How to Identify a Image Comics First Edition

How to identify a first printing

• Floppy single issues: a first printing carries NO printing statement; later printings are explicitly marked (e.g. 'Second Printing' in the cover area or indicia).
• Trade paperbacks / hardcovers: the copyright/indicia page states the printing month and year (e.g. 'First Printing: March 2014') plus the volume number; later printings update that line.
• Many Image collected editions also carry a descending number line on the indicia page; a '1' present indicates the first printing.
• Image is a direct-market-focused publisher, so newsstand-vs-direct barcode distinctions generally do not apply; barcode suffix digits sometimes track the printing but are not a reliable stand-alone first-printing test — rely on the stated printing line.

Notable points & cautions

• Founded 1992 by seven Marvel defectors (McFarlane, Liefeld, Lee, Valentino, Larsen, Silvestri, Portacio). Each founding partner ran a studio (Top Cow, Extreme, WildStorm, Highbrow, Shadowline, Todd McFarlane Productions); Jim Lee sold WildStorm to DC in 1998 (effective January 1, 1999), so it is no longer an Image imprint.
• The Walking Dead and Saga drove large second/third/fourth-printing runs, so first-printing collected editions are verified by the 'First Printing' month line rather than cover art, which is often unchanged.
• Skybound (est. 2010) and Top Cow are among the most active sub-imprints; their collected editions still use Image's printing-month indicia convention.

Imprints

First editions also appear under: Skybound (Robert Kirkman), Top Cow Productions (Marc Silvestri), Shadowline (Jim Valentino), Todd McFarlane Productions, Highbrow Entertainment (Erik Larsen), Extreme Studios (Rob Liefeld, historical). Each generally follows the house convention above.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if my Image Comics book is a first edition?

Check the copyright page. Floppy single issues: a first printing carries NO printing statement; later printings are explicitly marked (e.g. 'Second Printing' in the cover area or indicia). Trade paperbacks / hardcovers: the copyright/indicia page states the printing month and year (e.g. 'First Printing: March 2014') plus the volume number; later printings update that line.

Does Image Comics use a number line?

Trade paperbacks / hardcovers: the copyright/indicia page states the printing month and year (e.g. 'First Printing: March 2014') plus the volume number; later printings update that line.

Is a book-club edition a Image Comics first edition?

No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Founded 1992 by seven Marvel defectors (McFarlane, Liefeld, Lee, Valentino, Larsen, Silvestri, Portacio). Each founding partner ran a studio (Top Cow, Extreme, WildStorm, Highbrow, Shadowline, Todd McFarlane Productions); Jim Lee sold WildStorm to DC in 1998 (effective January 1, 1999), so it is no longer an Image imprint.

What era does this cover?

This covers Image Comics (1992-present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.