The points of issue
Paperback original issued under the pseudonym 'Richard Stark,' a Permabook (Pocket Books) printing, catalog number M-4272, dated December 1962. Color pictorial wrapper with cover art by Harry Bennett. First Parker novel; later reissued and film-tied as 'Point Blank.'
Is this the true first?
The true first is the 1962 Permabook (Pocket Books) paperback original; there was no hardcover first edition. The later University of Chicago Press reissues are first-thus only.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Not a book-club title; identify by the Permabook first-printing state and the M-4272 catalog number. The 'Point Blank' film tie-in editions of 1967 postdate it.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Hunter (Point Blank) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Paperback original issued under the pseudonym 'Richard Stark,' a Permabook (Pocket Books) printing, catalog number M-4272, dated December 1962. Color pictorial wrapper with cover art by Harry Bennett. First Parker novel; later reissued and film-tied as 'Point Blank.'
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 true first is the 1962 Permabook (Pocket Books) paperback original; there was no hardcover first edition. The later University of Chicago Press reissues are first-thus only.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Not a book-club title; identify by the Permabook first-printing state and the M-4272 catalog number. The 'Point Blank' film tie-in editions of 1967 postdate it.
I have a first edition of The Hunter (Point Blank) — 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.