# Is "A Fine Dark Line" by Joe R. Lansdale a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of A Fine Dark Line by Joe R. Lansdale (Subterranean Press, 2002) is identified by: The true first is the Subterranean Press signed limited edition, published in 2002, which also contains exclusive material (two unused prologues and an afterword) not in the trade edition. The Subterranean Press limited edition of 2002 is the true first and predates the Mysterious Press trade hardcover of January 2003.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The true first is the Subterranean Press signed limited edition, published in 2002, which also contains exclusive material (two unused prologues and an afterword) not in the trade edition
- The Mysterious Press trade hardcover (ISBN 0892967293) followed in January 2003 and is the first trade edition, identified by the copyright-page number line
- Publisher imprint reads Subterranean Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Joe R. Lansdale |
| Publisher | Subterranean Press |
| Year | 2002 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The true first is the Subterranean Press signed limited edition, published in 2002, which… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
The true first is the Subterranean Press signed limited edition, published in 2002, which also contains exclusive material (two unused prologues and an afterword) not in the trade edition. The Mysterious Press trade hardcover (ISBN 0892967293) followed in January 2003 and is the first trade edition, identified by the copyright-page number line.

## Is this the true first?
The Subterranean Press limited edition of 2002 is the true first and predates the Mysterious Press trade hardcover of January 2003. Original publisher and year corrected accordingly.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A book-club edition of the Mysterious Press trade text exists; it lacks the number line and printed jacket price and is typically a lighter blind-stamped volume.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *A Fine Dark Line* by Joe R. Lansdale a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/a-fine-dark-line
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.