# Is "The Complete Calvin and Hobbes" by Bill Watterson a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Complete Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2005) is identified by: First edition, three-volume hardcover boxed set, Andrews McMeel, 2005. US true first of the complete collection.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition, three-volume hardcover boxed set, Andrews McMeel, 2005
- First printing identified by the number line and the original slipcase/box
- First-print sets predate the multiple later reprints of the boxed set
- The much earlier first book collection, 'Calvin and Hobbes' (Andrews McMeel, 1987, a trade paperback), is the earliest book appearance and a separate collectible
- Correct publisher/imprint: Andrews McMeel Publishing

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Bill Watterson |
| Publisher | Andrews McMeel Publishing |
| Year | 2005 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Comic / graphic novel |
| Key point | First edition, three-volume hardcover boxed set, Andrews McMeel, 2005 |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
First edition, three-volume hardcover boxed set, Andrews McMeel, 2005. First printing identified by the number line and the original slipcase/box. First-print sets predate the multiple later reprints of the boxed set. The much earlier first book collection, 'Calvin and Hobbes' (Andrews McMeel, 1987, a trade paperback), is the earliest book appearance and a separate collectible.

## Is this the true first?
US true first of the complete collection. The 1987 'Calvin and Hobbes' first collection is the earliest book appearance and a distinct collectible. Keep the 2005 complete set separate from the 1987 first collection.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition; later printings of the boxed set are common. Verify the first-printing number line and the 2005 date, and confirm the original packaging, since first-print sets are identified by both the number line and the original box.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Complete Calvin and Hobbes* by Bill Watterson a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-complete-calvin-and-hobbes
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.