Why this one matters
It is a landmark. It is also, because it is a landmark, permanently in print. Almost every copy in Britain is a later printing, and later printings are worth very little.
That is not a criticism of the book. It is one of the finest things DC published in the 1980s. It is simply a warning that fame and value are not the same thing.
What catches people out
- Count the printings. The indicia states which printing you have. First printings from 1988 are the ones with value, and they are a small minority of what exists.
- The recoloured edition is not the original. The 2008 deluxe hardcover was recoloured by Bolland and is a different book to collectors.
- Softcover versus hardcover matters, as does whether the spine has been read flat, which on a squarebound book is very visible.
The honest verdict
A genuine 1988 first printing in sharp condition is worth having. Anything later is a reading copy. The indicia settles it in ten seconds.
How to check yours
Search the exact issue on eBay and filter to sold listings rather than asking prices. An item sat unsold at a high price tells you what somebody hoped for, not what anybody paid. Match the printing, and be honest with yourself about condition, because it usually matters more than people expect.
If you would rather not work it out yourself, send me photos and I will tell you what you have and what it is realistically worth, for free and with no obligation to sell me anything.
Want it valued properly?
Photos of the cover, the spine and the indicia are enough. You will get an honest answer either way, including if the answer is that it is not worth much.
Get a free valuation