# Is "Rage" by Richard Bachman (Stephen King) a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Rage by Richard Bachman (Stephen King) (Signet, 1977) is identified by: Signet paperback original, catalog number W7645, ISBN 0-451-07645-1. Paperback original; no hardcover first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Signet paperback original, catalog number W7645, ISBN 0-451-07645-1
- Copyright page states FIRST PRINTING, SEPTEMBER, 1977 with a full number line beginning at 1 (1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9)
- Collates roughly [10], 212, [2 ads]. As by Richard Bachman
- Publisher imprint reads Signet
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Richard Bachman (Stephen King) |
| Publisher | Signet |
| Year | 1977 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Signet paperback original, catalog number W7645, ISBN 0-451-07645-1 |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Signet paperback original, catalog number W7645, ISBN 0-451-07645-1. Copyright page states FIRST PRINTING, SEPTEMBER, 1977 with a full number line beginning at 1 (1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9). Collates roughly [10], 212, [2 ads]. As by Richard Bachman.

## Is this the true first?
Paperback original; no hardcover first. Earliest Bachman title and scarce in collectible grade. UK New English Library edition came later.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
N/A (paperback original); later printings show a higher printing statement or a number line lacking 1.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Rage* by Richard Bachman (Stephen King) a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/rage
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.