Ward’s wordless novel, Gods’ Man, is a Faustian tale where a young artist sells his soul for fame but at a later date has to pay the price.
It was published as both a trade copy and in a limited edition,
and Yes – it is spelled Gods’ not God’s.
And for what it is worth, you may also be interested in knowing that the first title I suggested for the book was “All art is useless.” The name we finally worked out, “Gods’ man,” using as it does the plural, stemmed from the idea that it is usually phrased somewhat along these lines: “the Artist is always the darling of the Gods.”
Ward letter to Irving Steingart, Nov. 19, 1958
Editions of Gods’ Man:
Gods’ Man 1st NY Trade edition 1929
- six printings starting October 1929
Gods’ Man 1st UK Trade edition 1930
- at least two printings starting in 1930, and
Gods’ Man in a Limited edition 1930
- printed in New York in May, 1930.
Also some later editions
- 1966 Cleveland: World Publishing World Publishing, Cleveland, 1966 [3] l., 144 plates. 22 cm. 1st edition thus Black cloth HC binding with gilt lettering. HC with dj
- 1978 New York: St. Martins Press Sm 4to, unpaginated, in dj.
- 1978 St. Martins Press. Softcover Pictorial front cover on white paper.
- 2015 Centipede Press. A fine press edition limited to 300 signed and numbered copies. Signed by Barry Moser with a Ward Family-approved signature by Lynd Ward.