The Death-Ray (2011) Signed First Edition Reference

The Death-Ray originally appeared as the complete contents of Eightball #23 (2004) — the final issue of Clowes’s anthology series — before being published as a standalone hardcover by Drawn & Quarterly in 2011. The story follows Andy, a teenager who discovers he can fire a ray that erases things from existence. It is Clowes’s most sustained engagement with the superhero genre, treated with his characteristic mordant irony.

First Edition Identification

The 2004 Eightball #23 is the original publication. The 2011 Drawn & Quarterly hardcover is the expanded edition. Both are collectible.

Signed Copy Market Values

• Signed D&Q hardcover: $30–$75
• Signed Eightball #23: $40–$100
• Unsigned D&Q hardcover: $10–$25

The Death-Ray closes the Eightball era and anticipates Clowes’s move toward more ambitious standalone graphic novels. Its superhero premise, treated with complete seriousness, makes it one of the most intellectually interesting superhero deconstructions alongside Watchmen and Miracleman.