The points of issue
'The Gunslinger' true first is the Donald M. Grant trade edition, 1982, illustrated by Michael Whelan, limited to 10,000 copies (plus a 500-copy signed/numbered state). Limitation page; first state has no later-printing statement. Issued in slipcase for the signed state.
Is this the true first?
Grant 1982 is the true first (King self-distributed; not in general trade until the 1988 Plume paperback). The signed/numbered 500-copy state is the premium first; the 10,000-copy trade Grant is also a first. The 1988 NAL/Plume edition is the first widely available edition, not the first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Any mass-market paperback (Plume/NAL 1988 onward) is a later edition. The Grant first is identified by the Whelan illustrations, the limitation page, and the West Kingston imprint.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Drawing of the Three / The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower I) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: 'The Gunslinger' true first is the Donald M. Grant trade edition, 1982, illustrated by Michael Whelan, limited to 10,000 copies (plus a 500-copy signed/numbered state). Limitation page; first state has no later-printing statement. Issued in slipcase for the signed state.
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. Grant 1982 is the true first (King self-distributed; not in general trade until the 1988 Plume paperback). The signed/numbered 500-copy state is the premium first; the 10,000-copy trade Grant is also a first. The 1988 NAL/Plume edition is the first widely available edition, not the first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Any mass-market paperback (Plume/NAL 1988 onward) is a later edition. The Grant first is identified by the Whelan illustrations, the limitation page, and the West Kingston imprint.
I have a first edition of The Drawing of the Three / The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower I) — 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.