Who's Who: Update '87 #4 - First Appearance of Comedian, Printings and Contents

Identification plate

Series: Who's Who: Update '87 (DC, 1987 series)
Issue: #4
Publication date: November 1987
Key date: November 1987
On-sale date: July 14, 1987
Indicia publisher: DC Comics Inc.
Price: $1.25; 1.75 CAD; 0.60 GBP
Pages: 36

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

Why this issue matters

First appearance (profile) of Comedian - the earliest appearance on record is a character profile, not a story.

First appearance (profile) of Silk Spectre - the earliest appearance on record is a character profile, not a story.

First appearance (profile) of Hades - the earliest appearance on record is a character profile, not a story.

First appearance (profile) of Overthrow - the earliest appearance on record is a character profile, not a story.

First appearance (profile) of Arnold Beck - the earliest appearance on record is a character profile, not a story.

First appearance (profile) of Mr. 104 - the earliest appearance on record is a character profile, not a story.

First appearance (profile) of Richard Perignon - the earliest appearance on record is a character profile, not a story.

First appearance (profile) of The Muse - the earliest appearance on record is a character profile, not a story.

First appearance (profile) of Morpheus - the earliest appearance on record is a character profile, not a story.

First appearance (profile) of Erosanda - the earliest appearance on record is a character profile, not a story.

First appearance (profile) of Falkon - the earliest appearance on record is a character profile, not a story.

First appearance (profile) of Kontentos - the earliest appearance on record is a character profile, not a story.

First appearance (profile) of Krishlar - the earliest appearance on record is a character profile, not a story.

First appearance (profile) of Sain - the earliest appearance on record is a character profile, not a story.

First appearance (profile) of Satorana - the earliest appearance on record is a character profile, not a story.

First appearance (profile) of Viridium - the earliest appearance on record is a character profile, not a story.

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	Who's Who	cover	2	pencils: Todd McFarlane; inks: Todd McFarlane
1	Who's Who Letters	letters page	1	letters: typeset
2	Lois Lane	character profile	1	script: Mike W. Barr, Joey Cavalieri, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Doug Moench, John Ostrander; pencils: John Byrne; inks: John Byrne; colors: Anthony Tollin	Lois Lane
3	Lords of the Ultra-Realm	character profile	2	script: Mike W. Barr, Joey Cavalieri, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Doug Moench, John Ostrander; pencils: Pat Broderick; inks: Pat Broderick; colors: Anthony Tollin	Erosanda First, Falkon First, Kontentos First, Krishlar First, Lashtarr, Maurkon, Mortanos, Myridian, Sain First, Satorana First, Shatragon, Squamonoton, Viridium First, Zorla
4	Madmen	character profile	1	script: Mike W. Barr, Joey Cavalieri, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Doug Moench, John Ostrander; pencils: Carl Potts; inks: Al Milgrom; colors: Anthony Tollin; letters: Todd Klein	• Fleeter
5	Magpie	character profile	1	script: Mike W. Barr, Joey Cavalieri, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Doug Moench, John Ostrander; pencils: John Byrne; inks: John Byrne; colors: Anthony Tollin	Magpie, Margaret Pye
6	Marine Marauder	character profile	1	script: Mike W. Barr, Joey Cavalieri, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Doug Moench, John Ostrander; pencils: Ty Templeton; inks: Ty Templeton; colors: Anthony Tollin; letters: Todd Klein	Marine Marauder [Marlene Simmonds]
7	Mentalla	character profile	1	script: Mike W. Barr, Joey Cavalieri, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Doug Moench, John Ostrander; pencils: Steve Lightle; inks: Steve Lightle; colors: Anthony Tollin	Deyla Castil, Mentalla
8	Metallo	character profile	1	script: Mike W. Barr, Joey Cavalieri, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Doug Moench, John Ostrander; pencils: John Byrne; inks: John Byrne; colors: Anthony Tollin; letters: Todd Klein	John Corben, Metallo
9	Mikado	character profile	1	script: Mike W. Barr, Joey Cavalieri, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Doug Moench, John Ostrander; pencils: Denys Cowan; inks: Greg Brooks; colors: Anthony Tollin	Mikado [Spaulding, M.D. (first name unrevealed)]
10	Mindancer	character profile	1	script: Mike W. Barr, Joey Cavalieri, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Doug Moench, John Ostrander; pencils: Dan Jurgens; inks: Joe Rubinstein; colors: Anthony Tollin; letters: Todd Klein	Mindancer
11	Minutemen	character profile	1	script: Mike W. Barr, Joey Cavalieri, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Doug Moench, John Ostrander; pencils: Dave Gibbons; inks: Dave Gibbons; colors: Anthony Tollin	Edward Blake, William Brady, Captain Metropolis, Comedian First, Dollar Bill, Nelson Gardner, Hooded Justice, Sally Jupiter, Byron Lewis, Hollis Mason, Mothman, Nite Owl, Silhouette, Silk Spectre First
12	Mr. Bones	character profile	1	script: Mike W. Barr, Joey Cavalieri, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Doug Moench, John Ostrander; pencils: Todd McFarlane; inks: Todd McFarlane; colors: Anthony Tollin	Mr. Bones
13	Mr. 104	character profile	1	script: Mike W. Barr, Joey Cavalieri, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Doug Moench, John Ostrander; pencils: Richard Bruning; inks: Karl Kesel; colors: Anthony Tollin	John Dubrovny, Mr. 104 First
14	Mon-El	character profile	1	script: Mike W. Barr, Joey Cavalieri, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Doug Moench, John Ostrander; pencils: Chuck Patton; inks: Robert Campanella; colors: Anthony Tollin	Lar Gand, Mon-El
15	Moonbow	character profile	1	script: Mike W. Barr, Joey Cavalieri, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Doug Moench, John Ostrander; pencils: Steve Bové; inks: Dick Giordano; colors: Anthony Tollin	Brittany Brandon, Moonbow
16	Muse	character profile	1	script: Mike W. Barr, Joey Cavalieri, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Doug Moench, John Ostrander; pencils: Martin King; inks: Dennis Janke; colors: Anthony Tollin	The Muse First, Richard Perignon First
17	New Atlantis	character profile	1	script: Mike W. Barr, Joey Cavalieri, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Doug Moench, John Ostrander; pencils: Art Thibert; inks: Jim Valentino; colors: Anthony Tollin
18	Olympian Gods	character profile	2	script: Mike W. Barr, Joey Cavalieri, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Doug Moench, John Ostrander; pencils: George Pérez; inks: George Pérez; colors: Anthony Tollin	Aphrodite, Ares, Artemis, Boreas, Demeter, Dionysus, Eos, Eros, Hades First, Hephaestus, Hera, Hermes, Hestia, Morpheus First
19	The Outsiders	character profile	2	script: Mike W. Barr, Joey Cavalieri, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Doug Moench, John Ostrander; pencils: Jim Aparo; inks: Jim Aparo; colors: Anthony Tollin	The Atomic Knight, Batman, Black Lightning, Emily Briggs, Geo-Force, Gardner Grayle, Halo, Violet Harper / Gabrielle Doe, Dr. Helga Jace, Wendy Jones, Katana, Looker, Brion Markov, Rex Mason
20	Overthrow	character profile	1	script: Mike W. Barr, Joey Cavalieri, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Doug Moench, John Ostrander; pencils: Ross Andru; inks: Joe Rubinstein; colors: Anthony Tollin; letters: Todd Klein	Arnold Beck First, Overthrow First
21	Paradise Island	character profile	1	script: Mike W. Barr, Joey Cavalieri, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Doug Moench, John Ostrander; pencils: George Pérez; inks: George Pérez; colors: Anthony Tollin
22	Parasite	character profile	1	script: Mike W. Barr, Joey Cavalieri, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Doug Moench, John Ostrander; pencils: Joe Brozowski; inks: Steve Mitchell; colors: Anthony Tollin	Rudy Jones, Parasite
23	Peacemaker	character profile	1	script: Mike W. Barr, Joey Cavalieri, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Doug Moench, John Ostrander; pencils: Tod Smith; inks: Tod Smith; colors: Anthony Tollin	The Peacemaker, Christopher Smith
24	The People's Heroes	character profile	1	script: Mike W. Barr, Joey Cavalieri, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Doug Moench, John Ostrander; pencils: Jim Aparo; inks: Jim Aparo; colors: Anthony Tollin	Bolshoi, Hammer, Molotov, Pravda, Sickle, Boris Ulyanov, Natasha Ulyanov
25	Phantom of the Fair	character profile	1	script: Mike W. Barr, Joey Cavalieri, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Doug Moench, John Ostrander; pencils: Michael Bair; inks: Michael Bair; colors: Anthony Tollin	Phantom of the Fair
26	Power Girl	character profile	1	script: Mike W. Barr, Joey Cavalieri, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Doug Moench, John Ostrander; pencils: Mary Wilshire; inks: Mary Wilshire; colors: Anthony Tollin	Power Girl, Kara Zor-L
27	Protector	character profile	1	script: Mike W. Barr, Joey Cavalieri, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Doug Moench, John Ostrander; pencils: June Brigman; inks: Karl Kesel; colors: Anthony Tollin	Jason Hart, The Protector
28	The Question	character profile	1	script: Mike W. Barr, Joey Cavalieri, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Doug Moench, John Ostrander; pencils: Denys Cowan; inks: Bob Smith; colors: Anthony Tollin	The Question, Vic Sage
29	Qurac	character profile	1	script: Mike W. Barr, Joey Cavalieri, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Doug Moench, John Ostrander; pencils: Luke McDonnell; inks: Arne Starr; colors: Anthony Tollin
30	Rampage	character profile	1	script: Mike W. Barr, Joey Cavalieri, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Doug Moench, John Ostrander; pencils: John Byrne; inks: John Byrne; colors: Anthony Tollin	Kitty Faulkner, Rampage
31	-	promo (ad from the publisher)	1	pencils: various; inks: various; letters: typeset

Printings and variants

Edition	How to tell
Newsstand	price 1.25 USD; barcode 07098931697111
Canadian	price 1.75 CAD; barcode 07098931697111

Where to read it

Collection	Year
Superman: The Man of Steel #2 ISBN 1-4012-0005-2	2003	On eBay ›
Amazing Heroes #154	1988	On eBay ›
Superman: The Man of Steel #9 ISBN 978-1-4012-6637-0	2017	On eBay ›
Wonder Woman by George Pérez Omnibus #2 ISBN 978-1-4012-7238-8	2017	On eBay ›
Wonder Woman by George Pérez #3 ISBN 978-1-4012-7832-8	2018	On eBay ›
The Doom Patrol: The Bronze Age Omnibus #[nn] ISBN 978-1-4012-9883-8	2020	On eBay ›
Superman: The Man of Steel #1 ISBN 978-1-77950-491-3	2020	On eBay ›
Superman: The Man of Steel #2 ISBN 978-1-77950-591-0	2021	On eBay ›
Who's Who Omnibus #1 ISBN 978-1-77950-599-6	2021	On eBay ›
Watchmen Companion #[nn] ISBN 978-1-77950-239-1	2019	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

‹ #34 of 5#5 ›

Sources

Grand Comics Database, issue record (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Wikidata, Q2591461 (Comedian), first-appearance property (CC0)
Wikidata, Q139820560 (Sain), first-appearance property (CC0)

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