The points of issue
Cover-dated September 2002 (on sale July 17, 2002), printed cover price, J.G. Jones cover. First print is the direct edition with no printing notation; the indicia is dated 2002. A marked second printing exists. Note that the on-sale month was July while the cover date is September, so a bare 'July 2002' can be misleading.
Is this the true first?
True first appearance of Yorick Brown and Agent 355. The first collected trade paperback 'Unmanned' (2003) is a separate first-thus and should not be conflated with the serial #1 first print.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition; later printings are marked. Verify the unmarked 2002 first print.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Y: The Last Man #1 (comic) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Cover-dated September 2002 (on sale July 17, 2002), printed cover price, J.G. Jones cover. First print is the direct edition with no printing notation; the indicia is dated 2002. A marked second printing exists. Note that the on-sale month was July while the cover date is September, so a bare 'July 2002' can be misleading.
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 appearance of Yorick Brown and Agent 355. The first collected trade paperback 'Unmanned' (2003) is a separate first-thus and should not be conflated with the serial #1 first print.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition; later printings are marked. Verify the unmarked 2002 first print.
I have a first edition of Y: The Last Man #1 (comic) — 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.