# Is "Empire: A Visual Novel" by Samuel R. Delany (art Howard Chaykin) a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Empire: A Visual Novel by Samuel R. Delany (art Howard Chaykin) (Berkley Windhover / Berkley-Putnam, 1978) is identified by: Early American graphic novel, large format, full-color art by Howard Chaykin. US 1978 publication is the true first; the trade paperback and hardcover appeared simultaneously, so neither has clear precedence.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Early American graphic novel, large format, full-color art by Howard Chaykin
- Issued in October 1978 simultaneously in three forms: a Berkley Windhover trade paperback, a Berkley/Putnam hardcover, and a signed limited hardcover
- First printings state First Berkley Windhover Edition (or the corresponding Putnam first-edition statement on the hardcover)
- Publisher imprint reads Berkley Windhover / Berkley-Putnam
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Samuel R. Delany (art Howard Chaykin) |
| Publisher | Berkley Windhover / Berkley-Putnam |
| Year | 1978 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Early American graphic novel, large format, full-color art by Howard Chaykin |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Early American graphic novel, large format, full-color art by Howard Chaykin. Issued in October 1978 simultaneously in three forms: a Berkley Windhover trade paperback, a Berkley/Putnam hardcover, and a signed limited hardcover. First printings state First Berkley Windhover Edition (or the corresponding Putnam first-edition statement on the hardcover).

## Is this the true first?
US 1978 publication is the true first; the trade paperback and hardcover appeared simultaneously, so neither has clear precedence. The signed limited hardcover is the collected issue.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
None.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Empire: A Visual Novel* by Samuel R. Delany (art Howard Chaykin) a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/empire-a-visual-novel
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.