The points of issue
Trade paperback collecting Y: The Last Man issues 1 through 5, Vertigo (DC Comics), January 2003, ISBN 1-56389-980-9 (978-1-56389-980-5). The first printing carries no later-printing statement in the indicia.
Is this the true first?
The single issues, beginning with Y: The Last Man number 1 in 2002 from Vertigo, are the true first appearance and the key collectible; the Volume 1 trade paperback is the first book collection. The later deluxe hardcovers are first thus.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition; reprint trades are stated.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Y: The Last Man, Vol. 1: Unmanned a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Trade paperback collecting Y: The Last Man issues 1 through 5, Vertigo (DC Comics), January 2003, ISBN 1-56389-980-9 (978-1-56389-980-5). The first printing carries no later-printing statement in the indicia.
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 single issues, beginning with Y: The Last Man number 1 in 2002 from Vertigo, are the true first appearance and the key collectible; the Volume 1 trade paperback is the first book collection. The later deluxe hardcovers are first thus.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book club edition; reprint trades are stated.
I have a first edition of Y: The Last Man, Vol. 1: Unmanned — 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.