The points of issue
First book edition: Drawn & Quarterly hardcover with dust jacket, 2007, collecting Optic Nerve issues 9 through 11. A first printing carries no additional-printing statement on the indicia.
Is this the true first?
The material first appeared serially in Optic Nerve issues 9 through 11; the 2007 Drawn & Quarterly hardcover is the first book edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition; the later softcover is a first thus.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Shortcomings a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First book edition: Drawn & Quarterly hardcover with dust jacket, 2007, collecting Optic Nerve issues 9 through 11. A first printing carries no additional-printing statement on the indicia.
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 material first appeared serially in Optic Nerve issues 9 through 11; the 2007 Drawn & Quarterly hardcover is the first book edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition; the later softcover is a first thus.
I have a first edition of Shortcomings — 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.