Yes. Several library archives (Internet Archive, Bitsavers) have scanned early DTP manuals. Search for "1987 desktop publishing manual missing images" rather than the exact phrase.
A layout notation where an illustration could not be reproduced due to printing or copyright limitations. picture is not shown book 1987
The answer lies in the economics and logistics of mass-market publishing in the mid-1980s. The Tommyknockers was a massive book—over 700 pages in its first edition. To keep costs down, some paperback reprints omitted certain visual elements. The caption “picture is not shown” was a relic of the transition from the hardcover layout, where drawings by Stephen King’s longtime illustrator, perhaps someone like Phil Parks or Linda Fennimore, had once appeared. In rushed reprints, the text remained, but the images vanished. A layout notation where an illustration could not
While searching for , collectors look for these specific titles: To keep costs down, some paperback reprints omitted
The closest match for a "helpful review" related to this specific phrase and time period involves the analysis of film and media tropes: The "Picture is Not Shown" Trope
: The title likely refers to the concept of cinematic or visual exclusion —things that were left off the screen or omitted from the "picture" due to censorship or stylistic choice.