Harry Stein (comics)

Harry Stein
Harry Stein, art by Steve Erwin
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Vigilante series 1 #23, (November 1985)
Created by	Paul Kupperberg (writer) Tod Smith (artist)
In-story information
Alter ego	Harry Stein
Team affiliations	Checkmate The Agency NYPD
Notable aliases	King
Abilities	Experienced police officer and espionage agent.

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.

Lieutenant Harry Stein is an eighteen-year veteran of the NYPD. 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.

Harry Stein shows up next in Doom Patrol 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.