The points of issue
First trade collection, gathering Preacher issues one through seven, Vertigo, 1996, softcover, ISBN 1-56389-261-8, with a foreword by Joe R. Lansdale and a Glenn Fabry cover. Stated first printing. The first print predates the many later Vertigo reprints.
Is this the true first?
US true first of the collected work. The serial Preacher issue one, 1995, Vertigo, is the true first appearance of Jesse Custer and is a separate key issue. Distinguish the collected trade from the serial first issue.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition is recorded. Later printings carry explicit printing-number statements and revised barcodes. Confirm the 1996 first printing.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Preacher: Gone to Texas (Book One) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First trade collection, gathering Preacher issues one through seven, Vertigo, 1996, softcover, ISBN 1-56389-261-8, with a foreword by Joe R. Lansdale and a Glenn Fabry cover. Stated first printing. The first print predates the many later Vertigo reprints.
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. US true first of the collected work. The serial Preacher issue one, 1995, Vertigo, is the true first appearance of Jesse Custer and is a separate key issue. Distinguish the collected trade from the serial first issue.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition is recorded. Later printings carry explicit printing-number statements and revised barcodes. Confirm the 1996 first printing.
I have a first edition of Preacher: Gone to Texas (Book One) — 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.