The points of issue
First appeared as the four-issue prestige-format illustrated series (DC/Vertigo, 1997-1998), then as the illustrated hardcover Stardust: Being a Romance Within the Realms of Faerie (DC/Vertigo, 1998). The illustrated edition precedes the text-only novel (Avon in the US and Headline in the UK, 1999).
Is this the true first?
The illustrated Vertigo edition (1997-1998) is the true first; the text-only 1999 novel editions follow. Note this unusual illustrated-first precedence.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Text-only trade editions and later illustrated reprints postdate the original prestige series and 1998 hardcover.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Stardust (illustrated, with Charles Vess) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First appeared as the four-issue prestige-format illustrated series (DC/Vertigo, 1997-1998), then as the illustrated hardcover Stardust: Being a Romance Within the Realms of Faerie (DC/Vertigo, 1998). The illustrated edition precedes the text-only novel (Avon in the US and Headline in the UK, 1999).
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 illustrated Vertigo edition (1997-1998) is the true first; the text-only 1999 novel editions follow. Note this unusual illustrated-first precedence.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Text-only trade editions and later illustrated reprints postdate the original prestige series and 1998 hardcover.
I have a first edition of Stardust (illustrated, with Charles Vess) — 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.