# Is "We3" by Grant Morrison & Frank Quitely a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of We3 by Grant Morrison & Frank Quitely (DC Comics, 2004 (serial) / 2005 (collected)) is identified by: Serial first: three-issue Vertigo mini-series, 2004; a first-print issue #1 carries no later-printing notation in the indicia. 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.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- 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
- Correct publisher/imprint: DC Comics

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Grant Morrison & Frank Quitely |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| Year | 2004 (serial) / 2005 (collected) |
| True first | world edition |
| Format | Comic / graphic novel |
| Key point | Serial first: three-issue Vertigo mini-series, 2004; a first-print issue #1 carries no later-printing notation in the indicia |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## 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.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *We3* by Grant Morrison & Frank Quitely a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/we3
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.