How to identify a first printing
- Standard descending number line on the copyright page; presence of '1' indicates a first printing.
- Comic-strip collections (the core catalog) are dated by copyright year and carry the number line; some titles also print an explicit 'First Printing' / 'First Edition' line.
- For mass-market humor and comic collections the number line is the reliable signal; calendar and gift product often omit a usable key.
Notable points & cautions
- Premier US humor/cartoon publisher: collected newspaper-strip volumes — Calvin and Hobbes (Bill Watterson), The Far Side (Gary Larson), Garfield (Jim Davis), Doonesbury — drive the strongest first-printing demand.
- The publishing arm was established in 1973 out of Universal Press Syndicate (founded 1970 by Jim Andrews and John McMeel); earlier imprint names (Andrews and McMeel; Andrews, McMeel & Parker) help date pre-1990s printings, with corporate parent Andrews McMeel Universal formed in 1997.
- Calvin and Hobbes and Far Side treasuries/anthologies have notable first-printing points — verify the number line and dust jacket/price.
- Calendars and many gift books are not 'first edition' collectibles in the usual sense.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Andrews and McMeel (earlier name), Andrews, McMeel & Parker (earlier name), AMP! Comics for Kids, Andrews McMeel Universal (parent). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Andrews McMeel Publishing book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. Standard descending number line on the copyright page; presence of '1' indicates a first printing. Comic-strip collections (the core catalog) are dated by copyright year and carry the number line; some titles also print an explicit 'First Printing' / 'First Edition' line.
Does Andrews McMeel Publishing use a number line?
Comic-strip collections (the core catalog) are dated by copyright year and carry the number line; some titles also print an explicit 'First Printing' / 'First Edition' line.
Is a book-club edition a Andrews McMeel Publishing first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Premier US humor/cartoon publisher: collected newspaper-strip volumes — Calvin and Hobbes (Bill Watterson), The Far Side (Gary Larson), Garfield (Jim Davis), Doonesbury — drive the strongest first-printing demand.
What era does this cover?
This covers Andrews McMeel Publishing (1970s-present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.