# Is "The Complete Maus" by Art Spiegelman a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman (Pantheon Books, 1996) is identified by: First single-volume collected edition, Pantheon Books 1996, combining both previously published Maus volumes. This is a first-thus single-volume omnibus (1996), not a true first of the content; Maus I (1986) and Maus II (1991) preceded it.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First single-volume collected edition, Pantheon Books 1996, combining both previously published Maus volumes
- A true first of this single-volume format carries the 'First Edition' statement and full number line on the copyright page
- Correct publisher/imprint: Pantheon Books

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Art Spiegelman |
| Publisher | Pantheon Books |
| Year | 1996 |
| True first | world edition |
| Format | Comic / graphic novel |
| Key point | First single-volume collected edition, Pantheon Books 1996, combining both previously… |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
First single-volume collected edition, Pantheon Books 1996, combining both previously published Maus volumes. A true first of this single-volume format carries the 'First Edition' statement and full number line on the copyright page.

## Is this the true first?
This is a first-thus single-volume omnibus (1996), not a true first of the content; Maus I (1986) and Maus II (1991) preceded it.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings show a reduced number line and lack the first-edition state.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Complete Maus* by Art Spiegelman a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-complete-maus
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.