Is the first chapter completely missing? If it is, then I don't think it is readable and therefore unswappable (it would fall under the no missing text pages rule). If everything you need to read the book is there, then it could probably be posted. This is one case where I think a courtesy PM before sending the book would be a good idea so it doesn't freak out the receiver. I would recommend getting it exchanged for a good copy from the publisher instead though.

Were the pages replaced by the publisher or someone else?  I'm thinking that if it's the publisher (and the pages are bound in the book, not loose) you are okay.  But if like Joe-Barnes and Noble-employee did it in the back, then its probably not postable.

I bought a book and when my DH got about 100 pages into the book, about 50 pages were repeated, and the pages that were supposed to be there weren't, so made the book unreadable at that point.

I ordered the book from PBS and asked that they check to make sure the same thing hadn't happened in more than my copy.  The book I was sent was ok, and my DH got to finish it.  I just had to trash the original copy I had as I bought it used.  Pat

If your book is missing any pages, it would not be postable.  If the first chapter is still there, that would be okay, and it would be helpful to send a PM to your requestor so they will know what has happened and what to expect.  Even if every copy was the same as yours, it still would be unpostable.  Mistakes in numbers are still mistakes.

My $.02 - whatever the rules here say, I'd find that as bad as,if not worse than, a couple of small stains or a tear of just over an inch.

If you purchased the book from a store, I'd say return it and show them the defect. They should offer you a refund/credit or exchange it for another copy which does not contain a defect (just like any other kind of defective item).

They'd then return it to the publisher as a defective product.

If you didn't actually purchase it yourself and don't know where it came from (it was a gift, you got it at a book sale) you can contact the publisher directly and they should be willing to send you another (non-defective) copy.

As for here on PBS, I'd say it's technically postable - after all, it's not missing any pages since it was published in that condition. But it IS defective and I wouldn't pass it along as if it were a whole, readable copy because I certainly wouldn't want to receive a defective book myself.

Find the publishers website, most will have listed if they will replace a book if their is a misprint and it will show if they know about the misprint already.

If nothing is listed on their website, send them an email detailing which pages are affected.

Look at it this way-how disappointed would you be if you ordered this and when it came you couldn't read the 1st chapter because it was missing?  I would be really annoyed.  If it all the right pages were there and just some extras were thrown in-I'd be ok with that.  But not an entire chapter missing.

I wouldn't toss it yet.  I'd offer it as a freebie with an order from my shelf.  Especially if I had other graphic novels.  Someone might want it if they've read the 1st chapter elsewhere or something.  But I don't think it's fair to ask a credit for the book.