The points of issue
Trade paperback original in pictorial wrappers, Atlantic Monthly Press, first printing per the copyright page.
Is this the true first?
The US Atlantic Monthly Press trade paperback original (1988) is the true first; there was no first hardcover until the Subterranean Press hardcover in 2010.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Bantam mass-market printings are clearly marked and are not the first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Zodiac: The Eco-Thriller a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Trade paperback original in pictorial wrappers, Atlantic Monthly Press, first printing per the copyright page.
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 US Atlantic Monthly Press trade paperback original (1988) is the true first; there was no first hardcover until the Subterranean Press hardcover in 2010.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later Bantam mass-market printings are clearly marked and are not the first.
I have a first edition of Zodiac: The Eco-Thriller — 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.