# Is "The Dead Zone" by Stephen King a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Dead Zone by Stephen King (Viking, 1979) is identified by: The copyright page states 'First published in 1979 by The Viking Press' with no number line present; a first printing carries this statement alone, whereas later printings of the first edition add a descending number line (a line ending in 3 indicates a third printing). The US Viking edition is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The copyright page states 'First published in 1979 by The Viking Press' with no number line present; a first printing carries this statement alone, whereas later printings of the first edition add a descending number line (a line ending in 3 indicates a third printing)
- The front dust-jacket flap bears the printer/issue code (reported as 0879) and the printed price should be present and unclipped
- The binding is black boards with the blind-stamped SK initials on the front, a black cloth spine wrap, and gilt spine lettering
- The first-issue jacket, designed by One + One Studio, shows a half-shadowed face with a small numbered circular device against a black ground, with the title in red and gold
- Publisher imprint reads Viking
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Stephen King |
| Publisher | Viking |
| Year | 1979 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The copyright page states 'First published in 1979 by The Viking Press' with no number line present; a first printing carries this… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
The copyright page states 'First published in 1979 by The Viking Press' with no number line present; a first printing carries this statement alone, whereas later printings of the first edition add a descending number line (a line ending in 3 indicates a third printing). The front dust-jacket flap bears the printer/issue code (reported as 0879) and the printed price should be present and unclipped. The binding is black boards with the blind-stamped SK initials on the front, a black cloth spine wrap, and gilt spine lettering. The first-issue jacket, designed by One + One Studio, shows a half-shadowed face with a small numbered circular device against a black ground, with the title in red and gold.

## Is this the true first?
The US Viking edition is the true first. The UK Macdonald edition (1979/1980) is the UK first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The book-club edition has a blind-stamped gutter code on the rear board, is physically smaller and lighter than the trade first, and its jacket carries no printed price and lacks the flap issue code. Because the copyright statement itself is identical, rely on the rear-board club code, the jacket price/flap code, and the book's size and weight.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Dead Zone* by Stephen King a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-dead-zone
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.