# Is "Paper Girls #1" by Brian K. Vaughan & Cliff Chiang a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Paper Girls #1 by Brian K. Vaughan & Cliff Chiang (Image Comics, 2015) is identified by: Single issue #1 from Image Comics, on sale October 7, 2015, a double-sized debut carrying the standard printed cover price with the regular Cliff Chiang cover (cover code 1). The true first is the single issue #1 (2015).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Single issue #1 from Image Comics, on sale October 7, 2015, a double-sized debut carrying the standard printed cover price with the regular Cliff Chiang cover (cover code 1)
- A first printing carries no printing notation in the indicia; the last digits of the barcode encode the printing, so a first shows no elevated printing number
- Later printings are explicitly marked (2nd, 3rd, etc.) and carry new cover art
- Correct publisher/imprint: Image Comics

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Brian K. Vaughan & Cliff Chiang |
| Publisher | Image Comics |
| Year | 2015 |
| True first | world edition |
| Format | Comic / graphic novel |
| Key point | Single issue #1 from Image Comics, on sale October 7, 2015, a double-sized debut carrying the standard printed cover price with the regular… |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
Single issue #1 from Image Comics, on sale October 7, 2015, a double-sized debut carrying the standard printed cover price with the regular Cliff Chiang cover (cover code 1). A first printing carries no printing notation in the indicia; the last digits of the barcode encode the printing, so a first shows no elevated printing number. Later printings are explicitly marked (2nd, 3rd, etc.) and carry new cover art.

## Is this the true first?
The true first is the single issue #1 (2015). Collected trades, deluxe, and Backpack editions are first-thus only.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Multiple printings exist; a first has no printing box or elevated printing digit in the indicia/barcode. Reprints are labelled by printing on the cover or indicia.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Paper Girls #1* by Brian K. Vaughan & Cliff Chiang a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/paper-girls-1
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.