# Is "Bad Chili" by Joe R. Lansdale a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Bad Chili by Joe R. Lansdale (Mysterious Press, 1997) is identified by: Two 1997 firsts exist. Mojo Press limited edition (500 signed copies) is the true first; the Mysterious Press trade hardcover is the first trade edition and followed it.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Two 1997 firsts exist
- The true first is the Mojo Press edition, limited to 500 copies signed by author and artist
- The Mysterious Press New York trade hardcover (ISBN 0892966196) is the first trade edition, identified by the number line on the copyright page and no later-printing or book-club statement
- Publisher imprint reads Mysterious Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Joe R. Lansdale |
| Publisher | Mysterious Press |
| Year | 1997 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Two 1997 firsts exist |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Two 1997 firsts exist. The true first is the Mojo Press edition, limited to 500 copies signed by author and artist. The Mysterious Press New York trade hardcover (ISBN 0892966196) is the first trade edition, identified by the number line on the copyright page and no later-printing or book-club statement.

## Is this the true first?
Mojo Press limited edition (500 signed copies) is the true first; the Mysterious Press trade hardcover is the first trade edition and followed it. Hap and Leonard book four.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A book-club edition of the Mysterious Press trade text exists; it lacks the number line and is typically a smaller, blind-stamped, lighter volume without a printed jacket price.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Bad Chili* by Joe R. Lansdale a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/bad-chili
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.