# Is "Dead in the West" by Joe R. Lansdale a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Dead in the West by Joe R. Lansdale (Space & Time, 1986) is identified by: Space & Time (New York) softcover first edition, first printing, stating 'First printing: May 1986' on the copyright page. Space & Time softcover is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Space & Time (New York) softcover first edition, first printing, stating 'First printing: May 1986' on the copyright page
- Cover and frontispiece art by Allen Koszowski; the weird-western/zombie-western novella had earlier appeared serialized in Eldritch Tales
- Publisher imprint reads Space & Time
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Joe R. Lansdale |
| Publisher | Space & Time |
| Year | 1986 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Space & Time (New York) softcover first edition, first printing, stating 'First printing… |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
Space & Time (New York) softcover first edition, first printing, stating 'First printing: May 1986' on the copyright page. Cover and frontispiece art by Allen Koszowski; the weird-western/zombie-western novella had earlier appeared serialized in Eldritch Tales.

## Is this the true first?
Space & Time softcover is the true first. Later editions (including Night Shade) are first-thus reprints.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
N/A (paperback original).

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Dead in the West* by Joe R. Lansdale a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/dead-in-the-west
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.