The points of issue
Serial first: three-issue Vertigo mini-series, 2004; a first-print issue #1 carries no later-printing notation in the indicia. First collected edition: Vertigo trade paperback, 2005. A separate expanded deluxe hardcover followed in 2011 and is a later first-thus, not the original collection.
Is this the true first?
The 2004 mini-series is the serial first appearance and outranks the collection in precedence; the 2005 trade paperback is the first book form; the 2011 deluxe hardcover is later and expanded. Distinguish the three.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition; later printings and the deluxe edition are later. Verify the 2004 serial first prints (unmarked indicia) and the 2005 first collected printing.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of We3 a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Serial first: three-issue Vertigo mini-series, 2004; a first-print issue #1 carries no later-printing notation in the indicia. First collected edition: Vertigo trade paperback, 2005. A separate expanded deluxe hardcover followed in 2011 and is a later first-thus, not the original collection.
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 2004 mini-series is the serial first appearance and outranks the collection in precedence; the 2005 trade paperback is the first book form; the 2011 deluxe hardcover is later and expanded. Distinguish the three.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition; later printings and the deluxe edition are later. Verify the 2004 serial first prints (unmarked indicia) and the 2005 first collected printing.
I have a first edition of We3 — 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.