The points of issue
Sphere paperback original, London, 1985. First printing shows the 1985 Sphere first-edition statement with no later-printing notice; Sphere reprinted in 1987. Published in the US retitled In the Flesh.
Is this the true first?
The 1985 Sphere paperback original is the true first edition. Weidenfeld & Nicolson issued a UK hardcover the same year (with a 200-copy signed and boxed limited issue). The US Poseidon hardcover, retitled In the Flesh, followed in 1986, and a Scream/Press signed limited in 1988.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A Doubleday book club hardcover of In the Flesh appeared in 1987; club copies lack the Poseidon trade edition's tells. Later Sphere printings and the 1991 Macdonald hardcover are not firsts.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Clive Barker's Books of Blood, Volume 5 a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Sphere paperback original, London, 1985. First printing shows the 1985 Sphere first-edition statement with no later-printing notice; Sphere reprinted in 1987. Published in the US retitled In the Flesh.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. The 1985 Sphere paperback original is the true first edition. Weidenfeld & Nicolson issued a UK hardcover the same year (with a 200-copy signed and boxed limited issue). The US Poseidon hardcover, retitled In the Flesh, followed in 1986, and a Scream/Press signed limited in 1988.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
A Doubleday book club hardcover of In the Flesh appeared in 1987; club copies lack the Poseidon trade edition's tells. Later Sphere printings and the 1991 Macdonald hardcover are not firsts.
I have a first edition of Clive Barker's Books of Blood, Volume 5 — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.