The points of issue
Hardcover, Houghton Mifflin (Mariner imprint), Boston, 2008, ISBN 978-0-618-96880-0, number line ending in 1 for the first printing. A 392-page career-spanning collection of the comic strip with a new cartoonist's introduction.
Is this the true first?
The strips were first self-syndicated and earlier gathered in Firebrand Books collections (1980s into the 2000s), which are the true first appearances; this 2008 Houghton Mifflin volume is the first edition of this best-of compilation, a first thus. The US Houghton Mifflin edition (November 2008) precedes the UK Jonathan Cape edition (ISBN 978-0-224-08706-3, December 2008), so the US printing is the true first of this collection.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Hardcover, Houghton Mifflin (Mariner imprint), Boston, 2008, ISBN 978-0-618-96880-0, number line ending in 1 for the first printing. A 392-page career-spanning collection of the comic strip with a new cartoonist's introduction.
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 strips were first self-syndicated and earlier gathered in Firebrand Books collections (1980s into the 2000s), which are the true first appearances; this 2008 Houghton Mifflin volume is the first edition of this best-of compilation, a first thus. The US Houghton Mifflin edition (November 2008) pr
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book club edition.
I have a first edition of The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For — 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.