How can you tell a first printing of Hellsing?
By the colophon page, the ISBN block, and the printing line, in that order. Hellsing is unusually well documented: every edition’s identifiers are on record.
Japanese tankobon print their printing history on the colophon page at the back: the first edition is marked as the first printing (初版), with later printings numbered as they accumulate. For the English books, the fastest tell is the ISBN block, because Dark Horse’s two paperback editions and the Deluxe hardcovers all carry distinct numbers.
THE JAPANESE FIRST EDITIONS
Young King Comics, 1998 to 2009Volume 1
Shonengahosha · 24 September 1998 · ISBN 978-4-7859-1870-5
Volume 2
Shonengahosha · 6 December 1999 · ISBN 978-4-7859-1958-0
Volume 3
Shonengahosha · 9 December 2000 · ISBN 978-4-7859-2047-0
Volume 4
Shonengahosha · 27 September 2001 · ISBN 978-4-7859-2125-5
Volume 5
Shonengahosha · 27 February 2003 · ISBN 978-4-7859-2286-3
Volume 6
Shonengahosha · 14 November 2003 · ISBN 978-4-7859-2373-0
Volume 7
Shonengahosha · 27 December 2004 · ISBN 978-4-7859-2499-7
Volume 8
Shonengahosha · July 2006 · ISBN 978-4-7859-2666-3
Volume 9
Shonengahosha · 9 November 2007 · ISBN 978-4-7859-2885-8
Volume 10
Shonengahosha · 27 March 2009 · ISBN 978-4-7859-3131-5
READING A JAPANESE COPY
The checksThe colophon
Open the back of the book. The colophon lists the first publication date and the printing: a copy printed in the volume’s release month with the first-printing mark is the first edition of that printing line.
The ISBN
Match the ISBN against the table above. All ten were verified against openBD’s records and Shonengahosha’s own product pages during the writing of this page, volume 10 included: 978-4-7859-3131-5.
The obi and jacket
First printings were sold with the obi strip under a dust jacket. The strip is the first thing lost, so a jacketed copy with its obi is the complete form, and the boards under the jacket carry their own second illustration to check.
THE ENGLISH FIRST EDITIONS
Dark Horse singles, 2003 to 2010Volume 1
Dark Horse · December 2003 · ISBN 978-1-59307-056-4
Volume 2
Dark Horse · April 2004 · ISBN 978-1-59307-057-1
Volume 3
Dark Horse · June 2004 · ISBN 978-1-59307-202-5
Volume 4
Dark Horse · September 2004 · ISBN 978-1-59307-259-9
Volume 5
Dark Horse · December 2004 · ISBN 978-1-59307-272-8
Volume 6
Dark Horse · March 2005 · ISBN 978-1-59307-302-2
Volume 7
Dark Horse · September 2005 · ISBN 978-1-59307-348-0
Volume 8
Dark Horse · July 2007 · ISBN 978-1-59307-780-8
Volume 9
Dark Horse · October 2008 · ISBN 978-1-59582-157-7
Volume 10
Dark Horse · May 19, 2010 · ISBN 978-1-59582-498-1
READING AN ENGLISH COPY
The checksThe ISBN block tells the edition
First edition singles carry ISBNs beginning 1-59307 or 1-59582. The second edition of 2023 to 2025 uses the 1-50673 block throughout. Same translation, different printings, and the number settles it at a glance.
The Deluxe printings
The Deluxe hardcovers (2020 to 2021) are tracked by printing in retailer listings, which separate first printings from reprints. Check the copyright page’s printing statement against the listing language before paying a first-printing premium.