The points of issue
Serial: four-issue prestige series, DC, 1996, with no printing line on first-print issues. First collected trade, DC, 1997, softcover; the first-print collected edition states the first printing. A signed and numbered two-volume slipcased hardcover (the main book plus a Revelations volume of additional story and developmental art) was co-published by DC and Graphitti Designs in 1997, foil-stamped with gilt edges and a signature page signed by Waid and Ross.
Is this the true first?
The 1996 four-issue series is the serial first; the 1997 DC collected edition is the first book; the DC/Graphitti Designs signed and numbered slipcased hardcover is the premium limited state. Distinguish the three.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition. The oversized Absolute Kingdom Come slipcase and later reprints are later. Verify the 1996 and 1997 first printings.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Kingdom Come a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Serial: four-issue prestige series, DC, 1996, with no printing line on first-print issues. First collected trade, DC, 1997, softcover; the first-print collected edition states the first printing. A signed and numbered two-volume slipcased hardcover (the main book plus a Revelations volume of additional story and developmental art) was co-published by DC and Graphitti Designs in 1997, foil-stamped with gilt edges and a signature page signed by Waid and Ross.
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 1996 four-issue series is the serial first; the 1997 DC collected edition is the first book; the DC/Graphitti Designs signed and numbered slipcased hardcover is the premium limited state. Distinguish the three.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition. The oversized Absolute Kingdom Come slipcase and later reprints are later. Verify the 1996 and 1997 first printings.
I have a first edition of Kingdom Come — 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.