The points of issue
First printing identified by the number line on the copyright page; pictorial dust jacket with color front illustration by Wendell Minor and a rear-panel author photograph by John Fryer. The original jacket carries a printed price on the front flap (do not rely on a specific figure to identify the first; an unclipped, period-appropriate price is the point).
Is this the true first?
True first is the 1974 Simon & Schuster hardcover.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A later book-club edition exists; it is typically blind-stamped on the rear board and has no printed price on the jacket flap.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Hawkline Monster: A Gothic Western a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing identified by the number line on the copyright page; pictorial dust jacket with color front illustration by Wendell Minor and a rear-panel author photograph by John Fryer. The original jacket carries a printed price on the front flap (do not rely on a specific figure to identify the first; an unclipped, period-appropriate price is the point).
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. True first is the 1974 Simon & Schuster hardcover.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
A later book-club edition exists; it is typically blind-stamped on the rear board and has no printed price on the jacket flap.
I have a first edition of The Hawkline Monster: A Gothic Western — 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.