification plate

Series: Care Bears (Marvel, 1985 series)
Issue: #1
Publication date: November 1985
Key date: November 1985
On-sale date: August 2, 1985
Indicia publisher: Marvel Comics Group
Price: $0.65; 0.30 GBP; 0.75 CAD
Pages: 36

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

Why this issue matters

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

First appearance (cover) of Funshine Bear - the earliest appearance on record is a cover, not an interior story.

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

First appearance (cover) of Cheer Bear - the earliest appearance on record is a cover, not an interior story.

First appearance (cover) of Birthday Bear - the earliest appearance on record is a cover, not an interior story.

First appearance of Good Luck Bear - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance (cover) of Bedtime Bear - the earliest appearance on record is a cover, not an interior story.

First appearance (cover) of Love-a-Lot Bear - the earliest appearance on record is a cover, not an interior story.

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

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

First appearance of Secret Bear - 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	-	cover	1	script: Howie Post; pencils: Howie Post; inks: Roberta Edelman; colors: Isabell Bidwell; letters: Grace Kremer	Bedtime Bear First, Birthday Bear First, Cheer Bear First, Funshine Bear First, Good Luck Bear First, Love-a-Lot Bear First
1	The Plot to Steal Summer	comic story	21	script: Howard Post; pencils: Howard Post; inks: Roberta Edelman; colors: Isabell Bidwell; letters: Grace Kremer	Friend Bear First, Funshine Bear First, Good Luck Bear First, Grumpy Bear First, Love-a-Lot Bear First, Tenderheart Bear First, Champ Bear First, Secret Bear First
2	Top Dog is the Talk of the Town!	promo (ad from the publisher)	1	pencils: Warren Kremer; inks: Warren Kremer	Joey Jordan, Lizzie Jordan, Top Dog
3	Subscription Offer for Star Comics	promo (ad from the publisher)	1		Top Dog
4	They Have Already Begun to Talk About... Planet Terry	promo (ad from the publisher)	1	pencils: Warren Kremer; inks: Warren Kremer	Planet Terry
5	Star Signals	in-house column	0.5	script: Tom DeFalco
6	Check List	promo (ad from the publisher)	0.5	letters: typeset
7	How to be a Care Bears/Woman's Day Care-A-Lot Kid!	public service announcement	2

Printings and variants

Edition	How to tell
Newsstand	price 0.65 USD; barcode 0714860255011
Canadian	price 0.75 CAD; barcode 0714860255011

Where to read it

Collection	Year
Star Comics Magazine #2	1987	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

1 of 20#2 ›

Sources

Grand Comics Database, issue record (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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